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Spectator Medals, WTF!
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A friend of mine shared this

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You can have whatever opinion you want about finisher medals. But this year's Rocket City Marathon is giving you an opportunity at registration to buy a $15 spectator medal.

It is literally a participation trophy for someone who did not participate.



"If you've ever supported someone doing a long event of any kind, you know it can be hard work. Usually the person who is doing the event has put in countless hours of training/practice. Spectators don't train for their long day. For the marathon they have to navigate the course (or stayglued to a screen to follow you around a map if they can't make it out on the course). They cheer for you, they hug you when you are nasty and sweaty. They probably had to put up with you when you were training...or worse, when you were tapering!! And (until now) YOU were the only one to get a medal! Show your spectators how much you love and appreciate their efforts by giving them a cool medal of their own!"

I wonder if that was created for the people who take TWO medals, saying "so & so has helped me so much, they deserve a medal, too"

https://www.marathoninvestigation.com/...-medal-thievery.html

Also ... a fucking money grab

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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Buying them is better than stealing them as in the Boston Marathon example, but this is just one example of the malignant spread of the participation trophy mindset in our culture. Of course, those that applaud this move will counter any argument against it as "elitist" and that we should all be celebrating both the athlete and the support crew .... yadda, yadda, yadda.
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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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anyone who puts up with you guys while you train, while you panic on race day, and while you are useless afterwards deserves a medal

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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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RandMart wrote:

I wonder if that was created for the people who take TWO medals, saying "so & so has helped me so much, they deserve a medal, too"

https://www.marathoninvestigation.com/...-medal-thievery.html

Also ... a fucking money grab

Dude, the buying a spectator patch is pretty bad. But the "medal for my wife". Man, that dude needs to steal his balls back from the jar on the book case.

The spectator patch seems like not much different than people who buy patches for "Myrtle Beach Motorcycle Rally 2018".

But taking a Boston finisher medal for your wife! Wow. Have we gotten to the point in America that it's so non-PC for a person to have a hobby as a spouse or parent that you not only have to beg borrow and steal time for it..........you now have to grovel with gifts?
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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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Why shouldn't spectators get a medal? Spectating a marathon is just as difficult as walking it in 7 hours.

2x Deca-Ironman World Cup (10 Ironmans in 10 days), 2x Quintuple Ironman World Cup (5 Ironmans in 5 days), Ultraman, Ultra Marathoner, and I once did an Ironman.
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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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The most badass support crews are at ultras, and I don't see THEM worrying about getting a belt buckle for their effort

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
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Re: Spectator Medals, WTF! [RandMart] [ In reply to ]
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RandMart wrote:
The most badass support crews are at ultras, and I don't see THEM worrying about getting a belt buckle for their effort

No argument from me. I've read about the skills needed to sherpa for the Badwater 135. Support crew for the multi-day UltraMan or for the any of the Xtreme Triathlons is no joke either. In the latter, the sherpa has to accompany the athlete on the final climb.
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