So, I want you to imagine for just a moment that you are a medal (stay with me here). You were perfectly created in your birth factory like all of your other hundreds of sibling medals. You have your event name, a really sturdy and colourful band and even ... some glitter. You are truly worthy of the title of 'Race Bing'.
Before you and your siblings are sent off to your new homes, you sit in your cosy boxes at your event director's house the night before the event and excitedly chat about who your new owners will be the next day. Legend has it that these owners spend weeks or months improving their physical and mental prowess just to take you home, wow, it must be amazing to be so valued by these new owners. One of your medal siblings says that they also heard that they put you in a community called 'Hanger' with lots of other medals and people admire you all often - it sounds like heaven.
Event day comes and you are handed to your new owner as they cross the finish line and they seem so happy. They put you around their neck and smile for a photograph with you. You, feeling the heat of their body and the sweat on their skin, don't mind a bit. You're just happy to be finally going to a place you call home. You call goodbye to your siblings and set off on the journey home with your new owner ... but when you get there all is not as you had expected.
Your owner throws you on the kitchen counter as they drop their gear and hit the shower. "No problems", you think, "just be patient and soon they'll take me to Hanger and I can make heaps of new friends." You scan the room for signs of Hanger but you don't see anything. Your owner finally comes out of the shower and you could almost squeal with excitement. You wonder how you'll remember all the names of your new medal friends in Hanger. Will they all like me? What if they get jealous of my glitter?
Your thoughts are unceremoniously interrupted as the worst happens ... your owner walks past, grabs you, opens a drawer in their room and drops you in it, instantly plunging you into darkness. WHAAAAAAAAT? THIS IS NO HANGER!
As you feel around, imagine your horror when you realise you aren't the only one. There must be 30 other medals in this drawer being held hostage in the dark. What a sorry scene: bands tangled, some parts broken, forgotten and sad. This wasn't the Hanger utopia you dreamed of, this is spare drawer hell.
You can be yourselves again now, I think you get the point ... but why be a drawer stasher? If the plight of the humble medal failed to make you shed a tear then here are some other very compelling reasons why you should proudly display your race bling:
Achievement - You worked damn hard for that medal! You should be able to look at it and remind yourself how awesome you are. I remember after my first 25km trail run I couldn't stop looking at the medal over a week later, I was so stoked. To this day, it's still one of my favourite medals and it's proudly displayed in a medal frame with my bib and a photograph, where it should be!
Motivation - There is a definite motivational element to seeing your medals displayed. I love seeing each year that I've completed the same event. For new distances, I write my time on the back so I can see improvements over time. They also serve as a confidence boost - each one showing me when I've achieved something I thought I couldn't.
Damage prevention - When my medals are properly displayed they stay in better condition (and out of the way of my toddler's teeny tiny hands).
Aesthetics - Most medals look great, so they make a cool display feature in your home.
Conversation starters- They make a great talking point if you have people over - especially if those people love being active like you.
Trip down memory lane - seeing the old events gives you a chance to reminisce about the road trip you took to the event with friends, the epic finish over the finish line or the beautiful scenery you saw along the way.
So get your medals out, Runnovators. Display them proudly #OwnWhatYouEarned and join our #MedalLiberationMovement - no more drawers!
Have fun Runnovators!
- Nics
If you are stuck for medal display ideas, don't worry we've done the thinking and creating for you. Visit our online store and be spoilt for choice.
All I wanna know is that you tell our medals good luck on their journey & they are loved & going to a loving home 😂🤣