This Saturday I will run my one and only race of 2011, the Celtic Solstice 5-miler in Baltimore. I wrote about this race last year because it is one my all-time favorites. I won’t be racing it this year–not even going to put the chip on–but just running it nice and easy with a few friends doing the same. We’ll run five before to make it an even 10, then call it a day and head out for brunch!
One of the things I love about this race are the premiums. I’ve often said I would be happy to pay a lower fee and skip the premium, and this is one race where you can do that. But, the premiums are always so nice for this race, I become a hypocrite and spring for them. Jim Adams, the race organizer, is a runner’s runner and always arranges that you can pick up your premium a week ahead of time at a store close to you. So I already have this year’s premium. Pretty nice, huh?
Does a shirt design get any better? Still, not gonna wear it for real until after the race.
But as much as I want to put this shirt on and go run in it, I’ll wait until after Saturday. I have this thing about wearing a shirt before I’ve done the race. Superstition, probably, but I just feel like it will jinx me. Heck, this year I don’t even have anything to be jinxed about, but still…can’t do it.
I remember when I did my Ironman years ago. They had stuff on sale all week leading up to the race, but I didn’t buy any of it until after the big day. Just didn’t seem right. At Boston, you pretty much have no choice–if you want the jacket, etc, you have to buy it beforehand at the expo. But that doesn’t mean it has to be worn until after, which is how I roll.
Silly rules I make up for myself, but I’m guessing some of you are on board with me on this. Am I right?
That shirt is awesome design! Kudos to the race team! I agree, I never wear the gear until after I run the race. I found it really hard to buy a jacket at my 1st marathon before the race (will this jinx me?)… but glad I did because they sold out fast.
Run with Jess recently posted..Day 12 of a Fit Christmas
Man I adore you.
Amen. No shirt no matter how sweet…worn until after the race.
Freaking love it!
Rock your 2011 race woman!!
I love that shirt! I won’t wear a shirt until after the race either. Silly, I know but I feel like I have to earn it first.
Enjoy your run and enjoy the time with your friends!
Tracy recently posted..Maintain Don’t Gain
Nice shirt! Enjoy your run and then the shirt:)
Laima recently posted..Wine – A Probiotic?
That’s a sweet shirt! I kind of want to run it just for that shirt
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I’m with you on everything – I love Celtic Solstice too, I love the premiums from that race, and I never wear any race shirt until the race is over.
I accidentally scheduled Christmas with my in-laws this weekend, so I’m missing the race this year. Breaks my heart!! Have a great time.
Kim recently posted..New York City Marathon Photos
lovely shirt! I don’t even wear the shirt to the race. Bad ju ju!
Michel recently posted..Excuses or Reasons? some thoughts on water at races, plus My Memories winner!
yep, on board. Awesome shirt!
Don’t do the shirt unless you do the race! Unless… I have a shirt or two from races I didn’t run due to injury. They are my painting shirts, but never worn in public.
Jamoosh recently posted..Lucky Number 7
I definitely follow the same rules/superstitions as you when it comes to race merchandise!
Sounds like a fun plan for this weekend and a great race – enjoy!
marlene recently posted..Easier With Friends
Thanks for the kind words on my post about qualifying for the Boston Marathon!
And ya know what, I think I did meet your friend during the race!!!!!!!
We were winding through the hills in Cape Henlopen park after I’d been following her for a while. I was trying to figure out if I was on track to get a BQ and she assured me that we were. She was super sweet…was her name Amanda?? I think she made it under 3:35 too, she is a really strong runner! How do you know her?
Katherine @ Neon Blonde Runner recently posted..Rehoboth Beach Marathon Race Recap…AKA My First Boston Qualifier!!
That is a really sweet shirt.
I don’t wear my race shirts during/before the race either. Doesn’t feel right!!!
Allison Johnson recently posted..Relief… and a Race!
That is one sweet shirt. I agree with not wearing it till after the race. It just wouldnt feel right. I cant say this enough. I am so happy for you that you are getting back into running, with all you have been through this year.
No doubt you are right. I’m sure you’ll agree a derivatives of this rule applies to other situations as well – like you should never wear the t-shirt of a band you are about to go see in concert.
Patrick Mahoney recently posted..Instruments Of Torture That You Still Need To Use
Wow that is a nice shirt!
I rarely have my race shirt before race day but I wouldn’t wear it before the race either. I’d feel like I hadn’t “earned” it yet.
shelly recently posted..Let’s Talk Lottery
I follow your rules as well!
