while i do keep it on in the pool, i always take it off before an open water swim. a few lost pounds during peak season, combined with the cold water and it's easy to see how an accident could happen. even with the tape around the finger i wouldn't trust it. it means too much to me and i'm already preoccupied enough on race morning without another thing to worry about. besides, would your wife be more angry if you were without it for a few hours during a race or you lost it in the lake?

---

____________________________________________________________
"I'm happy when life's good,
and when it's bad I cry.
I've got values but I don't know how or why."
- The Who

Oh goody - fodder for another story... (avoid this one if you're squeamish...)


I was guiding a group of rock climbing clients in J-tree a few years ago when I heard the most ungodly noise coming from a nearby climb - sounded like someone threw a bus full of schoolkids off a cliff and was playing the screams back through a Marshall stack. Bad.

By the time I got to the base of the climb, the source of the screaming had been lowered to the ground. looking past the suddenly off-white face of the poor guy's belayer, I saw, writhing on the ground, something I NEVER want to see again.

It seems this hapless soul had fallen, on the lead, while leading a 5.8-ish hand/finger crack. His foot slipped. The problem was, his hand was still jammed in the crack. And he was wearing his wedding band.

The energy of the fall forced the ring up to his knuckle, which was swollen too large for the ring to pass - so the ring was pulled UNDER the skin, and then dragged off the finger, taking the skin (and most of the finger) with it. The poor guy was rolling on the ground looking at his finger bone sticking out of ground sausage. YUCK.

First aid, makeshift stretcher, ride to the hospital, yaddah - yaddah - yaddah. Moral of the story?

NEVER climb wearing jewelry.
NEVER bike wearing jewelry.

MH

---

Tech writer/support on this here site. FIST school instructor and certified bike fitter. Formerly at Diamondback Bikes, LeMond Fitness, FSA, TiCycles, etc.
Coaching and bike fit - http://source-e.net/ Cyclocross blog - https://crosssports.net/ BJJ instruction - https://ballardbjj.com/

I never race with my ring on. Period. Not worth the risk of losing it on the swim. My wife doesn't have a problem with it either, she tells me that she know's who she's married to and I certainly know who I'm married to. The ring is an important symbol or your marriage, but you need to ask her if she would rather you take the ring off for a few hours every few weeks for a race, or have you lose the ring in some murky lake or river.

A funny aside - if you ever go snorkling out on Molikini, the guys who lead the groups explain to the newlyweds that they need to pay close attention to their rings because once a ring hits the bottom of the ocean, it's no longer your wedding ring, it's called treasure...

I've argued for the tattoo for quite some time. Unfortunately the only alternative my wife suggested was a brand on my forehead to the effect of "property of Holly, this man is married so hands off - this means you, ...". As the brand is very hot and it looked like this would be a very long message I still wear my ring. I've tried the "you hold it for me until I cross the finish line" a few times and I won't try that one again.

There is something magical about my wife attending a race. When I go alone, I enjoy the race, get some food and drink afterwards and go home. When she is with me, without fail, there will be a gorgeous scantily clad tribabe setting up her bike next to me in transition. She always forgets something and asks to borrow a safety pin, or bike pump, etc. Then after the race I'll run into 2 or 3 old friends who inevitably have perfect bodies and are wearing the least amount allowed by USAT rules.

"Oh goody - fodder for another story... (avoid this one if you're squeamish...)"

I knew a guy who lost his ring finger in an industrial accident involving a machine he was working with. There are certainly times/occupations when it is not at all advisable to wear a wedding ring.

The tatoo idea sort of makes sense. Only problem is what happens with divorce?