"Awards will be given in each age group...."

[JennK13]

....but I haven't received mine yet.

What is a usual amount of time one typically waits for awards? I competed in a tri back in June, and placed 2nd in my age group. About 4 days later, the event coordinator sent an email out to everyone saying that the results were posted with a link to the timing company's site, and that she was sending the awards out. Between vacations and family visiting, I was gone the next 2 weeks.

When I returned, there was still no award. I responded to her email asking if she had sent out the awards as stated in the email, because I had been gone and haven't received anything, and I do live in a condo complex, so I wanted to be sure it wasn't misdirected by the post office (I've gotten my neighbor's mail left at my door step, so it wouldn't be unsual). Now we're talking 3 weeks out. She responded back that she was just clarifing a couple things with one of the "sponsors", and had just gotten confirmation of what they were doing, and "rest assure, you will get your award". The actual email was kind of snotty. I replied back that was fine, I just wanted to make sure they hadn't been sent, and that I understand she's probably busy with the other events going on (they do a series over the course of 2 months with events once a week), I was just worried since she said she was sending them.

Here we are, nearly 2 months later, and I still haven't seen anything. I guess I'm just a little anxious because it was my first ever tri, and I was really excited to even finish, much less place. I don't care if it's a foil covered chocolate coin or a 2nd place ribbon. More than anything, I'm irritated that they advertise the races as having "awards and commemorative race items", and then don't send anything. It was a great experience and a way for me to get a feel for triathlon, but it was kind of expensive to just pay for timing. I've participated in quite a few cycling events where they have food, you get a t-shirt and/or water bottle, have sponsors that give you sample food items and stickers, but I didn't get a dang thing other than a shot cup of yogurt from bear naked! Also, in the races I've done, the winners received awards at the end of the event, so this waiting thing is different for me.

What do you think? Should I email her again asking about the awards or give her another week since the event series wrapped up with the final race last Tuesday. It just seems like a really long time to me......

[colby]

First of all, congratulations.

Secondly, that really stinks. I think the last time I had to wait for something to be mailed to me about a "placed" finish it was about a month later that I got it in the mail. No medal or anything, but it was a congratulations notecard and free entry into the next year's event, which was surely better than nothing. Usually for smaller races around here they are held at the event later in the day, around the time of the last few finishers (so for a 7am race start, around 10 or 11am), and they have raffles, which I also like (if I'm not too hot or hungry to hang around).

If I knew anyone else that placed even remotely well, I'd probably contact them and see if they got theirs. That's pretty rare for me, so I'd be more in your boat, of waiting and wondering. I'd probably ask twice (one more time) and then just wait and see what happens. Given that, maybe wait as long as you're willing to before you explode (another week?) and ask again. My bet is they came off snotty because they realise they didn't have their act together in time and you were just rubbing salt in the wound. Though you might still be doing that, we're bordering on a ridiculous amount of time to wait.

[OakLeaf]

The Columbus Marathon is in mid-May, and it was just on their facebook page a couple of weeks ago that they were mailing out age group awards. Not that I won one or anything, but I just remember seeing that.

I don't know whether a large-ish race like that (15,000 runners) should be slower or quicker than a small one, but it's my only point of reference.

And congrats, for sure!