Three of my friends are race directors and we were pondering the question of awards the other day.
Any ideas on what the best race awards are?
What do you think people would like to get for participating as opposed to just a T-shirt and a finisher’s medal?
I got a 24-pack of energy gels at a race last summer for placing in my ag. A bit more useful than a trophy.
I think the best tchtochki I ever got was a duffel bag at the Columbus marathon in 2001. Made of sturdy, heavy nylon, I still carry my running stuff in that thing every day I run.
I don’t think you can go wrong with medals as an award. I certainly like the ones I have ;]
As for participation give-aways, I have enough t-shirts to last me a month! One local race I’ve done the last three years has a different approach. One year, the race kit had a thermal coffee mug with the major sponsor’s name on it and last year, all participants received a race belt.
Another race I’ve done gives a “transition towel” . These were a welcome change and very useful for most athletes.
-Ride on
I like the race belt idea and also the thermal coffee mug.
What do you guys think of race hats?
Another good idea - one of those running hats for very hot days. The kind with the mesh cover.
Sponsor, or race, name can easily be logo’d onto it.
-Ride on
A simple, decent-sized denim bag that has a closure and an outside pocket…has the race logo and the finishing award on the outside, and it’s washable. Use it all the time.
Award: Bottle of wine for Vineman International
Participating: Really nice duffle bag with the race info embroidered on it (IM NZ 2001; pre-big money sponsorship days); another nice bag from the Leppin HIM race in Taupo, NZ
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A cool nylon duffle bag at the Hamburg Marathon for all runners, and a large, good quality towel as an AG award at Lake Geneva 1/2
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The Leadville 100 gives out these sweet belt buckles.Way cool.
Cullen
They don’t give them out. You earned that my friend, the hard way. That is a killer award though.
Hands down the best: a soft cooler.
Perfect for bringing drinks to the transition area or to a Mardi Gras parade. Speaking of which, I need to go get ready; only 2 more hours till the next one.
Medals are by far my least favorite award. The best awards are the useful ones…hats, embroidered sweatshirts, coffee mugs, but not T-shirts! We all have WAY too many t-shirts.
If you want to go with a more classic award, be creative. Awards made of different materials like tree stump cross-sections, metal bikes, bicycle chain art, or buffalos (like Buffalo Springs awards) are kind of cool. Sometimes the creative stuff can be made at a reasonable price too.
The best award by far though is money ; ). Even a little bit is better than nothing. I often win $5 or $10 in bike races, and I’m as happy as a clam.
Last year I specifically arranged my race schedule to try to find the occasional race that has an amateur prize purse. I even won $900 at one race!
kisses from the girl who handed me the medal 
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Oh, I got that in Curacao. Absolutely epic! She was sooooo smokin’. Unbelievable. Someone out there has photos too. I’m willing to pay…
Cash and beer
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Tom, tell your RD friends to give out Litespeeds with Zipps strapped onto Yakima racks atop Toyota Land Cruisers. That should be popular.
A good cold beer or two with our tri group after the race.
Seriously though, get sponsors to throw in the extras. Also have things like “middle of the pack award”, draws etc. so it’s just not the winners that get the booty. Also include the volunteers in the draw prizes. They deserve recognition.
umm… i just won a $100 gift certificate for first place at a local indoor triathlon… it was to a running shop… i thought that was a damn cool award, another useful one that i’ve got is a sleeveless bike jersey (a nice louis garneau)… i really appreciated that… The suburu triathlons give out plaques, i think they are stupid, another good local tris gives out running snow shoes, (top male and female) and they also give out wetsuits to best swimmer (they changed it this year… its the bests swimmer from each agegroup and then drawing out of that pool) man… was i annoyed… finally got fast enough to win, and they change it!!! )
anyhow… no shirts, everyone has WAY to many shirts, running caps, good water bottles are good though.
David
Two things that really get my attention when looking at race prize lists:
My thoughts on #2 vary. If I’m going to an event to win, I’d like it to be unknown, small, suited to my abilities, etc. If there is nothing to attract the big guns, I have a better chance.
In the larger events, knowing I finished 54 seconds down to “Joe Pro Roadie” can be as good a reward as $80 for 6th place. Having my name listed next to people I read about in VeloNews is a great reward/award.
I’d suggest to the race promoters they get a big name(s) athlete to the event. Their presence can be a huge boost for some competitors.
-SD
Anything other than a t-shirt. Unless it’s like a dri fit or coolmax top.
Hats are good, socks with the event logo, gift certificates to a local bike or run store, backpacks, duffel bags, box of clif bars or gels, etc.