I help coordinate a small road race for a local non-profit every year. I hate medals as awards for insignificant little races, so in the past we've given out beer glasses, lunchboxes, and hats with the race logo for age group awards. Has anyone gotten any cool or functional awards at races? The race has a relatively small budget, so I'm looking at less than about $10 per award.
I’m feeling helpful today. Just get gift cards or cash. Easy to control how much you’re spending, even a $10 gift card to a local running store would be much more useful than a medal. If not cash, then maybe water bottles that say “winner” on them, or something like that.
I like this plan. I am also not a fan of medals and other trinkets. I did win a pair of shoes at a race last fall. My best winnings ever. But you might not be looking to spend that much if you have a lot of awards. I think at my race there were three distances, so 6 pairs of shoes given out to the M and W winner in each.
The gift certificate is a good one. Local sports stores, coffee shops, and more would be great.
Also, could be fun to look into something like Goodr sunglasses. They're not all that expensive, and if you're buying them in bulk for a non-profit race, you might be able to get a really good deal.
Go hit up local running stores for coupons to give winners.
Your probably be able to stretch your budget more this way.
Otherwise, get flowers or cheap sparkling wine for the winner
I’d find it pretty funny and amusing to get an big bouquet at a small race.
It wasn’t age awards, but instead of medals for all finishers they gave out Buffs at one race with the race logo on it. I really like Buffs so I thought it was cool and definitely functional.
Maybe just nothing.
I hate getting all that swag, bad T-shirts, glasses, medals, buckles. Who actually needs that?
The thing I like the most if races hire a race photographer and the photos are free.
That's probably my favorite award.
Thanks for everyone's thoughts so far. I didn't mention but we have done gift cards for overall winners in the past and probably will this year as well. Generally local restaurants or running shops.
The bouquet idea is pretty darn funny, especially for an age group award.
When I was in high school, they gave away painted records as awards at a XC meet!
Good stuff!
Not Greg wrote:
When I was in high school, they gave away painted rocks as awards at a XC meet!
Good stuff!
Damn you, autocorrect!!!
Never understood why people want medals or plaques unless it's for a very competitive race. The things I use the most from races are hand towels, but that seems sort of tacky as a prize. It's probably over your budget, but age-group winners at a medium-sized half I ran in received a not-very-expensive jacket. If the cost would work, I could see some people appreciating a tech shirt or even a t-shirt with the race's logo and "1st place, age group" or whatever. You'd need extras in different sizes, but not specifying which age group might reduce the number of extras you would need (and some of us might not want to advertise our age anyway).
One local race with a military theme does something I like. Instead of giving prizes to the winners, the organizers get local businesses to donate prizes that are raffled off to all runners after the race. That way, more people than just the award winners hang around afterwards, and it's not the same few fast people winning prizes. I've always thought they should give the winners extra entries in the raffle, maybe 9-6-3 extra for the top 3 overall in each gender and 3-2-1 for the top three in each age group.
Hats for the race winners? Coffee mugs. etc...
Not Greg wrote:
When I was in high school, they gave away painted records as awards at a XC meet!
Good stuff!
I went to a race a couple years where they gave the age group winners painted bricks. You could display it on a shelf or use it as a doorstop.
In the mid-80s I ran a 4-mile winter race on the Jersey shore that was 2 out miles out and back on the sand, with the course crossing several wood and rock jetties, and even going through shallow surf at times. It was basically an off-road steeplechase.
I finished second, and in keeping with the race's maritime theme the top three each received a wooden whale, about a yard long, hand-carved from driftwood by a local artist. That was the
most unique and memorable prize I ever earned in a race.
Microfiber stuff. Everyone can use microfiber towels or something.
Or Shamwows.
Does the race do medals for all finishers? An iTab or custom engraving on the medal with name/place/time. If it’s in the budget, some sort of display case for it (maybe just for overall top 3 and/or AG winners).
If there’s a local artisan who makes cutting boards/coasters/picture frames, something from them (you can get an array of stuff and do the awards draft-style, with overall winners called up to pick first, AG winners getting called up next, then AG second-placers, etc). If you do the picture frame you can send them a picture of themselves from the race/awards ceremony afterward (possibly with name/place/time printed on it).
Sometimes it doesn’t have to useful to be cool—race by the ocean? Buoys! Around a lake? Oars. In an equestrian area? Horseshoes! Trail race in beautiful woods? Wood cookies from a fallen tree. Around opening day? Mini baseball bats. On Super Sunday? Nerf footballs! Any of these things can be printed/customized/branded.
A few years back, the Carlsbad 5K gave out medals that doubled as a beer bottle opener. I still carry that medal in my running bag.