Medals or no medals?

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  • Pete S9 wrote (see)

    Thanks for the comment..But I have to disagree there Jwheezy.I've probably entered around 100 races or so, over the last 4 years and the vast majority did not provide medals at the end.I don't think I am particularly fussy, but It could be the types of terrain and races I have been choosing of course. I'd estimate I have about 25 medals from varying 10k, 5k plus a few trail races over that time.I also know of fellow runners who choose races  that only give medals....That's fine, if that's a particular runners incentive :O).Personally I think I would rather have an option - when signing up - to either get a medal - say for e.g. If I equaled or bettered my PB, or came within the top 100 lets say, or alternatively  give the cost of a medal to a charity (their choice or mine) It would'nt really matter which....If enough runners opted for that, additional charity money could soon add up. As I've already stated though, I doubt that much will change as most runners enjoy a good quality goody bag by the sounds of things, especially if it includes a shiny disc on a ribbon.

    Hello Pete S9, you are free to disagree but in my experience in the races I have taken part in only 2 possibly 3 have not given medals.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    J Wheezy/Pete S9 you're clearly entering different types of races.

    If Pete is a guy who does a lot of XC or club series races, than those mostly are no frills stripped back minimalistic races where you get nothing.

    Similarly if J Wheezy is doing mostly bigger commercial races than most do give medals out

    Mr Boat wrote (see)

    I don't wear anything but old race t-shirts to work and very often when I'm not. The only ones I think I don't ever wear are the VLM ones as they're so crap and about 10 sizes too big.

    Are you a gardener?!

    I can't imagine many jobs you could wear a tatty old race t shirt to!!

  • I'm a magpie.  I started off only running races where medals were given out but I don't run the same race twice so have now got to the stage where I'm running a few that don't give them out.  I'd rather not but my priority is to get to 100 half marathons so beggars can't be choosers,   I keep my numbers and have a scrap book for them.  I do agree about the poor generic medals where the lanyard is used to show the year/event, waste of time in my opinion.

  • I love medals! Like runlozrun hoping to reach a 100 marathons and 100 halfs storage of medals is a bit of a problem. I hang mine on the bed post but the weight of them is a concern I.e bed tipping up. Luckily I have the wife is on the other side so provides an adequate counter balance
  • One advantage of being married to Gilbert Grape's mum
  • Haha! I hope that your wife doesnt read these posts ringo100....Good luck with the targets.Medal or no medal!

  • Ouch! Said mrs ringo has just tried out a new physio technique involving a shoe and a shin. That will cost me at Chester
  • Pete S9 wrote (see)

    After running for over 4 years I have amassed a fair few medals and tshirts in this time.After training 3 times a week I remember my very first medal being a little special and felt like a large pat on the back for my beginners efforts.However, over the years the medals have had less meaning - feeling more like an easy purchase rather than a well earned congratulations.

    I think you answered yourself in the first post Pete. Whilst as a regular runner the medals for participating don't mean much to you, in every race you enter there will be those who are running their first event, and who will get that same special feeling and encouragement from their first medal that you did. Why deny them that?

  • Stevie G, your right the type of event and pricing will pretty much determine medal or not, the 3 I recall not recieving a medal were Hellrunner (although they do now), Self transcedance 10k and possibly The Switchback 5.

     

  • The Forest of Dean HM had quite a good setup - the entry fee wasn't extortionate, but everybody got a medal (slightly generic bit still nicer than a lot of medals) and the top 50 finishers got a special event T-shirt for the achievement. Best of both worlds maybe? 

  • Muttley wrote (see)

    I'm fairly partial to a medal or two image

    I've probably done 200 events or so in the past 15 years and it's nice to have a memento of each. But if I had 200 T-shirts I'd have nowhere to put them, ditto 200 mugs or horse brasses or whatever. Gongs are easy to store and like the numbers (which I also keep, at least I do the ones with the race name on them) they're a reminder of half a day spent doing something I enjoy in good company.

    This is me posing with my medals:

    http://i771.photobucket.com/albums/xx352/Muttleymedals/The%20100%20medals%20album/P090510_1754.jpg

     

    Haha, superb snap! Totally with you there my fellow snickering hound friend. Medals rule - end of. I like nothing better of an evening than wearing them all round me neck and pretending to be an internationally known jet set LA Rapper (MC MacDawg) with his 'bling' on. image Lets face it, who doesn't?image

    Cheers kids!

    I

  • ringo100 wrote (see)
    I love medals! Like runlozrun hoping to reach a 100 marathons and 100 halfs storage of medals is a bit of a problem. I hang mine on the bed post but the weight of them is a concern I.e bed tipping up. Luckily I have the wife is on the other side so provides an adequate counter balance

    PMSL!!!! sorry but that really did make me chuckle lol

    ringo100 wrote (see)
    I love medals! Like runlozrun hoping to reach a 100 marathons and 100 halfs storage of medals is a bit of a problem. I hang mine on the bed post but the weight of them is a concern I.e bed tipping up. Luckily I have the wife is on the other side so provides an adequate counter balance

     

    ringo100 wrote (see)
    Ouch! Said mrs ringo has just tried out a new physio technique involving a shoe and a shin. That will cost me at Chester

    heee hee hope your shin gets better real quick lol

    I'm also doing Chester See you there

    Hope it has a nice medalimage 

  • oh to add about chip timing there is a guy at our running club and he runs without a garmin or a watch so he does look for chip timing races as otherwise he has no way of recording his time

    I dunno how he does it, I did a parkrun once without my garmin or watch and i was lost not knowing what pace i was running at or how far i'd run lol

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    Isee)

    oh to add about chip timing there is a guy at our running club and he runs without a garmin or a watch so he does look for chip timing races as otherwise he has no way of recording his time

    I dunno how he does it, I did a parkrun once without my garmin or watch and i was lost not knowing what pace i was running at or how far i'd run lol

    Every race gives a gun time though, so he has that.

