Track and Field Blogs - Mike Morgan

Last month I wrote about my favorite piece of running equipment, the runderwear wind briefs. In light of the crappiest Michigan winter of all-time, I am going to spend another month writing about my SECOND favorite piece of running equipment, my wicked awesome neckbeard. Who needs a balaclava when you can grow one of these puppies. Nothing takes the sting out of a 0 degree day like having a dead squirrel around your neck!

Before you go out and grow your own neckbeard, there are a few things to consider.

1.) Make sure you understand the time commitment. While it doesn't take much to keep your neckbeard watered and fed, once it is full grown, maintenance can be a bit tricky. Take for example last weekend, I hit the town to do a little clubbing, the neckbeard however wouldn't cooperate. No matter how I tried to style it, it just wouldn't hold. So what did I do? I gave my good ol' buddy Kyle O'Brien a call and had him rush me over some of his industrial strength moose, problem solved.

2.) The enormous amount of nuclear heat that a neckbeard produces takes a little getting used to. I am often overdressed for my runs. I am currently in the process of connecting my neckbeard to my chest hair so that I can just eliminate my top layers. I can see it now, 10 degrees, shoes, pants, no shirt, and gloves. That would be the ultimate, plus it would cut down on the amount of laundry that I have.

3.) Your significant other will constantly tell you to shave it. You know why? Because of all the women that flock to you! My future wife Yacho always wants me to shave my neckbeard, well guess what? NO. I enjoy having mass amounts of women stalking me because of my neck warmer. Don't worry ladies, there is enough beard for everyone.

In closing, I hope that I have inspired you to "go and grow" your own neckbeard. I am leaving you with a video that Brian Sell shared with our team a while back, as well as a picture of my own awesome neckbeard, enjoy!