(June 10, 2004) — The Run For Hospice 5K is boosting its potential cash payout to $11,000 and, for the first time, setting aside $3,000 of it for American citizens to win.
The Oct. 16 road race is believed to be the first nonchampionship USA Track and Field-sanctioned 5K to offer American-only money.
”The last couple years it’s become quite foreign-heavy. I’m trying to be fair to American runners,” said race director Pete VanPeursem. “We’re not going to do away with the open money, just add some incentive for more good Americans to compete.”
The additional cash is being donated by the law firm of Moran and Kufta of Rochester.
VanPeursem said he would allow “double-dipping,” what many race directors call winning more than one prize, for Americans if they also finish in the money in the open race.
The open money will pay out to five places for men and women: $600, $400, $250, $150, $100. The American money will be $500, $300, $200, $150, $100, $70, $60, $50, $40, $30. An additional $2,500 is being offered to the top masters (40 and older) runners, and $500 for race records broken in both the open and masters divisions.
The top wheelchair division winner will receive $100, and $100 will go to the first Americans at the mile and two-mile marks. The cash is being provided by VanPeursem and 10 sponsors — Moran and Kufta, Doyle Chevrolet Subaru, Westside Tax Service, Eastern Electric Surplus, Suburban Disposal, CIT Network Solutions, Westside Chiropractic, Monroe Ambulance, High Falls Brewing and Sam’s Club.
”This is a great chance for a good runner to come in and make some decent money,” VanPeursem said. “I hope this will be attractive to them. I don’t want this race to become a Boilermaker.”
Since 1992 the Utica Boilermaker 15K has grown to attract more than three dozen top international runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Morocco, Russia and elsewhere.
It distributed $37,100 in prize money ($5,000 to the men’s and women’s winners) last year, when 8,829 finished the race. Every dollar went to international runners, who swept the first 21 places. Cash prizes go 10 deep. Boilermaker also budgets more than $25,000 for expenses and appearance fees.
The Run For Hospice 5K had 811 finishers in 2003 and paid out $1,500 to five places for men and women. The first five men were from Morocco or Kenya. VanPeursem said he would continue to cover lodging expenses to selected, out-of-town elite runners but will no longer waive entry fees for anyone, international or American.
”Twin Cities (the Twin Cities Marathon) has had an Americans-only purse for a long time,” said David Monti, elite athlete coordinator for the New York City Marathon and editor/publisher of the Race Results Weekly newsletter. “They’ve always been the standard. But they’ve not offered open money, until now. Other than that one, I can’t think of another nonchampionship race with American-only money.”
Two weeks ago Twin Cities announced that it was adding an open purse, in part because of complaints of discrimination from officials in Minneapolis and St. Paul city governments.
”It’s wonderful that you’re able to do it in Rochester,” Monti said. “The double purse is the right way to go. It’s a great incentive for regional and national runners to go up against the international elites. It can only improve their performances.”
VanPeursem said the cash prize increase will have no effect on the money raised for Visiting Nurse Hospice of Rochester.
Entry fees range from $17 to $22. Those who raise $60 or more for the charity enter free.
Last year the event raised $32,000. In its eight years more than $127,000 has been turned over to the charity.
VanPeursem selected Visiting Nurse Hospice when he founded the Greece race in 1996 because he was grateful his late mother had received excellent, extended care from the agency.
JCASTOR@DemocratandChronicle.com
