Mind If I Take Off My Shirt?
04/07/2010 8:20 AM
Mark Remy
Yes, you MAY be excused to go wash your eyeballs.
I don't know if you guys ever venture south of RW Daily on the
RunnersWorld.com homepage -- I mean, why on earth would you, when
everything you need is right here? -- but we have a little Opinion
Poll down there.
The current Opinion Poll question: When is it OK to run without a shirt?
It's an excellent question, and one that (to my amazement) I don't
believe we've ever examined here in RW Daily. It's also not nearly as
simple as it might seem at first blush.
So, let's examine it.
First, here's the main problem: Shirtless guys who shouldn't be
shirtless tend not to know they shouldn't be shirtless. Or just don't
care. Why? Because they're the only ones who don't have to see them
shirtless.
Think about it. A physique-challenged man running around without a
shirt is like a motorist driving around with his high-beams on all the
time. It's irritating, and possibly dangerous, to everyone else. But
not to him. He may not even be aware of the problem.
The only difference is that the runner is shooting out not blinding
rays of light, but blinding rays of "gross."
But back to the question. When is it OK for a runner to shuck that
shirt? Here's my own personal list.
OK:
If you have a decent physique.
and
It's really hot outside.
and
You aren't running for any length of time within spitting distance of
people dressed in normal, nonrunning clothes.
and
No one around you reacts with obvious disgust or horror, either
verbally or nonverbally.
NOT OK:
If the temperature is below 45 degrees F. (Even if the cold truly
doesn't bother you, you just look like a jackass.)
or
On the treadmill at the gym.
or
You have a conspicuous third nipple. (Sorry if this is prejudicial. I
can't help it.)
or
During a race. (I mention this in The Runner's Rule Book, the only bit
in the book that addresses shirtless running, which in retrospect was
an oversight.)
What am I missing? Anything?
1 comment:
Dude, I appreciate the link. But copying and pasting my entire blog post here just isn't cool.
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