Wow, a medal!

[young Ed]

i was rather dissapointed when at this years chirity ride they didn't give me a bottle but last years they did as last years is currently my one and only and sees much use. even has a black chain mark to prove it???
Cheers Ed

 

[jdtate101]

When I rode the Tour Of The Black Country sportive we got a lump of coal from the black country museum, and on the Cheshire classic this weekend you got a 5kg pave stone for finishing, both events are organised by a club (VSprint) local to me, and they are trying to do things a little different.

 

[helston90]

My kids love the fact that I have 2 medals for two sportives- if I say I rode 100km they would not relate that to anything, if I say I rode a long way on a sportive and got given a medal to say well done they think I'm some sort of super hero- that makes them worth it to me.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

In my case, the superfluous item was a timing chip rather than a medal.

At the end of the ride yesterday, the operator insisted that I rode over the timing device. It was great to ride a lovely route, through lovely countryside and on a lovely day - the finishing time was irrelevant - it was not a BC road race or time trial and finishing time counts for nothing. Rather like junk medals the timing devices add costs. It would have been better for the organiser to spend the fee on better facilities or to lower the entry charge

 

[Norry1]

Love the bottle opener medal

 

[jefmcg]

I've only entered on ride with a medal: I didn't get it

 

[vernon]

I like medals and certificates or at least the option of getting them if desired. Audaxes offers that option to their riders. You can pay a couple of quid for a medal for the distance, not the specific ride and there's the option of printing the successful completion certificates from the Audax results/achievement pages. I'm sastified with a medal for each different distance that I've ridden, 50km, 100km, 150km and 200km plus a silver and bronze grimpeur medal from the hilly Audaxes. I make do with virtual versions of the certificates on the web site and leave them unprinted.

It keeps me happy.

EDIT not quite happy. I've missed the design change. I need to go out and do at least one of each distance again to get a set of rectangular medals.

 

[Rob3rt]

Personally, I don't like receiving participation medals but then I couldn't care less what other people collect!

Tbh, I am not a huge fan of winning medals and trophies either, it is just more clutter to have around the house and another thing to maintain, I'd rather just have my name added to the trophy, get a photo with it, then have it put in a club house or something.

 

[Wightdragon]

My 11 year old loves them. She is getting quite a collection, and they go down well at her school. Finishing 50-60 miles deserves one!! Sadly when she rode the Somerset Sportive and ploughed up Cheddar Gorge there were no medals!

 

[BrumJim]

... ploughed up Cheddar Gorge...

Nice! Like it.

 

[Wightdragon]

Nice! Like it.

Here she is about half way up.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

My motorbike stuff sits on shelves because it's trophies. All the various medals I've got for random stuff over the years hangs off the door knobs on a cabinet in the corner of the room. It's kind of nice that they are there, but they don't really mean anything (except the gold from Technogames, I ploughed a lot of time and effort in to Robotwars and the Technogames medal is about all I have to show for it aside from some good memories and a few anecdotes. :-) ) . Generally I'll pick up a medal if there is one, but I won't feel upset if there isn't. I was quite surprised to get one for the Foulness Island ride last year.

 

[Arthur]

In the 80s I kept all of my medals from full and half marathons. I dug them out about 20 years ago and realised that I had no recollection of what most of them were like to run. Some I didn't even remember entering. I binned the lot and haven't felt the need to keep any since.

I normally take a compact camera with me and tend to take snaps if the ride has been particularly enjoyable, awful, or challenging. For me a few photos are better than any medal could ever be.

 

[BrumJim]

In my case, the superfluous item was a timing chip rather than a medal.

At the end of the ride yesterday, the operator insisted that I rode over the timing device. It was great to ride a lovely route, through lovely countryside and on a lovely day - the finishing time was irrelevant - it was not a BC road race or time trial and finishing time counts for nothing. Rather like junk medals the timing devices add costs. It would have been better for the organiser to spend the fee on better facilities or to lower the entry charge

Hmm, no timing chip on the next Snowdrop Audax, then?

 

[BrumJim]

[QUOTE 3314981, member: 45"]I've never had the experience.



Show-off.[/QUOTE]

But you've done longer rides than me?