Boring breakfast; fun product review!
In the mix:
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- Raspberries
- Greek yogurt
- Chia seeds
Another yogurt mess might be boring to look it, but it sure tasted yummy. 
Pride Is Forever
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about how Jen and I brought our old racing medals to Girls on the Run as a way to motivate the girls to train for their upcoming 5K.
It was fun to look back at all my medals, but I was a little sad that they were relegated to a cardboard box in my attic. I asked if anyone had suggestions on how I could display the medals in a classy, organized way.
Erin read about my plight and suggested I check out Allied Steel’s medal displays. I was immediately enthralled! I’ve never seen medal holders so beautiful and sleek. Even though it was a bit pricey (and it turns out delivery took 3 weeks to boot; however, it’s a small American company so it was worth the wait), I ordered the Pride is Forever medal holder (“pain is temporary, quitting is forever!” is one of my mantras).
I hung up my medals in the space between our living room and kitchen.
Very high-quality construction. I like how there’s room to grow on the holder, too. I could squish the ribbons together and probably hang up twice as many medals (baw-hahaha!). Also, I like how the sleek design hides the gap on the steel where you insert the ribbons. Very snazzy. And a fun conversation piece!
From left to right:
- IronGirl 15K
- Gasparilla Bud Light challenge (which was doing a 5K, 15K, and Half Marathon all in one weekend; the recaps are below)
- Miracle Miles 15K 2007 (pre-blogging)
- OUC Half Marathon
- Garparilla 15K
- Miracle Miles 15K 2009
- Disney Marathon
- Miracle Miles 15K 2008
- Garparilla 5K
- Garparilla Half Marathon
- Marine Corps Half Marathon
I wish I had a medal from my Olympic Triathlon!
Other medal holds that I really liked:
All in all – a great product! I think this would be an excellent holiday present (here’s my other gift suggestions) for the active person in your life (or for yourself!).
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{ 94 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE the Pigs Fly one!
That is pretty amazing! If only I had some medals!
I love these!! I can’t wait until I have some medals to display. This post is such a great motivator, thanks again Caitlin
I kind of wish there was one without words — just a simple bar to hold them on. But maybe I should check out the site in case there is a blank one. Jason and I have all our race medals in a box too — kind of sad considering how hard we worked for every one of those!
I think they do customized hangers so you could design your own.
Yes they do. Brad, the genius behind the product, is happy to work with you on whatever it is you’d like! He’s also a stellar runner, and all around wonderful guy!
I love all of those! What a great gift for the runners in your life!
Oh I love those!! I need to get one once I actually have enough medals to put on it, haha…hoping to get to your point someday, though!!
You’re right, I love it! I’m so jealous.
I can’t wait to see you (and the bling) in only a week and a half!!!
Aww, you must feel amazingly accomplished! You’re so awesome
Mine are all hanging on various doorknobs or shoved in random boxes, but I actually like this way of displaying them. Looks like you’re running out of room, you’re going to need a second one soon!
That is super cute! This gives me motivation to finish a few races so that I can hang them up. This seems like a fun piece of decoration. Thanks for sharing!
That is so awesome! I’ve never even HEARD of hangers for your medals
What a great idea! Jason and I have ours hanging off of our trophys..I’d love to display them on the wall. Thanks for this!
What a cool idea! I might have to get one!!
Funny I never get how people want to display medals and awards like that in such a manner…
I am not being critical,it just really seems so foreign to me to want to do that.
But whatever floats your boat and if makes someone feel good to display awards,I don’t wanna rain on any parade!!
Enjoy what makes you happy and I’ll keep to my quiet but happy ways
How awesome! These also could be belt/tie racks for those who need some inspiration?
I love that medal holder. I have all of my bibs hanging around my desk, but maybe I can look into something like that for when I get more medals.
Is that a mickey mouse award?
Adorable!
yes! you get a mickey for doing disney
Secretly in love with your yogurt breakfasts/snacks! No matter what I do I can’t get my bowl of goodness to look that perdy!
I think that’s a cool gift idea. Now my wheels are spinning… =)
Wow those are so cool! I have a lot of medals as well but like you, they are currently sitting in a box. These are such a nice way to display them – thanks for the tip!
