Observed tonight in the airport lounge a proud finisher of the Vineman Ironman race on July 30th. Today is August 3rd, a full 4 days following the race and band is still firmly affixed to the wrist.
So let’s discuss, how long is to long to wear the band?
In my mind, it is not a souvenir item and should be removed the next day.
I’d say be that person if you feel like it! If you want to wear it for days on end, go ahead, but people will get sick of your flash way before you’re done with the pride of the moment.
I’ll never do the tattoo and got rid of my wristband immediately. However, I love my IM t-shirts and have the M-Dot sticker on my car, although I view the car sticker as a bit much as time goes on. But it might buy me some leverage in a speeding ticket someday. When I get a new ride, I’ll leave the window alone.
I’d say be that person if you feel like it! If you want to wear it for days on end, go ahead, but people will get sick of your flash way before you’re done with the pride of the moment.
I’ll never do the tattoo and got rid of my wristband immediately. However, I love my IM t-shirts and have the M-Dot sticker on my car, although I view the car sticker as a bit much as time goes on. But it might buy me some leverage in a speeding ticket someday. When I get a new ride, I’ll leave the window alone.
Agree with you on the t-shirts. I have a few too many shirts, sweater shirts, and polos, but I proudly sport them around town.
Although I did have someone ask if I did the ironman and after replying “Yes”, she then asked “what happened to you?”
I have never done a full ironman but a fair few 70.3s. After the race I like to go out for dinner and a few beers, I like to keep my wrist band on and the lap bands from the run. When I get up the next morning I cut off the band and through it away along with the lap bands.
I have never once worn an a finishers t-shirt… I have them all still. No idea why!
Personally I take everything off ASAP but each to their own. I’m not a medals and t-shirts person either - usually give them to a fellow athlete’s kids they seem to like them.
My pet hate is bike numbers and helmet stickers still on 6 months after an event.
But ultimately you did the race it’s down to you !
2nd or > IM finsh? No later than after you’re retrieved your bike from transition area, or showered, whichever is later.
** I probably removed mine when I got back home, and certainly long before I got back to the office.
So, I’d say that during the return trip home is still fair game, IF it was your first rodeo.
So we’ve got loads of interest about the band, but what about the medals?
d <= 70.3; I’ll wear the medal for the day of. Damnit, I worked for that!
d > 70.3; Longest I’ve gone is a week. I was already getting funny looks on day 2…
I’ve never been big on medals (even actual place medals are removed shortly after the podium), bands, t-shirts, etc. but I’m am kind of fond of the silicone run lap bands. No idea why but I’ve been known to wear those for a few days afterwards despite a finishers medal never even making it to my neck.
There was a guy next to me at the start of IMLP last summer that had bracelets or bands, whatever you want to call them from months of racing. I don’t remember the details and while it was pretty crazy to me, to each his own.
In former times you could use the finisher bike made of cotton to clean the bike after a rainy ride. Today the finisher shirts can be used for nothing.
I think about this the same way I think about somebody’s choice of whether to get a tattoo, what football team to support, who to marry and of what gender, what faith to follow, and generally how to live their lives.
Whatever makes them happy, as long as it doesn’t harm anybody.
Now if you consider “offense” to be a form of harm, and you feel offended by somebody doing something that you wouldn’t do even though it isn’t harming anybody else, then can I suggest that the problem lies with the observer and not the observee?
I wore my medal around most of the night, but I was done fairly early. The next day I saw a few people walking around Santa Rosa wearing their medal and my first thought was, “you can’t wear your medal the day after the race.” My next thought was, “If I finished after a certain time and didn’t have time to do anything after the race then I’d probably have my medal on today too.” Whatever makes them happy.