I was not checked at IMCal, but it's for your own safety. Do something clever with it. I made a big W on my shirt. The volunteers easily saw it and kept encouraging me saying, "Go, W!" and similar words of support.

At Canada last year, I believe they checked. They reiterated the requirement at all Canada, IMUSA and Florida athlete meetings. On the other hand, I never recall hearing about any penalties/dq's regarding this rule. However, who knows what rule will the next "hot" one for enforcement :)

Oh, by the way - its no real biggie. Costs pennies at a local hardware store.

I thought there was no way I would need it. But once my stomach gave out last weekend I remember thinking that it would really suck to walk the rest of this marathon only to get pulled out because of a reflector. Lucky for me, because of the rain, a lot of people's feel off so I picked some up and made make shift wrist bands while I walked.

The lesson here is that it's one less thing to worry about and it takes very little pre thought to put a couple stickers on your jeresey.

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Ross Hoopingarner

Just a quick note on the tape. I was at aLP 2003, some of you may have seen me on the run, i was wearing the craft shirt that was more brightly colored than any reflective tape.

You could clearly see a 170lb guy run/walking a good distance of.

When I did IM Canada in 1999 they gave out little round stickers and I dutifully placed them on my jersey but by the time I was about 2 miles into the run, all but one had fallen off so I'm glad they didn't enforce it.

At IMLP they were checking us...I am not sure they checked everyone. I was at the T2 all the years (4) I was there at about 6:30-6:45. They would even ask us about it as we left the tent.

Also, when I was at LP there was no refelctive tape tp be purchased! I got mine year 1 from another person there. 2-3-4 I took a ton with me and it was all used every year...the night before the race in the hotel there were all kinds of people asking about it.

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