It's for the photographers to identify you and spam you with emails to buy an action shot of you doing yet another triathlon!

there, proper eenglush and everything.

The point is that you don't wash it off and wear it as a badge of honor the next few days to let everyone know you are a kickass triathlete.

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Just don't do it then. I stopped a couple of years ago and have not been struck by lightning yet.

Chad

So when your lifeless body washes up on shore after a week and your paper race number is washed off..they can still identify you.

The only one that matter is the age on the leg. Not cool to not have it.

It is more than just for photogs. It is for officials to know who you are, and who cheaters are. It is so that your age is on you and others know what AG you are in. It is also an ID if you have an issue on the course and you dont have a bib on - shocking how many folks dont wear their darn bib number, and cheaters like to tuck them in and under things so that they cant be read.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

I always figured it was a hold over from open water swim races where you can't wear a paper number. Does help to identify bodies, or people like finman, but they need to put it on your hands to be seen when you have your wetsuit on. It also helps on the bike and run when they put your age group info on your calf so you know who you are being passed by.

Heh! A day after the NYC marathon I saw slew of people wearing their finishers medal (not the shirt) and chuckled.

2 days after, I saw one guy still wearing his. I laughed (out loud).

makes it easier to penalize you if you cut the swim course. hell my buddy met his wife body marking her before Georgia Rock N Roll half

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-Jason

I believe cars are the new second hand smoke. -Dave Zabriskie

That's nothing.
I did the Disney Marathon this year. There were people on Monday still wearing their finisher medals from the 5k they had the friday before, and it seemed like everyone wore their marathon medals all day sunday and most wore them back to the park on monday. ( The actual marathon was Sunday).

Then, on my return back to Pittsburgh in the airport Tuesday a couple went walking by wearing their medals still....

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Of course, the reason they mark both arms and legs is so they can identify the separate parts that wash up...

(not so funny considering the race I did in 2008 in which someone earlier in the day drowned, then wave after wave apparently swam over him)

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Not cool to not have it.

I'm sure I irritate a lot of people when I pass them then, being a slow swimmer and strong cyclist/runner. Frankly, with all the mixing of waves and AGs, I don't even pay attention to the ages of athetes. I race the people around me.

Chad

Easier for the officials to ID you should your bib # not be visible

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

It's the best volunteer job ever. I'll end my story with that.

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http://www.kickballracing.com
I have many hobbies...make that too many.

How does not having a number allow a participant to cheat?

I agree, have done it before as well.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

If you don't have a number displayed, the officials won't be able to give you a penalty. They take down the number of the offender, and you have to report in at the penalty tent. If there is no number for them to record, they have no proof it was you cheating.

Frankly, with all the mixing of waves and AGs, I don't even pay attention to the ages of athetes. I race the people around me.

That seems odd. You aren't trying to do well in your age group, just beat the people around you?

Maybe it is just a result of being a perennial poor swimmer, but I rarely have people pass me after I get out of the water. Thus, if someone does pass me then I now have someone to "race". I once let a guy run past me in a Duathlon Nationals race because he was in a higher age group. Why? Unwillingness to suffer. After the race I regretting giving up a top ten overall spot without a fight. Since then I decided I would not do that again. I've sprinted it out with folks who turned out to be in different waves, but I didn't care. The "what do you have in you" attitude at the end of the race is where you test your limits.

Chad

Wouldn't this be an ideal situation for a paintball gun? If you're spalttered with paint, report to the penalty tent.

I race those around me, but I especially note those in my AG. ESPECIALLY, when I get passed by them (or see one running ahead of me.) I'll suffer a little more to catch those folks.

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

Hello Eddiezdad and All,

Many times you cannot see the age on the leg after a while in the race as it get sweated off.

It would seem better to code the numbers by age group blocks to that each race number contained the age (as a number - not a code letter).

One glance at the race number and the age is apparent.

KISS - Keep It Simple

Cheers,

Neal

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Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

It is technically required (though I doubt you'd be penalized if you didn't have it). It's the easiest way to identify you on the bike and swim, plus a lot of it is tradition. Think back to the days before timing chips, this is how they recorded your swim split as you ran into T1. A couple of notes on body marking:

1. Put on sunscreen first, or it will smear the ink

2. Scrub it off with a washcloth in the shower (at least get a good fade), or it will imprint on your bed sheets and incur spousal wrath.

3. Most women (and some men) will immediately scrub their calf, lest they walk around for a few days with their age tattooed on them.

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ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)