UKH

Why do people do this? It seems to be worst at trail and ultra events.

I'm probably a bit of a purist, numbers should be pinned to the front of your vest. Tri belts are also fine, but only if you are actually doing a triathlon.

It can't be more comfortable and what's with the stupidly long shorts anyway.

I'd DQ them, it really does offend me.

In reply to The New NickB:

"Recently hit 40, can be argumentative and a little subversive, but generally chilled"


Nope

In reply to guy127917:


You're right I'm now 42.

In reply to The New NickB:

For longer routes where the conditions can change and where there may be checkpoints (i.e. Trail/Ultra runs) it is easier to have the number pinned somewhere that it can be seen all the time so the runner is then free to put on and take off layers as required. I don't do this myself, but then I might need to a week on Saturday when I do a 34 miler...

Stupidly long shorts? You have examples?

P.S. Relax

In reply to The New NickB:

Ha.

But seriously how can you get annoyed about this? How about people wearing headphones during a race? Or people lining up with the front runners and doing 8 min/mile pace after 100m? Or the general start line "ooh i feel terrible/i havent trained at all" excuses?

In reply to The New NickB:

no likes or dislikes on quite an opinionated post. I don't know how you did it, but bravo!

In reply to Bjartur i Sumarhus:


Personally, I'm disappointed. Give it time though.

In reply to Rampikino:

Running shorts should be short, anything that wouldn't get you arrested hanging around a school playground is too long.

In reply to The New NickB:
As Rampikino says, it tends to be done at events which might have you putting layers on/taking them off or if the weather is bad enough you start in a waterproof and don't want to stick holes in it. There was a bit of hoo-haa a couple of years ago at The Trigger in awful weather as it's not allowed under FRA rules and people were having to unzip jackets at checkpoints.

i'm with you on the shorts though, race cut in club colours all the way........ Don't get me started on shorts over tights!

In reply to galpinos:


All right, help me out here - do you have an image I can see on Googleoogle to give me an idea of what you mean by long shorts?

In reply to The New NickB:

I don't get offended by it, but I do wonder why people do it. I do recall seeing one woman getting very shirty when she was told she had to have her race number on the front, rather than the back, and not really understanding the reasoning.
But on the subject of race numbers, does anyone else scrunch up their numbers before pinning them on their vest to reduce the rustling? It's getting harder to do now that more races have chips on the race numbers.

In reply to guy127917:


I love the excuse making process at the start before proceeding to nail up the first hill at top speed, adds entertainment and removes some of the tension at the start of a race!

In reply to tony:

I do this but as the only races I do with numbers are fell races, there's no danger of there being a chip in there.

In reply to galpinos:

I don't even like to think about the shorts over tights brigade.

I saw a photo of a chap at the London Marathon with his number on his shorts, a member of an East London running "crew". Bearded obviously. It awakened a deep inner disgust

In reply to tony:


Not heard of this before. I know in the Wirral Seaside Runs they use small cardboard numbers and if it rains...

In reply to Rampikino:

I can give you an example of a selection of acceptable length shorts?

https://killabees.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/team-christleton.jpg?w=702

In reply to galpinos:

Ahh the Chorlton gang at the Christleton 5k! (my wife teaches at that school).

Right, so what about the slightly longer compression type shorts? I wear those with a thin short pair over them for dignity. I find they are great for avoiding chaffing.

In reply to Rampikino:


Small world!


I'm a purist so it's a no from me but I believe NickB has set himself up as the ultimate arbiter of running legwear acceptability......

In reply to galpinos:

What about compression socks - knee high?

(great 5k Christleton).

In reply to galpinos:


If there's any advertising on the number I always fold it so it can't be seen.

In reply to The New NickB:


What does this mean Nick?

In reply to The New NickB:

Oh dear, I might be falling foul of your rules on a few counts but let me justify myself.

I use a race number belt. Just a 5€ jobby from Decathlon. The number pins to it and I can spin it round front or back in a jiffy. On steep hill climbs, I like to spin it to the back so when I'm bent over, hands on quads, it's not getting in the way. Easy to spin back to the front.

