Since it’s Tuesday, I’m joining the link-up organized by Zenaida and Kim (Kooky Runner)
My Topic today is: Race Shirts: Which Do you Keep?
Not a post about the pandemic per se but when you are stuck in the house day after day, you have time to de-clutter your drawers and closets, right?
I am NOT a saver like my hubby. I am a tosser.
But I have probably run over 300 races. You know what that means? A gazillion race shirts.
I have sent many to my running buddy.
I have donated many. I have even had a blanket made from them.
Still, my drawers were full with race shirts!!!!
Here are tips that helped me to decide which ones to keep:
- Shirts made from breathable material.
NOPE!!
No cotton ones!! (Unless you need a shirt to sleep in or garden.)
- Shirts from memorable races.
Shirts from race-cations or favorite races or PRs.
YES!
- Shirts that are gender-specific.
Uni-sex shirts rarely ever fit right.
NO!!
- One Shirt per race.
If you repeat a race, you do not need one from every year.
- One shirt per color.
No one needs more than one kelly green shirt.
- Shirts in colors that you like or look good on you.
In other words, if you do not like white shirts, don’t keep them. If you look washed out in a light yellow shirt, toss it.
that’s a no!
Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my race shirts.
I often wear shirts from local races when I race elsewhere. It’s a great conversation starter.
promoting my favorite local race while running a race in NYC
This was harder than it looks. I made attempt #1 at de-cluttering my shirt drawer trying to follow the tips above.
No!! Good-bye.
But I still have too many shirts!!! (And this does not include tanks and long sleeve shirts.)
Yes and Maybe.
I’m also linking up here:
Formerly the Running Coaches’ Corner, it’s back with new co-hosts Coach Debbie Runs, Running on Happy, Confessions of a Mother Runner, Mile by Mile, Runs with Pugs, and Fauxrunner.
Happy Running! Do you keep all your race shirts? How do you decide which ones to discard? Please share.
My First 5K and More... 
I have kept quite a few race shirts but I’ve made 3 blankets with all of the ones I didn’t like or no longer needed. I’ve noticed that recently the race shirts seem to be fitting smaller, which makes them unwearable for me sometimes.
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I haven’t given all away yet and I think I may make another blanket or two. Did you do Project Repat?
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The only white race shirt I’ve kept was the one from my first half marathon. Of course I don’t wear it, but it’s special. Otherwise, white shirts get pitched into the donation bag immediately. I don’t have nearly as many race shirts as you do but I agree, it can get out of control really quickly.
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I did keep the white one from the PARIS race.
Yes so easy to keep and keep.
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I have scaled down my race shirts,but still have too many. I have a lot of royal blue…and most are long-sleeved (and I like all of them). I want to get a blanket made with shirts from memorable races, but I heard tech fabric isn’t ideal for that (?). The first time I ran Grandmas Marathon, I spotted so many race shirts that I recognized…one on a guy from a nearby race!
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Project Repat uses your tech shirts…not cheap but they do a nice job and there’s always coupons CONGRATS for 40% off
I bumped into someone in Brooklyn who ran a race in Albany (because of the shirt)
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300 races?! I have done a fraction of that amount and I still have too many shirts – I actually just got rid of a few myself. I agree with your criteria. Certain shirts are sentimental so I keep them, technical fabric is a must, and do I really need 3 neon green shirts? lol!
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I still have too many. I just hold on
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I don’t keep all of my race shirts either. I actually really like taking the cotton ones that my husband gets and I use those to sleep in. Many of the race shirts Ive gotten haven’t been great for running. I have a few long sleeved ones that I really like.
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Me too. I do sleep in the cotton ones but in recent years I have gotten women’s tech shirts. They fit but can’t keep them all.
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I rarely keep race shirts unless they are super sentimental like the ones from the Boston Marathon. They have to be just right, color and fit. Some races here actually give out fleece pullovers. Those are nice and definitely keepers.
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Oh yes. Hoodies are the best.
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Race shirts never seem to fit me the right way either .I probably like the long sleeved ones better. A couple of winter races have done hats which I think is a fun alternative. I don’t keep most of them. I have also made a blanket which I love. Thanks for linking!
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I love my blanket. And yes hats are great.
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My hubby and I are the same as you and your hubby. I am a pitcher, Hubby is the saver. I used to give my “extra” race shirts to my sons but now, they don’t want them anymore. I also donate some of them to my local thrift store. When I was a teacher, I used to see kids who came to class in my old race shirts. They thought it was cool to shop at the thrift store! 🙂
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That is way cool.
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I generally donate ones where I don’t like the color or that don’t fit me comfortably. I don’t run in race shirts any more, although I used to — but I like to wear them so that I can workout at any time during the day (it also makes a nice base layer in the winter). I sleep in the long sleeve ones.
Not sure how many short sleeve ones I have — they fill maybe 3/4 of a small drawer, but I do use them. The rest have been donated.
Still going through stuff & decluttering anyway.Other things. Getting rid of many things I actually love, because there’s only so much storage room here (not just for clothes, other things too).
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I have no problem donating race shirts. The gross grey ones and man-cut ones go right out. That said, I’ve got my share of race shirts jamming my drawers. I like getting the rare cotton one because as you said, they become sleep shirts.
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I am sure every runner has too many shirts.
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I need to have another blanket made. I love wearing my cotton race shirts (the soft or comfy ones), but I very rarely wear t-shirts to run. I just don’t like them. I have a stack in the corner of my room, and at this point, I should probably just figure out how to make a blanket myself. It will take up time.
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I know I could make my own quilt but no patience. It’s faster to just send them away.
If I lived in Fla, I would only wear tanks.That’s what I run in all summer.
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Holy cow! That many shirts? I don’t keep any of my race shirts. Well, I do have 2 or 3 but it’s because they’re really soft and I use them to sleep in.
Thank you for linking up with us!
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I wear them to run in or else I give them away.
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