Wednesday, April 05, 2006
DAY 3 - 
THE M-DOTTERS HAVE LANDED
Welcome to Day 3 of the Ironman Adventure! Weather in Tempe - 60, cloudy, windy, kinda rainy.
So, who are the M-Dotters? The M-Dot is the little guy you see to your right - it's the I and M of Ironman combined into one symbol. It's one heavy-hittin' little symbol, too.
See, people who finish an IM race - male and female - are then entitled to have the M-Dot tattooed on themselves, preferably in a prominent area on the calf/shin or upper arm. some are large, some small, some color, some just black. Once you actually etch this symbol into your skin, you are no longer just someone who did an IM. You are an M-Dotter. Coach Colleen taught me early on that the M-Dotters can be a clannish bunch and they're not always friendly. It's best not to make prolonged eye contact with them unless you know one.
At breakfast this morning, I saw 3 of them in a span of 15 minutes. (The best symbology I could produce was my Twin Cities Marathon running hat. sigh.) They are a steely bunch, no doubt. For a minute it's impressive to see these guys with their IM hats, clothes, fit bodies, etc. But then I realized the insecurity it must take for someone to wear an entire outfit proclaiming a single part of their lives. It would be like having a hat, sweatshirt, shorts, socks, jacket, tote bag, backpack, keychain and tattoo that said "Married - Since 1997" and you wore them all every time you went to a movie, restaurant or bar.
FOOTNOTE - Before you all speculate, I will not be getting the M-Dot tattoo. I have another design in mind. ;-)
THE M-DOTTERS HAVE LANDEDWelcome to Day 3 of the Ironman Adventure! Weather in Tempe - 60, cloudy, windy, kinda rainy.
So, who are the M-Dotters? The M-Dot is the little guy you see to your right - it's the I and M of Ironman combined into one symbol. It's one heavy-hittin' little symbol, too.
See, people who finish an IM race - male and female - are then entitled to have the M-Dot tattooed on themselves, preferably in a prominent area on the calf/shin or upper arm. some are large, some small, some color, some just black. Once you actually etch this symbol into your skin, you are no longer just someone who did an IM. You are an M-Dotter. Coach Colleen taught me early on that the M-Dotters can be a clannish bunch and they're not always friendly. It's best not to make prolonged eye contact with them unless you know one.
At breakfast this morning, I saw 3 of them in a span of 15 minutes. (The best symbology I could produce was my Twin Cities Marathon running hat. sigh.) They are a steely bunch, no doubt. For a minute it's impressive to see these guys with their IM hats, clothes, fit bodies, etc. But then I realized the insecurity it must take for someone to wear an entire outfit proclaiming a single part of their lives. It would be like having a hat, sweatshirt, shorts, socks, jacket, tote bag, backpack, keychain and tattoo that said "Married - Since 1997" and you wore them all every time you went to a movie, restaurant or bar.
FOOTNOTE - Before you all speculate, I will not be getting the M-Dot tattoo. I have another design in mind. ;-)