Also on long ultras, as others have said it's best since you might be making several changes of clothes and being able to pop the race belt on and off is handy.

Now shorts - I just don't feel comfortable in the short ones where the mouse might pop out of the house if the lining has perished. I live in France and those kind of shorts are not very common but skin tight lycra is - I was commenting to a fellow runner the other day that basically I don't want to end up on a register. But then again this is a country that insists (as opposed to publicly frowns upon) Speedoes in public swimming pools.

There's also quite a high proportion of men with shaved legs in races here which I can't get my head round. Although the winner of the local vertical KM I did on Saturday beat me by 10 minutes (and he had shaved legs) so maybe there's something in that.

In reply to yorkshireman:


Love it.

My sentiments exactly, though much for the chafing factor as anything. I think I would be in trouble with NickB...

In reply to galpinos:


No, no. I'm just screaming at the wind.

In reply to The New NickB:

Stick to fell running, Fell Running rules are such that you have to pin on your chest and can not pin to shorts

In reply to The New NickB:

P.S. as a regular runner (3Peaks on Saturday eek) I have to say this is the best thread on UKC all year and a great antidote to Brexit/Trump/Election/War

In reply to iusedtoclimb:


This is true - for the 3Peaks on Saturday I will not have the luxury of being allowed to borrow the missus's tribelt...

In reply to The New NickB:

Would I be right in thinking this would be some kind of perfect storm for you:
-baggy shorts over lycras
-calfguards
-armwarmers with vest
-race number on shorts

In reply to Removed UserDeleted bagger:


To make one serious contribution to this thread. That may well get you DQed, I have seen it happen more than once.

In reply to steveriley:

Nails down a blackboard?

In reply to steveriley:


Arm warmers with a vest is my favourite winter look.

In reply to Rampikino:



Popular with some of the fast ladies in the club but not really the men, probably more common over long distances. I'm sticking to my collection of garish Running Bear socks though.

In reply to The New NickB:

Hmm, having spent quite some time following an MV60 in ill-fitting short shorts on the Anniversary Waltz on Saturday I have the opposite view. No-one should have to endure the distressing sight of a pair of saggy wrinkled bumcheeks gently penduluming under someone's shorts!

In reply to Rampikino:


It's just a comment on how some people perceive people who wear short shorts or indeed Lycra shorts as pointed out by Yorkshireman.

In reply to climbingpixie:

That's fell running, he no doubt thought that he was probably only going to live another 20 years, he was dammed if he was going to buy some new shorts he would get so little use out of.

In reply to The New NickB:


It's also a bit tight to the organisers since it should be subsidising your race entry (obviously it might not and some race organisers are making decent profit I assume). My 10€ race entry at the weekend via the local running club had a local running store in Gap advertised on the race number and I'm sure that small contribution was very welcome to them.

In reply to The New NickB:

Well I got that wrong then.
On the fells I've had bonus extra places putting hard graft in to get away from a) people making sex noises on steep walk/climbs and b) people with such rank BO you simply can't run with them. Just hoping someone will tell me when I get to that state of outsider-dom.

In reply to steveriley:


There's something quite special about the smell of a start line at a fell race, everyone all tightly packed together, that odour of persistent BO that clings to a twenty year old club vest......

In reply to The New NickB:

Got it - I wasn't reading it right, distracted by the mouse/house comment!

In reply to The New NickB:


For me, in spring and autumn the arm warmers and vest combo actually works a treat, especially on cold mornings when you know the air temp is going to rise. Sleeves are easily rolled down once warmed up.

This flexibility and practicality has worked for me really well in a number of long off road races.

Re race numbers on shorts, I think this has a place on very long races in poor conditions when a race number may be obscured by additional layers or waterproofs.

In reply to The New NickB:

Try being a finish recorder (or a marshal recording numbers) with runners flying in at you numbers pinned variously to shorts, backs etc. You can't see them. It makes it very difficult. If on the leg they are often pinned to one side so again you can't see it from the other side.
If the sides are folded in leaving the just the number it makes it even harder.
At least pin them on unfolded.
Sponsors like to see their names on there too.

