# What Does This Bumper Sticker Mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372 "2009-09-16T23:19:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/1 "2009-09-16T23:19:08Z")
I had never seen this before in my life, and then I saw it twice today. A circle. Within the circle, the number 26.2. That’s it. Oh, and the second time I saw it, a circle with the number 13.1, and another next to it, with the number 26.2. WTF? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/2 "2009-09-16T23:19:52Z")
It means that person has completed two marathons (26.2 miles each) and one half-marathon (13.1). 🙂 Oops: Editing because I now see that you’re talking about two different people. Same basic answer, though. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/3 "2009-09-16T23:20:20Z")
Appears to be a [marathon badge](http://www.marathon-training-program.com/marathon-bumper-stickers.html). ---
**Author:** ![whorfin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/6f9a4e/32.png) [@whorfin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whorfin)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/4 "2009-09-16T23:20:43Z")
My best guess–something they got after running a full (26.2 mi) or half (13.1mi) marathon. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/5 "2009-09-16T23:21:42Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > It means that person has completed two marathons (26.2 miles each) and one half-marathon (13.1). > > 🙂 > > Oops: Editing because I now see that you’re talking about two different people. Same basic answer, though. Wow, that was quick. And painfully obvious now! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/6 "2009-09-17T00:33:13Z")
Oh, so that’s what those are! I saw two different ones with different numbers on two cars parked close together the other day, and was totally befuddled. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/7 "2009-09-17T03:33:58Z")
Meanwhile, if you ever see a bumper sticker that says “26 + 6” or “26 + 6 = 1”, that’s someone in favor of Irish re-unification. There are 26 counties in the Republic of Ireland, and 6 in Northern Ireland that are part of the UK. ---
**Author:** ![jrCranstonRI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@jrCranstonRI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrCranstonRI)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/8 "2012-06-11T13:56:47Z")
If you see the last two numbers, it means that they swam and cycled before doing the half or full marathon. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/9 "2012-06-11T14:04:28Z")
> [@jrCranstonRI](#): > > If you see the last two numbers, it means that they swam and cycled before doing the half or full marathon. 😉 In case that’s not clear to everyone, 70.3 is the half Ironman distance and 140.6 is the full Ironman distance. -Telemark (who has a 26.2 magnet on his car) ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/10 "2012-06-11T14:58:32Z")
I see some subtle irony in putting a marathon “merit badge” on an automobile. The car would have beat you any day of the week. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/11 "2012-06-11T16:46:34Z")
Interesting. I ran ten marathons yeas ago, and all I ever got was a lousy t-shirt. Not even that at Boston. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/12 "2012-06-11T17:01:48Z")
So this has nothing to do with replacing the alphabet? Dammit, people, we need the decibet. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/13 "2012-06-11T17:16:29Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Interesting. I ran ten marathons yeas ago, and all I ever got was a lousy t-shirt. Not even that at Boston. 😃 A friend has a 26.2X10 badge on his car for the 10 he’s run. I don’t think it goes through a committe or anything, surely you can just buy one! ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/14 "2012-06-11T17:52:55Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > In case that’s not clear to everyone, 70.3 is the half Ironman distance and 140.6 is the full Ironman distance. > > -Telemark (who has a 26.2 magnet on his car) For further clarification, the full Ironman is a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run. Scarlett (who also sports a 26.2 sticker) ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/15 "2012-06-11T17:53:24Z")
Zombies run marathons too. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/16 "2012-06-11T17:55:30Z")
> [@Lionne](#): > > Zombies run marathons too. Most commonly occurring injury in zombie runners? Spraaaaaains. On topic: Does it make me a bad person that I ‘meh’ pretty hard at 13.1 stickers? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/17 "2012-06-11T18:48:17Z")
I want an “0.262” sticker for my car. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/18 "2012-06-11T19:27:50Z")
I saw a sticker a few months ago that said simply “0.0” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/19 "2012-06-11T19:33:38Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I want an “0.262” sticker for my car. I want one that says “Couch-to-comfy-chair.” ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372/20 "2012-06-11T21:54:22Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > On topic: Does it make me a bad person that I ‘meh’ pretty hard at 13.1 stickers? Um, yeah. 13.1 miles is nothing to sneeze at. And many dedicated half-marathon runners I’ve talked to just don’t have 26.2 in them. Doesn’t make 13.1 any less of an accomplishment. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-this-bumper-sticker-mean/510372.md?page=2)