We have had the privilege of creating the Serenbe Spring and Fall Trail Race medals since the Spring of 2018. We just wrapped up the Spring 2019 Trail Race this past weekend. As we do with every order, we put our hearts and souls into the work we do. This particular job takes 49 hours to complete a total of 500 live edge laser engraved wooden medals and 98 awards. Admittedly, we do get crabby doing this job at times throughout the labor intensive process involved to get it done. Each medal has a 3 minute run time on the laser engraver. We place each wooden medal, one at a time, into the laser engraver.
We use a Festool Rotex electric powered sander to sand the fronts and backs of each of the 500 medals to make them smooth and to remove any burn on the wood from the engraving. We use Krylon Clear Finish to protect the medals should it rain on race day!
We then cut 500 pieces of leather rope and hand string each of the medals which is 9 hours of the 49 hours of labor on this job. The awards, which are larger than the medals and require a longer run time on the engraver, do not need strung with leather rope, but involve a change in the laser engraving set up for each and every award. All of this adds up to saying no to our friends and family to any plans, events or dinner invites for the two weeks leading up to the event.
It never seems to dawn on us until race day that this “job” is something the racers are striving to achieve. We think we work hard. Enter Elyse into the equation. She is 7 years old and placed 3rd in her first 5k race ever. Her Mom Abby quoted “she was determined for that not to happen again”. Elyse placed 1st in the Serenbe Spring Trail Race this past weekend. Seeing her on the podium in the 1st place spot gives us so much energy and happiness. Her determination is so inspiring and uplifting to us. Well done Elyse. Well done.
