T-Shirt Sizing Comes Full Circle
I can't recall if I've recounted this story so if you've read this before, bear with me.
3 years ago as I prepared for my very first triathlon I entered a relay. I wasn't sure I could do the whole race but I really wanted an up close and personal view of an event and I wanted to do the swim and bike portion for real (my first sprint triathlon was 3 weeks later).
At 285lbs I was pretty still pretty self-conscious about my weight and the fact that I was even attempting this kind of event. I showed up to pick up my packet containing my timing chip and race numbers and get my t-shirt.
The t-shirt. An outward symbol to anyone that saw me wearing it that I had done a triathlon. I desperately wanted that t-shirt. So it was a crushing blow to get to packet pick-up and be told they didn't have any t-shirts that were size XXL. :( I couldn't fit into an XL and they hadn't offered an XXL when I registered online. I mentioned this to the race director and she told me "she didn't know any triathletes that needed a size XXL"
WHAT???????????
I followed that comment with a "well you're looking at one" retort and they attempted to get an XXL t-shirt "from a volunteer".
I finished that relay, went on to finish my first triathlon and many others since. But I have not forgotten that comment. I have thick skin but for some people that might have ended their triathlon experience. That one negative comment.
Fast forward 3 years and Sunday I'm doing my 2nd Olympic distance race in preparation for my 2nd Half-Ironman. I picked up my packet and wouldn't you know I got a size large t-shirt.
WOOO HOOO!!!!! Size Large!
Triathletes come in all shapes and sizes and while I have a long memory I was pleased to see that size XXL t-shirts are now being offered :)
posted by SpeedLeopard at 10:58 PM
9 Comments:
I have to chuckle right along with you, the t-shirt was a big deal to me and I was very proud to wear it after completing a triathlon, I have had many frustrations trying to find the exercise clothing that was "cool" in my size. I enjoy your site..keep it up and have a great time tomorrow..it's what you work so hard to do, now go and have some fun!
June 10, 2006 8:13 PM
Agreed. As a race director, it is financially unsound to buy shirts for a small minority of athletes. As someone who needs a size small, I find that most races only have M-L & XL. I have no complaints that I can't have a small and settle for the next size. I can't expect a race to buy a few size smalls to accomadate a few of us. We buy in bulk to keep prices down for all of the racers. Not having an XXL should have been motivation enough to get to a smaller size (It obviously was) and not a chance to bitch and give your "fat and proud" speech. Put on a race sometime, and realize you can't please everyone,you never will,but you can please the majority and that's what we aim for.
Lighten up.
June 11, 2006 12:41 PM
Inconsiderate a-holes who hurl insults on my blog get their posts deleted.
This is a place for people to find motivation and inspiration period.
To the anonymous "Race Director": I was there and there was no fat and proud speech, I was legitimately bummed out when told they didn't have a t-shirt my size. I didn't expect special accomodations. I would however like to point out to you that as more of the "couch potatoes" leave the couch and hit the roads there will likely be a need for XXL t-shirts. I'm sure there's a cadre of Clydesdales (big/tall men) who'd agree. In any case with 60+% of Americans overweight at least people are doing something. Likely keeping you in business.
June 11, 2006 3:22 PM
Why did you erase my comment? are you that insecure that you need to delete every comment that doesn't kiss your ass? You're just very sad lonely person just waiting to show off, huh?
July 02, 2006 12:06 PM
Say something interesting and your posts wouldn't be deleted.
Rude, stalker-esque comments get deleted. Why? Because it's my blog. People leaving comments aren't kissing my ass their giving their thoughts. But calling me names when you don't have the balls to leave yours means your comments get deleted.
As for being a sad and lonely show-off there's simply nothing to say to that. If you actually read my blog instead of just leaving mean comments you'd see that comment makes very little sense.
Get a life dude.
July 02, 2006 11:13 PM
two posts and suddenly I'm a stalker?
I've never libeled against you, nor called you names. As for posting anonymously, that's what Blogger allows, some people don't like being tagged back. If you have a problem with that, that's fine, but don't lie about me bitching you out when I didn't.
Apparently, dissenting comments automatically is considered rude and stalkerish here. Well, that's fine, but you people should be more honest... at least with yourselves.
July 03, 2006 11:33 AM
Unless we have two anonymous stalkers you are a liar, "Tiffani". There is someone on the pacbell.net internet trunk located around San Francisco. This person has called my wife names, made libelous statements about me that were deleted. This person is on the site about 4 or 5 times a day. So unless you are a totally different person (doubtful since you didn't leave any way to contact you and clear it up) we have to assume that all of this trash coming from "anonymous" is coming from the same stalker hitting the site from pacbell.net.
July 03, 2006 1:12 PM
Wow, paranoid much?
Pacbell hasn't been operating as a business in the Bay Area for years. Their servers still carry about 70% of our traffic though. So, basically, you're lumping everyone who has a Pacbell IP as one person. That's smart! There's only like a few million of us, and the name should give you a hint, Pacific Bell, where do you think their server would be base out of?
There's no arguing about the content of my comment since you've deleted it. You can say whatever you want. You're more concerned with looking right, than you are about being right. I've never called you or your wife names, but then don't care, I'm a rude libelous stalker who has nothing better to do than harp on you.
Have you not noticed that I've only read this one blog entry because its the only one I was pointed to?
As for being anonymous, so what? Like I said, if you have a problem with anonymous comments, go ahead and delete them, but say so, don't lie and say its because I'm stalking you. If you put up a webpage for the public to read, and you actually get a reader, suddenly that person's a stalker? idiot.
Go ahead and delete this comment too, it won't bother me, you're not worth my time. There'll be others along to put you in your place. We just love how full of yourself you are on this blog. And you can't even see how shallow and pigheaded you make yourself look.
July 03, 2006 3:48 PM
You keep lying. I've never called your wife bitch or fat. I do take exception to her "Triathletes come in all sizes." fat rant. You can say I'm swearing at her, but like I said, I made 1 post that got deleted, then these response posts. THATS IT! If you're paranoid enough to believe otherwise, that's fine.
Again, I don't know you nor would I libel you. If there's any libel involved about you, you might want to look into your past and wonder who might have a beef against you.
Fact is, there are no XXL triathletes. Anyone who is, is a wannabe. Your wife proved it by going down to a L. Stalker, rude words, whatever, that's the issue here. You can try to fog this up or delete the post, but you know that she's wrong with that rant. Deal!
July 03, 2006 5:26 PM
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