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5k Finisher's Medals (Read 320 times)


Gang Name "Pound Cake"

    I have a hard time finding 5ks that seem interesting. Hardly any races have age group awards, instead, everyone gets a finishers medal. Seems a bit silly for a 3.1 mile race to get an award for completion. I run that twice over in every training run and I'm a beginner. i know 5k completion is an accomplishment for many new runners, but hardly so after just a little bit more training.

     

    So it seems that any money for awards for time, instead get spread out to everyone. Do any of you feel the same or am I just an old grump? Is this what runners really want, a pat on the back for such a minor accomplishment, but no awards for time accomplishment?

     

    I haven't been running and racing very long but I'm finding that an expensive tee shirt and cheap medal isn't enough for a $35 entrance fee. Racing IS FUN, but I'd like at least a shot at an age group award, but that's rarely possible it seems in 5ks as such awards are not often offered.

     

    i guess file this under race-director-complaint.

    - Scott

    2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

    2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

      I've run about 10 times as many 5k's as you and that's not been my experience at all, but then I don't live where you live and I know the New England racing scene is better than most. I suspect there are more competitive 5k's out there in your area, you just haven't found them.

       

      Sincerely,

      A 5k Race Director

      Runners run


      Gang Name "Pound Cake"

        I've run about 10 times as many 5k's as you and that's not been my experience at all, but then I don't live where you live and I know the New England racing scene is better than most. I suspect there are more competitive 5k's out there in your area, you just haven't found them.

         

        Sincerely,

        A 5k Race Director

         

        Likely more like 50 times.

         

        Many of the races here are managed by one timing company. The tale is found on their website - pre-2010, the races had age group awards, starting in 2010, they stopped offering these. Since they manage so many of the local races, the scene seems to have changed to a non-competitive fun race spirit, at least at the 5k race length. At least this seems to be the case in the 60 minute driving area. Perhaps I will have to travel further.

        - Scott

        2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00

        2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental

        ulikunkel


          I'm not sure what your complaint is  Perhaps I can help:

           

          Either enter races that offer it....or, get a helluva lot faster and win a local 5k that offers cash......see, it's not that hard.  Frankly, I don't think age groups should even exist.  The last thing I brag about is winning my age group.  If I see the term "competive age grouper"....

           

          I have a hard time finding 5ks that seem interesting. Hardly any races have age group awards, instead, everyone gets a finishers medal. Seems a bit silly for a 3.1 mile race to get an award for completion. I run that twice over in every training run and I'm a beginner. i know 5k completion is an accomplishment for many new runners, but hardly so after just a little bit more training.

           

          So it seems that any money for awards for time, instead get spread out to everyone. Do any of you feel the same or am I just an old grump? Is this what runners really want, a pat on the back for such a minor accomplishment, but no awards for time accomplishment?

           

          I haven't been running and racing very long but I'm finding that an expensive tee shirt and cheap medal isn't enough for a $35 entrance fee. Racing IS FUN, but I'd like at least a shot at an age group award, but that's rarely possible it seems in 5ks as such awards are not often offered.

           

          i guess file this under race-director-complaint.

            You could always just manually go through the results later and look at the times and ages and then, if you were the first finisher in your age group, you could buy yourself a beer or something.

             

            Or organize your own race / volunteer to be on a race committee.

             

            Hugs,

            A race committee member

            Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
            We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
            LeighDS


            Live Free & Run

              A lf the 5Ks around my area (New England) offer a lot of age group-related awards and some even weight divisions. Most of the 5Ks I run have at least 1,000 runners, sometimes significantly more depending on the location. Interestingly enough, I know of only three races that give finisher medals for the 5K and one is a new Runner's World one coming up this spring.

               

              I admit I used to want every race to have a medal. My rational behind this was I hadn't run anything over a 10K. After running several HM, I don't think finishers medal should just be handed out for every race. I do understand a few bigger events should because for some people a 5K is a big deal especially if they have only been running for a short time.

              PRs

              1-Mile - 6:18 on 4-4-2015

              5K - 21:48 on 10-31-2015

              10K - 47:57 on 10-24-2015

              HM - 1:52:36 on 3-25-2017

              FULL - 4:41:12 on 1-11-2015

               

              Upcoming Races

              Tanger Outlet 5K

              Disney World 19.3 Challenge

              Race the Runways 10K


              delicate flower

                I've only run about a dozen 5K's and I have yet to run one that offers a finisher's medal.

