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Triathlon Finishers Medals?

Ok so im not in it for the silverwear lol but the thing I liked from the marathon, half marathons and 10kms ive done to date is the nice finishers momento/mdeal you get for completing the distance.



I completed my long awaited OD tri there on Sat in completly despicable conditions!! (Did you see the flooding in Northern Ireland???) but the race went ahead. Loved it by the way - defo a Tri addict now ;)

Finished in 2hrs 51mins so delighted :)



But the thing was that there were no finishers medals - just a few awards for the main winners and age group categories.



I also did a sprint 3 weeks back - same thing - no finishers medal or momento.



Just curious to know if this is just a normal thing in Triathlon but I think it would be a nice touch for memories sake.



Now I can't place anything beside my first marathon medal and to remind me how crazy i was for all that training!! lol

Comments

  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    I'm with you on this mate, I've done a fair few marathons and distance events and always recieved some kind of momento. And I was quite dissapointed when I came into tri and got the odd water bottle etc. instead. I'm the same as you, I'm not in it for that but it would be nice!

    Also, with most tris costing upwards of £25 where exactly is all the money going? I know it must cost a fair bit to put on a triathlon, but we cycle and run on the road which are free and I guess there is hire of lake or pool, but surely it doesn't come to that much?

    I don't really know how much things cost so don't shout me down if I'm wrong.
  • All in all, it costs a fair bit, BTF need their fees and then there are all the council fees, police etc. etc. who all have to be paid (lots & lots) for us to use the road etc. BUT having said that I really think that a momento of some kind should still be included. At Harlech in May we all got one - it was a medal and it was made of slate which was a really nice touch!
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Wot, no T shirt?
  • transittransit Posts: 163
    I only do tri's to enhance my t-shirt collection. Whilst a medal is nice I tend to end up chucking them out - not that I've won many[:@].



    T-shirts are an absolute necessity, why else would you put yourself through the pain???[8|]
  • Wot, no T shirt?


    Nope no T-shirt [:(]- but we did get a towel which made a nice change. Mind you a T-shirt would have been better, you can't go round wearing the towel - especially this one as it was tiny![&o]



    I put myself through a half marathon last year - which for me was some effort as I am no runner and had never even done more than 5K at that stage - we got a t-shirt for that BUT it was truly gruesome and didn't even mention the half marathon!! All that pain for ..... well just the blisters really[:(]
  • ZacniciZacnici Posts: 1,385
    I got a finishers medal for the 2007 Spalding tri (also came 3rd in my age group which I din't find out until 2 days later as I had to skip off home straight away to cut the grass so never knew if I missed out on a trophy or something).



    Whilst we do get a T shirt to proclaim to lesser mortals what athletic heroes we are, it was quite nice to get a medal draped one over one's neck when crossing the finish line and gave an instant sense of achievement. As above, in my time I've done a few marathons etc and still have my Manchester marathon medal from 26 years ago tucked away somehwere long after the T shirt went to the great duster cupboard in the sky.





  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Personally,and I think I may be in the minority here,most T shirt designs lack originality so I would prefer something a little more useful,various alternatives I have collected have been,Transition towels,engraved shot glasses,a waterproof kit bag,coasters and mugs.Any T shirt generally gets recycled to the Salvation Army.
  • notmilknotmilk Posts: 35
    I got a t-shirt and a medal for finishing the Little Woody saturday just gone. I gave the medal to my 3 yr old daughter as a present when i got home!

    I used to do mountain bike enduros and a t-shirt was often the "prize" then - it does get a bit tiresome doesn't it?

    How about some more original ideas - I like the transition towel idea... but then you'd only need one!
  • transittransit Posts: 163
    The good thing with the towel is you can cut a whole (or a hole even[8D]) in it and make a (small) poncho, aaaarrrreeeeebbbbbaaa!
  • Medals - like a broken pencil. Pointless.
  • toadtoad Posts: 104
    At london and blenheim last year the swim hats issued for each wave had london or blenheim triathlon printed on them, and they didny cost anything. I also recall getting medals for finishing both, however I must admit I wouldnt know where the medals are, however Ive kept the swim caps and enjoy wearing them to openwater swim training.

