and get that stuff?
What is your distance threshold? Would you drive an hour to do so?
If I couldn’t get a refund / transfer, and payed for it, then I would. I’d drive the hour, too, but I’d also stay and watch the race, maybe volunteer to help out, cheer on the racers… assuming, of course, that it’s a race I was really interested in doing.
If it was just a tune-up / B/C race, then no - I don’t need another t-shirt that badly…
Yes. I would go to look at people’s gears, etc. Maybe do some BSing too.
Depending on the venue, I’d probably go to volunteer.
Depends on distance and injury. An hour away and I was mobile and able to enjoy being at the race and could help out, sure. An hour away, on crutches and feeling like shit, I’d blow it off and take a pain pill. More thatn an hour, if it wasn’t anything more than a t-shirt and water bottle, no way.
“and get that stuff?”
I wouldn’t walk 5 minutes to pick it up, let alone get in the car and drive.
If it’s an IM or a half and I am going to be at the event anyway I will pick up my kit so that I can get into transition and take on the role of mobile mechanic and gear toter for my friends.
No. I would feel strange having a number for a race I wasn’t going to do!
Volunteering is a good idea.
I hope that your injury heals quickly.
No if it’s a race that I’m signed up for but am injured and can’t race it’s a total write off. I would not walk across the street to pick up my packet.
What kind of stuff are we talking about? You can’t wear the t-shirt, so what else is there? A bunch of coupons and fliers? No, I wouldn’t go, other than to volunteer.
Victor
What does that mean “you can’t wear the t-shirt”?
The only time I did that was when I needed surgery and, therefore, missed an Ironman. I picked up the wrist band so I could go in on the Saturday before the race and register for next year’s race.
Other than that, what’s the point?
What does that mean “you can’t wear the t-shirt”?
can’t = it’s just not done. If it needs to be explained farther then I “can’t” help you.
It’s like wearing white shoes before Easter and after Memorial Day = poor form!!
What does that mean “you can’t wear the t-shirt”?
It means just what was said: You can’t wear the t-shirt. Didn’t do the race, can’t wear the shirt. . . pretty standard.
I’ve never played polo. Can I never wear a Ralph Lauren shirt? I’ve got no crocodile in me, so I shouldn’t wear a lacoste shirt? Who give s a crap what some poor slob wears? It’s just an expensive t-shirt.
So you never wear any logo of anything you “support?” No hats to a ball game? No t shirt to a football game? Totally ridiculous.
If it’s a sold-out race, I would contact the organizers to let them know I wouldn’t be there, so that they could give/sell the spot to the next person on the waiting list.
If it’s not sold out, and it’s just a local running race, sure I would drive 10 minutes to get the package, to get the tech shirt - hey, it’s another training top and I would figure I had paid for it with my entry. I’ve run enough local 5ks and 10ks that I don’t feel the need to justify to anyone whether I am capable of running a 5/10k.
If it was some major event (hmmmm, define major) say a full marathon or provincial champ duathlon, etc or something I had to drive more than 10 minutes to, nope, I wouldn’t drive there to get the package and/or wear the shirt/top/jacket.
I’ve never played polo. Can I never wear a Ralph Lauren shirt? I’ve got no crocodile in me, so I shouldn’t wear a lacoste shirt? Who give s a crap what some poor slob wears? It’s just an expensive t-shirt.
So you never wear any logo of anything you “support?” No hats to a ball game? No t shirt to a football game? Totally ridiculous.
My sense is that the rationale is this: The race shirt represents an accomplishment; it’s a symbol of the commitment and hard work over months of training–in addition to successfully completing a challenging race. As for Ralph Lauren or Izod, it’s everywhere and means nothing. It’s so ubiquitous that people don’t look at it and ask whether you do, in fact, play polo. I would guess that most people don’t even know what the rider on the horse even represents. The race shirt is different. It’s unique, represents something very specific and has a great deal of meaning to many who participated.
My sense is that the rationale is this: The race shirt represents an accomplishment; it’s a symbol of the commitment and hard work over months of training–in addition to successfully completing a challenging race. As for Ralph Lauren or Izod, it’s everywhere and means nothing. It’s so ubiquitous that people don’t look at it and ask whether you do, in fact, play polo. I would guess that most people don’t even know what the rider on the horse even represents. The race shirt is different. It’s unique, represents something very specific and has a great deal of meaning to many who participated.
x2
I can’t count the number of times i’m at a race wearing a shirt from another event and someone strikes up a conversation about what I thought about the race or their own experience when they completed it. It would be a pretty awkward conversation if I had to tell them I hadn’t done the event. Wearing a race shirt is a statement of your accomplishment. You don’t wear a race shirt before a race or after if you weren’t able to complete it for some reason.
You and I have significantly different views on this issue. And I don’t want to belabor a point or argue, but . . . The shirt represents the accomplishment? Really? A symbol of commitment? Having a “great deal of meaning” I really hope you treat it as such. Successful completion of a challenging race? What if the race wasn’t challenging? What if I’m not happy with my performance, so I don’t deem it successful? I could argue the IM brand/logo is ubiquitous and meaningless (how many products are branded - from beds to watches to everything else that is made fun of here) .
Conversely, what if this dude trained for months for this specific race, blood sweat and tears and all the other stuff that most of us corporate stiffs like to talk about/overblow with respect to our goofy little hobby, but life conspired in an evil way such that he can’t race. You’re going to deny him the opportunity to enjoy this memento that represents so much to some? What if he worked harder than others who did get to race? Does that count for anything? What if having the shirt allowed him to talk to someone who may not otherwise talk to him (thinking they had a common bond) and may change his life - maybe he could share as to why he couldn’t race, or what the race (or non-race) meant to him. What if he was more proud of his training commitment than the racing commitment? what about the free advertising you’re denying all of the sponsors. What if the RD says to all the sponsors, who are looking to confirm an ROI, "yeah well, all of your free product is still in bags if you want to come get it - hey, want sto sponsor the race next year? What about all of the logos on the back of the shirts that will go unseen? Does the RD want that?
Let the poor slouch (or any poor slouch - I include myself in that description) get (and wear) the t-shirt he paid for. If you see him wearing it, go ahead and talk to him about the race. To close the loop . . my original question still stands. Why do you really give a crap what some OTHER poor slouch is doing if it’s not impinging on you.