BAG THE BEST SWAG

The roar of the crowd, the thrill of the chase, the triumph of the finish ...

Oh, who are we kidding? Sometimes we're in it just for the swag.

Runners love T-shirts, jackets, hats, medals, and pretty much anything else with a race logo they can show off. And race organizers love swag too; it not only attracts runners to their races but gives the events some good, cheap advertising. It seems every year races up the ante on the best giveaways to make their events stand out.

From the coolest medals to the most unique swag (harmonicas, anyone?), these races get creative so you can feel pampered and earn some souvenirs to be proud of.

MISSISSIPPI BLUES MARATHON

You won't be singing the blues over this swag

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Some places are country. Some places are more rock 'n' roll. But Mississippi is the blues.

That's exactly what race director John Noblin thought when he helped start the Mississippi Blues Marathon. Other cities like Nashville were capitalizing on their musical histories with destination marathons, so why not Jackson?

LOCATION: Jackson, Mississippi

DATE: early January

DISTANCE: marathon, half marathon, marathon relay (five runners)

FIELD SIZE: 3,000

WEBSITE: www.msbluesmarathon.com

RACE HIGHLIGHTS: unique swag like harmonicas and blues CDs; scenic and historic course through Jackson

The blues was born in the Mississippi Delta's fields and, later, its juke joints, thanks to artists such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. The Mississippi Blues Trail celebrates this heritage with more than 150 historical markers throughout the state, including a dozen in Jackson.

A couple of the markers, and some blues venues, are on the marathon route, along with the state's original Capitol, three universities, and several historic neighborhoods.

"We thought, If a person comes to Jackson for only one day, what would you want them to see?" Noblin said. "The route takes in just about every historic point in Jackson."

The Mississippi Blues Marathon was first run in 2008 and from the start has had only one sponsor, BlueCross BlueShield of Mississippi. By 2013, 3,000 racers competed in the full, half, or relay marathon distances, and the race was recognized as one of the best deals for your money.

This race is blues through and through, from the bands playing at the expo to the beneficiary of the money raised — the Mississippi Blues Commission's Musician Benevolent Fund, which helps established blues musicians during times of need.

And, of course, there's the bluesy swag.

Each participant receives a CD of blues songs from Broke and Hungry Records and a commemorative harmonica made by Hohner. The finisher's medal is different each year — in 2013 it was a rocking, glittery guitar with a pick attached.

"I think there's a feeling that a lot of races are getting more and more expensive," Noblin said. "Our race packet value, what folks take away from our race, is a large percentage of what they give to put in it."

GASPARILLA DISTANCE CLASSIC

Two days. Four races. More than 30 miles. No problem.

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You're going to need an entire medal rack just to show off the bounty you earn at the Michelob Ultra Challenge at the Gasparilla Distance Classic.

Taking on the challenge means competing in all four of this racing festival's distances — the 15K and 5K on Saturday, with a half marathon followed by an 8K on Sunday.

Challenge racers get the T-shirts and other goodies for each distance, plus the four finisher's medals. The ultimate reward, though, is the giant challenge finisher's medal and embroidered finisher's jacket at the end of the fourth race.

LOCATION: Tampa, Florida

DATE: late February

DISTANCE: half marathon, 15K, 8K, 5K

FIELD SIZE: 28,000 (1,100 in the challenge)

WEBSITE: www.tampabayrun.com

RACE HIGHLIGHTS: run multiple races to earn a treasure trove of medals; earn an embroidered finisher's jacket and challenge medal for the full four-race challenge

Put that all together, and you can see why the pirate-themed festival's motto is, "It's all about the booty."

"We try to make sure our runners walk away with something special," said Susan Harmeling, executive director of the Gasparilla Distance Classic Association. "They earned the medal they wear around their neck."

The challenge started somewhat by accident. The association used to host two race weekends in Tampa: a marathon and half marathon in December, and the 15K/5K in February. The weather was proving too hot for the marathon weekend, so organizers combined the racing events into one weekend in cooler February.

There was an immediate uproar from runners who were used to doing both events, Harmeling said.

"We thought, Okay, we'll create an opportunity for you to do all of them," she said. "And they did."

For those not quite ready to do the full Michelob Ultra Challenge, the Gasparilla offers shorter race combinations: the Beck's Light Challenge, which includes the half, 15K, and 5K; and the Select 55 Mini Challenge, which includes the 15K on Saturday and 8K on Sunday. You'll still get extra swag — and extra bragging rights — over the rest of the pack.

The popularity has only grown since the challenges' first running in 2004. About 1,100 of the 28,000 racers in the festival now compete in the Michelob Ultra or one of the shorter challenges.

"There are some crazy runners out there," Harmeling said. "The hardest challenge you can throw at them is the one they want to do."

FLYING PIG MARATHON

Make it to the finish swine

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Many races have themes, but the Flying Pig Marathon takes it to the extreme.

The Flying Pig — whose name is a nod to Cincinnati's meatpacking history-has "grunts" for volunteers. The most spirited aid stations compete in a "Ham It Up" contest. Along the course, runners can refuel with "Pig Newtons," and at the end they cross the "Finish Swine."

LOCATION: Cincinnati, Ohio

DATE: early May

DISTANCE: marathon, half marathon, marathon relay (four runners), 10K, 5K

FIELD SIZE: 30,000

WEBSITE: www.flyingpigmarathon.com

RACE HIGHLIGHTS: fun pig theme and medal; beginner-friendly marathon

I could go on; the pig puns are never ending. They are also marketing gold, apparently.

"The brandability of the pig has...