The Medal That I Didn't Earn

This race was black flagged less than 30 minutes after it started. Lightening was reported north of the city and that was the direction we would be running. We were told to seek shelter and when we felt safe, to head toward the finish line to get our snacks and medal.

I've now had a couple of days now to process the black flagging of this race and have come to the following conclusion: 

This beautiful medal is merely a souvenir of a start line that I toed but a finish line that I did not cross due to the race being cancelled. 

I’ve read on various Facebook pages (that of both groups and individuals) where ladies have gone out and run 13.1 later in the day or the next day and will count the medal toward that run. Others said the medal is a representation of all the training miles they put in leading up to the race. I’m not saying any of those opinions (or options) are right or wrong but they don’t work for me. I don’t get medals for putting in training miles…I just don’t. And I’m not personally a big fan of “virtual” races (I’ve done a few but they aren’t my thing) so I can’t accept the medal as part of those types of miles either. This medal can only represent one ACTUAL thing - The Indy Women's Half Marathon. 

I was a 5 year (Legacy) participant and we were all given a special medal where the ribbon and the medal itself had all five years on it. 

This also would have been my 80^th lifetime half marathon.

Yes, I will hang her with all of the other medals that I have earned but she will hang there with an asterisk.