Marathons and long bikes at least require you to perform a major amount of training and focus.
Not everyone that starts at the line gets a medal because there are people that don't finish and they don't get their medal.
Once you start moralizing about only winners should get medals or trophies, then you have to start looking at arbitrary distinctions like men's and women's different divisions, age divisions, weight divisions, pro versus amateur, college versus high school.
Really the extension of logic is that only the champion of a given sport or event at the very highest level should get a trophy.
I think what rubs a lot of people about youth sports participation trophies, is that you're basically rewarding just showing up, well devaluing actual focus training preparation or genetic advantage of the better players.
Not everyone that starts at the line gets a medal because there are people that don't finish and they don't get their medal.
Once you start moralizing about only winners should get medals or trophies, then you have to start looking at arbitrary distinctions like men's and women's different divisions, age divisions, weight divisions, pro versus amateur, college versus high school.
Really the extension of logic is that only the champion of a given sport or event at the very highest level should get a trophy.
I think what rubs a lot of people about youth sports participation trophies, is that you're basically rewarding just showing up, well devaluing actual focus training preparation or genetic advantage of the better players.