Jeff recently posted..Ramblings …
I’m also not a big fan of wearing the new shirt during the race! That’s a pretty cool design…did you have someone else model that for your pic since the race is Saturday?
Chicken recently posted..Where All My Time Goes
I’m totally with ya on this one. Hope you have a fun day.
Missy recently posted..Iron Girl 10K
Definitely after – if I don’t run in the event, the shirt goes to charity. Enjoy the run!
Kovas recently posted..Tuesday Tasting: Clif Family Whites
Geez…I thought that was #1 rule of runners…never wear the shirt/bling/stuff until you earn it.
After the race….it is part of the wardrobe.
Laura recently posted..Feeling Sorry for the 4hr Pace Bunny and Dead Soldiers
According to the Official T-Shirt Etiquette Guidelines, article 4 states
“4. Never wear a race event shirt for the (same) race you are about to do. Only rookies do this. It displays a total lack of integrity and might put the bad-heebee-jeebee-mojo on you for the race. Wearing a T-shirt of the race, while currently running said race, is discouraged. It’s like being at work and constantly announcing “I’m at work”. Besides, you wont have the correct post-race shirt then…unless you like to wear sweaty, pitted-out clothes on a regular basis. If you do, then go back to the swamp, Gomer.”
BDD recently posted..Weekly Ramblings – Sort Of
That is a great shirt! I’d feel the same way, would feel funny wearing it without actually doing it.
abbi recently posted..Faceplant Friday
i’m the same way on the shirts! it makes me cringe when i see people wearing the race shirt during a race. i’m happy that it’s my superstition and not theirs b/c i know i would break an ankle if i wore the shirt before the race. lol!
B.o.B. recently posted..The Elephant in the Room
That is a very pretty shirt!
I won’t wear race shirts before the race, or to the race, or at all if I DNS. Actually, since all my race shirts to date are non-technical, I don’t wear them anywhere that involves running. I do have a (tech) jacket that I got from a 10-mile and today will mark the first time I’ve actually worn it for more than just the 30 seconds to check if it fit.
avenging angle recently posted..Kimchi!
The Celtic Solstice always has the best premiums!! Always worth it. Have a fun race!
Beth recently posted..100 Flights
Not silly rules at all!! I’m exactly the same! I don’t want to wear it unless I’ve done it! I’m getting ready for my first Ironman this year and I don’t want any part of the MDOT wear until I’ve crossed that finish line. Then I’m thinking about tattooing it on my calf. I almost feel like I’m jinxing myself by saying that. I’m wayyyy too superstitious
Coy recently posted..Quick Reference Guide to Flying
I won’t wear the shirt until after either…
That shirt I might make an exception for – that’s sooo nice!
Jen recently posted..Ironman and other television shows that are good for you
Totally cool shirt. Totally agree that you shouldn’t wear it until after the race.
Christina recently posted..Monday schmunday
so right. I think that if you wear the shirt of the race before or WORSE AT the race you are doomed and I don’t test fate. That’s how I roll too.
Jason @ Cook Train Eat Race recently posted..Vega Sport Nutrition Review
Absolutely on board with you on this one!
Terzah recently posted..The Week’s Summary
I am 100% the same way, I cannot wear the race shirt before the race… and I CRINGE seeing other runners wearing it AT the race. My H and #1 were teasing me at their 5K last weekend, saying they were going to run in the race shirt. They think they’re funny….
That is a NICE shirt, btw. Well done, race!
Heather recently posted..“Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life…"
I always love a good race shirt but it usually takes me about a month before I wear the shirt. I just like to wait until after the race to wear stuff.
J recently posted..A little peer pressure
Right Indeed!
Kenley recently posted..Visualization While Running
Gotta tell you I am the exact same way!!!
Mamarunsbarefoot recently posted..Digging Deep
Love that shirt, so cool! Never seen anything like that around here!
Have a blast with the 5-miler….er, 10-miler, and brunch after (and I’m very impressed you’re up to 10 miles. WOW!).
Jill recently posted..What We Do for a Cheap Medal and an Ugly Ugly Ugly Sweatshirt 1/2 Marathon Race Report
I can see why you wanted that shirt. Nice!
Char recently posted..Looking On The Bright Side.
I am with you on not wearing race shirts prior to (and definitely not during) the race! Just doesn’t seem right. I will have to come up to Baltimore next year and run Celtic Solstice. I’ve heard great things about it and love that shirt. I met Jim Adams at Cherry Blossom about 12 years ago – great guy and I’m sure he puts on a good runner’s race.
