Friday, April 16, 1999
Top marathoners fly right by
Best runners skip Cincinnati for payday in Pittsburgh
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
John Sence, Cincinnati's top marathon runner, will not run in the Flying Pig Marathon on May 9. Sence and most other top American male marathoners will run in the Pittsburgh Marathon on May 2.
Pittsburgh is the U.S. Championships and offers runners a chance to run the 2000 Olympic Trials course. It also offers more prize money.
The Trials course is the biggest factor. The Trials, for which Sence qualified, will be in May 2000.
But the money comes into play also.
“Most of the top marathoners make their living from running,” Sence said. “You can only run two or three a year, so they're going to go where the money is.”
Pittsburgh is offering $100,000 to the winner if he breaks the course record, $50,000 if he breaks the U.S. course record and $25,000 if he wins in a non-record time.
The Flying Pig, which offers $1,500 for winning, can't compete with that. Executive director Mike Boyland knows that.
“We're trying to build this race from the Cincinnati level outward,” he said. “Runner's World is here. People will hear about this race. But unless there's prize money, it's always going to be a competitive amateur race.”
The Flying Pig should be a successful first marathon. Entries were at 5,400 Thursday.
“We're not going to reach our 7,500 limit,” Boyland said. “We've got a couple hundred in hand. I think we'll get to 6,200, 6,400.”
With the elite runners staying away, it's tough to say who is likely to win.
No man with a time under two hours, 31 minutes, and no woman with a time under three hours has registered.
Sence said a name to watch is Henno Haava. Haava, a native of Estonia living in West Virginia, often runs local races.
“He runs a lot of marathons,” Sence said. “He may see this as one he can come in and win in the low 2:20s.”
Runners can register at www.cincymarathon.org
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