Have you ever ever signed up for a race and thought: however do I really want one other race shirt? With occasion prices climbing and sustainability turning into an even bigger precedence, extra races are rethinking the standard mannequin. As an alternative of robotically handing out T-shirts and medals that always find yourself forgotten in a drawer, many occasions now supply a “no swag” or “bare-bones” entry—letting runners skip the extras, typically for a decrease registration price. For individuals who race for the expertise relatively than the freebies, it’s a welcome change.
The inexperienced bib possibility
Some Canadian marathons, just like the Calgary Marathon and the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, have leaned into this concept with their Inexperienced Bib program, permitting runners to forgo the standard finisher gear. Whereas it’s primarily a sustainability initiative, some races providing comparable choices do move financial savings alongside to runners. At giant occasions, race swag is a serious expense—between sourcing, printing and transport—so skipping it could possibly imply a lower-cost bib. Whereas the marathons talked about are targeted on lowering waste, their choices replicate a broader development of letting runners pay just for the race expertise itself.
Path races have been doing this for years
On the path aspect, race director Gary Robbins has lengthy been a proponent of minimalist racing. His Coast Mountain Path Collection in B.C. retains entry prices decrease by chopping out pointless perks. A lot of his occasions skip medals and extra swag altogether, specializing in the expertise relatively than the extras. Path runners have embraced this no-frills strategy for years, and now, it’s making its means into street races. With extra runners prioritizing affordability and sustainability, the times of obligatory race swag is likely to be numbered.
Toronto Waterfront Marathon affords a brand new “inexperienced” bib program
#medalMonday or #nomedalMonday?
Some runners, particularly these new to racing, treasure these medals and proudly show them as symbols of their achievements. When it comes right down to it, it actually solely issues what your precedence is: in case you worth the expertise and a decrease price over the standard race perks, choosing a no-swag possibility could possibly be an ideal alternative. For others, the medal and T-shirt are a cherished a part of the race day reminiscence. In the end, it’s all about selecting what makes your race expertise most significant.