In March, I won a 5 mile race where the award was $500 and a bobblehead made in my likeness. While I wouldn’t personally purchase a bobblehead, the thought of winning a “Jen Bobblehead” made me really excited. In fact, I had the stomach flu for 5 days the week of the race, with only a day to recover, and I decided to race at the last minute just to win that darn bobblehead (the cash was an attractive prize as well)!

After the race, I was told a photographer would be contacting me to set up a time to meet and take photos of me to be sent to the bobblehead makers. A month passed and I heard nothing so I contacted the race director. We emailed back and forth during the next month. Finally, I found out the photographer was dealing with a family emergency, but he would be able to meet me the next week.

The photo shoot was quick and took place in my back yard. The whole time I wondered what my bobblehead was going to look like – would a stranger be able to tell it was me? Would the artist be able to replicate my Oiselle singlet?

The Oiselle singlet is a detailed work of art! This is me racing the bobblehead race, at just a half mile in. I was already hurting and swinging my arms across my body. Thanks, stomach flu.

As the months rolled by, I tried to be patient, but every now and then I wondered when I would get my bobblehead. The answer came in the mail this past week, right when we returned home from our summer in Seattle.

The letter essentially said due to the family emergency in the photographer’s family and another family emergency in the race director’s family, the bobbleheads were NOT going to be made. Instead, the winners were going to be given $150, the budget for each bobblehead, as long as we agreed to it.

I was upset at first. Well, I’m still a little upset, but I understand family emergencies, and I understand the race director wanting to get our prizes to us and get planning his next race. Honestly, $150 is great and probably a better prize, but I really want the bobblehead! I’ve talked to my family about this bummer and everyone thinks I should just have one made if I want one so badly. The thing is, I don’t want to use my $150 to buy myself a bobblehead, I just wanted that unique race prize. If I have to get it made myself, it’s just not as special in my mind.

So, it looks like there won’t be a Jen Bobblehead afterall. I emailed the race director tonight and told him to go ahead and send me the $150. Big Bummer!

What would you have done about not receiving the bobblehead? What’s the most unique race prize you’ve ever won?