Fashion faux pas or just one persons opinion?

[suzannews]

This past Saturday I did a 15K with a girl from work. We decided to "match" so we wore the race shirts we were given at packet pickup. Nice breathable tech shirts. Another running friend saw some pictures I posted on facebook after the race and told me its a fashion faux pas to wear the race shirt during the race and that he and some of his running friends make fun of people who wear them. Now, this guy is great and I don't think he said it to make me feel bad and hes always encouraging and supportive when I tell him what races I am signed up for but it got me thinking.


What do you think?

 

[ksoehrlein]

I've heard that as well, but in your case, it sounds like it was the easiest way to get everyone to match and is therefore fine in my book. (You get a pass from the fashion police this time. ) At least it was a tech shirt. I always feel bad for the newbies who wear the cotton t-shirt from the goody bag on race day. Way to go on your 15K, especially in light of the fact you've got a half marathon this weekend!

 

[bunnyfoo]

The only reason I wouldn't wear the race shirt is because of the "don't try anything new on the day of a race" saying. But I think you should wear whatever you want and whatever's comfortable. He must have a lot of time if he makes fun of what people wear when they run. I'm usually just concentrating on finishing

 

[FireDancer]

I usually don't wear them at the bigger races because so many people do it makes it harder to find yourself in pictures. I wouldn't call it a faux pas though.

 

[suzannews]

Thanks Kim and Vicky and Frank! Now that I think about it, there were a couple of others in the back of the pack with us wearing the race shirt. Maybe the speedy runners don't wear them. All I know is that it doesn't matter what shirt I was wearing, I finished and got my medal! I'll try to post a pic!!







After a shower and laundry...

 

[VernRDH]

While not a fashion faux pas, I (and some other runners I know) consider it bad luck to wear the finishers shirt during the race. Just my humble opinion, I really don't care what anyone else wears so long as all the necessary parts that need coverin' is covered

I agree with Frank, it is hard to find yourself in the pix. At the DL, there were tons of people wearing the tech shirts you got in the goody bad. A sea of short sleeved blue shirts. And if your number wasn't readily visible, it would be hard for family/friends to spot you in the crowd.

 

[cewait]

Not a faux pas but not seen as good mojo. I am not superstitious but am a little old school. It comes from the days when shirts were given out at the finish; signaling that you ran the race. Since at the start you have not actually run the race it is seen as just bad form to wear a shirt from the race you are currently running. There are two things that scream ROOKIE… Wearing the race shirt or wearing your bib on the back.

Having said that what you wear is you own business. In the grand scheme of things it is nothing. Wear what you want.

 

[Hockeychic]

I have seen many many people do it, actually my own son does it.

I have worn my WISH shirt to every race I have ever done regardless of it it is at disney or home in Ontario. People always ...pass me.... saying how they love the saying on the back and how true it is.

Also I don't feel I have earned the shirt till I do the race.....just my own superstition but everyone does there own thing and you do what works for you.

 

[escape]

Nice picture, Suzanne! I like the shirt and the medal.

I think your friend was just giving you a hard time. Like Coach Charles, I think of "rookie" when I see it done unless there are several people in a group. For some reason, I just think they all wanted to wear the same shirt and this was the easiest way to do so. I've done the something similar and didn't think anything about it. Like someone else said, if the shirt was cotton, that's another story.


Funny story about the Goofy race this year - like some of the previous posters, I used to think it was bad luck to wear the sponsor shirt before the race. Some could say the same thing about buying sponsor merchandise before the race (like the "I did it" shirts). The expo at the WDW marathon weekend his past January was a mad house when I went. People were grabbing all kinds of WDW marathon merchandise. I bought up several Goofy items and clothing not knowing if I could complete the race or not. Someone told me that was bad luck to purchase ahead of time. Well, I'm glad I did because there were several items that I bought that weren't available after the race. And since I finished the race, I guess you can say that it might have brought me good luck!

 

[ksoehrlein]

I kind of did the same thing. This year's WDW marathon was my first full and DH got to the expo a day before me. I told him to buy one of every shirt in my size and returned those I didn't want the next morning. Several designs were already sold out by that time, so I was really glad we'd gone that route, regardless of any possible bad mojo. I had every intention of returning the other shirts if I didn't finish the race. Luckily, there was no need for that.

 

[jbucci]

I love the shirt and medal. I would run it just to get the cute little feet medal!


As for fashion, I have never cared either way. Wear what you like and what makes you comfortable. I personally like to save the shirt to wear post race after a shower.

