Marathoners and Fashion

As I was sitting in the hotel lobby the night before the Tampa Marathon, my husband and I had a good bit of entertainment picking out who was going to run the next day based on their attire. I have to say that I did not do so well in picking out the women, but the men, their look was as transparent as it gets. Let me paint the picture: taller, super skinny, wearing jeans (hiked up around their waist and cinched with a belt) and a tech shirt from some other event that was tucked into the said jeans.

I will be the first one to admit that I am not a fashionista. I sacrifice a lot for comfort, especially if it will keep me warm (if my race day photos ever got out!), but I do draw a line between 'training wear' and 'life wear'. I have a few personal rules about marathon fashion:

1. Never wear your race shirt before you actually run the race (including wearing it on race day). I think the shirt should be part of the reward for finishing the race.
2. Tech Shirts are meant to be worn while working out. The whole idea of the shirt is to keep you dry while you are sweating. Therefore, these shirts should only be worn while doing some sort of exercise, and not while hanging around the house or going to the mall etc.
3. Tech Shirts should never be tucked in.
4. Visors on a cloudy day? Visors on any day? It is like racing shorts with the butt cut out of them. Wear a hat or don't!
5. Never wear anything that ends up making an annoying repetitive noise while running such as: squeaky shoes, crinkling jacket or pants, a trash bag or poncho that swooshes when you run. This is extremely annoying to other runners who are sensitive to this type of repetitive noise.
6. Do not wear speakers on your body because headphones are prohibited. Just because your favorite song from the 1980's is perfect for your running, it may not work for everyone else. Try to enjoy the event and take in all the sights and sounds of it. You will be pleasantly surprised.
7. I support wearing costumes running a race although, I never have. They are very entertaining for other runners and spectators. As a matter of fact, I am starting to work on the matching Minnie Mouse costumes that my group will wear at Disney next year! ;)
8. Runners that wear shirts with interesting slogans or websites (especially marathonmama.com) are acceptable. Like the costumes they keep other runners and spectators entertained.

I must repeat that I am not an athletic fashion icon. Practically every race I have run I have had various layers tied around my waist with my bib pinned on crooked (from being re pinned while in motion after removing the top layer). I also have to admit that I did break rule number one at this last race for the sake of warmth. I did admit earlier that I will make sacrifices to keep warm.

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