Partnership with the McKinney Games
Every runner knows the usual finish-line routine: shuffle over the timing mat, get a medal, a bottle of water, dried oats and maybe even a banana if the volunteers haven’t eaten them all. Nice, but hardly thrilling.
Now imagine crossing the line and being handed a sealed envelope that might contain anything from a fiver’s worth of credit to something genuinely life-changing.
Welcome to the McKinney Games Races, a full series of races ranging from a kids’ dash to 5K, 10K, 10 Mile, Half Marathon, 20 Mile, and the full Marathon; where every runner leaves with a prize and nobody has to pretend they’re in it just for the “PB friendly route”.
From Prize Draws to Start Lines
McKinney Competitions didn’t begin life as race organisers. Back in 2020 they were all about prize promotions. Their first big splash was a Belfast property giveaway that sold out faster than a Coldplay concert.
From there the company went full throttle: cars, cash, holidays, all sorts of big ticket competitions that made people refresh their emails like their lives depended on it.
Having mastered the art of suspense, McKinney decided to swap livestreamed draws for start lines, bringing that same “anything could happen” buzz to running.
The result? The McKinney Games, a full day of road races at the Eikon Centre near Lisburn with a menu that ranges from a kids’ dash to a full marathon.
Everyone’s has a Winning Chance
Here’s the twist that sets McKinney apart. Finish your race, the 5k, marathon, 20 miler, whatever and a volunteer hands you a mystery envelope. No podium required. No need to break the tape or even break ten-minute miles.
Inside could be McKinney Competitions credit, a voucher, or a prize worth anywhere between £25 and £5,000. Add it all up and the overall prize pot tops £100,000.
It’s basically a lottery ticket that comes with a medal and a decent endorphin rush.
I’ve done enough races to know the usual “reward” is a soggy piece of fruit and the polite clap of a volunteer who wants to go home. At McKinney, the back of the pack hero in a cotton t-shirt has the same chance of a jackpot prize as the lad in Vaporflys who thinks warm-downs are a personality trait. That alone is worth the entry fee.
And for the club runners eyeing a podium, don’t worry, the usual top-three cash prizes are still there if you fancy racing for glory as well as luck.
Why This Matters for Ordinary Runners
Let’s be honest: most of us will never see a podium. We’re middle-of-the-pack lifers, forever chasing modest PBs and hoping the water station hasn’t run dry.
The McKinney format flips that script. It rewards simply turning up and putting one foot in front of the other. Run hard, run slow, walk it, your odds of a windfall stay the same.
It’s a small but glorious act of democracy in a sport that usually saves the good stuff for the front.
Race Day at the Eikon
The Games themselves are built for all comers. On Saturday the 4th of October, the Eikon Centre just outside of Lisburn becomes running HQ with distances for every ambition: 5k, 10k, 10 Mile, Half, 20 Miler, full Marathon, even a kids’ run.
The looped course around the Maze area and Down Royal Racecourse is as flat and runnable as you could wish for, with easy parking and proper facilities. It’s the kind of set-up that lets you focus on your pace or, more realistically, on the envelope you’ll be handed at the end.
Not Just a Gimmick
A prize draw at a race might sound like a gimmick dreamt up in a marketing meeting beside a Red Bull fridge, but it fits perfectly with what McKinney does best.
They know how to build suspense, they know how to keep people talking, and they’ve now grafted that energy onto a running event. The result is a race day that doesn’t feel like a sterile time trial and more like a community celebration with a built-in raffle.
My Plan? Run, Collect, Hope for a Foot Spa
I’m heading for the 20-Miler as part of my Dublin Marathon build-up. I’ll run controlled miles, avoid doing anything stupid, and when I hit the finish line I’ll grab my envelope with the same excitement as a kid at Christmas.
Maybe it’s a £25 voucher, maybe it’s £500, maybe it’s a toaster (don’t quote me, but I’m still holding out for the toaster). Whatever’s inside, it beats another banana.
If you fancy a race where luck counts as much as leg speed, the McKinney Games is for you.
Flat route, decent price tag, and a prize fund that would make a bookmaker blush, it’s as close as running for us mere mortals gets to a guaranteed win.
Enter here
Follow McKinney Games on Facebook and Instagram for updates and prize teases.