How many of you do this?

Triathlon Forum
1

Before my first 5K(my first running race) my now girlfriend warned me that anyone and everyone who has qualified Boston will be wearing items that pertain to Boston. Then when I was at the pool the other day, this group that must have just started or something was there(because I haven’t seen them any other time I’ve been at the pool) had 6 or 7 people that had their IM swimcap on. Obviously there was some thought put into it, because all these people didn’t just happen to grab that swimcap out of all the ones they have from all the races they have done.

So how many of you purposely wear items of clothing relating to “big events” you have worn, either for comments or “ooh aah”? One lady with the swim cap swam as if she owned the pool(nearly took out two people during the workout), and frankly I thought it was tacky, but…

2

I have a FINISHER jacket that I occasionally wear to the gym or pool. I don’t see what the issue is. I never expect or receive any comments.

3

I put my swim clothes in that yellow bag you get at roth. I use it because i don’t have any other bags and it has the right size. Besides the only thing you can read on the thing, if you don’t look closely, is “quelle challenge roth” and nobody knows what that is (especially at school, where people probably think i clean toilets in the morning because of the chlorine smell).

4

For the 1st time yesterday I wore my IMFL swim cap… About only 10% of people in the pool know what is an IM, so I don’t really care. I think I should be more proud to wear my IM stuff, bc I didn’t steal it. Man, it’s a journey to get there…

5

I wear a Half IM swim cap and have discovered this seems to help get conversations started with other swimmers who happen to also be triathletes…so not a bad thing in my book. Gets a bit of attention too…but I stay in my own lane and don’t run people over and wait my turn for the lane…

6

I wear my finisher’s hat pretty regularly to workout in. I have a couple of finisher’s H2O bottles that I use as well. I have no idea where my T-shirt is at. There is one dude I know that workouts out at the gym in full IM kit every day. Not my style (if you ask my wife I have no style), but I don’t really care.

7

I’m wearing my finishers hat from Kona and Boston jacket right now. Wanna fight about it? LOL! Just kidding I don’t wear them. They are on display in a glass case at my local bar. This thread is funny.

8 
Gives people identity.
9

I wear mine when I need a mental pick me up. It helps me rememeber what I am training for.

I really don’t care what anyone thinks.

10

It also gives people something to talk about. I just started running with a new running club last week and one of the guys there had an IM MOO hat, and I asked him about the race and what I heard about it, and we found we had some mutual friends who did it, etc., and we talked about my recent IM, and some of the local races. We just hit it off. Had he not been wearing the IM hat, we may not have said anything to each other all year.

11

I don’t wear my IM swim caps because I prefer silicone caps, their easier on the hair, plus anyone that sees me in the pool and knows what an IM is would probably think I borrowed the cap judging from the way I swim.

I do wear my finisher hats because their really nice headsweats caps, they fit well and look nice. I don’t wear my shirts because they are huge and look dumpy (I’d love it if we could get women’s fit tees!)

My BF has a finisher jacket from CA and it has FINISHER emblazoned across the back in big letters, it’s not subtle, but he never wears it.

12

If it is the top t-shirt on the pile and it matches what I’m wearing (it’s a t-shirt it matches everything and anything - though my wife would strongly disagree) I’ll wear it. Of course my only IM finisher t-shirt is so ugly I’m using it as a bike rag.

13

I can’t do it. I think it is majorly bad kharma. Firstly, I pretty much suck these days and you’re only as good as your last race. My last race was a few months ago and I was largely unimpressive. If I wore that stuff it would be inviting some conversation like, “Oh, you did the Toughman Triathlon, hey tiger, how’d it go…?” Then I’d have to say, “Ah man, I was 3,794th in my age category- I think I blew my taper…”

I try to avoid that conversation.

14

I don’t wear a swim cap, slows me down.

15

I don’t wear any Ironman paraphenalia. I figure my body should tell everyone what my fitness level is. If I am in fat slug shape, I should’nt get any props for wearing an ironman swim cap.

16

ya damn skippy! I want everyone to know I did booboo’s half sprint unathlon…

I have worn swim caps from races to the pool. But I’m invisible so I can get away with it.

17

anyone that sees me in the pool and knows what an IM is would probably think I borrowed the cap judging from the way I swim.

Now that’s funny, amazing how eager we are to judge one another.

oh yeah, I get to try my new sig line with this post…thanks Tom.

18

“So how many of you purposely wear items of clothing relating to “big events” you have worn, either for comments or “ooh aah”?”

I wear an IM Kona t-shirt every now and then. I bought it as a souvenir in 1995 on my honeymoon years before I ever did a triathlon. I’ve still never done an IM. Saaaave meeee I’mmmm aaaa pooooossser!

19

I purposefully DON’T wear it.

20

I think the people who purposely do not wear them are as funny as those who do.

I’m like DD–if a t-shirt, I take whatever is on the top that matches. At the pool, I wear one cap until it rips, then start in on the next one. Though the IMH swim cap is set aside and not to wear. The IMH finishers’ t-shirt is too big. All other IM finisher shirts (non-t-shirts, the polo types) are now way too big and they are packed to give to my dad to wear.

clm