Marathon Weekend 2026

[marty3d]

SAFD: It is serendipitous that my first Marathon is still my favorite medal, the previously pictured 2013 20th Anniversary medal. The key to that medal is that all the spinners had a purpose and the medal was improved by their inclusion. The last few years they’ve just been adding stuff to add stuff. They don’t improve the medals and, in many cases, make them look cheaper. We don’t need a spinning acorn just to have something that moves (not their worst sin, but it jumped in my mind because it’s so silly and trivial).

Agree - but I can't help feeling that the colours, lights and spinners are driven by IG and TikTok influencers. As much as we like the simpler medals as they spend most of their time hanging on the wall - they aren't as flashy in a small video you're watching on your phone.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

See this just goes to show how mostly oblivious I am when I run. I have no recollection of this at all. But I do recall the 20th mile “spectacular” in 2013….or rather I recall the lack of it being…..spectacular.

SAME! I always think “I’m going to soak all this in and remember it forever”. Yeah, right! I do tend to remember my favorite snack stations, if that counts.

 

[WDW 4 ME]

My DH is also titanium
My guess is they are holding a room block for an event. If it doesn't sell out, they'll release what's left. IIRC that's 60-90 days out, so don't give up yet!

Fingers crossed!!

 

[WDW 4 ME]

SAFD: I love my Hercules 10k from this years springtime surprise. The back on it was actually my favorite part, as it was a front and back medal. It was simple yet felt important. I HATE the ones with the springs on them. Why do I need a bouncy 3-d accessory on my medal? And I agree on the weight. I absolutely want to wear mine around but let’s be real….sometimes my chunkier necklaces can give me neck strain by the end of the day. Let alone a 5lb medal swinging around my neck. (NOT 5 lbs but after running and walking around all day, every ounce feels hefty).

 

[jrsharp21]

SAFD: Was thinking about medal designs and how they could get creative with simple designs. I would love to see some medals in the theme of the penny press machines around the resort. I think they could make some cool medals that look like replicas of the pressed pennies.

 

[Barca33Runner]

Agree - but I can't help feeling that the colours, lights and spinners are driven by IG and TikTok influencers. As much as we like the simpler medals as they spend most of their time hanging on the wall - they aren't as flashy in a small video you're watching on your phone.

I definitely believe social media plays a factor in their insistence on putting bells and whistles onto every medal. These races sell out in minutes, but for some reason rD appeared to invite multiple influencers to Marathon Weekend last year for some reason (this message board is the only form of social media I have, so that’s anecdotal, but I saw it mentioned here). They certainly prioritize their online engagement.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: I’m for simpler designs as well. Whole spinners and other “enhancements” look good when we first get them, all of that novelty is lost the minute it goes on the wall or in a shadow box.

 

[radiodome21]

SAFD: these are the only medals I’ve collected. Only been running seriously for less than a year with the exception of the neighborhood Turkey Trot. While not technically a medal I did get a Miller Lite can (or a few) at the end of those races that had just the right number of features I needed. BTW the bottle opener on my Cinco de Miler is comical; security at the race allowed only cans

 

[accm]

SAFD: Like almost everyone else here, I also prefer the simpler medals. I hate having to baby my medals after the races so they'll still look good by the time I get home and hang them up. I also wouldn't mind if they made the medals slightly smaller - some of them are getting out of hand big.