Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 122, September 2019 | Page 8

KALMER’S
CORNER
Our Modern Athlete Brand Ambassador’s Blog
By Rene Kalmer
TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS
OF THE T-SHIRT
I know Comrades is already long gone, but this month I want to write about something I spotted when I was in Durban
to support my Murray & Roberts teammates and the other runners. Two days prior to the Comrades, I did my two-
hour long run on the famous beach promenade, and what kept me entertained throughout my run was spotting all the
different race T-shirts from races all over the world, and from at least the past three decades. That got me thinking…
1. For how many years after the race should you
be allowed to still wear the T-shirt?
My feeling is that as long as it makes you feel special,
you can walk the walk (and talk the talk) wearing it. Sure,
some people will ask questions, or look a bit surprised
at the date, while your partner might feel that it is more
fitting to wear it as a sleeping shirt than at races, but go
ahead… You went there and got the T-shirt!
2. Should you run the race in the race T-shirt?
They say you shouldn’t try anything new on race day,
but if the shirt fits, go for it! I have very fond memories
of the SPAR Women’s races, where literally thousands
of runners rock up in their race shirts to paint the town
pink, red or orange, depending on the year’s shirt colour.
3. What should you do with race T-shirts?
What you will never know, though, is whether it was
his first Comrades, or perhaps his last Comrades? Did
he have a good run on the day, or did he crawl in just
before cut-off. The fact of the matter is that however
his race went, that shirt has sentimental value to him,
and that’s why he is still wearing it.
Getting Shirty
Over the years race shirts have also evolved
massively, going from classic, largely white cotton
shirts, to featuring brighter colours, catchy slogans,
with slim-fit, easy-dry, moisture-wicking materials, etc.
Some races even give long sleeve shirts, whilst others
have the route profile or distance on them, which
you can use to brag a bit afterwards. But what is the
etiquette when it comes to wearing race T-shirts? I
suppose everyone has their own sentiments regarding
this, but let us touch on a few.
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Do you train in them? Do you sleep in them? Do you
wear them to your club’s social functions or prize
giving? Do you hang them in your bar? Or do you just
keep them in the bottom drawer of your cupboard to
take a trip down memory lane every now and again?
My sister, Christine, surprised me a few years ago
with a unique quilt she made me using all my special
race T-shirts. (Still not sure how I feel about the fact
that she cut up most of my race shirts, but it is a
treasured gift…)
6. Are you allowed to wear someone else’s race
shirt?
Again the same question pops up... Do you need to
‘earn’ the right to wear it?
7. Which T-shirts do you keep, and which ones do
you throw out eventually?
Some prefer to only keep the ‘impressive ones,’ like
Comrades, Two Oceans, marathons and international
races. Others keep the shirts from the first time they
ran a distance, such as their first 10km. Over the years
I have kept a lot of my race T-shirts, all for different
reasons. Although I might not wear them anymore, they
all have a special place in my heart. Or my quilt!
4. Should I wear the shirt if I didn’t start the race?
This is probably one of the most difficult questions
to answer. Perhaps you did all the preparation and
entered, but due to unforeseen circumstances
couldn’t run the race. Do you ‘earn’ the right to wear
the shirt only if you actually run the race? I will leave
this one open for debate...
5. Should I wear the shirt if I didn’t finish the race?
It could be that a non-finisher is wearing the shirt to
motivate himself in order to finish it next time. Also,
About the Author:
René Kalmer is a two-time Olympian, having represented SA in the 1500m at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and
in the marathon at the 2012 London Games. She has also won more than 40 SA titles in track, road and
cross country at youth, junior and senior level, in distances from 800m to the half marathon.
ISSUE 122 SEPTEMBER 2019 / www.modernathlete.co.za
W
e all have that one friend that is still wearing
his Comrades T-shirt from the 90’s. It has
lost its colour, it’s grey, faded, torn, tired…
(Yes, I am talking about the T-shirt, not the friend.) But
wearing this shirt makes your friend feel bulletproof.
He/she worked so hard to earn that shirt, and still
wears it with pride!
keep in mind that wearing the shirt often leads to people
asking you how the race went, and needing to tell them
that you didn’t finish might just be that extra motivation
to push harder next time. And let’s be honest, it’s not as
if you stole a medal on the finish line…