Are Race Medals Now Optional?
Races should offer the option of not receiving a race medal
Every (most) road race I’ve ever done has given me a finishers medal.
But is that about to change?
I don’t think I’d be mad about it, that’s for sure.
Don’t get me wrong, some races need to have medals for winners (the Olympics) and for participation (think Boston or NYC marathons).
And some people need medals. Their first race or a PR or a memorable race. I’m all about medals for those who want one.
I am not against finisher medals.
I think that not all races need a finisher’s medal these days. Or maybe, they can be optional, and if you choose not to get one your registration price comes down.
Where am I coming from with this radical idea?
Beach to Beacon 10k (Portland, Maine)
Carly ran Beach to Beacon while we were on vacation. There are some really good professional runners who turn up (good prize money will do that) as well as thousands of everyday Mainers who love a good summer 10k race.
As the masses finished, they had to walk 200-300 meters after the finish line to get water, then another 200 meters or so to the “finisher’s village”.
We both looked at each other wondering where the finisher’s medals were. Surely we either missed them or they would have given them out by now.
But after seeing a sea of runners and none of them had medals around their necks, we got the idea that no one got a medal.
Interesting!
The Future?
While it may take a while for the rest of the country to take on this new approach, I posted on Threads and quite a few runners replied saying they either didn’t take a medal after finishing or had a race that gave runners the option to opt out of a medal when registering.
If only it were that simple.
What’s the problem with just not taking a medal? Well on the surface, nothing. But the race still has to buy medals in case you decide you want one. That price is baked into the registration cost.
If the idea was to save on costs for the race (and for the runner), then having the option to not get a shirt or medal or swag should lower the race entry fee.
Of course, the contrarians said ‘Well what if you opt out of a medal during registration, but then change your mind when you finish’?
Then the race will eventually run out of medals for those who did actually pay for a medal or the race still has to buy extra medals…
And of course, these people will end up making it a negative experience for everyone.
https://www.threads.net/@trainwithmarc.run/post/C-p3YJKxBEh?xmt=AQGz7rKvz0weEe-7OFeyGLpG0q3arKlubpxI5asmex-zJw
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