Maggie – MagMileRunner, has been doing a series of photo challenges. This week the challenge surrounds race medals, awards and memorabilia. I can’t say that I am sentimental about much, some might even say that I’m a cold hearted bitch and race awards/medals are no different. When I walk in the door after a race if I’m lucky enough to have been able to travel to it solo without the kids in tow, the first thing that happens is the kids attack me for my goodies. Aby is usually wearing my race shirt before I unpack my bag, Michael is wearing my medal or has put it around the neck of one of the dogs, and the memorabilia becomes lost to me sooner rather than later. No big deal. I run for me, not the awards, not the medals. I think the “goodies” are a nice touch but not something I need.
So today, I went on a quest to find a few of my medals. After I trip over them a couple times, I eventually pick them up and there are a few default locations in which I started to look.
The stair banister is a favorite spot to hang them once I find them:
Or the box in the basement, which I packed up a couple of years ago when we were trying to sell the house:
We tripped over this one in the playroom as we were looking around for more:
Aby saw these trophies while I was photographing the lonely medal on the floor.
Then we went up to her room and immediately saw my 2010 Chicago Marathon medal hanging on her dresser and a few in a basket where she throws her shoes & belts:
And just as I was grabbing my purse to run out the door, I saw this lonely guy sitting on top of the breadbox.
So I know this is more than “one” photo but I am constantly asked what I do with all my stuff and I never have a good answer. It’s not that I don’t respect the races, the awards or memorbilia, just that I’m at a point in my life where nothing is mine. I don’t go to the bathroom alone, rarely shower or bathe solo, I always have a toddler sleeping on chest or his little stinky feet in my face. Aby takes borrows what she wants and I’m constantly “losing” MY stuff. So no need to get all worked up about where to put memorabilia as it would just disappear sooner or later anyhow. And I’m totally okay with that just as long as the kiddos keep their paws off leave my gps watch alone.
What do you do with your race medals/awards and memorabilia. I’m pretty sure you must have a better system than me. 🙂
** Happy Running ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com **
TooTallFritz 
Ha! This is really cute!!!!! I was hoping someone would submit something that wasn’t a fancy medal holder 🙂 Otherwise my round-up post would be pretty boring.
I knew when you posted it, that I had to do a write up! LOL!
Have you seen this, http://runningmamaof4.wordpress.com/2012/06/12/medal-display-is-up/
Thanks! I started following her now. Love finding new bloggers!
I share your opinion that the “blings” and such are not all that important, especially for races less than marathon distance. Some of the medals from the first few marathons I did in my first year of distance running (e.g. Chicago 2007) seemed special, but over time and 22-marathons and equally as many half-marathons, sort of just more hardware to hang somewhere.
Most of the blings get hung on “26.2 or “13.1” metal hook medal hangers that are on the wall in the basement facing the treadmill. They don’t do much motivation for me past the first few minutes when doing time on the dreadmill.
A few of the most recent races will hang on hooks hanging from the fire place mantel, but these get moved to the basement hooks at the end of the year. One exception….all Boston Marathon medals (4 of them now) and other Boston memorabilia sit on mini shelves on the wall to side of fireplace. Boston is special and so I have a “shrine” for that stuff.
The race bibs go in my “race-results” file folders and maybe someday will get those out and put them in a frame on the wall. Certainly the Boston bibs I will cause those have autographs on them from various elite runners or individuals that were supposed to be my mantras to push me to excel.
The last of the stuff that does end up in a storage box are the shirts you gather and there are oh-so many of them. Some I can wear for running, but the ones that are cotton and not technical moisture-wicking fabric are pretty much useless after worn a couple of times. I am now cleaning house and have gathered up every single race shirt I have saved over the past 5-years since my first marathon in October 2007 at the Chicago Inferno, and going to have them made into a blanket for the couch or bed.
Let me know if you want pics of these for whatever purpose, but I know I posted a pic of the Boston shrine on my FB page a while ago (this past winter?).
But…don’t let the hardware and the memorabilia stuff weigh ya down and keep the focus on the real reward of running, training and running those races….what it does for your health and confidence.
Have you seen the drink coasters that are made out of race bibs? That might be a good idea for your boston bibs that have autographs! I think they look really cool and would be a great piece of memorbilia. Of course, it never occured to me to save my bibs until I saw the bib coaster set up. 🙂
Last year I gave them away to make-a-wish kids. I’ll keep a few special ones but give the rest away. As you probably know, kids love them!
I will probably eventually give them away but for now, they reside in our toy box or wherever else they kids leave them. I figure, let my kids have them while they want and when they lose interest, I’ll pass them on to a charitible organization.
Hilarious!
that’s funny! I only have three medals and they’re hanging on a painting in my room!
Check out Medals 4 mettle if you are looking for somewhere to donate your medals!
http://www.medals4mettle.org/
I’ve considered that. Thank you!
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