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race shirts (Read 293 times)

Yeah France


    I know that I am probably in the minority here but I am hoping for a change in policy regarding race t-shirts.  Every race is giving out technical t-shirts now and my closet is getting buried in them.  I find that I will never wear a small 5k technical t and would prefer cotton.  At least cotton can be used as a cleaning rag.  I have probably donated 50 of these and often at the races I will tell them not to give me a shirt.  I would rather the race save the money and not order shirts.

     

    What if races would form a series and at the end of the series you could pick an item like a jacket, pants, hat or gloves?  Then they could get people to register for the whole series and buy fewer items but make them nicer.

     

    I might not be the best person to speak on this topic.  A few years ago I inherited a big 5k race and got rid of some of the frills and cut the entry fee from $35 to $14.  I got rid of a water stop and cut the gatorade and gu.  For the post race, I got a local band to play for free and cut the DJ.  I also cut out the bottled water and reworked the route to cut down on police personel.  A sponsor paid for the shirts but made them cotton at my suggestion.    The popularity then plummeted and I gave it up.

         The popularity then plummeted and I gave it up.

       

      Though I agree with you, apparently the majority doesn't and I think you answered your own question!

       

      However, I still find quite a few races give cotton shirts.

        A few years ago I inherited a big 5k race and got rid of some of the frills and cut the entry fee from $35 to $14.  I got rid of a water stop and cut the gatorade and gu.

         

        Heh.

          I prefer the cotton shirts ----- don't like the feel of the technicals.......   In the winter they're too cold to wear and in the summer they don't breath, so you get too sweaty.........

          Champions are made when no one is watching

          FSBD


            Last year the Vermont City Marathon did cotton shirts for the first time in many years and half the people loved them and half the people complained.  You can't please everyone.

            As far as the second part of your post, a lot of people like the frills that come with racing.  In my limited experience you will draw serious people to a no frills race, but you will draw both casual and serious people when you offer frills.  To a lot of people, myself included, GU at a 5K is a bit ridiculous, but it does add to that racing experience.

            You have to get "Butts in the seats" so to speak to make the events successful so you have to cater to all levels of racers.  If its your 100th race you probably don't care about the shirt, but if its your first race you probably want that shirt.

            We are the music makers,

                And we are the dreamers of dreams,

            Wandering by lone sea-breakers,

                And sitting by desolate streams; 

            World-losers and world-forsakers,

                On whom the pale moon gleams:

            Yet we are the movers and shakers

                Of the world for ever, it seems.

               

              Heh.

               

              I missed that. Why would a 5K be handing out GU? Personally, I don't think a water stop is even necessary on a 5K but people would be complaining if there wasn't at least one. But GU?

                I just did a 10k without any bottled water or gatorade, nor shirts, medals, live music or police protection. It was called a training run. Roll eyes

                Seriously, I'm sure there are a lot on this forum who are frequent racers & agree with you. However it seems the majority percentage-wise may only do a couple a year, so the higher entry fees aren't prohibitive, and they enjoy all the pageantry. Makes people feel they accomplished something special. As demonstrated by your own experience.

                Dave

                Wing


                Joggaholic

                  Different races attract different folks. There are a lot of random 5k events near where I live and all of them charge like $20 - $30 (it's mostly a money-making scheme, for charity of course), they give out T-shirts and age group medals and whatever, and it attracts a lot of participants, but relatively few serious runners. Then there's this month 5k race organized by a local running club. Cost only $1 and all you get is a finish time and some water or gatorade, it attracts a lot of serious runners (and those who likes their races cheap). I think your 5k race popularity plummeted not because the scheme is bad, but more because it's kind of a bait-and-switch (attracted one kind of participants for years but then changed the event drastically trying to attract a different kind of participants)

                     

                    I missed that. Why would a 5K be handing out GU? Personally, I don't think a water stop is even necessary on a 5K but people would be complaining if there wasn't at least one. But GU?

                     

                    Oh yeah there was a whole thread recently about whether a 5k needs water stops. The general consensus was yes, based on the number of total beginners that typically run those. Along with some sarcastic comments about camelbaks. But Gu is certainly redonculous by any standard.

                    Dave

                    GinnyinPA


                      Some of the races around here are offering a cotton shirt at registration, with a tech shirt upgrade available for $10.  Some don't even give a cotton shirt unless you want to pay extra.  I agree that it can be nice to have the option of races that are less expensive.  I don't do 5ks because I don't really see spending $30 for a 1/2 hour of entertainment that  I can get for free whenever I want.  I simply can't afford it.

                        I do about 50 races a year these days.  I also do not want the T-shirt from most races and have no use for them.  (I keep only a few favorites).

                         

                        However....  Most people who run a local 5K probably only do a few races a year on average.  So it appears that for the majority of folks, they DO love to sign up for a race a few times a year, but they are going to want T-shirts, food after the race, Age-Group awards presented in 5 or 10 year age groups, and the etc.

                         

                        Again, every weekend of the year I do a race.   At an average race with 300ish people in it,  I see a group of about 10-20 "rounders". (and by rounders, I mean folks that you see at every race!, not referring to 'round' people, heh heh :-) .  So 10-20 Rounders, but about 280'ish of the 300 folks are new faces, and again, those are the majority of folks only doing a few races a year, and they want the "Stuff!"

                        .

                        The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

                          I'm a new-ish runner (been at it for a little under 2 years), but I live in the middle of nowhere and don't like to drive, so I don't get to race very often.  This year I'm planning to do three races, plus maybe our town's 4th of July 5K, so I don't mind spending a bit more and getting some of the extras like a nice shirt and whatnot.  However, if a nearby town held frequent ultra-cheap races (like $1, for a measured course and a finishing time), I'd do that much more often (and still do my main races).  So I guess for me, I'd prefer the extremes: spend a bit more and get the frills, or spend pocket change just for some racing experience.  That said, I haven't looked at what it costs to run a marathon; that might make me change my mind about the frills!

                          ~Kate

                           

                          Life is short.  Running makes it seem longer.


                          Feeling the growl again

                             

                             

                            I might not be the best person to speak on this topic.  A few years ago I inherited a big 5k race and got rid of some of the frills and cut the entry fee from $35 to $14.  I got rid of a water stop and cut the gatorade and gu.  For the post race, I got a local band to play for free and cut the DJ.  I also cut out the bottled water and reworked the route to cut down on police personel.  A sponsor paid for the shirts but made them cotton at my suggestion.    The popularity then plummeted and I gave it up.

                             

                            Seriously??? Gu and gatorade for a 5K?  Criminey.  You probably improved their health.

                             

                            I used to count on cotton race T-shirts for my wardrobe.  Even though I don't now I am still running short on them.  Partly because I race a lot less and partly because all races think they need fancy tech shirts, which I have little use for after the first 20.

                            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                             

                            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                             

                            jamezilla


                            flashlight and sidewalk

                              I would venture to guess that there are more people in the "I'm happy to get a shirt for the race" camp as opposed to the "holy shit I am buried in shirts" camp.  Donate the shirts and keep it moving.

                               

                              **Ask me about streaking**

                               

                              Roses Revenge


                                I just wish more races had gender specific shirts.  Unisex isn't.

                                Marathon Maniac #991 Half Fanatic #58 Double Agent #22  It's a perfect day and I feel great!

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