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.
— Matthew Seedorff (@MattSeedorff) March 7, 2026
Organizers say it’s an option for participants who are having a tough race day. pic.twitter.com/6sycV36NuV
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
WTF? I worked hard for my LA Marathon Finisher medal!!!!! Months of training. 26.2 miles of mental and physical work and pain lol https://t.co/arrlWA7of4
— Doña de Commiefornia (@LaDonaDelValle) March 7, 2026
That's no longer necessary.
I rolled my ankle and couldn’t finish the last 30K race I signed up for.
— Michael Oxford - AKA The Santa Cruz Mountain Goat (@SCMountainGoat) March 7, 2026
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
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.