It’s all about the bling for many runners, which led me to wonder who really has the best marathon medals? Best half marathon medals and all the distances in between!
Running a marathon is a test of endurance, patience, and willpower. Receiving a finisher medal is one of the best parts of finishing a marathon.
These medals are a reminder of the distance you’ve covered and the obstacles you’ve overcome. Some marathons around the world offer unique and impressive medals, which runners choose based on the design and uniqueness.
Marathon medals come in all shapes and sizes, but some stand out as the best and represent some of the most popular marathons in the world.
Since I don’t race for the bling {though I do have some medals I love!}, I had to reach out to the RTTF community to find out what makes your eyes bulge and your wallets leap from your hands to sign up.
What Makes a Great Race Medal?
For runners, the finisher medal is a symbol of achievement that they proudly wear. But what makes a race medal stand out?
It turns out there are a few common denominators in race medals that get you very excited:
- Size – Some medals are pretty big, while others are more standard size.
- Uniqueness – After a few, we seem to be drawn to the medals that are completely out of the ordinary. Looks like an alien, whoop sign us up!
- It spins! – I know the founders of the Miami marathon, and they were actually some of the first to ever do spinning medals. While they are more common now, they still have some of the best.
- Emotions – Many of your favorite medals aren’t just about the shape or size, it’s about how that particular race made you feel or the memories.
Where possible below I have linked to someone’s actual race report, so you can find out more about the race to see if it’s about more than the bling, though you may not care!
Which Race Has the Best Medal?
I love how many of you will sign up for a race just because it has a cool medal! I admit that the Surf City Surf Board has definitely gotten my attention more than once and I’ll definitely be doing it.
1. Little Rock Race Weekend
If you’re looking for some of the biggest swag out there, check out the Little Rock race weekend. Sign up for the 5k, 10k, half or full marathon and walk away with a medal that’s probably the size of a personal pizza.
2. Gasparilla Half/Marathon
When it comes to medal marathons, the Gasparilla Half/Marathon is a no-brainer! This race is known for its unique, pirate-themed finisher medal, which makes it one of the best medal marathons out there.
2. Every Woman’s Marathon
This race was designed to be a fun-filled, supportive, high-energy experience for women.
The medals for the first two years were stunning, and we can’t wait to see what year 3 brings in New Orleans.
3. Javelina 100K
If you love unique race medals, then the Javelina 100K is a race you’ve probably heard of. The iconic medal is definitely worth collecting, if you’re ready to run your first ultramarathon!
And it’s not just the medal’s design that makes it special, but also the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Or shoot, any ultra finish buckle is pretty awesome.
4. Illinois Marathon Weekend
For the 2026 event, all of the medals were designed to look like a pocket watch to “celebrate your legacy”.
When you open up the medal, there’s a dial that you can spin to match your finish time.
5. Big Sur Marathon
Big Sur Marathon features hand-crafted pieces of clay that are come to be associated with this iconic race. They’re unique, stunning, and have been a hot commodity in the running community since they were first introduced more than three decades ago!
The designs change slightly but most often feature the iconic Bixby Bridge, which is definitely a symbol of achievement runners experience when they cross the finish line.
6. Bird in Hand
You’ll end up with a unique horseshoe finisher medal in this race! It’s designed to reflect the course and community, i.e., unique, hardworking, and a step back in time.
This race has one of the most iconic medals and if you’re looking for one to collect, this is a great option!
7. Hot Chocolate Races
Love chocolate? Then this race has your name written all over it! These chocolate-themed medals definitely ‘look good enough to eat!’
They come up with a different chocolate-themed design each year and I’ve not once come across a medal I didn’t want from them right away! Plus, the finish is so fun with chocolate!
8. Key West Half Marathon
After finishing the Key West Half marathon, you’ll end up with the coolest rooster-themed medal! The designs do tend to change but they’re always awesome and definitely one of the best finisher medals.
9. Mississippi Blues Half Marathon
I love this finisher medal! Each year, the design of the race medals changes, but they always incorporate elements of the Mississippi Blues culture.
They are usually shaped like a guitar or other musical instrument, and they often include intricate details related to the Blues music genre. The most recent medal included the stadium where you finish.
10. Beach Cities Challenge
These beach-themed medals look incredible! Really, this is a quadruple threat if you consider the 3 race medals alone, plus the challenge medal. They are all pretty awesome. {just another reason I need to live in Cali}
11. New Year’s Double
This is definitely one of the most unique marathon medals. It’s actually multiple medals that combine to form one and is one of my all-time favorites!
12. ING Miami Marathon
ING Miami Marathon was one of the first to do the spinning medals. The design changes every year and it is ALWAYS worth it.
The cool part is that the ribbon is always designed by a local artist so it makes it extra special!
13. Garmin Marathon Series
This new race series, started by Garmin in 2025, designed the medals for each distance to look like the badges you receive in the app.
One of My Favorite Race Medals
Nike Women’s Half Marathon – It might not be the biggest or craziest, but it’s Tiffany’s and it’s hand delivered by a handsome man in a tux…so yes it makes the list! The necklace changes each year and learned the hard way {myself} don’t wear while running it tarnishes.
Wahhhhh so many sad runners because Nike no longer does this race. I haven’t found another race doing anything quite like this yet…but come on someone will pick it up.
And if you hear about it, let me know!!!
I also LOVE that you can now do a ton of virtual races and get medals that are incredible!
Next we need to talk about how you creatively display all your bling!!
Ready to go?
- Creative ideas for how to display your race medals
- Checkout my list of Half Marathons worth traveling for as well!
- Best Fall Marathons in The US
10 Best Shoes for Heavier Runners (Put Through Real World Testing)
Don’t forget the LITTLE ROCK Marathon in Arkansas!!! Their medals are huge! ( different race theme every year!). They weight at least 3 pounds. The medal reveal day is a big deal for runners. They introduce each year’s theme with a cute, comedic short video that always tells a story based on that year’s theme. Definitely a bucket list medal.
As a woman who loves running and Tiffany & Co. that is one run I wish I had done just for the necklace/medal!