                <3

                BeeRunB


                  I always thought of the t-shirt as the pot of gold at the end of the runbo. At the very least, it reduces the time I have to shop for clothes in my lifetime by a certain percentage. Plus, I can strut around town in my t-shirt pretending everyone is noticing and thinking about how amazing I am. Wearing a finisher's medal after the day of the race would be...

                  xhristopher


                    I've only got one 5K finishers medal. I recall feelings of ennui about it.


                    on my way to badass

                      I've never seen a 5k finisher medal. I have done very few races though. I thought the t-shirt was the point.

                      Still waiting for the perfect race picture. 5K PR-33:52 , 10K PR 1:11:16, First HM 2:42:28

                        Most of the 5Ks I run have AG awards and I don't think I've ever run one that had a finishers medal. I have run a few really small ones that didn't have AG awards. One was so small I placed overall, but I didn't get prize money, got a cool "medal" made out of a hockey puck (race was a fundraiser for youth hockey). Closest I ever came to prize money was a gift card to LRS. But I generally don't pay $35 for a 5K.

                        PRs: 5K: 21:25, 10K: 44:05, HM: 1:38:23* (downhill), M: 3:32:09


                        Latent Runner

                          Personally I say "Meh!" to finisher's medals in general, regardless of the distance of the event.  Prior to this year I had only gotten one medal for running in a race, and that was for my first (and prior to this last August, my only) 5K back in 1979 where I managed a fifth place finish with a 16:20 on a hot Atlanta morning where the humidity was so high the visibility was only about twenty feet.

                           

                          This year I scored two finisher's medals for the Reach the Beach New Hampshire event due to running the event with a young "ultra" team (I was the oldest by over 25 years), and another finisher's medal for the 10K Turkey Trot I ran in Detroit with my younger brother (he also got a finisher's medal for the 5K he ran).  What am I going to do with those silly medals?  No freakin' clue; what do other folks do with them?

                          Fat old man PRs:

                          • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                          • 2-mile: 13:49
                          • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                          • 5-Mile: 37:24
                          • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                          • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                          • Half Marathon: 1:42:13


                          Feeling the growl again

                             

                            Likely more like 50 times.

                             

                            Many of the races here are managed by one timing company. The tale is found on their website - pre-2010, the races had age group awards, starting in 2010, they stopped offering these. Since they manage so many of the local races, the scene seems to have changed to a non-competitive fun race spirit, at least at the 5k race length. At least this seems to be the case in the 60 minute driving area. Perhaps I will have to travel further.

                             

                            Is the timing company contracted to run the timing and results, or have they actually taken these races over and turned them into a for-profit enterprise?  If the latter, I don't think I need to explain why you are paying $35 for a 5K and they are offering the minimum back that will keep most people signing up.

                             

                            Most of the local, not-for-profit races, which is about all I do anymore, still have time-based awards.

                            "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                             

                            I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                             

                              Who wants a medal JUST for finishing. If you win or place then i could see the point, but just for finishing, seriously. What if you were the LAST person across the line, would you want a medal 'cause you suck.

                                I've probably run somewhere around fifty 5ks. Two have offered finisher medals (it was the same race two years in a row). I took one the first year because the medal doubled as a bottle opener; I didn't take the second becasue I already owned a bottle opener at that point.

                                 

                                I've sort of stayed away from 5ks for the past year becasue they tend to ruin my marathon training but as far as age groups/awards go here is what I like to see:

                                 

                                3 deep in each of the following:

                                Open = 18 - 39 (any other AG also scores in open so tope 3 overall are always the top 3 finishers)

                                Youth = <18

                                Masters = 40 - 49

                                Seniors = 50 - 59

                                Veterans = 60 +

                                 

                                I don't really care what the names a race uses for these age groups but I believe in scoring down (such as a 55 year old runner could win the Open, Masters and Seniors awards). I am 30 years old so if I am going to get an award at a race I should need to finish in the top 3 overall . I don't want an award that I didn't earn.

                                 

                                (That said, if a race wants to give me a pint glass, some cash or a pair of shoes for finishing out of the top 3 I never turn it down).

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