Can you get trophies for things other than coming first/second/third?

I only started running earlier this year and have entered quite a few local races, usually 10K and less but aim to push for 10 mile and half marathons by the end of the year.

I'm startnig to get quite a collection of medals but no trophies as I'm noway near close to winning anything ...

I just wondered if there's other ways to win trophies other than finishing in the top few places?

Maybe say doing all of the events by one company in a year?

Comments

  • DT19DT19 ✭✭✭

    hmm, I don't actually think they even give old school trophies these days to winners. Most guys I know who have won races have either had cash or a donated prize such as 6 month gym membership.

    I did a 5k last year purely as based on previous times I could have won it, and I wanted a trophy! Anyway I came 2nd overall, but there was a m35 cat that I won. My prize....5l aloe vera gel for second place, and a decent pair of cufflinks for winning the m35. I sold the aloe vera and use the cufflinks.

    I am not sure I would want a trophy unless I had actually won it on positions. For just doing stuff you simply get momentos!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    You've got to think outside the box Thorpey.

    If trophy/voucher/prizes are your main aim, look for lower key races, first year events, odd distances, races with a longer race on at the same time, races not organised by running clubs, races that clash with bigger local races,  offroad races etc.

     

    Another good angle is to get into a club with better runners than you, and take part in team relays, use the better runners to improve your chances!

    Club championships, if your club is more social than go getter etc.

     

    Not that I've had too much experience of the above strategies honest image

    These days, although I embrace the prizes that come about, I prefer to pick higher quality fast races, to hit pbs. Those are generally the currency runners use in the long run.

    If you really want to maximise your ability, these kind of races beat a 2nd place in the Cock and Biscuits Village 5k hands down.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    I've had a few 'old school' trophies and winners medals from local 10k events for Veteran prizes, and also received bugger all for a marathon Vet win.

    Marlow FM 10k - I won a little trophy. Last finisher won a free massage. I will target that race next year and crawl around.

    Other ways  - Road Relays / Corporate Team relays. Find some fast team matesimage

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    Also find the races that the likes of SG are not running. I'll be doing the Cock and Biscuits Village 5k this year

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    image haha Also! Yep, I left that off the list. Do your research and make sure the normal suspects aren't turning up on mass!

    Marlow 10k had a cracking looking trophy for 3rd. I know the guy and on normal form he's a couple of mins behind!

    Could have had some silver there! Dammit,

  • Some races offer some unusual categories instead of the typical mens, womens, vets etc. The Hardmoors race series (15mile to 150 mile distances) do a "shire" category for runners over 14 stone.

    Certainly there are several "grand slam" awards in the world of ultra running, Hardmoors again, Centurion Running, Saxon Shore also maybe?

    Just have a look around.

  • be a female and old and welsh and join welsh triathlon...............then do one of the championship races........

    there are so few people that tick all those boxes that you have a chance of a trophyimage

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    I won a race once and all I got was this Queen's Diamond Jubilee paperweight:

    /members/images/699204/gallery/IMG_4042_(480x640).jpg

     Attractive, I think you'll agree.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    In my day at school you made things like pipe racks and candle holders in woodwork and metal work. Now it is working with the likes of acrylic - and that looks like some very nice output from the local comp literatin

  • I got a trophy and prize for winning my age group in the local 10k.

    I missed my moment of glory at the prizegiving - I didnt know they gave prizes for AG and I didn't know I'd won it. Pah.
  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭
    seren nos wrote (see)

    be a female and old and welsh and join welsh triathlon...............then do one of the championship races........

    there are so few people that tick all those boxes that you have a chance of a trophyimage

    I was forgetting a special niche an ex club mate had. Be the single FV60 in a race, and you will HOOVER those trophies up.

  • I was surprised to receive a beautiful engraved saucer (plus a ??10 off voucher for the local sports shop to share between 4. Valid for one month) as the team prize in a local summer xc race. A as the first finisher from my club I got to keep the trophy. Like Cougie I missed the glory of the prize giving ceremony.

