Beginners and Beyond

Runner forfiets race over bib number (Read 191 times)

LRB


    "A Whitley County student athlete says it would have gone against her religious beliefs to run with the race number '6-6-6'. She and her coach tried to get her a different number, and were told they could not.

     

    Nerves over the race turned to frustration for Whitley County High School junior Codie Thacker because of a different number. It would have been her third time running this race. "I've trained since June for this race," she said.  And if she won the regional, it would have been her first time competing for the state championship. "I was so nervous I thought about it all week," said Thacker.

     

    Cross country coach Gina Croley knows her students, so when she pulled the number assigned to Thacker, she knew there might be a problem. "I saw it and I was like, 'whoa,'" she said. "I don't think she will wear that number."

     

    "666" is, according the the bible, the mark of the beast. Thacker couldn't bring herself to run while wearing "666" because of her faith. So, she and her coach tried to get a different number. They asked three different officials. They were told no three different times.

     

    "I didn't want to risk my relationship with God and try to take that number," said Thacker.  A spokesperson with Kentucky High School Athletic Association told LEX 18 it wasn't brought to their attention that the request was because of religious beliefs, adding that if they knew, they would have changed the number.

     

    For those who know Thacker, it's easy to believe what happened next. "I told them to mark out my name because it makes me sick just thinking that my name is associated with that number," she said.

     

    There won't be any more races for Thacker this season. She's now focused on next year, ready to keep running without running away from her beliefs."

     

    (link)

    happylily


      Religious beliefs? What the heck? To say 666 is bad luck is perfectly reasonable. But to claim religious beliefs? That's crazy!

       

      Big grin

      PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

              Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

      18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

      Docket_Rocket


        Haha.  My office number ends with 666. Imagine me telling them I quit over it.

        Damaris

         

        As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

        Fundraising Page

          *mumbles about how it likely referred to Nero, not the Devil... *

           

          Maybe someone should have told her that Ryan Hall said it would be ok.

            I would love, LOVE,  to get '666' as a bib number.

             

            As for the issue at hand (and I haven't read anything other than this thread) my initial thoughts are....

             

            a) To the runner - get over it. Seriously. If God cared that much about a cross country runner and race he/she would have given you kudos for running with that number to show the devil what's what.

             

            b) To the race officials - seriously? It seems like something that could be easily fixed. Instead we'll be seeing this story make the national news cycle.

             

            c) Do people with Triskaidekaphobia refuse to run with bib 13?

             

            And I am going to add that I find it interesting that people who seemingly have the most faith in God are usually the ones that are completely freaked out by stuff like this. I just don't get it.

             

             

             

            happylily


              I would love, LOVE,  to get '666' as a bib number.

               

              As for the issue at hand (and I haven't read anything other than this thread) my initial thoughts are....

               

              a) To the runner - get over it. Seriously. If God cared that much about a cross country runner and race he/she would have given you kudos for running with that number to show the devil what's what.

               

              b) To the race officials - seriously? It seems like something that could be easily fixed. Instead we'll be seeing this story make the national news cycle.

               

              c) Do people with Triskaidekaphobia refuse to run with bib 13?

               

              And I am going to add that I find it interesting that people who seemingly have the most faith in God are usually the ones that are completely freaked out by stuff like this. I just don't get it.

               

              Exactly!

              PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                      Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

              18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

              redrum


              Caretaker/Overlook Hotel

                16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[c] His number is 666.

                 

                 Randy

                wcrunner2


                Are we there, yet?

                  Religious beliefs? What the heck? To say 666 is bad luck is perfectly reasonable. But to claim religious beliefs? That's crazy!

                   

                  Big grin

                  There are Protestant denominations and independent churches that take the imagery of Revelation literally. For those with their deep set beliefs, this could create a crisis of conscience. In most of the coverage and comments that I've seen, people have ignored that this is a 16 year old girl. On a national level and on forums like this she has come under a great deal of criticism, but she had to make a decision in a short time, one that she would have to live with in a small community with people holding similar beliefs that she interacts with every day at home, school, and church. Only one article that I read indicated that officials were not informed that the request for a different number was for religious reasons. Had they been informed, they've said they would have found a way to give her a different number.

