New York medals no longer carry any weight

Although Hurricane Sandy may have annulled the 41st running of the New York City Marathon, what the devastation failed to do was dissuade throngs of disappointed marathoners from collecting their participation medals. Beyond the the dubious and perplexing distinction of not running the race, it’s difficult to determine exactly what these medals represent beyond the ability of would-be participants to make travel arrangements and book a hotel room.

In a storm that cut power to tens of thousands of people, forever altered the Jersey shoreline, collecting a medal for a race not completed didn’t just set a whole new low for poor taste — it also simultaneously channeled and mocked the U.S. Postal Service creed. Neither snow nor rain no heat nor gloom of night would keep these athletes from making their way to the NYC race headquarters to get something that even by the tepid standards of today’s marathon culture they had not earned.

It may have also sounded the death knell for a trinket that for most people had become worthless even as a token of achievement. If the New York Road Runners were happy to distribute medals for literally showing up at their office, what possible value could they have?

In response to declining value of participant medals, a growing number of races are choosing to do things differently.

Race culture traditionally offers little in terms of authentic recognition to those who fail to make the podium. North America’s oldest foot race is one of the more progressive voices in the sport. Unlike the vast majority of distance events, Around the Bay awards gold, silver and bronze medals to athletes who meet the respective time criteria. ATB Race director, Michael Zajczenko, believes it’s a format that most runners find motivational.

“People like it,” claims Zajczenko, “and tend to come back to try and shave time off.”

The formula has historically paid off for the Boston Marathon, whose wild popularity detonated the moment they made a rule that obligated runners to earn their place at the start line.

The Whistler Half-Marathon goes in another direction entirely, foregoing the medal and awarding finishers with a limited edition print from a local artist. Although this policy has a lot more in common with a finishing medal than a merit-based system, it does acknowledge the fact that a framed print hanging on the wall is much more of a conversation-starter than a box of medals left forgotten under the bed.

Inevitably finishing prizes aren’t prizes at all but are gifts runners give themselves and therefore inexorably tied to what athletes are willing to pay. In high-profile races like the Boston and New York Marathon, entry fees are more or less what the race organizers decide. Most people are happy to simply be permitted to run but for other smaller races cost is a factor.

Around the Bay used to purchase their medals locally but now go through a company in the United States, which outsources it’s labour to China.

According to Zajczenko, “a difference of $1 or $2 doesn’t seem like a lot but when you multiply that by $9,000 that’s $9,000 additional dollars. It’s a big difference.”

At the first modern incarnation of the Olympic Games in Athens, there were no gold, silver or bronze medals. All participants were lauded equally and awarded a medal to commemorate their participation and honour their effort. It’s hard to blame New York, in the wake of tragedy, for distributing unearned medals, no doubt saving them from a landfill but their action does imply that at some races, these tokens no longer carry any weight.