Medals, or cheaper entries?
16 watchers
Nov 2023
4:42pm, 29 Nov 2023
22,728 posts
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larkim
My appetite for medals has waned with experience, but at any given race if that was my "one and only" event I might still be a bit grumpy without a medal. Wooden ones are nice though. I do prefer any post-race freebies to be usable though - socks are good, t-shirt (provided they fit well and are a decent quality, though even now I've got too many of those), but mostly anything else clothing related will probably be relegated to "nice souvenir, but won't use again" (e.g. buff, cap etc). One race had a vest which I'd not used until this year when it was in fact the best thing for treadmill sessions in a hot garage. But I wouldn't normally wear a vest other than a club one for race day. Chester mara did a little pin badge a few years ago which was nice, could see a few of those sticking on a beloved kit bag or round the rim of a cap being "used" at least (in the sense of making out of the house ever again). If event organisers had optional medal purchase, that would suit me fine. |
Nov 2023
5:21pm, 29 Nov 2023
3,860 posts
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paulcook
This might be very difficult to organise, but especially in terms of people suggesting different types of running merchandise, one year from the York Brass Monkey the post race offering included a gift voucher for Up and Running. That ticks more boxes than trying to please a range of people.
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Nov 2023
8:03pm, 29 Nov 2023
19,611 posts
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Autumnleaves
Shades sadly yes - it's all quite pricey as it is, but lots of local runners have asked us to bring back the towels!!
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Nov 2023
5:39am, 30 Nov 2023
1,315 posts
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Shades
Autumnleaves well it's good that the runners want the towels. Since the pandemic all that sort of stuff has rocketed in price. I know as I've seen the invoices for backpacks and snoods etc. North Dorset Village Marathon have dropped their entry fees to £26/28, which is great value for a marathon. Then we'll be contacted nearer the time if we want to add on medals/t-shirts and the hog roast. I think the RO is making a lot of extra work for herself adding these options on later. I'll skip the t-shirt but will probably order a medal and definitely will have the hog roast. |
Nov 2023
6:50am, 30 Nov 2023
2,269 posts
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ptr_runner
For a few years I organised a 50 mile ultra, I included a medal and t-shirt in the entry price. The issue was not only as DeeGee explains re front the cost, but also what to do with the leftover stock when entrants don't turn up on race day. With minimum order quantities, I had to design a medal and ribbon that wasn't dated because I knew I wasn't going to hit that number of runners. As for me, if it's a marathon or ultra then I 100% want a medal, regardless of material (I have 3 wooden ones). It will get hung on my medal hangar, along with my race number and keeps with it the stories of that event. |
Nov 2023
8:31am, 30 Nov 2023
22,721 posts
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DeeGee
what to do with the leftover stock when entrants don't turn up on race day. I've created medals based on dies that can be reused, so I've saved a hundred quid or so on not needing to redesign the medal, and due to surplus stock I'm only changing the ribbon from year to year at the minute, which helps a little bit. But it does mean I'm depleting my stock so I will need to find an alternative later. The nature of my event means I could find something useful that can be branded and used as a memento rather than a medal, but I'm also conscious that I've got additional events that wrap around the main event that are more geared for less experienced runners, and they are more likely to want a medal. I was considering buying a voucher to a local "landmark" restaurant for everyone, but I can't help thinking that unless it covers the value of most of a meal, it's probably not going to be wanted, and if I'm going to save money/wastage, I need to arrange with them that I'll pay after everyone's visited, which doesn't really help ongoing cash flow either... I'm finding this discussion very interesting, though, thanks for your feedback so far. |
Nov 2023
8:36am, 30 Nov 2023
4,565 posts
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Ally-C
Any medals I’ve got are mostly in shoe boxes in the loft. Unless it’s a really special race there isn’t any need. They’ll just end up in a skip when I die anyway.
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Nov 2023
8:46am, 30 Nov 2023
80,766 posts
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Gobi
I guess this statement from ptr_runner and mine demonstrate the difference in people "I want a medal, regardless of material (I have 3 wooden ones). It will get hung on my medal hangar, along with my race number and keeps with it the stories of that event." Ignoring parkruns I've still done 400 or so events around the world. There are no clues in my house that I have run a marathon never mind won some, even my training room walls are blank. I have a few trophies in boxes, there are also things like my medals and a handful of T-shirts. These all have stories, incidents good or bad and are kept for me. |
Nov 2023
8:52am, 30 Nov 2023
2,804 posts
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Muttley
I keep my race numbers as well. And I treasure my sole trophy, for being first MV60+ in the Saltash half marathon this year. That I happened to be the only MV60+ and that the first in the MV65+ and MV70+ categories finished a country mile ahead of me is immaterial -- you can only kick the arses of the competition that bother to show up!
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Nov 2023
8:53am, 30 Nov 2023
21,326 posts
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geordiegirl
It is such a hard dilemma, I've entered Escape from Meridian this year, it has option to buy a t-shirt, medal, prison jumpsuit. I had an early entry code and worried I'd miss out and didn't add them on entry, when I went too order them the £3.50 postage attached to EACH item, or collect on the day but if I (for any reason although highly unlikey) didn't go that is 3 items sitting in a box for landfill and I am more concerned about that than having a memento but it is so different I will order nearer the time. If I can order after the event I'd happily wait for my medal/T to be delivered. Loch Ness a couple of years ago handed out water at the end in a LN water bottle which I thought was quite cool as it meant they had saved a few hundred water bottles (hopefully they used tap water to fill) but they were not as plastic savvy on the course. I like the idea of a voucher for a sports shop as it can be used online so if its a local shop people who are a travelling for the event can still use it. I don't envy you the decision as for some the medal is the reason for turning up and if you're restricted by minimum order it is difficult to manage. Things have changed, when I first started running and entering races it was all about the goodie bags, now less so. Blaydon Race gives out bottles of local beer which has a Blaydon label they are always appreciated and if you want a memento I know people who keep the bottles. |
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