5 Race Mug Criteria

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

When it comes to mugs, I have my standards. I’m trying to collect a mug from every state, in addition to running a race in ever state. Actually, I collect mugs from almost every where I travel — I have one from Montreal, from Paris, from Prague, from Dresden. I’ve missed a few countries and a few states, but considering the size of my kitchen, maybe that’s a good thing.

It all started with a trip to NYC and a hotel room with no mugs. No flimsy paper cups for me, thank you very much. Since then I’ve acquired a travel tea mug, but on that trip I bought myself a mug. And an obsession was born.

Mug from Austin, minus the handle (thanks, Simba!)

The mugs are put to good use, too; I drink multiple cups of tea a day, all year long. Hot day? I’ll use the mug from Paris (the trip was a cool & foggy). Bitterly cold day? I’ll use the mug from Austin, which was actually bought long before I raced there and my cat Simba decided I didn’t really need that handle. Hard run? I’ll use the mug from MA — if I’d bought a mug when I did ZOOMA Annapolis, I might have been tempted to use that, but the trip was too short and I didn’t have enough time to find a mug I truly loved.

Yes, I love symbolism and visualization.

It’s free Friday this week’s Friday Five  from Cynthia from You Signed Up for What?, Courtney from Eat Pray Run DC, and Mar from Mar on the Run — I think I can safely say I’ll be the only blogger writing about mugs.

I must love the design
No kitschy mugs for me — I must truly love the design.

Small in size
This one is often tough, as mugs are as oversized as everything else in the US these days. I find that hot liquids cool off quicker in large mugs.

Microwave and dishwasher safe
I have not yet bought a mug that couldn’t go in the microwave or dishwasher. I’m not going to wash my mugs by hand every day. I don’t often put my mugs in the microwave, so I suppose that really shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but I do make my mug cakes (been a while, though) in the microwave sometimes.

Made in the US

MA Mug made in — wait for it — Hopkinton (start of Boston Marathon, my Hearbreak Hill Half)



This is also not so easy to find these days. I don’t think I’ve bought any mugs made in China.

VT Mug, reminder of fighting hard for my latest half PR

Preferably made in the state I’m in
This one is really tough, and if I really like the mug, I’ve been known to bend the rule.

My mugs are a reminder of my races.

Do you collect something, besides tees & medals, that reminds you of your races?

Or if you just collect something, what is it?

28 thoughts on “5 Race Mug Criteria”

    1. That’s a good requirement! I actually bought one in Seattle that was made for one handed holding, but ultimately it was too darn big & I gave it to my mom, who likes larger mugs.

      Finding the smaller ones is a real challenge!

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  5. You know it’s odd but I believe your right, smaller mugs keep contents warmer. I keep saying now that I’m a coffee drinker I would buy me a mug when we went on trips. Then I jump ahead and think of all the trips an where would I store all of them? For not though I have been buying different coffee from different places.

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  6. I knew I wanted the Starbucks mug at Disneyland the second I saw it. They also had the Christmas ornament version, but I knew I wanted the full mug. It was absolutely a “want it!” moment.

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  9. I have so many mugs that I have stopped collecting them. I have one from Paris as well. I never got one when I was in Boston. And after, I regretted it. So I got one made with my bib screened on the mug and I use it all the time. Great memories.

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  10. I collect Starbucks mugs – I have Moscow, NY, Florida & California. I forgot to buy Pa & NJ and they don’t make VT. In mid collecting, they changed the look so my Fla mug is a different series 😦

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  14. I used to buy mugs as souvenirs on vacations, but now we have too many — and that was before my son started making them in the ceramics studio. I sort of wish I collected Starbucks mugs, but always worried about them breaking or fitting in my already over-stuffed carry-on.

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