Only in LA: Run 18 Miles, Identify as a Marathon Finisher, Collect Your Medal, and Still Make Happy Hour

Just when you think you've heard it all, along comes the organizers of the Los Angeles Marathon to announce if you don't want to finish the race, that's fine ... they'll still even give you the finisher medal. So, now they are giving participation trophies for marathons. What a world.

NEW: Runners in the Los Angeles Marathon will be able to stop at mile 18 and still receive a finisher medal this weekend.

Organizers say it’s an option for participants who are having a tough race day. pic.twitter.com/6sycV36NuV
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) March 7, 2026

They said they are letting participants stop early because it's going to be hot. Don't tell the people who run marathons in Florida about this loophole.

People who don’t finish the Marathon can identify as people who do finish the Marathon. https://t.co/DmYACG6mna
— Lisa Cusack (@lisa_4_la) March 7, 2026

It seems only fair.

I disagree with this. I loved running the LA Marathon and miles 18-22 were often when I hit the wall. Finding a way to push through made the finish all the more rewarding. https://t.co/O67nbWOArS
— Eli Steele (@Hebro_Steele) March 7, 2026

Now, you can just choose to collect the medal and forget all of that hard stuff of pushing through.

participation trophies are exhausting and unnecessary https://t.co/nuWWdldzGo
— Mally Mouse (@MallymkunMousey) March 7, 2026

The everyone gets a trophy generation grew up. https://t.co/Fd588r7OIB
— Derrick Townsend #DT4SM (@Derrick_NOLA) March 7, 2026

I rolled my ankle and couldn’t finish the last 30K race I signed up for.

I wouldn’t even accept the T-shirt that I paid for, because I didn’t earn it.

Accepting a metal, for a race you didn’t complete, is stolen valor of the running world. https://t.co/28l3kew6uv
— Michael Oxford - AKA The Santa Cruz Mountain Goat (@SCMountainGoat) March 7, 2026

The end of western civilization will be a whimper, not a bang. https://t.co/CTjsCSw0Xd
— Andrew Jeffery (@credealjunkie) March 7, 2026

What if someone really wants to run the marathon, but they can't afford a plane ticket to California. Can they just sit on their couch and order a medal because in their head they wanted to complete the race? Seems fair.

A marathon is 26.2 miles. Not 18. If you run 18 miles, you did a half marathon and change. You should not get a finisher medal. Marathons are “tough”. That’s the ENTIRE point. It cheapens every single medal if you give out finisher medals to people WHO DID NOT FINISH. Full stop. https://t.co/DSGLJrhLxf
— Stella X (@Stellaaa) March 7, 2026

So now we are lowering the standards for LA Marathoners and get a medal if they quit early. Will we now see “18” stickers on cars now?😂 https://t.co/qytdhUE8li
— Robert Berry, DO (@txsportsdoc) March 7, 2026

How embarrassing. Who would put that on their cars? Heh.

This is so weak that it’s fitting for LA. Let’s give credit for NOT earning something! Yay!! https://t.co/tj1EC0KqUf
— mike hiserman (@MikeHiserman) March 7, 2026

I had such a tough race day i didn’t even show up. Give me a medal. @lamarathon
— ¡El SooperMexican! ن c137 🦬 (@SooperMexican) March 7, 2026

Sounds only fair.

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