To M-Dot or not to M-Dot...

I need to firstly state a few of my personal views on tattoos before I go into my own thoughts about getting the M-Dot (after completing a full triathlon as part of an Ironman event).

My (2010) tattoo dedicated
 to the unconditional love
between my parents.

I love tattoos but only under the following circumstances:

1. Tattoos to symbolise something true to oneself. 
• For me, I have 2 on my (back) shoulders.
• One is my last name in Chinese which I got in 1998 and redone in 2010.
• The other is one which I dedicate to my parents (done in 2010) - it is two birds perched on cherry blossom branch. Birds have the same mate for life and I admire that my parents are still happily married and in love with each other after going through years of hardship. Cherry blossoms is for the fragility of life and the ever changing stages that it goes through and how my parents have come out of those challenges together and stronger than before.
• I personally can't stand people getting tattoos because of fashion and with no personal connection to their own culture of life (i.e. barb wire phase, Chinese character phase, tribal phase...)
2. My tattoos can be hidden with clothing
• Because I work in a corporate environment, I have my tattoos on my back which I am able to hide with clothing Mon -Fri , 9am - 5pm

Back to the M-Dot tattoo...

I have fantasied about getting a M-Dot tattoo (only after completing an Ironman Triathlon) since about 2008 when I was first introduced to the sport and learnt more about the whole Ironman (3.8km swim, 180km ride and 42.2km run). I have researched for both the actual tattoo design and the location for this little symbol to go on. Getting a M-dot tattoo is almost a badge of honor but the location of the tattoo is also half the appeal. You almost want it visible so that others know that - you are an Ironman. The more I do my research, the more I am less inclined to 1) Get an M-Dot and 2) Have it in a location that I want exposed for the following reasons:

• The M-Dot is a brand. There are other long distance triathlons out there and they are just not branded as an official Ironman race - these include the Challenge and Rev3 series (just to name a few). The distances are not exactly the same, these races are often cheaper and are more family friendly. The Rev3 series are only situated in the US. Is getting an M-dot equivalent to getting another logo branded on me - say a VW for my car? A half eaten Apple for all the Apple products I have? A Cannondale logo for the tri bike I have?
• Currently, the M-Dot symbolises the Ironman (triathlon). What happens in the future where political correctness goes too far and you can no longer call it an Ironman as it is non inclusive of females? (Personally, I hate being called an Ironwoman) What happens if the Ironman becomes Ironperson? or just Iron?




M-Dot tattoo (don't worry mum - its not mine)


• Can you really carry the Ironman tattoo on your body post your Ironman race if you no longer carry on the triathlete lifestyle? To put things bluntly, I don't particularly favour an image of an overweight person with an Ironman tattoo on them... Once you get the tattoo, are you pressured to carry on the lifestyle to show respect to the sport and the tattoo?
• If you have the tattoo exposed (or not) - why? If you want people to know about it (even strangers) then did you really get the tattoo for your own self satisfaction or did you need acknowledgement of others of a sport which only a small % of the general population cares about?

I am still not 100% convinced about getting the Ironman logo on my body (personally) for the above reasons however the appeal is still there. I have asked my mum to provide me with a couple of Chinese characters which I could have as my next tattoo after finishing the race on the 24th March 2013.

At the end of the day, getting a tattoo is not just for Christmas. It is permanent and I still strongly believe that it must be true to oneself. I will definitely get a tattoo post Ironman Melboune but to include the M-Dot will be something which I have to really contemplate on. As for the location - this is yet to be decided but for something different, it will be in a location which will not be hidden like my others.