    If I could figure out how to past photos on my tablet then you could all admire the O level craftsmanship of that one too.
  • FreemersFreemers ✭✭✭

    I won a trophy earlier this year for "first female unattached" - first time I'd ever heard of a race giving a prize specifically for non-club members. Anyone else heard of that?

  • I have a lovely trophy for first female at the sleepwalker race last november...20 miles in the dark in the mountains and it was pouring with rain and howling winds......

    You could go any route from the last checkpoint back to the finish.....I had recceed the area.( mind others had done the race the year before).........

    and at the final checkpoint there were 4 or 5 females in front of me...........i took a longer route back but one that was  runnable and was extremley shocked to discover I wwas first femaleimage

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    Stevie G . wrote (see)
    seren nos wrote (see)

    be a female and old and welsh and join welsh triathlon...............then do one of the championship races........

    there are so few people that tick all those boxes that you have a chance of a trophyimage

    I was forgetting a special niche an ex club mate had. Be the single FV60 in a race, and you will HOOVER those trophies up.

    That's what I'm hanging on for!

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    there is of course the nag that if there is only you in a race is it worth a trophy?

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Don't ruin it SG. And I'm not saying how many other ladies were competing for that top quality bit of (I think) genuine glass.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    oops - sorry literatin - there was me saying it was acrylic image

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    came in a special presentation gift box and everything, AR.

  • Also-ranAlso-ran ✭✭✭

    I got a bit of glassware from Newbury 10k - it dropped through the door (also in a nice presentation box) with a thud. I was half expecting something for Vet40 prize, but it says 1st Senior.   I ought to get that corrected ..........

     

    Another option if you are desparate is to find a friendly person who will engrave whatever you want based on the category / race you dream up. I do a fair amount of engraving / machining and have often had some bizarre requests. Not had many requests from runners recently.

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭
    Stevie G . wrote (see)

    there is of course the nag that if there is only you in a race is it worth a trophy?

    It's the only way I'm likely to get a prize, so I'll take it!  

    (I may not mention being the only competitor in my age group when telling people, though image )

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    Being creative with the truth can help.

    I noticed on my old club's newsletter a chap was picture with a cup with a "1st male" heading, and thought, wow I knew I should have raced I'd have won it!

    Checked the results out....6th place! It was the team prize image

  • thorpe89 wrote (see)
    I just wondered if there's other ways to win trophies other than finishing in the top few places?

    Maybe say doing all of the events by one company in a year?

    Parkrun annual points competition. If you pick a quiet parkrun, are reasonably quick (top 10%) and turn up a lot (40+ times in a year) then you've got a pretty good chance of a trophy.

     

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    Some races do prizes for the first 'local', so you could always swan around the country changing your postcode to enter them.  I have a first local trophy for my local 10K last year that is a hideous statuette of what seems to be a sexually-aroused undead Uri Geller.  I love it. I was first local again this year, but they seem to have discontinued the prize, which was a shame as I was excited to see how they could top it.

  • literatinliteratin ✭✭✭

    Dachs: picture, please.

  • Yes, I'm desperate to see the sexually-aroused, undead Uri Geller too, Dachs!

    image

  • DachsDachs ✭✭✭

    I tried to take a picture of it when I first won it, but no photo I took ever did it justice.

  • PhilPubPhilPub ✭✭✭

    I remember when I found out that Uri Geller and Darth Vader were both directors of Exeter City football club, and Michael Jackson popped in to say hello.  That just sounds like a particularly scary episode of Billy the Fish.

    OK, here's my recommendation - Sri Chinmoy races, Battersea Park.  The first bit of bling I ever won was a rather fetching plastic-on-marble-and-plastic plinth contraption for coming seventh male.  Get in!

  • HellywobsHellywobs ✭✭✭

    I've won a couple of trophies at smaller races - both races had a longer race at the same time and the better runners did the longer race in each case, so I won my age group at one race and was 2nd lady over 18 in the other race.  I've also won a trophy from my club.  So yes it's possible without being brilliant but you need choose your race.  I've also won team prizes and came 5th in another race where I won a sportswatch that my son uses.  Series prizes are something worth looking at as well - if there are say 3 races in a series, you might come quite a long way down the pecking order but not many people will do all 3 events so if there are series prizes you might pick something up then.

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