The Ethics of Wearing a Marathion Finisher's Shirt When You Didn't

uvox · 14-04-2016 10:36AM #1

There used to be a shop or two in Europe where you could trade in your vintage marathon finisher's shirt for another (not eBay, yes I know). Anyone know of any shop or outlet in Ireland where you could do the same?

Whither the ethics of non-runners - or even worse, joggers - wearing a finisher's shirt anyway?

Chivito550 · 14-04-2016 10:44AM

uvox wrote: »

Whither the ethics of non-runners - or even worse, joggers - wearing a finisher's shirt anyway?

What are your thoughts? Lead the way.

BeepBeep67 · 14-04-2016 10:50AM

I don't even wear them when I do finish, I was tripping over people wearing their tee shirt and medal at breakfast in the hotel on Monday morning, almost brought my gag reflux back.

i71jskz5xu42pb · 14-04-2016 10:52AM

I'd be embarrassed to wear my finishers shirt for two reasons
* I'd be afraid someone might ask what time I did ;-)
* to me, it seems really boastful, oh look at me, I ran (barely) a marathon

robinph · 14-04-2016 11:07AM

If you have a problem with a post then either use the report post button, or ignore it. Posting in the thread will be considered backseat modding or trolling.

Chivito550 · 14-04-2016 11:10AM

It's not about the time you run, it's about how good you look wearing the finishers t-shirt.

RayCun · 14-04-2016 11:22AM

I wear my Dublin finisher's tops regularly, they're mixed in with my other long-sleeved tops - usually worn cycling, not running.
Limerick marathon I got an XL t-shirt, that went in the charity bag, maybe someone out there is wearing it.
I've a few regular t-shirts from races I didn't do, generally leftovers I got later

It's no skin off my nose if someone wears a top they're not 'entitled' to

Chivito550 · 14-04-2016 11:26AM

I used to wear my Rotterdam t-shirt training sometimes. Then one day I ran an 800m race in Melbourne on a very windy day. Had it on for my warm up, and then took it off at the last minute before the race and threw it at the side of the track, but not near where the rest of my stuff was. Completely forgot to pick it up after. Nobody handed it in to lost and found. The wind probably took it away, as I doubt anybody would be sad enough to nick it. Was a bit gutted to lose it being honest, as it's the only marathon I've done, and may be the only one I ever do.

walshb · 14-04-2016 11:28AM

You're a gas man. You get pi%%ed at these threads, but can't stay out of them!;)

RacoonQueen · 14-04-2016 11:43AM

I picked my one up in Rotterdam and will be wearing it. It's only a t-shirt - I don't buy running tops etc I just wear the ones I got at races. If it bothers anyone else that someone wears t-shirts from races they didn't do, it's their problem. Really, who cares what anyone else wears?

opus · 14-04-2016 11:52AM

I ended up with two Limerick marathon t-shirts one year, one of which was too big for me so I passed it onto a friend (non-runner) who wore it occasionally playing 5-aside soccer. He told me later he binned it cause he got annoyed with everyone asking him how he got on in the Limerick marathon

Peterx · 14-04-2016 12:13PM

Many of my finishers tops have been passed on to my brother-in-law as work wear on the farm he runs.
I can safely say he has never given one jot of a thought about whether anyone thinks he ran the events or not but it gives me a smile to think some reps might see him and wonder.
His favourite is an IMRA hoody from a few years ago.

A work colleague gave me a Chicago marathon technical tee years ago. I loved the feel of it and wore it for ages until I lost it after a hillrun down on Ben Gorm. At that point I hadn't ran any marathon, never mind Chicago. So to answer the question, I don't think ethics really come into it.
And I have a 100 mile (or maybe KM) cotton hoodie from some race in Hong Kong I didn't do. It looks really nice though so I wear all the time, around the house only though

Woden · 14-04-2016 12:16PM

What we need is races to start giving out shorts. Then i'll only need to buy trainers and socks

TFBubendorfer · 14-04-2016 12:40PM

Woden wrote: »

What we need is races to start giving out shorts. Then i'll only need to buy trainers and socks

If you run Cork or Dublin marathon as a pacer you get to keep the shorts that are part of the pacers' gear. That's how I got almost all of my shorts.

livedadream · 14-04-2016 12:45PM

personally, i think its kinda like cheating in an exam, your only fooling yourself. if your walking around in a Dublin marathon or Connemara 100 hoodie do you want people to think you are an elite runner or iron man? an ultra runner? or do you just not care?

i love getting the tops but never really wear them, im only a newbie running but have kept all the tops ive either won or been handed at the end of a race, i have this plan of cutting them all up and making a blanket or bed cover. (or getting someone to make it for me as i have no idea how to even start)

the one shirt i have that i didnt earn is the bressie lust for life 5km one, you were supposed to wear it to the event and were given it in advance, i wore it up to the event but passed out before the race (long story but it was very very cold) so i have it shoved down the bottom of the bag i keep them all in.

thank god its a cheap 'technical' top and not a really nice one...

