What was the best prize you won from a race, what distance, and what was your time?

I won my weight in Baskin Robbins ice cream- it was actually certificates for one gallon for each pound of my weight. The race was 3.1 miles. I only weighed about 115 pounds.

First 10K I ran, I won my age group in 38:30ish. It was on a rail trail, and the trophy plaques were made from the old iron railroad base plates. Not much cash value, but it's the most interesting and certainly the heaviest trophy I've earned.

oldie wrote:

There used to be pretty great prizes and entry fees were low. Now there are junk prizes and high entry fees.

My best prize was $10,000 a year for fifty years, a Rolex and a Jeep Cherokee at a race in Vegas, 1985. At that race, every participant was given a computer and some other swag that I don't recall.

Was this the state thing? Where they had a 8K or 10K in each of the 50 states and the champion got to go to LV for the final? And I think you had to be a non-pro and at least 3 years out of a college scholarship or something.

Four years in a row I won a 5K in Steamboat Springs and the prize was 2 nights at a base condo and 2 lift passes--with not that many blackout dates. So today it would be probably close to $900-$1000. Times were sub 16 at 7000'. Not bad for a hobby jogger.

Breathing man wrote:

Takara Cable Car Chase in SF, twice

Week long trip to Japan to run sister city 10k there

Hey! I won that one year as well! Beat Jay Marden in a kick! Didn't go, was still in college.

Won $300 total in two 5K races within a couple of weeks, right after I turned 40 and both races surprisingly had cash awards for Masters. Times were right around 17 minutes. That represents about half my cash winnings during my entire running career so far (45 years).

I won the under 16 age group at the Utica Boilermaker 15K and got a nice silver bowl which we promptly and repeatedly filled with Matt's beer.

£10 voucher for local outdoors store for winning a trail half marathon that ended right where I grew up, I actually walked the 5 minutes back to my parents place after winning. I figured if I got to the half way point within sight of the leader I’d take the win as I know the last few miles of technical downhill like the back of my hand.

I once won a prize bag worth probably $150 containing multiple gift cards to local sporting goods/running shoe stores and items of running clothing.

The race was a 5k which I won in about 18:20.

Won $750 for placing third overall in the Yonkers Marathon during the 80s.

But my favorite prize was a hand-carved whale about a yard long, sculpted from driftwood by a local artist, that I received for getting 2nd overall at a 4-mile beach race on the Jersey Shore, also in the 80s. That was one of my favorite races as well; it was basically an off-road steeplechase that took place in Winter. The course was mostly on sand and involved hurdling jetties, scrambling over boulders, and some forays into shallow -and freezing cold- surf.

Houston Marathon

Top American

2:30

Trip to Greece and $1500

A Bill Rogers Gore-Tex running suit circa 1985. The jacket still fits (pants are another matter), so I wore it on today's New Years Day run in 33 degree temp and rain. I won a 10K on an Army base while active duty Navy. If I recall correctly, the time was 32 and change.

Honorable Mention: Handmade stoneware crockery on several occasions over the years for various age group win/place/show in races hosted by a local running club that goes to the potter rather than the trophy maker for awards. Best thing is that the crockery is decorated with nature motifs and usually do not have anything about the race or place so that is is appropriate for home decor. One real nice wine chiller with a stylized roadrunner on it.

Truly modest silver medal, but mine own. 2nd place hour-run AAU Championship Mill Valley, CA. Late 70s. 10 1/2 mis. How so?

Ordinarily, I would not have made top ten, but this event was held the day before the big BayTo Breakers race in S.F., so the big dogs were abstaining from this ill-timed affair. The one I'd run previously Bill Clark had covered 12+ mis in.

I graciously accepted the award.

Sorry about date. Could have been early 70s. My whattyacallit is not so great these days.

2nd Overall at Manitoba Marathon

$500 CAD

2:36:03

Two Prizes:

-1982 road mile in Bellport NY. First prize was a home made Apple Pie that my brother and I promptly ate. Mile time was about 4:37 (between my jr and sr year of HS).

-1990: Pygmy Tundra Buffalo Run, Denali Park, Alaska, ~14 miles. First Prize, all-you-can eat Lynx Creek Pizza for 4, which was well enjoyed! Time was around 1:20.

I won a $500 Amazon gift card at a heart disease benefit 5k a couple years ago. I ran 16:3X and won by multiple minutes. I think the total purse was close to $2000. Given the low entry fee and small field size, I doubt any money actually went toward heart disease research that day.

GBohannon wrote:

$250 for 5th at the 2019 Owens Corning HM (Toledo/Glass City). The lead pack of 4 were led off course, so I went from 9th to in the money. 1:10:39

A little bit more than $250 and a little bit faster than 1:10:39 for 4th under identical circumstances I guess made for a neat prize for me.

Won a 10k in 31ish and got a trip for 2 to almost any city in the world with airfare, accommodation, and like $500 spending money. Bimbo Energy Race .

malmo wrote:

oldie wrote:

There used to be pretty great prizes and entry fees were low. Now there are junk prizes and high entry fees.

My best prize was $10,000 a year for fifty years, a Rolex and a Jeep Cherokee at a race in Vegas, 1985. At that race, every participant was given a computer and some other swag that I don't recall.

You're the guy who won that? Well done. You've got 15 more checks to go.

They actually had this race series a few years. The promoters were very sketchy Hollywood blowhards so the safest thing was to convert the prize into a bonded annuity, keep the watch, sell the computer and Jeep to friends, and take many AA trips to Vegas and the free hotels.