    In races without a chip, where you might start a distance back, you can't count the time off your watch as your pb anyway!

  • I got my first HM medal, my first medal full stop last month for the Bacchus half, which I'm delighted with and I've just entered Stroud on 21st Oct to get another. I like the medals, no matter what place I came in, because I earned it@. Think that if you stopped medals or momento's for all finishers, you'd lose the people that CAN'T win, but do the races for achievement purposes, like I do
  • I think Lol's post is the stupidest I've read this month.
  • Im a complete medal whore and only do runs with medals as on a mission to get 100 medals inspired by the legendary muttley.people run for all times of reasons and these reasons keep runners turning up at events.a lot of the big runs give trophies and cash to the top runners and a medal for the rest of us sounds a good deal for the hefty fee we pay out for some of these runs.medals are awesome and last linger then a tshirt!
  • Sussex Runner (NLR) wrote (see)
    I think Lol's post is the stupidest I've read this month.


    Don't you read your own then?

  • I like to think I run for fun, I take part in many organised events because I lack the self-will to force myself to do 26 miles, so I enter them to push myself into doing it. When I finish and get a medal that I tell myself I don't need, I still really enjoy the feeling.

  • lardarse wrote (see)
    Sussex Runner (NLR) wrote (see)
    I think Lol's post is the stupidest I've read this month.


    Don't you read your own then?

    I couldn't work out which post they were referring to, better not be mine image

  • My first mara tomorrow, seriously hoping I earn the medal. If I do I'll be darn well wearing it in the bath, to bed, etc... Not coming offimage
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    greasygringo wrote (see)
    Im a complete medal whore and only do runs with medals as on a mission to get 100 medals inspired by the legendary muttley.people run for all times of reasons and these reasons keep runners turning up at events.a lot of the big runs give trophies and cash to the top runners and a medal for the rest of us sounds a good deal for the hefty fee we pay out for some of these runs.medals are awesome and last linger then a tshirt!

    they do if you don't keep them all together and one goes a bit rusty!

    I used to be a complete medal lover. Now it's only when i get one at the end of the race I even realise the race gives one...

    I do find people who select races just for medals slightly odd.

    I get it to some extent, i can remember feeling gutted at finishing a really half marathon in 2002, utterly drained and not getting one.

    However, you surely miss out on club series races where you pay about £2 and get a no frills but great little race.

  • Hi Stevie G - you'd probably find me slightly odd!  I don't select races SOLELY on the basis that they offer medals - I will do them without, but I definitely prefer it if they do.  A memento is a must - few people can actually win a race or get a age category award, but everyone deserves recognition for taking part. That's a reason I like running events because they offer something to the elite, but also to the mass participant.  I have now won a couple of age category prizes, in both cases trophies (and cash/vouchers too) but I do like my medals.  I've had mugs from Guernsey and Shinfield and the Newton Abbot Ladies 10k offers a numbered picture to each finisher - your number corresponds with your finishing position.

    What I don't like is when race organisers are coy about mementos and either don't say anything at all, or just say "memento".  Please tell us what we get - I don't like XXL cotton t-shirts!

    I don't often do club series races except for the Runnymede Relays, but I am a regular parkrunner and of course you don't get a medal for those!

  • PS I prefer chip timing but I have done lots of events without and don't really care.  I prefer club organised events to commercial events, as all I really need is a medal and a bottle of water at the end.  A chocolate bar is a great extra and I'll take chip timing if on offer.  But the most important thing above all is efficient results.  I didn't do it, but the Basingstoke half had its results up amazingly quickly.  Teignbridge Trotters also get brownie points for getting results up a couple of hours after the event - I've done 3 of their events (and that's without chip timing).  Other events which take days - you know who you are.  At the very least say on your website when you expect them to be ready.

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    I think I prefer a "memento" than a medal these days. Not some crappy t shirt or mug, something with a bit of character.

    The Victory 5 gave out mini golden boots engraved with the event and year a few weeks back. A perfect memento indeed.

    Something of that size, that's engraved seems perfect, a paperweight, or that kind of thing.

    A  big event you expect to get a medal though. I find them great for straight after the race, trutting round with it on, but after just gets lobbed in a box.

  • What about some pictures of the medals people have collected? 

  • i love getting medals, makes it all worth while. im training for a marathon next year and it will be something to look back on in years to come

  • I'm so pleased with my medal from the BUPA Great Birmingham Run and the t-shirt is not bad either.
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