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Finisher’s Medal Day on the first Sunday in March recognizes the long hours, days, weeks and even months of training thousands of men and women across the country have put in to achieve their goals of completing a race.

Every year, cities around the United States and the world hold half and full marathons, triathlons, and other endurance races. Most of the competitors are everyday working people who train before or after work, after caring for their families and keeping their other commitments. They remain on a schedule despite rain, snow, wind and sometimes injury.

Some have been athletes all their lives. Others are just starting out and want to see if they can do it. Many are amputees and are regaining some of what was taken from them. There are those who train as a team and those for whom this challenge is a one person mission.

Finisher’s Medal Day recognizes each of them who crosses the line. Whether they cross it once or many times, earning that medal is a lifetime achievement.

Marathon History
In 490 B.C., the Greek soldier Pheidippides was sent from the battlefield near Marathon, Greece to Athens to tell of the victory over the Persians. The distance was approximately 25 miles, and he ran the entire way. Once he arrived and delivered the message, the not quite fit soldier collapsed and died. Pheidippides earned a Finisher’s Medal.

His feat was revived over the years, and initially, the marathon race was 25 miles long. In 1896, the Olympics in Greece set the distance at 40 kilometers. There were varying distances along the way, always somewhere near but usually 25 miles. In 1904, for example, the Boston Marathon measured 25 miles. Michael Spring won the race in two hours thirty-eight minutes four and two fifth seconds. He earned his Finisher’s Medal.

At the 1908 London Olympics, the story goes that the route for the start and finish of the marathon was designed to pass beneath the royal nursery so the princess’s children could watch and the Queen and princess could participate in the ceremony of it all. This adjustment brought the distance to 26.2 miles. Everyone earned a Finisher’s Medal that day. The official distance for the Olympic marathon became 26.2 miles in 1921.

K.V. Switzer ran the Boston marathon in 1967 and completed the race in four hours forty-four minutes thirty-one seconds. Not an impressive pace, but Switzer finished. An official also tried to remove Switzer from the run. Why? Because Switzer was a woman and at the time the Boston marathon was still a men’s only race. However, she was allowed to complete the race and crossed the finish line. Kathrine Switzer earned her Finisher’s Medal.

Support all those you know who are striving to cross the finish line. Frequently a finish line means more than a single goal and getting there accomplishes more than just earning that medal.  It’s a long, challenging road to the finish line. What does it mean to you? Tell us your Finisher’s Medal Day story.

Use #FinishersMedalDay to share on social media.


The Little Rock Marathon founded Finisher’s Medal Day to celebrate endurance athletes and their competitive spirit.  They encourage all finishers, whether you are a runner or a walker, to celebrate Finisher’s Medal Day, too!

2018 marathon title b no logo
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The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed Finisher’s Medal Day to be observed annually on the first Sunday in March in 2018.

The Little Rock Marathon #LRMarathon began in 2003 and offers races for all ages and distances from the 5K (3.1 miles) distance to the marathon (26.2 miles) distance.



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