I awake each morning at the same time to the sounds of a bedside alarm clock radio, but it is not a blaring alarm. The resonance of a local radio station emerges with the sonorous voice of a disc jockey. The thought of my adidas track jacket hanging in the closet is already on my mind as I climb out of bed, and the expectation that I will soon wear it for my morning run.
There are many styles of adidas track jackets available in a variety of colors. The young men’s superstar track jacket has the classic triple white stripes running down both sleeves. The firebird track jacket is a stunning blue in color with red stripes on the sleeves. Adidas track jackets can be purchased at most sporting goods stores that offer exceptional quality sportswear at reasonable prices. My adidas track jacket had a cost of seventy-five dollars.
I chose the Adisas’ Men’s adiPURE Track Jacket. It is impressively black with a turtleneck-style collar when its zipper is pulled to the throat. It has a single wide red stripe that runs vertically down the side of one entire arm, and three red thin stripes running jointly down the other. The Adidas brand mark is fixed to the chest. If a jacket makes the man, my Adidas track jacket makes me feel that I am everything I want to be when I am wearing it.
For my run I dress into running pants, a short-sleeved tee shirt, and tennis shoes. After turning off the radio I’ll head toward the window and slide the curtains open. I see the crack of dawn coming into view. I’ll walk to the closet and open the door. The Adidas track jacket remains there, in the dark, until its time to put it on again. I firmly grasp the shoulder of the Adidas track jacket and move it into the light.
Before going out, there will usually be that final trip to the mirror where I focus intensely on the Adidas track jacket. Without looking down I will pull the zipper up halfway, and then pause for a moment before pulling it up completely, causing the collar to wrap tightly, yet comfortably around my neck. I am ready now, are my thoughts. It is time.
After reaching the bottom of the stairs I begin a series of stretching routines in the entrance foyer just inside the building’s front door. I can hear the wispy sounds coming from the Adidas track jacket as my body dips, raises, twists, and turns. Loud puffs of air rush out from my lungs three or four times, letting me know the run starts now. I reach for the door knob, open the door, and swiftly sprint out into the morning air.