 

[JimB.]

I don't see a big deal if that's what you like.

BTW, COOL looking shirt!

I personally consider it really bad mojo to wear a shirt before or during the race.

I was going to run in the River Run 15K in Jacksonville a couple of years ago and wore the shirt the day before for a couple of hours for some stupid reason.

The next morning I woke up with a raging, snot-coughin' upper respiratory infection.

It's not like I am superstitious or anything like that.

I'm just sayin'.......................

 

[John VN]

Cool shirt and medal and you look good with them, congratulations.

As far as wearing during the event, IMO unless the shirt/jersey says, I finished ......, I see no reason not to wear it. Pretty sure the Sponsors of the event don't mind if your picture is taken and they're in the picture.

Bad MOJO? Every time I have worn an item that was include in the goodie bag, I wore it as a reminder of the beneficiary of the event being held and as incentive to complete my task.

 

[dizneyfan23]

My only thing is that I never wear the shirt from the run until I've completed that run. Just my own little thing

I did the Miracle Miles this past weekend too, it was alright. Only did it because of the Florida 15K Challenge medal (for doing Gasparilla, River Run, Miracle Miles in same year)

 

[Hockeychic]

I love the shirt Suzanne it is really nice.

I did the same thing at Goofy knowing that nothing would probably be left after the race but I bought my stuff, left it in the bag and put in it my suitcase until after the race then wore it all proudly

I would just do and wear what I wanted to and not worry about what anyone else thought.

 

[verticalchaos]

I love the shirt Suzanne it is really nice.

I did the same thing at Goofy knowing that nothing would probably be left after the race but I bought my stuff, left it in the bag and put in it my suitcase until after the race then wore it all proudly

I would just do and wear what I wanted to and not worry about what anyone else thought.

I'll probably do that with the Half stuff in January. Especially considering they seem to have run out of anything but small in the women's Half Marathon Training shirt, which makes me I'd really love to get one of them, but there's no way in my wildest dreams I'll be fitting into a small any time soon. I tried emailing to see if they're going to get larger ones in stock, but the response was they have no idea. (I know I could get a guys, but I would rather get the women's. It's cuter!)

 

[Hockeychic]

I know these expos seem to think that anyone who is involved in this sport is a size 0. Yes agreed, ladies cut is always a nicer fit.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I've always heard that it was bad mojo to wear the shirt before finishing the race, and I don't do it... But that's just me; I don't judge anyone else.

However, I do have a funny story from the WDW full marathon on ice this year. I used up all my warm fleece for the half (because it kept me dry at the start) so for the full I just layered old race shirts from local races. One of the shirts was admittedly pretty nice, but got thrown away around the time that the sun came up (so, a couple hours into the race). As I was stripping it off, an older gentleman commented that it was an awfully nice shirt to throw away. I replied that the race had been cancelled because of snow (ironically, it was the '12K's of Christmas' and had a yeti on the shirt...) so I never felt comfortable wearing the shirt. He then launches into me about wearing it during this race and about it being bad form to wear the shirt of a race you never ran. My only response was, "and that's why I'm throwing it away!" He didn't seem placated. Oh, the race purists...

 

[lolakat]

I'm glad I read this thread. Being a newbie I wouldn't have thought twice about wearing the race shirt. As a matter of fact I'm still training in.... horror of horrors.... COTTON!!

Thank you for helping me get "in the know"

 

[DianeL]

I never wear the race shirt until after. Even on shorter races. Don't want to jinx myself

As far as clothing from the Disney expos. I do buy what I want even the "I Did It's" (Even bought the Donald I Did it 2010 because what if I didn't "finish it" on the marathon? LOL) Anyways, I always buy what I want, I even go so far as to try them on back in the room so that if I need to I can run back and get a different size. The shirts are on only as long as it takes to decide if it fits. Then it's back into the bag until after the race.

The one thing I was not allowed to do... order the sketches of the character running until after I finished the races. So in 2009 when I saw the Goofy running I was not able to buy it till 2010 We figured to do so would jinx me. (the sketches are from the Epcot and Downtown Gallery. I think even the MK store had some). There is a Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and there is even a sketch of Donald, Mickey and Goofy racing. I now have all of them

Buy the stuff at the expo I bought the wrong size of the 2008 Did It but didn't try it on until after the race and it didn't fit. Mom ran to Downtown Disney's Sports store in the hopes she'd find them. But nadda! Lesson learned, always buy the shirt.

Suzanne that is a great shirt and medal!!!! WTG!!!!! Congrats!!!!