On-site laser engraving
Marathon medal
engraving
We laser-engrave each runner's name and official finish time directly onto their finisher medal — on-site, at your event, in minutes. No mailing it away, no waiting six weeks. Finish Line Engravers has personalized more than 100,000 medals at marathons, half marathons, 10Ks and 5Ks since 2013.
What medal engraving is
A medal that says who earned it
Every finisher at your race gets the same medal. Medal engraving is what makes each one belong to one person: their name and their official finish time, laser-engraved into the medal itself.
We pull the finish time by bib from your timing provider's results, so what lands on the medal matches the official record — the runner never has to remember it or type it in. They confirm the exact text on screen, watch the laser run, and walk away with it.
It happens at the finish festival, while the emotion is still there. That is the whole point: a keepsake finished at the moment it means the most, not one that arrives in the mail after the feeling has faded.
Two ways events run it
Runner-paid, or sponsored and free
Race-day engraving
Part of your finish festival. Runners pay on-site or pre-purchase engraving during registration, and we look them up by bib. A revenue-neutral amenity that consistently draws one of the longest happy lines at the event.
For race directorsBranded activations
A brand sponsors the engraving zone and it becomes free to every runner. The registration screen, the stations, and the zone carry the sponsor's identity — and every engraved medal keeps that association for life.
For brands & sponsorsEvents we engrave at
Marathons, halves, 10Ks, 5Ks — and brand activations
Finish Line Engravers works flagship marathon weekends, hometown 10Ks, charity races, and in-store brand activations. Big-event weekends are the design target, not the stretch goal — parallel stations, trained crew, and redundant equipment keep the line moving through the peak finish window.
- Marathon and half-marathon finisher medals
- 10K, 5K, and charity-race medals
- Brand-sponsored engraving zones at flagship stores and expos
- Multi-day race weekends with several events on one medal line
Common questions
Medal engraving, answered
What is medal engraving?
Medal engraving personalizes a finisher medal by laser-engraving the runner’s name and official finish time directly onto the medal. Finish Line Engravers does it on-site at the event, so runners walk away from the finish festival with a medal that already says who earned it and how fast.
How long does it take to engrave a medal?
Minutes. Runners hand over their medal, watch it being laser-engraved, and take it with them — there is no shipping and no waiting weeks for it to arrive in the mail. We run parallel stations so the line keeps moving through peak finish times.
How much does medal engraving cost?
It depends on which model the event uses. In a race-day activation, runners pay on-site or pre-purchase engraving during registration. In a brand-sponsored activation, engraving is completely free to the runner because the sponsoring brand covers it. Pricing scales with field size and station count — tell us about your event and we will send a concrete quote.
What gets engraved on the medal?
The runner’s name and their official finish time — the two things that turn a generic medal into proof of what that person did that day. Events can arrange additional custom text (a race slogan or charity line, for example) in advance.
How do you get the runner’s official finish time?
By bib number, from the event’s timing provider results. The runner does not have to remember or type their time, and what goes on the medal matches the official record. Runners confirm the exact text on a screen before the laser fires.
Do runners need to register in advance?
No. At a race-day activation, a runner can walk up with their medal and bib and we look them up on the spot. At a brand-sponsored activation, runners scan a QR code and register in seconds on their phone.
Can you engrave any finisher medal?
Most finisher medals engrave well, but the metal and finish matter — some plated or painted surfaces behave differently under the laser. We review a medal sample ahead of the event so there are no surprises on race day.
What is the difference between race-day engraving and a branded activation?
Race-day engraving is part of your finish festival: runners pay for it themselves and we pull names and times by bib. A branded activation is sponsored by a brand — the engraving zone carries their identity and it is free to every runner. Both use the same laser stations and the same trained crew.
Do you travel to events?
Yes. We serve events across the United States and Canada, and we arrive self-contained — equipment, staffing, signage, setup, and teardown — so the lift on your team stays minimal.
Are you insured?
Yes. Finish Line Engravers carries $2M in commercial liability insurance and has been engraving medals on-site since 2013 — more than 100,000 medals to date.
Our partners
Trusted by race directors
“Finish Line Engravers has been a valued partner of the University Hospitals Cleveland Marathon for years. The medal engraving experience is always a hit with our runners — it’s one of the first places many participants visit after crossing the finish line. Aaron, Kris, and the entire team are organized, professional, and consistently deliver a seamless experience. We can’t imagine race weekend without them.”
“The Finish Line Engravers team always shows up prepared and ready to welcome all runners. Our runners love the opportunity to personalize their accomplishment. The team communicates well ahead of time and we’ve had a long partnership with them. I would absolutely recommend Finish Line Engravers to any race director or brand.”
“Finish Line Engravers has been an incredible partner. Operationally, they couldn’t be easier to work with. Their setup is professional and enhances the overall race-day atmosphere. They are collaborative, responsive, and a pleasure to work with. I can’t recommend them highly enough.”
“Finish Line Engravers are extremely easy to work with — from registration integration to on-site activation. They help us celebrate our participants’ accomplishments and are low-maintenance partners. We highly recommend them!”
On the circuit — events & brands we've worked with
Add medal engraving to your event
Tell us the event, the field size, and how you want it funded — runner-paid or brand-sponsored — and we'll come back with a station plan and a footprint.