davedanon · 14-04-2016 12:57PM

I don't care about any individual top, but I do like to have a big stash of them, just so as I always have something to wear. Long-sleeved tops, such as you usually only get at marathons, are always useful. I keep all of them. The only top I got that I actively like is my London 2015 one. It's an Adidas and is really cool, plus it's my pb race too.

spaceylou · 14-04-2016 01:19PM

I have two 'marathon' tech tops that I wear regularly because I find them quite comfortable. Both of them I got when I ran a half marathon that was organised alongside a marathon. Obv easier for the organisers to order the same design for everyone. Comfort is more important than image design when wearing t-shirts and tech tops for me anyway

kit3 · 14-04-2016 01:36PM

I don't buy running tops & use any I've got in races without a thought. I don't care what anyone else does. I've yet to wear the one I got in Donadea though - lovely t-shirt but don't feel qualified to wear it yet (although I did finish)

chrislad · 14-04-2016 01:46PM

I love my Dublin top. I'm still on Cloud 9 that I was able to complete a marathon. Maybe after a few I won't care, but looking at me 2 years ago, running 26 metres was something I wouldn't do.

Gavlor · 14-04-2016 02:28PM

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

If you run Cork or Dublin marathon as a pacer you get to keep the shorts that are part of the pacers' gear. That's how I got almost all of my shorts.

Hopefully not the red short shorts from a couple of years ago!!

hardCopy · 14-04-2016 02:56PM

livedadream wrote: »

personally, i think its kinda like cheating in an exam, your only fooling yourself. if your walking around in a Dublin marathon or Connemara 100 hoodie do you want people to think you are an elite runner or iron man? an ultra runner? or do you just not care?

It depends on why you're wearing it I suppose. If you wear it because you want some kind of admiration for something you didn't achieve then you're just weird.

I haven't bought a training top in years, finishers shirts are all I ever train in.

My wife often wears mine if she can't find one of her own, we usually do the same races but she has probably worn tops for races she didn't run. Her mother and sister have managed to bag a couple of her tops because they liked the colour. I've given my dad a few because they got too big for me. None of these people are wearing these tops for any sort of dishonest kudos.

endacl · 14-04-2016 02:59PM

I used to wear an AC/DC tshirt. I was never even in AC/DC!!!

ThisRegard · 14-04-2016 03:04PM

hardCopy wrote: »

My wife often wears mine if she can't find one of her own,

Same here, mine just takes whatever she finds when she's going to yoga and pilates.

snailsong · 14-04-2016 04:26PM

Woden wrote: »

What we need is races to start giving out shorts. Then i'll only need to buy trainers and socks

I think the Headford 8k used to give out quality running socks, probably still does. We could get fully kitted out!

tang1 · 14-04-2016 04:30PM

snailsong wrote: »

I think the Headford 8k used to give out quality running socks, probably still does. We could get fully kitted out!

Trim 10 mile this year you got a pair of running socks.

Run and Jump · 14-04-2016 04:31PM

+1 for finisher's shorts and finisher's socks!!!

I like seeing other people wear theirs, because it either reminds me I did that race too or it gives me an idea for a new race to enter. It never occurs to me to query whether the person actually did the race, or that someone wears one to let on that they did that race when they didn't. I just assume they finished behind me

(I only wear my marathon finisher's top on the evening after the marathon when I'm slouched on the couch, enjoyed a post-race pizza and beer and feeling pleased with myself. And then I never wear it again. For shorter races I never wear them at all, and I have piles of finisher's tops in pristine condition, never worn.)

BeepBeep67 · 14-04-2016 04:36PM

snailsong wrote: »

I think the Headford 8k used to give out quality running socks, probably still does. We could get fully kitted out!

The Trim 10 gave out inverse socks this year - haven't tried them yet.

Edit: ^^ - just seeing tang1 posted this also

davedanon · 14-04-2016 04:50PM

Run and Jump wrote: »

+1 for finisher's shorts and finisher's socks!!!

I like seeing other people wear theirs, because it either reminds me I did that race too or it gives me an idea for a new race to enter. It never occurs to me to query whether the person actually did the race, or that someone wears one to let on that they did that race when they didn't. I just assume they finished behind me

(I only wear my marathon finisher's top on the evening after the marathon when I'm slouched on the couch, enjoyed a post-race pizza and beer and feeling pleased with myself. And then I never wear it again. For shorter races I never wear them at all, and I have piles of finisher's tops in pristine condition, never worn.)

So what do you train in?

Run and Jump · 14-04-2016 05:32PM

davedanon wrote: »

So what do you train in?

Maybe I'm one of those posers who train with no shirt on!*

(*I train in the cheap Decathlon tops I got years ago, before I started amassing finisher's tops, which are still in excellent condition. And I've received a few other tops as Christmas and birthday presents. They do me fine.)

livedadream · 14-04-2016 05:37PM

davedanon wrote: »

So what do you train in?

knickers and a sports bra :eek::P:confused: hahahaaaaaaa

brownian · 14-04-2016 06:30PM

On a related topic, how nice not to get 'I hit the wall in Connemara' this year. A nice new logo. And, given the year that was in it, saying 'Finisher' actually meant something 8-)

The Ethics of Wearing a Marathion Finisher's Shirt When You Didn't

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