A look inside...
For the fifth time, the Happy Half Marathon will feature handmade medals thanks to Doug Frates Glass. Last Thursday, I had the privilege of visiting Doug Frates and team to get an inside look at the 2017 edition of these beautiful medals.
As Doug explained to me, each medal is made from glass that is heated up to about 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then rolled on a table into a cylindrical shape, dipped into it's color before it goes back into the fire. After some time back in the oven, it is cut, scorched, and stamped before going into the cooling process. Seeing the team of three work in swift, cyclical, motions around the table was really neat to watch (which many of you did on our Facebook Live that afternoon).
The Doug Frates Glass medals have been a staple of the Happy Half since the inception of the race. It has always been a favorite amenity of all of our runners. We are extremely excited to be working with Doug again and excited for everyone to see the final product of all of their team's hard work.
If you are unfamiliar with Doug Frates Glass, I highly recommend checking out all of his work by heading to their website. Due to their growth, they are making the move to a new shop on 402 East High Street in Springfield, Ohio.
I cannot thank the people at Doug Frates enough for allowing me to come out and snap some pictures and videos. Personally, it was interesting and inspiring to see their hard work up close and personal. It is always a great experience to see people so passionate about the work that they are doing. The entire Happy Half team would like to thank Doug Frates Glass for their awesome work and we are honored to have their art be part of the Happy Half again in 2017!
Stay tuned for more videos to come!
