Wouldn’t it be ironic if eating Lucky Charms before a race was my lucky charm? Sadly, it’s not. I don’t believe in purple marshmallows–or leprechauns.

So we’re entering the final countdown to Train Like a Mother: How to Get Across Any Finish Line – and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity. Let’s say we’re at Mile 22 of a marathon. Which is when, conveniently for this post, you might call on the power of a lucky charm to get you across the finish line. Hopefully these charms we list below will still be lucky, even after they receive the unhappy news that there was no room for their magical powers in the (hopefully still magical) orange book.

 Take It from a Mother: Do you have a lucky running charm?

“My wild red hat. It’s knit, multicolored, has strings to my chest, and pom-poms.”
—Courtney (took a wrong turn in her first race and ran 10K instead of the 5K for which she registered)

“Pink shorts.”
—Erin (started running track in high school, where the pink shorts made their debut)

“I like to wear a pair of earrings my husband gave me.”
—Keri (entertains herself during long runs by texting people)

“Moving Comfort Fiona bra. I will not run without it.”
—Mary-Glen (works on speed by running with a fast neighbor)

TLAM: it’s magically delicious.

“I have a running girl necklace I like to wear.”
—Phyllis (started running to cope with grief after her mom passed away)

“Prayer.  I can’t run without God.”
—Randi (loves the excitement and energy of races)

“Jewelry that represents various members of my family.”
—Sarah (treats hip pain with Active Release Technique)

“No lucky charms for me.”
—Wendy (thinking about a race makes her crave eggs and toast)

“For my last two half-marathons, I’ve worn a necklace with my kids’ birth charms and names on it.”
—Lesley (has to wear her Garmin on race day, “I would probably go out way too fast if I didn’t”)

“Always left shoe on first!”
—Melissa (worst race experience: her quads locking up during her second marathon in a week)

“I have a bracelet that all the moms in the group got from our coach before our first race. I wear that every time I run.”
—Jennifer (felt like a “real” runner when 1) she started thinking about running all the time and 2) she got her first bloody toe.)

“Balega socks.”
—Gemma (favorite pre-run meal: an English muffin, lots of water, and a handful of chocolate chips)

“I put a guardian angel pin my mom gave me onto my race bib.”
—Erica (came very close to throwing up at her last 10K. “I haven’t felt that nauseated since I was pregnant with my twins!”)

“I like wearing my son’s athletics t-shirts. He’s the strongest person I know.”
—Neita (motivates herself by reading running blogs)

“My son’s baby washcloth.”
—Maria (proudest running moment: a 7-mile run with a new group of friends. “I had never run more than 4 miles prior to that day. They were all so encouraging that it really motivated me to finish”)

“My white TNT hat. I wear a white hat to honor the great Joan Benoit Samuelson.”
—Lois (dubs the foam roller her best friend. “I’m a massage therapist, but no one massages me.”)

“I lost my first baby at 32 weeks when I had cancer, so I wear her footprints on my waist. When it gets hard, I look down and run the miles for her little feet that will never get to run.”
—Rebecca (proudest running moment was this year when she ran a half-marathon. “Eight years ago, I couldn’t walk, my mom bathed me, and my sister carried me to the bathroom. And this year I ran a freakin’ half-marathon!”)

 Now we’re taking it to you mothers: Do you have a charm de lucky?