This week our Tuesdays on the Run Linkup topic is Race Memorabilia. We’re talking about bibs, medals, finisher certificates, heat sheets, everything you might get at a race. Tell us about your faves, the weird ones you’ve gotten and what you do with them. Are you a collector who saves them for posterity? A saver who ferrets them away? A minimalist who tosses them? Or a generous donor?
As usual, with a couple of exceptions, I’m kind of a hoarder of race memorabilia.
Let’s go down the line:
Bibs: I have many hung on a wall display…except not all of them have been saved. Upon inspection I notice I do not have my early bibs. Not the Boston ones either. Bib saving started late in the game. Even now I will not save bibs from local 5ks.
Medals. I have them hung on medal racks in the pain cave. Although I am in dire need of another rack…or 3.
Race shoes: These get donated. Even shoes from marathon majors. No problemo parting with shoes.
Heat sheets: Am I the only one who saves these? They’re stowed in with my wrapping paper. Truth be told, I’ve been known to wrap holiday gifts in them. There I said it. They’re silver and festive (and sweaty) after all.
NYCM Poncho. Still have it. I actually wore it one very rainy, blustery Halloween for dragging the kids around the neighborhood.
MCM Tyvek coverall. Still have it. No idea why.
Official Marathon Posters. I have ones from Boston, Chicago, New York City and Flying Pig. None are hung up though. I specifically remember tossing the one from the Grand Rapids Marathon (my PR) right in the hotel room trash. I don’t remember even seeing one in Twin Cities last fall.
Finisher Certificates: I do not save these. Ever. Shocker, I know.
Pint Glasses: I collect these. I have a bunch. Don’t even ask me to count. They’re everywhere. Except for the RnR Vegas one that broke before I even left town. Sigh.
Your turn: What race memorabilia do you cherish? Display? Toss? Donate? Did you enter my giveaway?
This Friday and the last Friday of each month it’s time for another edition of the Runfession Friday Linkup! Stop by and share your run- gym- tri- swim, heck all ‘fessions are fair game!
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I collect ALL my bibs but do not display them! I don’t save heat sheets on purpose but I did save one from a previous race so I could use it at the beginning of a race that might be cold at the start!
I’m a saver. Bibs, shirts, certificates, posters. I have it all. I laughed at you keeping your heat sheet 🙂
I used to save all my bibs, but the truth was I never looked at them so now I throw most away. I donate old shoes (when I get around to it). But I do try to get my mug from each state (I’ve missed a few, but I’m already running out of room). I use them . . . I might even have a post about them Friday — haven’t decided yet.
Bibs are all in a file in my file cabinet. I write my finish times and AG place on the back–altho I haven’t always done that. I do have the race programs from my marathons, altho I probably should pitch those. Medals are in a drawer. I keep telling myself to get a medal rack but I can’t find one I like. Shirts? If I like them, I keep them. Yes to the pint glasses!
Fun topic!
My chiropractor’s office has a donate bin for shoes, so I’ll drop off my old ones as I switch things around. I normally have a pair for runner, the old pair from runner that’s now every day, and even older pair from running, and that’s the one that gets donated. I save most bibs, but not from local 5k’s either. I do have one 5k bib in my collage, which was my first ever race, and it was at Disney. How can I get rid of it when it has Mickey?
UGH. I’m such a “keeper” (not a hoarder, at least I don’t think so), and I’m extremely sentimental. I don’t have a lot of value in the race shirts, though. Yes, some are pretty and some signify a great event/PR/goal…but if they don’t fit right, I’m good with donating them. The bibs & medals, though…definite keepers!
More races should do tank tops, pint glasses and mugs! I would save those forever!
I agree with Smitha on the tank tops… although so far the shirts that I’ve gotten at races were pretty cute (tech fitted women’s shirts).
I am not too attached to the heat sheets, but I think it’s great that you repurpose them. I was thinking of using them to keep warm before the next race 🙂
My kids play with all my medals – they pretend they won the race and give each other medals. I just laughed about what you did with your NYC Marathon poncho – that’s such a great idea! I might just do the same thing this year with mine – I go trick or treating as a marathoner.
Thanks for the link-up! Have a great week!
I save all my medals and they are on s medal rack. But I do want one for my most coveted medals. I also write all my stats on the back of my racing bibs. I do need to thin my tshirt collection as some are horrible and won’t be worn anyway. Where do you donate your shoes?
I save medals, bibs, and mylar if I get them. You never know when it will come in handy. Plus I put them in my first aid kit. 🙂
I have all of my bibs and all of my medals. The rest I can easily part with no problem, except of course my Chicago marathon stuff as it was my first.
I think I have every single one of my bibs, even the untimed fun runs. 🙂
I keep medals, bibs, shirts and trophies….. I actually keep a lot of my retired running shoes for daily wear at work. (Since i manage a gym, I wear athletic shoes daily) This way I have s pair to match all outfits. I know, I’m somewhat of a diva ?
I save medals, toss bibs, and whether or not the shirt stays depends on the fit and color.
I keep medals and heat sheets. I use heat sheets for backpacking trips as tent footprints or as ground cover when I sleep in shelters. bonus: It keeps me warmer on cold nights. I have recently started keeping bibs for an art project I’m going to do and I will probably only keep the nicer ones for it. I wear out my shirts, especially the long-sleeved ones!
Wrapping paper! HA! I love it- so smart to repurpose the heat sheets like that.
There sure is a lot of stuff generated. I love the idea for using the heat sheets as wrapping paper.
Depends. I keep the ones that mean a lot to me (bibs wise) and I have my big medals up. Alex and I are thinking about getting a medal holder for our joint races! I’m looking forward to loading that sucker up 😀
I have lost all the medals, trophies ecc. when I moved to the new house. I only have the bibs of the races I have run abroad.
That’s funny that you use your heat sheets as wrapping paper! 🙂 You have quite an impressive collection of bling! If I had that many, I might just put them in my living room so everyone could see them!
I have all of my bibs and medals. I had a project going on last year to organize and hang them on the wall but did not finish it. I could have done it this summer but forgot about it. No problem getting rid of running shoes. Why keep them?