Those are great! I know what I’m getting my dad for Christmas now, his are just sitting on a shelf in the basement and he’s been trying to figure out what to do with them.
That’s so cool. I think the Pride is Forever one is my favorite (though the Pigs Fly one would probably be most appropriate for me if I ran.)
That looks so wonderful! Congratulations on your accomplishments throughout the years!
That’s great! You go girl. I would smile everytime I walked by that
I’ve got my whole 4 bib numbers hanging on my fridge, I love them!
Thanks for sharing! I love this idea! I have my medals and bibs in a box. This is awesome!
I love those, I want one!!!!
That would actually be a fantastic idea for my sister! Thanks for sharing!
And–holy medals, Batman! Good work!
thats such a cute idea! i love it
Oh that holder is too cool! It is such a great way to display all of your medals to remember the races.
since I started running I had built up a good collection of medals, for me, they never meant much but I held on to them knowing some day I would find something to do with them. Well, I did. I found an organization that donates medals to children who are battling cancer, fighting some other type of medical issue or have other special needs.
here is the website
http://www.medals4mettle.org/
About a month after I sent the medals I received a note from my local chapter telling me that my medals were delivered to a pediatric cancer center and that once the kids “graduated” from chemo they would be given MY Medals!!!!
That is really awesome.
Oh I love this idea,Tami
Best ever use of medals for adults….
Hope some runner bloggers will be inspired by this!
Hope you don’t mind this Caitlin(but I know you love inspiring quotes etc!)
but I found this lovely poem from the site Tami mentioned written by the founder…..
Medals4Mettle Poem
I want to open the door,
To a beautiful spring day,
Sweeping leaves off the threshold,
That wilted where they lay.
Rising from your pillow,
For pleasure, not for pain.
Replacing the scent of sick,
With that of newborn rain.
Watching your patient eyes,
In shallow sockets roll,
Viewing a colorful ribbon-
Lifting your soul.
Taking you for a moment,
Where courage needs no place,
Watching this gifted medal,
Bring a smile to your face.
Steven F Isenberg
That is a great idea! I love that it is a clean place to hang them instead of just throwing them in a box in the attic!
I love this idea! I have my race medals hanging on the poles from a bookcase, but it’s getting a little crowded, so I might have to check out that site. Also, I have had this idea forever to make a scrapbook out of all my bibs with dates & times… I’m just waiting for a snow day!
I love the Run this Town!! Awesome song, too:)
aw caitlin I love it! it looks so good
This is perfect! I’d never heard of such a thing, thank you for mentioning it. Mine have also been hanging on door knobs as well. The only question is whether to order one now or let someone get it for me for Christmas.
What a SCHWEEEEET idea! I love it. I am totally going to get one of those medal holders. Thanks!
i like the “i run this town”. i keep all my medals in a box. its a cute box, but still, just a box.
What a neat-o idea. I simply hang my medals on my bedroom doorknob. Not classy at all. Adding them to the decor of my apartment would = classy.
oh wow this is great! thanks for posting about this Caitlin! my half marathon is in two weeks.. so I’ll be getting my very first metal
What a great idea! All the medals look amazing!
Thank you for the awesome gift idea!! I’m totally getting this for my sister for x-mas. I’ve run 3 races but no medals yet. My first will be from my half in November (I hope they give medals at the Philly half!!)
The idea of the medal holders is enough to make me want to run in lots of races to get lots of medals!! Love it.
Thank you so much for this review!
All my medals are in my “memory box” in my closet because I had no idea how to display them. These seem perfect!
hahaha “i run this town.”
BAMF.
What a great idea- looks so cool too! Although my lonely little medal would look kind of sad. Guess I’ll have to get out and run more!
Awww, this makes me wish I saved my medals over the years. I always throw them away.
THROW THEM AWAY? Runner blasphemy
so fun. i need to get a medal now…
I really want one of those for my swimming medals now! Thanks for the idea -my birthdays coming up! hehe
Looks great!!
I had almost an identical breakfast, only had sliced almonds in addition to everything else you have. Boring, maybe, but definitely delicious!
What a great gift. I want one for my brother!
Thanks for the great review!
I know what I am getting my husband for Christmas, he is going to love this! thank you!
LOVE it! The “My Race Bling” holder might be my favorite. I’m sending the link to my husband and adding it to my Christmas list.
