Since I started running in 2010, I have been putting all my finisher medals in my shoe boxes. :) 

I believe many other runners also either put their finisher medals in shoe boxes or some sort of storage areas or cabinet drawers.

There are also many race medal hangers for sale on the internet which one can order online. Race medal hangers are probably one of the best ways to proudly display the hard-earned medals. The only setback is perhaps the medals on the medal hanger might collect dust after a while.






The readily available race medal hanger


However, I beg to differ. 

I have decided to custom make 2 units of wooden race medal frame with glass cover to keep and display my precious, hard earned finisher medals.



My custom-made wooden race medal frames with glass cover


My 18 (and counting) finisher medals 2014 - 2016 in customer-made wooden race medal frame with glass cover

My 28 finisher medals 2010 - 2013 in customer-made wooden race medal frame with glass cover


Finally, I successfully placed them where they rightly belong to remember all the hard work, sweat, tears, blood and bruises throughout the years running in races. 

Don't they look nice, elegant and beautiful? :) 

I love them very much! 


How I place race medals inside the custom-made wooden medal frame with glass cover



All the race medals were kept in shoe boxes. :) They will be happily moving into their more spacious (2 feet x 3 feet) beautiful  "new home" 



Back of the custom-made wooden medal frame



Need to use screw driver to remove the screw in order to open up the back of the medal frame

This is how it looks like at the back of the custom-made wooden medal frame

3 lines for hanging the race medals.

The frontal part of race medal frame




How the medal frame can be open from the front part

Arrange the race medal close to the line so that you can push the lanyard behind to hide it

Gently pushing the lanyard through to keep it tidy from the front
I use these round head pins to pin the lanyard onto the wood


Pinning the lanyard

Now you can see the medal is elegantly displayed.


Behind is a mess though - especially after pulling all the lanyards over. But it's spacious enough to tuck them in and keep them tidy. Anyway, once closed up, all are hidden. :)

Pulling the lanyard - one by one. A tedious process but desirable outcome.

After all the effort, this is how it will look from the front! Beautiful yeah? Now I can hang them on the wall

Stunning beauty to keep my race medals (2010 - 2013)



Stunning beauty to keep my race medals (2014-2016)

I really hope that every time I look at the displayed medals in the wooden medal frames with glass cover hung in the living room, it will remind me of my running passion!!

And behind every medal, there is a story

I would also like to quote what Dan Gable, American athlete, said,


Finisher medals aren't made of gold! 
 They are made of SWEAT, DETERMINATION, 
and a hard-to-find alloy called GUTS!
And I hope I can preserve and keep the medals as long as I can to keep the stories alive!



Written on March 22, 2016