Race medal question....do all races give finisher medals to those who are swept?

[JCH]

Originally Posted by lisah0711

As a WISHer who has DNF'd two Disney races, including the Wine & Dine last week-end, I've found many of the comments on this thread thoughtless and not at all in the spirit of WISH that I know and love and that changed my life.

DLF>DNF>>DNS
(Dead Last Finish is better than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start),
WISH gave me the courage to start.

I don't think anyone is trying to discourage people from running. As you said in your quote, a DLF is greater than DNF. So why does a DNF deserve the same medal? And why it is "thoughtless" to reserve medals for those who finish, or express an opinion that differs from your's? In fact, I think most of the replies were well thought out in an effort to avoid offending people.

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Originally Posted by JCH

I don't think anyone is trying to discourage people from running. As you said in your quote, a DLF is greater than DNF. So why does a DNF deserve the same medal? And why it is "thoughtless" to reserve medals for those who finish, or express an opinion that differs from your's? In fact, I think most of the replies were well thought out in an effort to avoid offending people.

I was going to type something similar but you beat me to it. My question to, if you feel like sharing is why you were swept. Was it training, injury, illness? I know my close encounter was with training, and so I knew that under no circumstances could I ever put myself in that situation again. There is no way I want to get that close to being swept again, I felt horrible even crossing the finish line barely that one time. I look at that opportunity as being both a reality check and a huge learning experience. I hope that the Wine & Dine is your last sweeping experience and that the Walt Disney World Half Marathon is the start to many more finishes! No one is attacking you, but voicing their opinions, which we are all welcome to have. But, I know that you will definitely be in our thoughts in January and any of us would be the first ones to stick with you if you needed that.

[FireDancer]

Originally Posted by lisah0711

As a WISHer who has DNF'd two Disney races, including the Wine & Dine last week-end, I've found many of the comments on this thread thoughtless and not at all in the spirit of WISH that I know and love and that changed my life.

DLF>DNF>>DNS
(Dead Last Finish is better than Did Not Finish which greatly trumps Did Not Start),
WISH gave me the courage to start.

What thread are you reading? There is no possible way it is this one since not a single person said people who may not finish shouldn't bother starting. I myself have said I admire anyone who even makes it to the start line. That doesn't mean that if you fail to finish in the allotted amount of time you should get a medal and anyone who has any self respect won't take anything they didn't earn. You can only earn a finisher's medal one way. You finish. You don't try to finish and fail. You finish.

Not sure why that is so hard to understand and saying that doesn't discount the effort anyone makes whether they finish or not.

[mking624]

Originally Posted by John VN

I just had a discussion like your reply with DW before dinner. As is evident from my earlier reply, I am in agreement with you but I could see someone hanging the medal on the wall facing the wall to indicate a DNF. That sure would encourage one to have the next medal facing outwards.

I would have actually put DNF on the medal. I am a very visual person in this area and seeing that would definitely push me towards a finish. I don't think I would ever accept every medal if I were to be swept more than once, but I could see taking just one and marking it DNF for the sole purpose of being a personal motivator.

[ksoehrlein]

Originally Posted by FFigawi

Some that I've done:

Marine Corps - No

In short, with the sad exception of Disney, races give finisher medals to those who finish. If Disney wants to give out thanks-for-trying medals, it'd be a lot easier to just hand them out at packet pickup.

Sadly, the 2012 Marine Corps seemed to be a "yes." I know someone who was swept somewhere before the 15K mark, rode the bus until mile 24, and was allowed off the bus with another runner. They were told by the driver, "The finish line is in that direction." She received a finisher's medal. In looking at the Unofficial Results, she has a 5K split, 10K split, and marathon finish time, with no additional 5K splits in between. She came in ahead of more than 100 other finishers. So much for the stringent MCM requirements that all runners "beat the bridge" in order to receive a medal.

[FFigawi]

Originally Posted by ksoehrlein

Sadly, the 2012 Marine Corps seemed to be a "yes." I know someone who was swept somewhere before the 15K mark, rode the bus until mile 24, and was allowed off the bus with another runner. They were told by the driver, "The finish line is in that direction." She received a finisher's medal. In looking at the Unofficial Results, she has a 5K split, 10K split, and marathon finish time, with no additional 5K splits in between. She came in ahead of more than 100 other finishers. So much for the stringent MCM requirements that all runners "beat the bridge" in order to receive a medal.

I think they leave it up to the integrity of each individual to decide whether to take the finisher's medal or not. I read their FAQ and saw where they ask the people who are swept to not take a medal at the finish because they will not have completed a marathon. It's not as strong a policy as it used to be, but at least it makes it clear they think you don't deserve one if you don't finish.

[LuzzBightyear]

I have been giving this subject some thought lately as a recent injury has caused me to wonder if I will be able to finish Goofy. Like many others in this thread, I have put in months in hard training and will spend lots of money to travel to and stay at WDW…let alone the high cost to enter the race. I don’t want to judge anyone else for what they would do in the same circumstance, but here is my plan:

If Disney has the policy that bibs are non-transferable AND that everyone gets a medal finish or not, and if I get swept or am forced to drop out at any point, I am most certainly going to collect the medals. But I definitely will not be wearing them around the parks or anything like that. When I get home, I will probably take them to the children’s ward of my local hospital and ask the nurses to award the medal to a young child who is courageously fighting a health issue.

[cewait]

Originally Posted by LuzzBightyear

I have been giving this subject some thought lately as a recent injury has caused me to wonder if I will be able to finish Goofy. Like many others in this thread, I have put in months in hard training and will spend lots of money to travel to and stay at WDW…let alone the high cost to enter the race. I don’t want to judge anyone else for what they would do in the same circumstance, but here is my plan:

If Disney has the policy that bibs are non-transferable AND that everyone gets a medal finish or not, and if I get swept or am forced to drop out at any point, I am most certainly going to collect the medals. But I definitely will not be wearing them around the parks or anything like that. When I get home, I will probably take them to the children’s ward of my local hospital and ask the nurses to award the medal to a young child who is courageously fighting a health issue.

Great idea... If anyone is looking for a place to donate their old medals, this is a great charity

http://medals4mettle.org/donate.html

[PRmamiDEdos]

Originally Posted by cewait

Great idea... If anyone is looking for a place to donate their old medals, this is a great charity

http://medals4mettle.org/donate.html

I know you can keep the ribbon as a keepsake and just donate the medal. It's a wonderful thought.

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Originally Posted by cewait

Great idea... If anyone is looking for a place to donate their old medals, this is a great charity

http://medals4mettle.org/donate.html

Just remember that they only accept earned medals. If you are swept and are given a medal, those are not accepted. It is an amazing charity.

I am shocked that the MCM gave a medal to someone that didn't finish. I was at the back of the pack with a first-timer that had some IT band issues and never even saw a sweeper, or had any warnings.