                   2024 Races:

                        03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                        05/11 - D3 50K
                        05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                        06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                   

                   

                       

                  Jack K.


                  uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI

                    16 He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead.17 And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. 18 Wisdom is needed here. Let the one with understanding solve the meaning of the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[c] His number is 666.

                     

                     

                    Or this...

                     

                      Only one article that I read indicated that officials were not informed that the request for a different number was for religious reasons. Had they been informed, they've said they would have found a way to give her a different number.

                       

                      This points to my (b) in my first post. There isn't anyone I personally know, whether they are christian, muslim, buddhist, atheist, agnostic, etc., that doesn't know what '666' symbolizes.

                       

                      In my opinion, they are covering their asses. They just didn't want to give her a different number. Which is an acceptable action but at least own up to it.

                       

                       

                       

                      Gustav1


                      Fear is a Liar

                        I have to give her credit for sticking to her beliefs and not buckling like a cheap folding chair. She has to live with herself and her community.

                        I'm so vegetarian I don't even eat animal crackers!

                        wcrunner2


                        Are we there, yet?

                           

                          This points to my (b) in my first post. There isn't anyone I personally know, whether they are christian, muslim, buddhist, atheist, agnostic, etc., that doesn't know what '666' symbolizes.

                           

                          In my opinion, they are covering their asses. They just didn't want to give her a different number. Which is an acceptable action but at least own up to it.

                          Possibly, but they may also have viewed it as simple superstition, a whim, or a spoiled brat throwing a fit, if it wasn't specifically stated that it was a religious objection. Having once taken a stance it's a lot harder to back down and make the change. As I also stated in the RW thread, numbers are assigned in blocks by team. In a regional HS xc race changes normally aren't accepted and additional numbers wouldn't be needed because entries would have closed the week before, so it's not as simple as grabbing another bib from a stack and typing in a number change.

                           2024 Races:

                                03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                                05/11 - D3 50K
                                05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                                06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                           

                           

                               

                          Awood_Runner


                          Smaller By The Day

                            There are so many buildings in this country where the elevator doesn't have a button for the 13th floor, because because people have a fear of that number.  Schools and other organizations are getting away from using the word Christmas because it offends people.  We make special accommodations for people of every faith.  In Dearborn, Michigan they moved football practice to 11 PM because their Muslim players couldn't hydrate if practice were during the day during a certain religious holiday.

                             

                            I don't even think it matters if you believe the same way that she does, it's a pretty easy fix and it's the right thing to do.  Everybody is familiar with 666.  We're not talking about walking under a ladder, or a broken mirror, this poor girl believes that her eternal soul is on the line.  Just give her a new number.  It's not that damn hard.  In the future, maybe just take that number out of the mix.  I doubt they had 666 runners.  So, there are plenty of available numbers.

                             

                            People can and will mock her for this.  While I'm Christian, I wouldn't worry about my bib number, but she does.  I try not to mock other people's beliefs.  For the race officials to act as if it never dawned on them that this may have been based on religious beliefs is laughable.  Hopefully she doesn't get picked on too bad.

                            Improvements

                            Weight 100 pounds lost

                            5K 31:02 Sept. 2012 / 23:36 Sept. 2013 (Same Course)

                            10K 48:59 April 2013

                            HM 2:03:56 Nov. 2012 / 1:46:50 March 2013

                            MARATHON 3:57:33 Nov. 2013

                            Love the Half


                              So, do I get to change my next bib number of #538 because of some obscure believe I profess?  Hell, the first 5K I ever ran I had bib #13.  Accommodating genuinely held beliefs is one thing but accommodating silly superstition is quite different. Wonder if she would have been upset if they had given her bib #1010011010?

                              Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                              Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                              Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).


                              delicate flower

                                If she would have just pinned the bib on upside down there wouldn't have been a problem.

                                <3