How Do You Commemorate an Athletic Achievement? [Giveaway!!]

I have never yet finished a race on my hands and knees but this necklace sure makes me want to try! Funny!

Part of being fitness oriented is setting goals. Everyone has them, whether it's to run to the next lamppost before walking or to qualify for Boston. To stay and finish the kickboxing class or to get your black belt before you're 5oth birthday. To learn how to swim or to swim around the world and get your own reality show. (That's the real American Dream! Screw chickens in pots, we want a home redecorated in the style of Product Placement and the Jillian stamp of approval on our well-toned tushies!) Whatever your goal, nothing beats the rush of accomplishment and pride you feel when cross that finish line, whatever it may be.

So what could be more awesome than finishing? Getting a finisher's medal to show the world that you finished! I jest. Sort of. While there is something to be said for just mentally congratulating yourself on a job well done, when you make a major accomplishment sometimes it's fun to commemorate that moment with a little physical token. Some people buy a new piece of gear (hot little Lululemon running skirt, SeaBreeze?). Others get a tattoo but I'm risk-averse and also not confident of my ability to pick a design that would age well (this fear bred of a horror incurred as a young child catching a glimpse of a fairy-on-shroom inked on a very geriatric breast). And while I do love those giant, flashy medals it's just not socially acceptable to wear them to, say, the office party or PTA meeting without looking like a braggart.

So I stick to jewelry. My thing used to be rings but I've started to run out of fingers - you can only wear so many before people start mistaking them for brass knuckles and sending you invites to MMA (mixed-martial arts) parties. (Had to throw that in there since I did, actually, today get invited to an official MMA press mixer. It's in New York so obviously I won't be attending but I was just flattered to be invited, especially since they thanked my blog for being such a big supporter of the MMA community. Apparently reading my blog before you e-mail me is overrated.) Moving onwards and upwards to the next available skin real estate, I've become attached to necklaces. Not to mention you can fit a whole lot more words on a necklace than you can a ring! Which came in handy when Sarah, GFE reader and owner of Tag! You're It! Designs, contacted me about her fitness-themed jewelry.


Did I have an athletic accomplishment I wanted to commemorate in stamped metal? Does the world need a Tiger Woods statue fashioned entirely out of condoms?? OF COURSE! (You'd better believe there's a picture in that above link. His belt buckle reads "Let's do it, Tiger.")



So what event did I pick to commemorate? Well it certainly wasn't the time I ran until I fainted (see, I skipped the crawling part - the necklace would have had to read "Run" "Walk" "Faint" "Idiot" and that's just not very inspirational). No, I picked my children's names! Anyone who thinks childbirth is not an athletic accomplishment in its own right hasn't seen the way I birth children. There was arm wrestling, lunges and 4 hours of speed walking, if you recall.

So Sarah made me a gorgeous necklace (full disclosure: it was free, thank you FTC) with all five of my kids' names on it - she even remembered to include my daughter who died! I adore it and wear it every day. And she'd like to give one of you a free necklace! To see the design I would pick for you and to get all the details on entering, click over to my giveaway page.

What athletic goals do you have? What achievement are you most proud of? How do you celebrate your victories? Update: Y'all have got to read the directions! To be entered into this contest you have to leave a comment here AND one on Sarah's giveaway page with the code GFE!

All pictures property of Tag! You're it! Designs

This post copyrighted by Charlotte Hilton Andersen for use only on The Great Fitness Experiment.