paulradcliffe.me

On Uniforms

While cheering on runners during the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon events a couple of weekends ago, I noticed a lot of running uniforms featuring club affiliations as well as charity logos. It made me think a lot about the nature of how an individual sport like running can also have a team aspect.

I understand and appreciate that elites wear uniforms to display their team and/or national colours for sponsorship purposes. I imagine that the logos on elite runner uniforms are really important for their sponsors. I recognized the Running Room sponsored athletes. I noticed all the Kenyan elites in the same white singlet, but couldn’t tell who their sponsor was.

‘Nomads’ runner in uniform

A tier below the professional athletes are the semi-elite run clubs. I’m surprised I recognized so many. I recognized “The Nomads” because many of my friends train with them and they’re one of the biggest local names. I also recognized several “Longboat Road Runner” uniforms because I’ve seen the logo several times at different events. I was surprised that I saw and recognized a Hanson-Brooks Project uniform!

Team In Training Promotional Image

Charity uniforms are becoming very prevalent. The TNT “Team in Training” purple uniforms are a common sight at lots of events. It’s a huge program with thousands of runners and an impressive infrastructure of coaches and supporters. There are other charity uniforms I often see like Team Diabetes and Team World Vision. There were also dozens of smaller charities represented at STWM including Autism Speaks, Second Harvest and Engineers Without Borders.

Me running the Chicago Marathon in 2012 for Team LiveSTRONG

I’m all for charity unforms. I participated myself when I wore a Team LiveSTRONG uniform when I ran in support of the LiveSTRONG foundation at the Chicago Marathon in 2012. In fact, I’d quite like to suit up again for a charity. Probably a cancer charity again because that’s pretty close to my heart.

Then there are less formal uniforms. I remember seeing photos that “Team Tie Dye” posted when they did the Milton Half-Marathon in 2012. It’s nice that they get to run as a team, while still being quite expressive.

And then there the informal uniforms of the #BurlingtonSkirtBrigade, which vaguely includes wearing running skirts and pink. I don’t think I could pull it off :p

The #BurlingtonSkirtBrigade before the Hamilton Half-Marathon (photo lovingly stolen from Macnic’s blog)

In the category of accidental uniforms is branded gear from running stores. The almost ubiquitous Running Room clinic shirts and waterproof jackets are so common they could be mistaken for team uniforms. It’s a similar story with “Runner’s Mark” vests and the American “Fleet Feet” gear.

As far as uniforms go, I think it can be very motivating: These are other runner’s you can visually identify with, and you are running not only for yourself, but also for your team’s pride and perhaps your charity.

I worry that large groups in identical uniforms can also feel pretty exclusive. It’s nice to feel like you’re “in” but that could make a lot of other people feel left out.

I also suppose it’s a little odd at all to be so ‘conformist.’ Many spend their entire youth rebelling against uniformity and going out of their way to be ‘different’ in the name of creativity, independence and freedom. And I’m sure everyone has a fashion faux pas from their past because of this drive to be different that they look back on with regret.

In some ways I appreciate my ability to express myself as an individual when I run. I’m proud of my INKnBURN Steam Punk shirt when training and at races because I feel like it expresses some of who I am. And I often wear shirts from previous races I’ve conquered because it reminds me of my victory and shows a bit of pedigree.

I’ve tossed around the idea of having uniforms with my previous clinics. I worry I’d feel like I’m forcing them into something, especially if it’s a kind of shirt or brand they don’t like. And our clinic’s goal race is in March, so we are likely to still be wearing jackets so shirts are totally out anyways.

How do you feel about running team uniforms?

Any recommendations of which charities I should run for in 2014?