It's All About the Bling

[FFigawi]

Interesting article from the WSJ about the competition to have the biggest, craziest, and most unique race medals

http://on.wsj.com/1HWuVl8

 

[VAfamily1998]

Interesting that most medals only cost about $3 each. I wonder why some races don't offer medals? I'm definitely willing to pay more for a race that offers a medal--even if it's just some cheesy generic thing. I just like having a tangible token from my race.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Have to say, the woman buying herself a medal from that web site for walking 10k in her neighborhood - lame. She has already earned 35 medals this year, she says. Yeah. I guess so. Go to WDW for a week and earn a medal every day walking around the parks. Patting yourself on the back a little too much when you "reward" yourself for something that clearly requires no effort (for her).

Medals for finishing a race make sense because of the months of training required to get you there as much as finishing the race itself. If medals get people out there, working to improve themselves, then they are great. I have never really understood the love for them myself. I put them away and never look at them again. But I understand why other love them because my wife loves hers.

 

[FFigawi]

Rather than just stashing them in a drawer never to be seen again, why not donate them instead? These guys get a lot of my old medals.

http://www.medals4mettle.org/donate.html

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Rather than just stashing them in a drawer never to be seen again, why not donate them instead? These guys get a lot of my old medals.

http://www.medals4mettle.org/donate.html

That is a great idea - had no idea this existed. Thank you for the link!

 

[ZellyB]

Good article. I definitely enjoy the bling although mine also end up in a drawer. I'm thinking about getting some kind of display for them, but not really sure where in my house I'd want to put something like that. Anyway, I had a couple of friends who ran Little Rock this year strictly because they wanted that medal. So, hey, it obviously works to attract people to the races. For me, the medal alone wouldn't get me to run a race I wouldn't otherwise, but it might serve as a tipping point if there is a race I'm on the fence about.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Good article. I definitely enjoy the bling although mine also end up in a drawer. I'm thinking about getting some kind of display for them, but not really sure where in my house I'd want to put something like that. Anyway, I had a couple of friends who ran Little Rock this year strictly because they wanted that medal. So, hey, it obviously works to attract people to the races. For me, the medal alone wouldn't get me to run a race I wouldn't otherwise, but it might serve as a tipping point if there is a race I'm on the fence about.

My husband bought me a rack for my medals for Christmas this year. I didn't know where to put it, and was actually really surprised that he suggested putting it on our bedroom wall! Normally, he is not at all supportive/interested in my races.

I want to run Little Rock just for the bling!

 

[Chiomaca]

Have to say, the woman buying herself a medal from that web site for walking 10k in her neighborhood - lame. She has already earned 35 medals this year, she says. Yeah. I guess so. Go to WDW for a week and earn a medal every day walking around the parks. Patting yourself on the back a little too much when you "reward" yourself for something that clearly requires no effort (for her).

That's weird, but I guess it that's what motivates you, then good for you. I like the medals, but I've reached the point where I'll probably start sending mine to that website - I'll keep and maybe make a shadow box for my first marathon, and maybe a couple of others.

 

[DOOM1001]

[QUOTE="VAfamily1998, post: 53421184, member: 173556

I want to run Little Rock just for the bling! [/QUOTE]
I will say that the medal for the Little Rock marathon this year was huge but also pretty nice cause I've seen it other years and its been huge but a little strange,the 2014 one was pretty out there,it looked like the speech balloon on a Batman comic book.I might be criticizing it but if I lived near Little Rock there's no doubt I would have run it to get it.I did see a video of this years Little Rock marathon and even though the medal was nice I'm glad I wasn't out there running it as the weather was horrible,29 degrees and wet and the medals didn't arrive in time for the race.When the medal is a huge part of why your race is as popular as it is that just can't happen.I did the 5 races in the Florida Storm series in 2014-15 and of the three extra medals you get for doing all 5 races the only one I kinda like is the category 4 medal which is big and silver,good sized but not ridiculously huge.The category 3 is like a weird rose gold and the category 5 is a bright yellow gold that doesn't look good and about half a foot across.Next year I plan on doing 3 of the 5 since they're my local races,Miami,Miami Beach Michelob ultra 13.1 and Sarasota because it is the best race of the bunch,I had read good reviews on it before doing it and it definitely did not let me down.

 

[bumbershoot]

Normally, he is not at all supportive/interested in my races.

Sounds like he's more supportive and interested than you thought.

Have to say, the woman buying herself a medal from that web site for walking 10k in her neighborhood - lame. She has already earned 35 medals this year, she says. Yeah. I guess so. Go to WDW for a week and earn a medal every day walking around the parks. Patting yourself on the back a little too much when you "reward" yourself for something that clearly requires no effort (for her).

Doing the distance of 10K or 13.1 miles 35 times inside a year is no big deal? Wowza. I mean, sure, for my brother I suppose (though his knees are now breaking down because he overtrains daily), but for a person like me, that's awesome.




