Icebreaker Marathon & Half Marathon for Medals 4 Mettle Long Island

Sunday long run? How about a Sunday REALLY long run?!
Join us in our January tradition of running in Eisenhower Park with some congenial company! This is a no-frills race, so there will be no giveaway shirt - but it is a nice chip-timed and scored event - and a BOSTON QUALIFIER - so put on your snappiest trainers and find your stride!
PLEASE NOTE: You will earn a finisher's medal, but you will not receive it! READ ON TO FIND OUT WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS, and get filled with warm and fuzzy feelings!
 
NEW THIS YEAR - GLIRC Feels it's really important to embrace the spirit of our nonprofit nature, and this race should absolutely serve a cause. This year, we are choosing to serve Medals 4 Mettle Long Island.
Medals 4 Mettle is a national 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that urges all of us to run for those who can't. Long Island has a chapter headed by Robin Blosser. Robin is thrilled that we have chosen to highlight her hard work!
 
Here's what Medals 4 Mettle does
Any medal from 13.1, 26.2, and up can be donated to the organization. They repurpose these medals with ribbons of their own, and the medals are presented to critically ill children and adults who are true heroes and deserve a medal for what they have gone through! A child in hospice for cancer right here on Long Island has the opportuity to receive your medal! Here's the caveat: medals must be EARNED. When our organization has leftover medals from races it would seem great to just toss them Robin's way. It doesn't quite work like that. The reason that the organization takes only earned medals is so that there is meaning, grit, work, and if we are being honest, a bit of suffering behind them! Unearned medals just don't have the same flavor. 
 
But, what do I get? That is, besides warm and fuzzy feelings?
Great question! You DO get warm and fuzzy feelings. And we know this may be the first time some of you will ever run a half or a full. We hear you. For this reason, you will also get the opportunity to pose with one of our finisher's medals for a photo before leaving the race site, so you DO get to touch one and wear it, even if you don't get to keep it! We will be giving out either finisher's magnets or stickers in the replica of your medal, and you can slap that onto your car or wherever you want everyone to see what you've accomplished and someone you've helped.
You ALSO will have the opportunity to purchase a finisher's shirt this year! We will have these as part of the store and we will keep the store open for 2 weeks after the event has ended for anyone who wishes to purchase a shirt and does not want to "jinx" it by purchasing it ahead of time! It will be truly beautiful, and it will show everyone exactly what you've done! 
 
Okay, but how do I know who gets my medal? 
After the race is over, Matt from Stride Awards has sponsored our event by donating EVERY single earned medal that will go to someone who is suffering right here in our community. Robin hasn't worked out all of the details with us yet, but we know her and love her spirit, and we will absolutely be inviting all of you to take part in any ceremony in which our medals are being presented. 
By running this race and automatically donating your medal to another human who really needs it, you are doing an amazing thing! Thank you for choosing a sacrifice like this and running for those who cannot.
 
What if I choose the virtual run?
After the virtual race period is over, we will see how many photo uploads or emails we get of proof of finish. There will be NO cutoff time, but the activity has to be finished in one go - you cannot complete 13.1 or 26.2 over multiple days, or two runs on the same day. You can keep your watch going and take a break, but it must be one activity. We cannot donate medals for those we do not have proof of finish. A screenshot of your Strava or of your watch's activity will do just fine. If you don't finish? Well.. that means that part of your entry fee will go toward helping Medals 4 Mettle Long Island with their operational costs! This is just as important as donating your finisher medal!