bellrae
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2013
I don't usually wear my medals for a lot of time, but that's only because I find the ribbon to be super uncomfortable. The edge feels sharp on my neck, and the Velcro closure is bulky on the back of my neck, but it looks lopsided if I adjust it to a lower position. Otherwise I'd be wearing that bling for days!
You asked about the shirts, jacket and hats. Those don't mean the same. Most of those items can be purchased by anyone willing to go to the expo. (Well, if they get there before the eBay sellers...). The actual race shirts are only for folks who register, but you could still decide to skip the race.
The medal is the one thing that you have to actually show up for. (And some mornings just getting to the race corral feels like an accomplishment- catching a 3:30 am bus to go stand out in the cold for a few hours is not a normal vacation activity.)
A lot of folks here sacrifice a lot of time to train, and many run hoping to achieve a certain pace. A year or more of training vs a week of wearing a medal? Why not?
Note: I was not offended by your question but I can see why others would be. I'm not really a runner, though, so my perspective is probably different. I hope one day to be trained enough to have a goal for this or that pace. So far my only 3 goals for my Disney races have been:
1. Don't get swept
2. Don't get injured
3. Have fun
(I've been meeting my goals )
You ran the race - that makes you a runner