In reply to yorkshireman:


A high proportion of also-cyclists perhaps? That's why I shave mine. It does have the added bonus that a) muddy legs are far easier to clean when smooth, b) no hair to remove from grazes etc when you over-cook a descent and c) it makes my girlfriend jelous as my legs are often smoother than hers.

In reply to The New NickB:

I like the big shorts - I like the concept of looking like a galleon in full sail.

What are you going to do if you do any track racing - number on the front AND a number on the shorts? And yes, I wrinkly mine up.'

My hate - people running in cycling kit - it looks appalling, particularly some roly poly mamil stuffed into a tight jacket with Pendle wheelers or some other club logo and sponsored by Winkies Plumbing and Building supplies or whateer.. An abomination

In reply to wbo:

My hate - people running in fancy dress. It's absolutely crushing being overtaken by a rabbit, a beer can and a phone box when you're suffering in the last few miles of a marathon.

In reply to digby:


I work at least a dozen finish lines a year, often recording numbers. That fact may have an influence on my rant.

In reply to wbo:


No problem with that at all. I was quite excited first time I had to wear numbers front and back (National 12 Stage). I wrinkle too.

In reply to The New NickB:

At Surf Lifesaving events you'll often see middle aged men running in speedos. That is a sight to behold.


Race numbers on the back of your hand in indelible ink...

Skull caps in club colours.

The fashion industry has passed us by.

In reply to ianstevens:


We were discussing this at the race (it was a vertical KM run like as a timetrial so lots of standing around in the shade chewing the fat) and determined most of them were occasional cyclist at best, if at all. I determined that since I can't even be bothered to shave my face there was no way I was ever going to be doing my legs.

My legs probably get dirtier on a trail run than any bike ride I've ever done and I manage to clean them ok. If you're crashing often enough for road rash to be a problem you should probably take up another sport!

In reply to yorkshireman:


Not crashing on the bike, more falling over on the hill. Non road-rash is just as real!

In reply to The New NickB:

I've been tutted at at CX races for not having my number evenly pinned on my cycle jersey.


You're not alone : )

In reply to The New NickB:

I'm going to do this on Saturday just to annoy you.

In reply to The New NickB:

You should spend some time in chamonix, power couples trotting around the town centre in full compression gear and double water bottles on the racing pack straps

In reply to mountainbagger: Similarly crushing - I once did a half marathon where I was overtaken going up the biggest hill by a bloke pushing his kid in a buggy. He must have finished a minute or so ahead of me in about 1:30 which I thought was pretty impressive.

In reply to The New NickB:


Yes it wasn't directed at you! It was directed at all those who don't realise why numbers should be pinned visibly and unfolded.

In reply to mountainbagger:


Best one I saw last year was in the Scrooge Run in Heligan in Cornwall. Sponsored by SAS (Surfers against Sewage). One guy ran in a Hawaiian shirt and boardies, carrying a real surfboard....he was "chased" by his mate dressed as a shark for the whole race!!! Cant recall where his number was!

In reply to The New NickB:

Ive done a lot of fell running and racing and i often pin my folded down number on my shorts.

Reasons being that i get very hot running and not having my chest covered by an essentially windproof sheet keeps me cooler...at least psycologically! Also the flap of a number can be a bit irritating, more so to me than say the sight of a number pinned on someone elses shorts...each to their own tho.

I do have ethics tho, if someone has been good enough to sponsor the race and put their name on the numbers then ill never fold it and wil wear it on my chest...and id happily take it off my shorts if asked to by a race official.

Hope this was helpful.

In reply to Pipecleaner:


I read that as you would happily take off your shorts if asked to by a race official.

In reply to The New NickB:

Surely 3/4 length leggings are the biggest offender.

Awful!

In reply to EuanM:


What! Bog trotters are perfectly acceptable winter attire on the fells.

In reply to The New NickB:

I would DQ everyone that turns up to any off road races wearing sunglasses, ffs this is the UK, if the sun eventually comes out embrace it.

In reply to Moley:


The sun...hmmm...you live in Wales am I right? OK just because you don't see it that often don't be bitter now...

In reply to Wainers44:

I'm not bitter, I'm just...........envious.

They are still "posers"