Do Pineapples make the best prizes?
Pineapples have been a feature of some of the races that I help organise in Edinburgh.People often ask ,”Why on earth do you give Pineapples as prizes?” Well there is a short story as to why. Read on.
Our small Sri Chinmoy club has been organising races in Edinburgh at Silvernowes and the Meadows for many years. Silvernowes Esplanade, by the Firth of Forth, is a flat riverside route, used by local runners of all abilities. Local club runners have always supported our races well, regarding them as well organised and with an atmosphere to help everyone try and run fast times.
Dealing with unforeseen circumstances.
All runners know, that for many reasons, a race may not go exactly to plan. The same is true sometimes for race organisers. Around 15 years ago, we had a 5k race set up at Silverknowes. Planning was all going well, but, long story short, come race day, medals for all finishers had arrived, but due to those little gremlins called unforeseen circumstances, the race trophies had not.
Rather than have an embarrassingly empty presentation table, I was dispatched to a local emporium to source something. I was thinking of chocolates, as runners often do. Then, I found myself in the fruit aisle, staring at watermelons and pineapples. I chose pineapples!
Later that evening, when I nervously explained the situation to the assembled runners at the prize-giving and revealed a table full of pineapples, there was applause and laughter at how the negative had been turned into a positive. The following year, we decided to give pineapples and trophies. It went down very well.
NO PINEAPPLES!
However, the year after, we decided to give only trophies.
The reaction from the runners was a collective, “Hey! Where are the pineapples?” We were never going to win that discussion, for after all, we organise races for the runners, not ourselves. Pineapples have been a staple feature of our 5km race at Silverknowes in Edinburg, and our 3 x 1 mile relays in the Meadows ever since. It is fair to say, that pineapples do bring a smile to everyone. They even inspire artistic creations.
Our 2022 5K Women’s winner, Annabel Simpson, used her pineapple as the centrepiece of a pineapple selfie.
John Coyle of Garscube Harriers recently sent us this wee note after earning his first pineapple at age 50 something.
” I Just wanted to drop you a line Adrian, to say thank you for all the efforts you have made over the years to so many people’s athletics journey. My own journey started in 1981 at a Sri Chinmoy 2-mile fun run in central Glasgow, aged 8. I still have the certificate! It then meandered through school athletics and university, with regular Sri Chimnoy races on Glasgow Green and the Meadows. A five-year period in Edinburgh saw me as a regular shopper in the Run and Become running shop near Haymarket. There followed some 25 years away from the sport following a career in London. I came back to the sport just over five years ago, culminating in my first pineapple on Friday night, again courtesy of you and Sri Chinmoy. Through it all, you have been in the background. With heartfelt thanks, John.”
You can read a report of the 2024 Sri Chinmoy 5km race ,inc the Scottish Athletics 5km road championships HERE
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Adrian Tarit Stott.
The author is a former GB 24 hour ultra international with over 100 ultra race completions. He has also been involved organising ultra distance races for over 30 years. Still an active recreational runner, he is currently a member of UKA’s Ultra Running Advisory Group (URAG) and part of the selection and team management for both Scottish and GB ultra teams.He is also a freelance writer in his spare time, contributing articles and reports to several websites and magazines including Athletics Weekly and Irunfar.
