Wearing a singlet for something you dont officially represent?

It's totally fine.

I agree - it's fine.

I've changed clubs a few times as I've moved to different cities, and use my old singlets all the time for training.

I've also worn my club singlets in community events - it's a good ad for the club. It gives an edge to my performance - I don't want to run badly with their logo on my chest. On the other hand, if I do run badly, it conveys the healthy message that you don't have to be elite to join a club.

Think of all the dbags still rocking the full Livestrong.

I think it is find.

I can mostly understand wearing a club or organization singlet after you are no longer associated with them, if it was an open organization.

But what about all of these mid 16 to 18 minute 5kers that I see wearing Hansons and NOP singlets? It makes no sense to me. If you aren't fast enough to be part of the group, then you shouldn't have the right to wear the logo.

Club Runner wrote:

I can mostly understand wearing a club or organization singlet after you are no longer associated with them, if it was an open organization.

But what about all of these mid 16 to 18 minute 5kers that I see wearing Hansons and NOP singlets? It makes no sense to me. If you aren't fast enough to be part of the group, then you shouldn't have the right to wear the logo.

What about people who wear football jersey to pick up football games on Thanksgiving? If they aren't good enough to make the NFL then they shouldn't have any right to wear that jersey.

I don't see any harm in it. Hanson's and the NOP are more concerned with making money off selling their jerseys online, then having people wear them who are not part of the club. It shows support for the clubs. What's the harm? Steve Ovett used to race in a USSR singlet in the early 80's.

I'd race in an Army singlet...it's cooler.

It's fine, the military appreciates your support. As long as you don't start telling phony war stories afterward or claiming you were a Ranger SeAL Paratrooper or something, then we'd have to eff you up.

Club Runner wrote:

I can mostly understand wearing a club or organization singlet after you are no longer associated with them, if it was an open organization.

But what about all of these mid 16 to 18 minute 5kers that I see wearing Hansons and NOP singlets? It makes no sense to me. If you aren't fast enough to be part of the group, then you shouldn't have the right to wear the logo.

This.

I still wear my old college or club singlets for training when it's hot, or the occasional race.

Although for racing note that is living in a new city; I would wear a Central Park Track singlet racing unattached in the midwest, but it would be pretty weird to wear it in a local NYC event not still being with the club.

Wearing a jersey of a team you are a "fan" of, like NOP, seems pretty lame.

Wearing national team gear seems OK if you're a kid, master or otherwise slow - people will assume that you're supporting, not that you made a team. (I have a USA jersey and a Kenya warmup jacket I scored, but as a 170-pound white guy running a 16-minute 5k nobody is ever going to mistake me for a member of either national team.)

If you're even sub-15, though, you are going to look like an Olympian to the average joe and it actually seems a bit douchey to wear if you can "pull it off."

It's like a 50-something recreational road cyclist wearing a Giant cycling jersey, vs a legit 25 year-old competitor.

No strong feelings on this topic but we could ALL rock a LetsRun Singlet!

I got full Ethopian kit on Ebay and ran a 22:59 5k in it

PR !

No one cares about what is on your singlet.

I race in a blue Alka-Seltzer singlet all the time.

The difference with football or basketball jerseys for me is that they have they player's name and number clearly displayed, whereas all of the running club singlets have no distinguishing features between them.

I could wear a #90 Suh Lion's jersey and not worry about anyone mistaking me for Suh himself. But if I'm small, quicker than the general population, and wearing a NOP singlet, most people wouldn't be able to tell that I'm not the real thing (as another poster already mentioned).

When it really comes down to it though, its just a preference, and my unintentionally judging people for their choice in attire realistically means jack.

Also, now that I look back at my post, I think its laughable that I even assumed anyone other than those who follow running would recognize NOP clothing, but that's mostly besides the point.

TheFutureTinkerThinker wrote:

Im about to graduate high school and i have been running all 4 years, once i graduate im going into the air force and was thinking about racing in singlets outside of school, would buying one that says something along the lines of "Air Force" on it be equivalent to wearing something that says "USA" on it when you dont officially represent what is on the jersey, im no hobby jogger but im not nearly fast enough for the Olympic development program the military offers

If I am reading your post correctly, and you are going into Air Force and want to wear a singlet with "Air Force" on it, that is fine. However, people are going to ask if you are going to the Air Force Academy.

I was in the Army in the early 1990s and sometimes wear running shirts with "U.S. Army" on them. People always ask if I went to West Point.

Also, I meant to ask.....

If you are on your school's team, why are you racing outside of school?

If the racing schedule is anything like it was when I was in High School, I ran too many races. I would do a longish run on those days instead.

You cannot "graduate high school". You can however graduate FROM high school.