For the 2016 Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon (CCIM) medal reveal last year, I wrote about how race medals remind a runner of a time and place. This time around, I want to talk about having fun, because that’s what this year’s race medals are.

I ran two races this past Saturday, no fooling: the Run for the Library 5k in Mahomet and the Allerton Trail Half Marathon. Now, I’ve run two races in a weekend before, but I’ve never run two races in one day, let alone a 5k followed by a trail half marathon. Sure, it was a little nutty. I know that I’m going to pay for it tomorrow, but I had a blast. I got to see friends at both races. I ran well, and I got a cool medal after the half marathon. It was a great experience.

This year’s CCIM medals are sweet, and not just because they have birthday cake on them. Every year, the marathon goes out of its way to be creative. And this year takes the cake.

And the 5K medal with its balloons makes me think about how you all should celebrate what you’ve accomplished, especially if this is your first one. You and the thousands of your compatriots who raised funds for charities or maybe you were a couch to 5K participant. This medal represents all the hard work you put in to get to this point.

The youth run medal is a cupcake. Honestly, who doesn’t like cupcakes?

And I’ve got to tell you, the I-Challenge medal makes me want to do the 5K on Friday night. Hey, I ran two races today. I can run two races in two days, right?

Now, don’t get me wrong. The University of Illinois is an important institution and its sesquicentennial (<— this is a word?) celebration should be a solemn affair with all the pomp and circumstance you can imagine. But come on. It’s also a place filled with years of laughter and fun, and that’s why this year’s CCIM medals are so representative of why we run.

See you on the roads!

 

Abe