This is adorable. I am wondering now if you have ideas as to how to display race bibs. I’ve run a handful of 5Ks and an 8K, and the only bling I have to show for them is my race bib and a T-shirt; they must not give out medals in the Midwest. Any thoughts??
I like punching a hole through the corners and putting them all on a carabiner so you can hang them somewhere in an organized fashion!
You know, that’s not bad! I didn’t even think of that! I could always get one of those medal hangers you talked about and just slide the bibs onto it, too.
I just made a “marathon book” of those clear plastic page protector thingies and included my bib with printouts of my race results, racer guide, etc. They’re not that expensive, and if you put them in a binder you could decorate it and add all your other mementos, too.
What a great idea! I’m getting my first medal in a few weeks and I am so excited!
LOVE the medal rack!
Does it pain you that I throw mine away
!?
What a nice way to display all of them! Much better than a cardboard box
Those displays make me want to sign up for longer races to earn some medals to display!! I know what’s going on my Christmas wish list!
I absolutely adore that idea. I’m not even a runner and I honestly doubt I’ll ever have things like that to display (just not really my goal), but I am so impressed!!!
Thanks for the review! Definitely going on my list to Santa
I only have two medals so far… emphasis on the so far… so this is going on my Christmas list. I’d have to have one specially made that says “Because I can” — what I had printed on my bib for my marathon last weekend!
I love that. I don’t have any medals (yet) but I will keep it in mind when I do.
You just helped me cross one (very hard to shop for) person off my Christmas shopping list!! What great motivation to walk by everyday! Hope you are getting lots of rest and relaxation this week before the big marathon!
I hope all of us running at Spinx get a chance to meet up!
LOVE. Although, now I need to find more races with medals! I only have four. [I ran a half in September that didn't give out a medal--WTF?! A half-marathon is definitely medal distance.]
Nice idea – love that you are able to display your accomplishments. A move that would continuously motivate you in your future marathons
LOVE THOSE! I was looking for a way to display my growing collection. Any thoughts on what to do with race bibs? I like to keep those too:)
That is such a neat way to hang your medals!
That is really a great way to display your medals! I enhver know what to do with mine, so they just sit in a box.
This is great. We’ve been looking for a classy way to display all our medals! Thanks for sharing.
omg, thats adorable- and looks great on the wall!
eventually you might need a few more
Thanks for sharing your medal holder….I am totally going to buy this for my co-worker for Christmas! He’s run at least 8 marathons that I know of….Boston twice. As far as running goes, he’s a rockstar.
And he will love this gift!
Ahh I love this!! I’ve only run 1 race, and have 3 or so more planned, but I want the cute girl running by the city. So adorable!
love those! I have had one of those on my christmas list for about 4 months now, just waiting till closer to that time. not sure what saying I want, the one you got is def. in my top three though!
is anyone else having a problem accessing the website for allied steel’s medal displays? i was on it this morning but now it won’t let me open the page!
It’s down for me too. Maybe HTP readers crashed the site!
Oh this gives me an awesome idea for a Christmas gift for my sister-in-law, thanks for sharing!
Dude. The Pigs Fly holder and I have a date for Christmas! That is awesome!
What a great idea! And that small American company, is near my town! Makes me love it even more! This is going on my wish list.
It’s a great way to organize your medals, and it also seems like a fun piece of decoration.
I have to tell you seeing that display makes me want to take up running. No idea if I can though with heel spurs
.
Libby
im totally telling my friend about this!
Congrats on all those medals! I love the idea to hang them all up so you can be proud of them everyday.
This makes me want to get one as motivation to get a medal to put on it.
That is a serious collection you have! As it stands, I have one lone medal from my 1st half-marathon that I tacked to my wall with a pin. It is a great idea to have them on display though. Hopefully I will have a similar collection one day!
Wow! Thanks for posting the link to this site. Your medals look amazing and I definitely want to build up a big enough medal collection to have a display like yours. Talk about constant motivation hanging on your walls. Awesome!
What a great gift idea….. for friends and ME.
I’ll have to put one of those on my wish list. Right now my medals are in a closet in the attic….kind of sad. Although last year I started hanging my new medals for that year on our Christmas tree as ornaments!
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