Well, let’s see! In the past week I sprained my ankle, nearly froze to death, and DNF’d my big race. After all that, what more could there be to runfess? Oh, I can probably come up with a few things!
Thanks as always to Marcia. What would we do without her monthly “runfessional?”
The first thing I would runfess is that I haven’t really been missing running this week. I know! Who am I? I guess I knew I wouldn’t be running anyway (when I, ahem, thought I would be running 50 miles on Saturday) so I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything.
I’ve seen a lot of the bike at the gym this week…. but I’ll runfess that my good attitude might start to wane if I’m on the bike much longer.
I’ll also runfess that I’m, er, enjoying my race “swag.” This race was minimalistic in that department. When I checked in I got a nice sticker and a cap. It wasn’t much, but that’s okay (I thought), I’ll be getting a medal at the finish. (oh, no you won’t!)
What I did get is a lovely towel- the towel they wrapped around me at the aid station when I was shaking and shivering. Three hours later, no one could remember who it belonged to, and my aid station friend probably just wanted me and the wet, grubby, muddy towel OUT OF HIS TRUCK. So he told me to keep it.
That’s it! Come back on Sunday for the Weekly Rundown, where you’ll hear more than you ever wanted to know about my ankle.
What’s the weirdest race swag you’ve ever gotten?
Header photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash
36 Responses
The weirdest race swag I ever got was also the most practical. It was a small bag of brown rice.
Woot for the towel! It’s always fun when you have a good story behind an ordinary household object.
I’m waiting with baited breath for the ankle tell-all. I’m hope that everything is healing up.
Brown rice? Well, that’s different! It would definitely be practical.
The weirdest race swag I brought home was a scarf with the event logo. Oh, and it wasn’t a useful scarf, either. The event was a race on an airport runway, and I believe the scarf was reminiscent of the scarves you may have seen pilots wearing in the “old days,” if they were flying an open cockpit biplane. LOL (I kid you not). Did I mention this was an AG award? Yeah.
Ha! That’s… interesting. Considering it was an AG award, I’m wondering if you have this scarf displayed somewhere in your house.
So weird we’re both talking about towels in this month’s Runfessions! What are the chances? Haha! The most disappointing swag I ever got was none at my first half marathon. Only the first 200 to register got shirts and there were no medals at all. I highly doubt that would fly these days. My swag pet peeve is when they give out expired food products.
That must have been a long time ago! Nowadays there are medals for EVERY event. Yeah, it was towel runfessions this month… kind of odd!
That is a nice looking towel — and you must have good laundry skills because it looks pristine!
I think the oddest swag I got was a pencil — probably branded with a sponsor’s name, but ….
I really don’t know how this towel is looking so good, because I do NOT have good laundry skills!
A pencil is an interesting piece of race swag. I would say it’s useful but not many people actually use pencils nowadays.
I have never run a race so no swag for me. But your towel is really nice!
Yeah, at least it’s not an old rag. I’m actually enjoying this towel.
The towel LOL. I. Am glad to see that you have a good attitude about all of this. It helps for sure!
Oh, what else can I do but laugh? There will be other races.
I’m behind in my blog reading – I’m so sorry about DNF!
The oddest race swag I’ve ever gotten was a pair of cheap mittens in place of a medal for half marathon.
HMMM! I could have used mittens in my race.
I ran a Christmas-themed race once and the shirts were all elf/Santa and if you chose elf, they gave you a headband with elf ears. Like…this is not an okay use of Mother Nature’s resources, you know?
What are you going to do with that towel? Is it going to go in your regular towel rotation?!
Great question! I kind of want to keep it for myself, rather than let it be incorporated into the family towel stack.
Ha, I can’t picture you embracing the elf ear headband. Although… I guess there are situations where it could come in handy.
That is a nice towel!
I’ve gotten things like branded socks, arm sleeves, aluminum cups, hats, sunglasses. Nothing super bizarre.
Hmm, you’ve gotten some good swag!
Hahaha the towel is pretty funny as race swag, but there’s a good story behind it and at least it’s useful! I’ve only done a few races so far and haven’t gotten any weird swag, but for both my ultras I didn’t get a medal but instead got a whiskey glass for my first (since the race was called Whiskey Basin) and then a camp-style mug for my second. Medals are cool and all but I do like that I can actually use my drinkware!
Yes, I got a camp-style mug for my 50k. A whiskey glass is a cool “medal” but I don’t drink whiskey. I’d rather have a beer stein or a coffee mug.
this past 5k, I got beef jerky, free car wash, towel, a bottle of probiotics (!?)
I’ve gotten gloves, buff, hat, flash drive, pouch…
Hmm, that’s an interesting batch of stuff! I guess it could all come in handy… probiotics are good for you.
That IS a nice towel!
Pedaling to nowhere is about as much fun as running or rowing to nowhere. Which is…not fun to me! I just cannot turn my brain off on a treadmill, have no desire to watch things, and I don’t enjoy listening to music or podcasts either!!!
I don’t mind the treadmill so much, but the bike is torture. I do listen to podcasts and that saves me.
I like race swag too.. the latest new/weird thing was the gatorade sweat test.. which I used and not sure it’s accurate.
hope your ankle is getting better.
Oh that is kind of…. interesting. I would be suspicious of the accuracy only because it might be a big plug for Gatorade. But I do know people who find those tests really helpful.
I can’t remember any weird swag I have received. I like that they have paired down what they give you at races now! For some of the smaller races the shirt is optional. If it’s a performance material shirt, I like it. If it’s cotton, I don’t need one.
I am glad you have been feeling ok about not running this week. Hopefully your ankle heals soon so you can get back out there!!
Honestly, I NEVER wear race shirts. Even if it’s a tech shirt- I just don’t wear t shirts for running. It’s either tank tops or long sleeves. Don’t ask me why.
I kind of love that your souvenir from a race with such a disappointing outcome is the comforting wrap that a kind stranger provided to you. That seems like as nice a memento as possible! I have never run a single race, so I have no swag stories. But I am also impressed to the point of awe that you continued to work out! I hope your ankle is doing much better.
Yes, I agree! And it’s unique- no one else got a towel. As badly as that race turned out, that towel was VERY comforting, so a nice thing to have as a souvenir.
Let’s see, I have run 4 halves, a full and a 5k in my short running career, and I have no idea what race swag I got from any of them! Can’t remember! So I guess nothing too impressive. I do still have all the medals hanging off the corner of my mirror over my dresser though! 🙂 Not even sure why I guess, since I’m no longer in a racing phase over here… but I guess they still evoke happy memories of hard work and a job well done. 🙂
Aw… keep those medals hanging where you can see them! I like those happy memories.
I don’t think I’ve ever gotten weird race swag. I got a nice duffle bag from one race that I still use to this day! I think that was my “retirement” race, too, where I kept telling myself “X number of miles and you NEVER HAVE TO RUN AGAIN.” Haaaa.
The stationary bike can’t be hard! I liked watching something on my phone when I was pedaling to make the time pass somewhat enjoyably.
That’s a good looking towel!
Hey, weird but useful. I’d take a nice towel over ill-fitting sunglasses that I’ll never wear LOL
Put the towel in your car! Then you always have one, rain or shine. 🙂