Once you start to participate in races you begin to gather race shirts.  At first, this is sort of cool, you gather tech shirts, short sleeve T-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, half zips, cotton, in different colors, styles and design.  As you running “career” continues and you continue to amass shirts you start to get picky about what you like, I know some people who only do a race because it is a good  shirt.  The question becomes, “what do I do with all these shirts?”

Mostly our shirts end up in a pile, the ones we wear a lot get rotated on the top, the rest fade to the bottom.  Maybe you divide your shirts (and other clothes) up by seasons with long sleeves set aside for fall through spring and your short sleeve out only in the summer.  

Just because you received a shirt with a race doesn’t mean that you have to wear it or even keep it. It is fun to wear after the race on the way home from the race or at your after race party.  (We could also debate on whether or not you should wear your shirt to do the race, but that’s a whole ‘nother issue…) So, once you have this growing pile of shirts, what do you do?

One idea is to make a quilt with the shirts from your favorite races or your first race at a certain distance.  There are companies which specialize in making quilts for runners or you may have a friend who is crafty and can make you a quilt.  

Other people keep the shirts they want to wear and send the rest to a rummage sale or Salvation Army.  A couple of years ago in the Brooksie Training Expo we had a clothing swap where experienced people could bring in items they didn’t use anymore and new runners could take them until they built up their “stash” of shirts or other items.  (Of course, if you believe that you have to have participated in a race to wear the shirt, this could be a problem.)

You can also find a running program which helps out people in challenging situations, you can donate your shirts and other items to help out those programs.  The Gazelle Girl Half Marathon supports a program at their “Y” called Sole Sisters which helps to train women to run.  I have donated shirts and other clothing items to this great cause.

Like most other aspects of running, there is no “right answer” to what to do with your shirts or how many is too many.  Consider having too many race shirts a perk of participating in races.   It means you are out there and you are moving.  Make a quilt, donate them, keep a pile in your room, they are a way to remember a race, a PR, a fun time with friends, a time you had a bad day or an awesome PR.  Enjoy those shirts in every color of the rainbow!