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Lead Stories: Monday, September 8, 2008

Boston Marathon Boosts Prize Money for 2008

Posted April 15th, 2008 at 4:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Winning the Boston Marathon just got 50% sweeter.

At next Monday’s 112th running of America’s oldest marathon, the male and female winners will receive $150,000, a hefty boost over last year’s $100,000 payment. Thanks to the sponsorship of John Hancock Financial, the Boston champions will now receive the largest prize money check of the five commercial events of the World Marathon Majors.
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2006 Las Vegas Marathon Champions are Finally Paid

Posted November 25th, 2007 at 1:47 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Nearly one year after winning their respective divisions at the 2006 New Las Vegas Marathon, Kenyans Jemima Jelagat and Joseph Kahugu received their prize money checks yesterday.

“Jemima’s [check] was dated 11/21 and came via FedEx,” wrote Jelagat’s agent Shawn Hellebuyck on Nov. 24, in an e-mail message to Race Results Weekly. Jelegat was due $15,000 for winning the women’s division.

Derek Froude of Posso International Promotions, the management firm which represents Kahugu, confirmed on the same day that a check had been received at his office for his client. Kahugu was due a total of $65,000, including a special $50,000 bonus for winning a battle-of-the-sexes bonus in which the women were given a headstart over the men.

“Yes indeed!” wrote Posso in an e-mail message when asked if the payment had arrived.

Race Results Weekly had reported on Nov. 20, that neither athlete had been paid. Larry Barthlow, a consultant for Devine Sports, the organizer of the event, told RRW via e-mail that the payments would be sent by the end of last week, which was in fact the case.
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USATF study reveals
charity fundraising by runners, walkers surges
to over $714 million

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 2:45 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Columns, SPOTLIGHT

Marking a trend of continued growth, road runners and walkers raised $714 million for charity in 2006, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced Monday. The figure marks a nearly 9 percent increase over 2005 and shows continued, steady increases since USATF began its annual charity survey in 2002.

The Nike Women’s Marathon and Half-Marathon was named the 2006 USATF Charitable Race of the Year, while the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its GREAT STRIDES program was honored as 2006 Charitable Organization of the Year.

Conducted internally by USATF, the national governing body of track and field, long-distance running and race walking, the study revealed that more than $714 million was raised for charitable causes by runners in 2006.

USATF gathered data from national charitable race series/organizations and a sample of nearly 200 running/walking races, including many of the country’s largest races.

“The continued growth of charity fundraising in the current economic climate shows the dedication of charity runners and walkers to their cause, as well as the strength of road running in this country,” said USATF CEO Craig A. Masback.
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Interview Excerpts: Mary Wittenberg and Glenn Latimer discuss the Olympic Trials

Posted October 15th, 2007 at 1:50 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews

Last week, the New York Road Runners hosted the first of a three part series of teleconferences about the about the November 2 U.S. Olympic Men’s Marathon trials in New York City.

In the first installment, the media had the opportunity to speak with NYRR CEO and President Mary Wittenberg and USATF Men’s Long Distance Running Chair Glenn Latimer. The following excerpts feature May and Glenn’s thoughts on a few of the keys topics:

On the Central Park course:

Mary: This is a rolling course, and this is a course that we expect to be full of spectators. The ability to find the right balance of restraint in the early laps to run strong at the end, coupled with being out there hard and fast enough to beat this field, is going to be the hard dynamic. It is a fine line the athletes are going to have to run. Those two elements are what makes the course unique. It rolls the whole way, and I think on those last two laps, they’re going to feel that.

On this course and how it prepares athletes for Beijing:

Glenn: The reason we chose New York is the timing of the event, to allow the guys to fully prepare, and that it’s a testing course. If the guys are to race flat out, in my opinion it’s a 2:09, 2:10 course. I think the race will be won in 2:11, 2:12. What we didn’t want to do was go somewhere where it was hot and humid, where you beat up their bodies so that they then had to do that twice. What you do is you try to pick your best guys and then give them all the best support we’ve got.

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Podcast 83: DEAN KARNAZES on the ESPY, 24-hr record, and criticisms from Scott Jurek

Posted September 26th, 2007 at 6:17 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, Trail / Ultra

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years BR Sportswear is closing out their line of high -quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

Episode 83 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with “Ultramarathon Man” DEAN KARNAZES: the recipient of the 2007 ESPY for “Best Outdoor Athlete”.

In the interview Dean talks about the ESPY award, raising money for charity and his attempt to break the 24-hr. running record in Times Square, and the North Face Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont-Blanc.

Dean also responds to the critical comments made by Scott Jurek in a recent Endurance Planet interview. Jurek’s comments included: “I’m not winning races and performing, I shouldn’t be gracing the cover of magazines, getting a title, or even being okay with accepting a title such as Outside Magazine’s “America’s Best Outdoor Athlete”. I would feel ashamed to have that title.”

Download the podcast to hear Dean discusses these topics, as well as his continued to efforts to inspire others and hopefully increase exposure and available sponsorship money for trail and ultra running, the conflict between his desire to train/compete and a multitude of marketing and promotional obligations.

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Dean Karnazes
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File Size: 12.5 MB | Length: 18:13 MIN

Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!

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Video: Athletics stars mint medals, gold

Posted August 31st, 2007 at 11:06 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

World athletic success can mean tremendous international attention and sometimes millions in endorsements. Success in athletics brings global attention and possibly millions in endorsements, with two stars in the lights at the track and field championships in Osaka.

Check out the following video report by Reuters featuring American 100m/200m and 4×100m relay gold medalist Tyson Gay and Chinese hurdling champion Liu Xiang:

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Four alive in $1 million Golden League Jackpot chase

Posted July 9th, 2007 at 10:15 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Following their victories in Paris on Friday night, four athletes remained alive in the chase for the $1 million IAAF Golden League Jackpot.

Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, Americans Sanya Richards (400m) and Michelle Perry (100m hurdles) and javelin thrower Tero Pitkamaki of Finland are still in the hunt for a share of the $1 million prize pot, with continues on Friday night at the Golden Gala Kinder+Sport meeting in Rome.
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