I like the idea of virtual runs. Haven't done one yet but I plan to. And I like finishers medals. They make me happy. Even though they are currently all in a box. Someday I'll get a medal hanger and put it up on a wall; planning on it being a wall I *own*, not rent. Bibs are actually my fave, because they show that I showed up (and if you knew how hard that is for me you'd understand why it means a lot to me), but the finisher medal shows I finished.

The actual winners get their own prizes and a finisher's medal. I don't get those prizes. I'm cool with getting something even though I didn't actually win.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Doing the distance of 10K or 13.1 miles 35 times inside a year is no big deal? Wowza. I mean, sure, for my brother I suppose (though his knees are now breaking down because he overtrains daily), but for a person like me, that's awesome.

If a person has already done it 35 times at this point in the year (early April), it is no longer an accomplishment - it has become the same to them as walking around the block might be to others. I run 6 days/week and typically have 3 runs per week of 10k or longer. Last week I ran two 7 mile tempo runs and an 18 mile long run at my easy pace. Just another week, and certainly not worthy of 3 medals that I might purchase for myself on the internet. These are the training runs that are in preparation for the race that will earn me a medal. The reward comes for the disciplined training AND the completion of the race. Making every training run into a virtual race worthy of a medal removes the significance of the medals altogether.

As for "overtraining" - this is defined differently for each of us. There are people out there who have been running every day for decades without injury - every single day. My nemesis is speed work. I have learned to do less speed work to avoid injury. But mileage doesn't cause me injury, and I am 48 years old and have been running for decades. Don't limit yourself by other's weaknesses. Learn about your own strengths and weakness. Leverage your strengths. You will find that you are stronger than you think.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

double post

 

[FFigawi]

If a person has already done it 35 times at this point in the year (early April), it is no longer an accomplishment - it has become the same to them as walking around the block might be to others. I run 6 days/week and typically have 3 runs per week of 10k or longer. Last week I ran two 7 mile tempo runs and an 18 mile long run at my easy pace. Just another week, and certainly not worthy of 3 medals that I might purchase for myself on the internet. These are the training runs that are in preparation for the race that will earn me a medal. The reward comes for the disciplined training AND the completion of the race. Making every training run into a virtual race worthy of a medal removes the significance of the medals altogether.

It also sounds like a colossal waste of money to me. That said, I'm not going to belittle anyone's motivation for getting out there and doing something. If it takes buying yourself medals or rewarding yourself with pizza or just the feeling of finishing a great run, whatever it takes for someone to be out running is okay in my book.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

It also sounds like a colossal waste of money to me. That said, I'm not going to belittle anyone's motivation for getting out there and doing something. If it takes buying yourself medals or rewarding yourself with pizza or just the feeling of finishing a great run, whatever it takes for someone to be out running is okay in my book.

Good point.

 

[Baloo in MI]

I agree with you completely. One of the cool things about running is that it is an individual sport. For each of us the motivations, challenges and rewards are our own. I to would not be interested in purchasing a medal for every long run; but some pizza and a beer? Now we are talking!

For me I recently purchased a medal hanger. I found one on line that appealed to me and got the extra bars to make it a challenge to fill this thing up. I put it up in the hall way of my closet and bathroom so I walk past it everyday. This is motivation to me and will push me on the days when the morning is cold and my bed is warm and running doesn't sound so good. This is what will work for me. I figure we each find our way to push ourselves and that is one of the great things about running.

 

[RunDisney Crazy]

I must admit, I love the bling. If there are two similar races and one has a medal and the other one doesn't, guess which one I'm doing. It used to just be halfs and fulls, but now pretty much every race including 5Ks have them. For the cost of the medals it almost a no-brainer for races to offer them. I'd have to say the vast majority either cut flips or at least appreciate the medal.

Plus, say Little Rock for instance. I wouldn't travel that far for a race but with the prospect of this medal, I plan on going next year. It will be cool to obtain the medal, plus, it's awesome to take small road trips and do races that you normally wouldn't do and aren't in your back yard. It's all about the experiences and medals give that extra little push.

I bought a medal hanger at my first big expo. Hung it in my closet and that's where my medals lived. Well, my wife got into running and I bought her a display. She wanted to hang it in her closet but there was no room so we decided to hang them in our home office. No one but us every goes in there so it's not like we're bragging by having them in the living room (which it totally fine), but each time I do go in there I can't help but glance at them and smile at the accomplishments.

Whatever gets you motivated!!

 

[FFigawi]

Someone at the WSJ really likes stories about running. Here's another one about Dopey, King Neptune, and other challenges.

http://on.wsj.com/1yu2tHp

 

[Baloo in MI]

Someone at the WSJ really likes stories about running. Here's another one about Dopey, King Neptune, and other challenges.

http://on.wsj.com/1yu2tHp

Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

 

[Neoflynn]

im not a huge fan of virtual races though I did one this year for charity, but whatever motivation it takes to get someone out there im not going to discourage that....if that lady wants to reward herself 35 times for walking her neighborhood go right ahead, it doesn't make the medals that I have earned mean any less. Running is an individual sport and therefor we have to reward ourselves how we see fit