Forums >Racing>question about overall, masters, and age group placing
The Tucson Marathon gives out overall, masters and age group awards. If you win an overall award you are ineligible for a masters or age group award. If you win a masters award you are ineligible for an age group award.
What this means is that a runner could be the third person his or her age to cross the finish line, and still win his or her age group.
If this happened to you and somebody asked you, "Did you win your age group?" what would you say? Please respond with what you would do, not what I should, or some hypothetical person should do.
If it matters, I was the second person over 40 to cross the finish line, but won the 1st masters award because 2nd OA was over 40. I've been telling folks I was the first master, but having second thoughts now.
Chief Unicorn Officer
You are way overthinking this.
You were given an award award for first master. That’s what you won. The End.
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
Bacon Party!
You placed Xth overall.
You were Zth male.
You were 2nd male over 40 years old.
"I won the award for 1st Masters Male."
Congratulations!
Liz
pace sera, sera
I go with whatever award I got. I won my AG a few years ago in a small 5k. Top 3 OA were all in my AG. I was 2nd AG in another small 5k, but was 3rd OA female. They only did OA winners and top 3 AG. 2OA was in my AG.
I find races vary how they give out awards, so easier to just say what it was rather than explain the nuances of that race.
Labrat
I generally say "I won the AG Award."
On the very rare occasions I have been first male to cross the line, I will say I was "first male", because I usually have been beaten by some kickass females.
Don't overthink it.
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18
Interval Junkie --Nobby
Just win next time, then you don't have to fret about any of this stuff. Easy!
2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do
First world runner problems.
Dave
Mmmm Bop
You have the 1st place masters award in your trophy cabinet. End of.
5k - 17:53 (4/19) 10k - 37:53 (11/18) Half - 1:23:18 (4/19) Full - 2:50:43 (4/19)
Runs in the rain
If I understand this correctly then some people your age could come in first second and third overall and then 3 others could then get 1st, 2nd and 3rd for masters. Then, would whoever finished 7th in the age group would get the first place in AG? Does not seem right to me, not that it would effect me much. Only once did I ever place, getting 2nd in a 5K AG,.
Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?Get up, get out, get out of the door!
Yes. Flip side is I've seen a race company that allowed double dipping. They typically did 1st OA plus AG winners. It was entirely possible to he 2nd OA and come away empty handed because both were the same AG.
It seems fairly simple to me. If you are the second fastest Masters runner, you cannot claim to be first place. It doesn't matter how they dole out the awards. I think we can all see why they do it that way, but at the end of the day we all know you got beat by another Master.
The fact that you had to ask indicates you are uncomfortable refering to yourself as First place Masters finisher. That should tell you it's simply not right to refer to yourself as first place Masters. Take it or leave it, that's the crux of it.
I never realized thats something that happened with the awards! Congrats on getting 1st masters that's awesome!
It depends on how much prize money is involved. I'm assuming the 1st place Master gets a few thousand? And maybe the age group winners only get a few hundred?
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
Ha.
A couple of years ago, I ran a half marathon and a few weeks later received this really beautiful glass trophy in the mail for 3rd in my age group and I was so confused. I looked up the results online and they just showed all of the runners in order without naming the age group and masters winners. I saw that I was 5th in my age group and the lady in 3rd had a name similar to mine so I found her on facebook and sent her a message that I would mail it to her, that there was a mistake and took a picture of the trophy so she could see how nice it was. She never responded but I saved that trophy anyway hoping she would respond until this year when I ran the same race. This time I stuck around to see what my place was because I was curious if I was going to be close again to getting an age group award. Since I was there I could see that there were masters awards on top of age group awards and I was awarded 1st in my age group for my 4th place finish! Then it dawned on me what had happened last year. Fun! Now I have two awards that I feel kind of weird about and mildly proud of. Whatevs. If that's how they want to do it.
Personally, if they want to give out all of these trophies and medals, I think there should just be double dipping. It would make it a lot less confusing for everyone and more motivation to earn your spot. ymmv.
OP here. Thanks for the good discussion everyone. Interesting to hear the varied thoughts.