IM Tattoo Location......why the calf

So everyone can see it there?

I dunno.

As a woman attorney - who wears skirts for jury trials - I had to get mine on a place my coworkers/ jurors/ judges/ etc. can't see it

I don't know the tradition but this is my thought as to why the calf...

Because it's highly visible.  You get it on your upper arm like a tribal band, people might not always see it unless you wear sleeveless shirts, which you might not do.  You put it on your chest or back, people only see it when your shirt is off, not that often.  On your calf, any time you wear shorts, people are going to see it.  You may think, well why not the forearm then?  Everyone would see it when you wear a short sleeve shirt.  But, like me, if you go into the office and have to wear a short sleeve polo shirt, the tattoo would be visible and not very professional.  But at least the calf would be covered at work.

Has to do with where it's going to get the most visibility.

[UOTE]mattramirez - 2012-07-31 8:59 PM

I don't know the tradition but this is my thought as to why the calf...

Because it's highly visible.  You get it on your upper arm like a tribal band, people might not always see it unless you wear sleeveless shirts, which you might not do.  You put it on your chest or back, people only see it when your shirt is off, not that often.  On your calf, any time you wear shorts, people are going to see it.  You may think, well why not the forearm then?  Everyone would see it when you wear a short sleeve shirt.  But, like me, if you go into the office and have to wear a short sleeve polo shirt, the tattoo would be visible and not very professional.  But at least the calf would be covered at work.

Has to do with where it's going to get the most visibility.

I assumed it was related to where they right they body mark you for your age group. Other racers check your calf to see if you are their competition. Maybe other Ironmen can see that you are in their league for some friendly competition. Or they want to intimidate non-Ironmen.

I think its a good location because mostly it would only be noticed in athletic events. I'm planning non-branded, so I'm leaning toward an almost tribal band look on the upper arm.

that sums up triathletes very well...lol

Interesting. Hadn't ever thought about it. I got my 26.2 tattoo on my calf kind of as a "thank you" to that body part. I purposely got it on the leg that I injured earlier that year.

I don't want a tattoo on my other calf so I'm thinking of putting my mdot on my upper arm or shoulder blade. Not sure yet.

My job doesn't care about visible tattoos, fwiw. I have five tats that are visible or coverable depending on what I'm wearing.

So where did you get it?

thats a good one....

That's funny, I had a really crisp C on my leg for my 2nd tri, and considered a Clyde-for-life theme ink piece. But now that USAT raised the Clyde bar to 220, I plan to be below that by 2013.

I never really thought I'd get the IM tattoo, but I saw one where somebody used roman numerals with the decimal point being a tiny IM logo.  It looked really cool.  It was also on calf.  IF, big IF, I got one, it would have to go on calf because my arm/shoulder are taken up already. 

Roman numerals for what?  140.6 with the dot being a mdot?

Yes.  I saw it on Ironman facebook.