Love seeing the t-shirt, tat, or anyother 140.6 stuff

The tech shirts from races. I try to give the person a nod to acknowledge the race.

Especially races that I have done and been able to suffer the same pain. Love to say  "Wasn't that hill at mile 9 a pain in the ......"

Hopefully they are not just posers

This is an interesting post.  I will start off with the fact that I have about 10 tattoos, one of which is an MDOT.   Greanted I have never raced IM Hawaii but have finished 5 IM's so I think that I am qualified to have one.

When I think of MDOT tattoos, I think of the Marine Corps.  Now follow me.  I spent 6 years in the Marines (no Marine tattoo).  But when I see someone, young or old, I know that he is a fellow Marine and I share something in common with him / her.  I can have a conversation with that person, etc.  I feel the same about the MDOT tattoos.  When I am away from home and see someone with the MDOT Tattoo, I know there is someone with whom I share a interest with and can have a conversation with (most of the time). 

The same can be said about shirts, etc.  Just yesterday I was in the locker-room at the gym.  The guy had one of those cheap bags that races give out for the Indy Mini Marathon. Being in Tucson I struck up a conversation with the guy.  Turns out he went to school in Indiana.  Made me feel like I was a little closer to home.

Careful with these kinds of statements...BT has become the forum for the overly sensitive...

There are some people that are too sensitive.  About who can wear what shirt, have what tattoo. I think that there is more in life to get all bent out of shape  about.  Triathlon is supposed to be "FUN".  Well as much fun as this kind of thing can be. 

Socks - 2011-05-18 3:50 PM Good stuff.  Usually when people see me witha race t-shirt on they ask if I WENT to the race not if I DID the race.  Guess I don't look like a triathlete.  Someone spotted the Timex hat I was wearing at a race...you know the ones they give away at ironmans? She asked "Oh did you go to an ironman and get that hat?"  I replied "No.  I DID and ironman and got that hat"  Maybe I should get the tat

Funny, I snagged one of those hats at an IM finish a few years ago, and refused to wear it (or even cut the tags off) until I wore it in my first IM.  Felt great to put in on in T2 at IMLP last year after looking at it for a few years:

Blog post about the hat

For the record, while I do enjoy passing people with the M-dot tat, I have never had to speed up to pass someone with said tattoo. That's what makes it so much fun for me. If you're going to show off and brag to the whole world, "Hey, look at me!!  I did an Ironman!!" at least be faster than an "old" man.

I would never suppose to tell someone not to get the ink, but I think it screams of self aggrandizement. It's the ultimate punchline to the classic joke;

How do you tell who's a triathlete at a party?

You don't have to, they'll tell you.

That's just silly. What if they did the IM and got the tattoo several years ago, and since then they were in a major car accident, told they might never walk again, went through multiple reconstructive surgeries, and are now busting their but to regain just a portion of their previous fitness?

Or more likely, what if yesterday was a long hard run, today is a recovery run, and they don't want to mess up their training plan just to prevent some fool from passing them?

I thought you didn't run?

So much for the positive, supportive atmosphere that attracts so many to this sport.

mr2tony - 2011-05-20 3:38 AM

DanielG - 2011-05-20 2:57 AM I did B2B full last year and am doing IMFL this year. I'm 45 and have never gotten a tattoo even after being Infantry, going to various SE Asia countries and doing all sorts of other stuff that a lot of people end up with tattoos doing historically. I'm seriously contemplating and will probably get: on my calf after IMFL. I've always heard if you're going to get a tattoo make sure the first one actually means something to you. I'm a pilot so the wings mean a hell of a lot to me and the M-Dot is a traditional thing post IM so that makes sense. Yeah, I'm sure I'll hear about it as I'm running around here, there are a lot o 140.6, 70.3 and similar stickers. I'm also sure there will be a few people whose lives are so pathetic they have to take pleasure in passing me solely because I have an mdot tattoo. Well, I'm glad to have given them a couple minutes what apparently is the only way they can feel good about themselves. I, personally, would really wonder about you if you COULDN'T pass me.

I got a `140.6' tat after my first ironman, and am actually contemplating doing a WTC race just for the M-DOT tattoo. Really, is there any OTHER reason to do an Ironman?

Yeah, just to do it.