    Dont think its to posie, and plenty of other swimmers seem to wear them.

  • transittransit Posts: 163
    Don't let Conehead see any of you wearing those t-shirts [;)] If you've read his book, you'll know what I mean.



    I still have my London marathon medal but I've lost my GNR medals and all others too so I prefer the t-shirts even if it's just for a few 'wears'. A few events I've done gave 'More Miles' breathable t shirts - Nottingham half marathon and Cleveland short course (I think), now they are worth having.
  • Maybe I'm a bit of a grinch but I would be happy to pay a few quid less on entry and receive no medal or T at the end of the race. I will always know I did the race and I have way too much technical clothing to need any more.



    Recovery drinks and food are much more appreciated by me in a goody bag.
  • triadtriad Posts: 62
    I'm with you on this. A medal marks the achievement for when you are long gone. I'd always be happy to pay a couple of quid extra to receive a medal on completion.
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    Maybe they could have some kind of return incentive, i.e. the first time you compete you get a towel or water bottle or something, then next time a t-shirt, then maybe a shiney medal for doing it for a 3rd time! hehe, just an idea.
  • So i take it this is a general thing with Tris then? The majority of people on here seem to be reported lack of medal-age lol (new word there!)



    Whats peoples experience on half and full ironman - is there usually finishers medals for these events?



    G
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Don't know about medal-age, but the concept sport 'Fast Twitch' tri series is distinguished in awarding increasingly bizarre finishers trophy-age.



    It started with drinks bottle-age, progressed to coffee mug-age, and most recently I think it was a CD holder. Not 'arf!



    Actually, the drink bottles are still useful. The CD holder has vanished into my kids' bedroom.



    If they're going to give out crap medals, how about something fantastically inappropriate like an ornamental ashtray, or some McD vouchers?
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I am still amazed at what I will go thru for a t shirt, but a medal nah....clinks on yer beer glass dahn ver pub....dunno where that came from. Anyhoo at Chaserace events they have had a tie in with Bridgetown Cycles & I have had tyre levers & an inner tube as well as a 10% voucher..& a T shirt! what more could a man ask for.
  • ashthetashashthetash Posts: 164
    how about something fantastically inappropriate like an ornamental ashtray


    and this would be inappropriate because. . .



  • en51nmen51nm Posts: 41
    I think each race should have at least something to take home, hours of preparation go into the run up to a triathlon, so something to remind you of the event should be provided in my opinion. I'm not sure it has to be a medal though.
  • MGMG Posts: 470
    Hmmm........funny thread this, as I plan on doing Norseman 2010 and the only thing you have (other than memorys) are the very coverted black finishers t-shirt, just this for THE toughest ironman distance tri.........Its gonna cost me about £1000 for the race, so it'l def be the most expensive t-shirt I'll ever own!!!!!!![:D]
  • What is Conehead's book??
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980


    [blockquote]quote:



    how about something fantastically inappropriate like an ornamental ashtray[/blockquote]





    and this would be inappropriate because. . .



    Actually, now you mention it I did see a guy cycling out of Excel after the London Tri with a finisher's medal round his neck and a cancer-stick in his gob. Weird. Maybe he is one of the few people who'd use the ornamental ashtray.



    Carbon-fibre pipe, anybody? "On your right! Puff, puff, puff...."
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Free meal vouchers at 'Kebab World', Famous Southern Fried Chicken super duper gut buster pack? Sofa Surfers Companion? Still thinking on the most inappropriate prize...
  • Jelly legsJelly legs Posts: 278
    I used to play golf and if you get a hole in one

    Its your responsibility to buy everyone in the bar a drink, which i always found weird.



    Also you can send the ball away to be placed in a bottle for mounting on the mantle piece at home.





    The point being that there is a buisness opportunity here for someone to produce a good quality momento of the triathlon achievements.



    I for one would not mind paying to have my times displayed on a really nice SOMETHING. to disply somewhere





    just my opinion.
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