I have the SAME rule and am 100% on board with you!! I always and really surprised when I see people racing with the shirt from that years race…
SWEET shirt though!! WOW.
Mandy recently posted..Who Are Your Heroes?
I couldn’t agree more! I won’t even wear the shirt to the race (and not just because they’re usually cotton and I’m not a fan of running in cotton tees)!
Sounds like you’re going to have a great time Saturday!
lisa @ early morning run recently posted..Getting Back on Track
Oh my gosh, this is so funny. I was certain that it was a girl named Amanda who I met, because she ran a 3:32 and it says she’s from Ellicott City, MD, which is where I thought you lived…….but I don’t think that I met anyone named Hazel.
Katherine @ Neon Blonde Runner recently posted..Rehoboth Beach Marathon Race Recap…AKA My First Boston Qualifier!!
And yes, you should consider doing the Rehoboth Marathon next year if you’re looking for a December race– it’s super flat and they said that the wind isn’t always terrible, plus the wind is only for a few miles and you can always do what I did and just draft.
Katherine @ Neon Blonde Runner recently posted..Rehoboth Beach Marathon Race Recap…AKA My First Boston Qualifier!!
oh that is a great shirt!! I don’t worry about being jinxed, I just think I haven’t earned the shirt until after.
however David is now sporting my Philly marathon shirt since it’s too big for me…so I guess maybe I over think it.
Amanda – RunToTheFinish recently posted..Kara Goucher and Shalane Flanagan
I really like that shirt. A lot. And I never wear my race shirts before the race or (heaven forbid) during it. I definitely feel like I have to earn it first.
It’s funny…my aunt was a runner and still volunteers for her running club and at lots of races, and she’s always getting me the race shirts. I keep telling her I don’t need any more and won’t wear them if I didn’t run it, but she doesn’t listen. So for my last adventure race I wore won from her–strictly because it was orange and I needed team colors–but spent the whole day feeling like I should explain that I didn’t actually run that marathon.
As if anyone was looking at my shirt! lol
Kate recently posted..The cookie doesn’t lie
Love the shirt and totally agree with you! I didn’t even wear my Turkey Day 5k shirt until after the race and I picked it up in October!!
Paula recently posted..Christmas Belch
I only wore the shirt the first time I ever ran a race, it was a 5K race in my town and it had a big ugly carrot on the front…ugly shirt. Didn’t know any better. Ran the 5K and got an injury. Found out after that, you shouldn’t wear the shirt before a race and never did it again…injury free
. In the case of “Gwilly” (the name of the carrot guy), I never wear those shirts again anyway, unless it’s under something else (shudder).
Robin Brunet recently posted..All Things Santa!
I have the same superstition – never wear it until AFTER! and bad races, I throw it away.
katie recently posted..wordless wednesday
Good thing you waited to buy stuff until after the ironman, since they change all the gear to “finisher” stuff the day after!
I have a tradition of wearing my race shirt the day after the race, and I like that. Makes me feel like I’ve earned it.
Abby @ Have Dental Floss, WIll Travel recently posted..In search of William Wallace
My little brother wore the race T for his very first marathon. He was 19 (his birthday was a few days before the race!) and rocked a 2:49. The announcers actually mentioned that he was wearing the race T – it seemed so amateur compared to all the hot shots in fancy compression gear!
gracie recently posted..I never get sick!
Totally there with you! I’m always amazed when I see runners (even in marathons) wearing that year’s shirt during that race. To each her own
Lisa recently posted..Patience
I would pay for that shirt! Super cute! I usually don’t wear my race shirts. They just sit in my drawer. There are a few that I will workout in but mostly they are cheap and ugly so I too would love to pay less for a race and skip the shirt.
Katie@Will Race for Carbs recently posted..Things- The December Edition
Love the shirt! I am with you on the race items. If I haven’t done the race, I am not wearing the shirt. I usually will buy something at an expo (especially if it won’t be there post-race) but won’t wear it until the race is over. I had a friend offer to pick up a race packet (and swag) for me one year for a race that I had to DNS. I thought I would like at least getting the shirt but find that I don’t wear it because I didn’t do the race.
100% with you on this one.
I think it’s weird when people wear their race shirts before race day. And it especially fries my bacon when people wear gear from races they didn’t run.
Beth (i run like a girl) recently posted..Streak week 4!
i earned the t shirt the moment I ponied up my pesos. Couldn’t care less about the “rules”. Rules were made to be broken. I’ll wear the shirt, jacket, whatever, whenver I want. Yeah, even DURING the race. You guys take this too seriously.