Medals - bring them back!

Sitting behind me on my study wall taking up 3' x 1' my medals from races run since 2001 are hanging.

It's nice to look through them once in a while, they don't take up much space, they are all different, some have fantastic designs and they all have personal memories. A couple of horse brasses from Dartford & Hastings, a few Nike runs, a large Paddock Wood ½ and some colourful Gillingham Trotters with a flying pig, my two FLM’s, a lion from Longleat.

So why it is every race I now enter provides me with a 'memento' at the end. Don't get me wrong the occasional faux crystal block with runners in the middle is nice. But I don't want numerous plastic water bottles, gym bags or mugs that supposedly keep my drink hot - just because all of these things have the race name and sometimes the date stamped on them it does not make them special, in fact they take up a lot more space at the back of a cupboard than the 9 years worth of medals on my wall.

Give me a well designed medal any day.

Hey, I thought I was the only one with a faux crystal block with runners in the middle.

i agree that medals are better, though not keen on the cheap and flimsy ones with no date on.

Pooh, you are a bear of much wisdom.

I too like the old bling on a string. Nothing else will do.

Theres a local race I do every year, I haven't had a medal from that race yet, this year I got a hi-vis vest, which has come in handy

I'd prefer them to offer a medal, but they don't, and I enjoy the race, so I do it regardless.

I agree, I like my medals.  Can't stand the mugs, I have enough mugs, I don't need another sponsor covered cheap mug.

Oh and dont get me started on t-shirts.

Got a cracking medal at the Town Moor yesterday, Its now my second most treasured medal (after my BMAF silver for their 10 mile championships last year).

I've got most of my medals in a picture frame in my hall - they look good and take up no space at all.

I'm up to 52 techie tshirts now, not even counting the cotton ones.  I should really have a cull

There's a company in the US that will make a quilt out of all of your race t-shirts.

In my school era the medals were for winners not participants and that's coloured my thinking ever since.

Moraghan wrote (see)

In my school era the medals were for winners not participants and that's coloured my thinking ever since.

Moraghan wrote (see)

In my school era the medals were for winners not participants and that's coloured my thinking ever since.

Fair point, though the world has moved on (whether for better or worse is a moot point).

That said, a lot of races today, perhaps most, still have 'special' unique medals and trophies for the winners and category winners to mark their achievement. The run-of-the-mill finisher medals are simply a memento for having taken part. No one pretends they are more than that, so it shouldn't colour your thinking too much.

RunningCommentary wrote (see)

No one pretends they are more than that, so it shouldn't colour your thinking too much.

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who like medals! I was just only looking through my medal collection last night as added one after a race yesterday.

I'm not a fast runner so will never get the winner's prizes but like the fact I get something better then a bottle of water for my efforts. I'm not fussed about t-shirts (will never wear them) or discount vouchers (which will never get used) but I am extremely proud of my medals.

I'm so glad with the events section on this website so I can check whether you get a medal for a race. For the time being, I will only do a race if I get a medal and I am willing to pay the extra money. I do enough of running without a medal during my training sessions!

I have to say the most disappointing medals I got are from Race For Life/Cancer Research 10k but I think they're more just a mass production thing. Some of the best medals I've got have come from smaller local races. 

I say long live the medals!