Slowest You Have Seen Win Money

2009 Detroit Half Marathon:

Winner won $1500 with a 1:13:xx (2nd won $1000 in 1:14:55, 3rd won $500 in 1:15:51).

Masters Male winner (same race) won $500 with a 1:22:01 (2nd & 3rd paid around $250 and $100 for 1:22:xx's).

Female masters winner won $500 with a 1:29:23 (2nd & 3rd were 1:31:xx and 1:32:xx).

Open Women: 2nd place ($1000) in 1:26:28, 3rd ($500) in 1:27:03.

Low-hanging fruit is gone now... 2010 times were more competitive.

not to change the topic, but a lot of these prize purses seem really small

for putting in probably around 20 hrs a week of training, not to mention the other things in life related to training (ie not getting drunk or going out and socializing, so you can get up and run at 530 am before work), shouldn't these races be paying a bit more? In my opinion, the winner of a marathon in any big city should make enough to not work for a year. A half victory should be worth at least 3 months of an average salary, and at least a year for a major half marathon.

1:14 half marathon for 5th place on a hilly course won $100 bucks

$300 for a half-marathon in 1:23. It was a first year race and very underpublicized that they had cash prizes. Next year it was won in around 1:10.

$200 for an 18:05 5k win. and the course was short at about 3 miles.

Mrs. Mzungu recently won $450 for a 29:40 8k - slow, but OK for a girl. Slower was the guy who ran 30:10 to win $450 in the mens race! Have seen ladies win money running over 1:30 in the half.

Bread Run Half-Marathon in Fabius, NY October 2009.

1:10 half-marathon: $2000 (Yes, two-thousand dollars!). 2nd place was about 1:13 and he won $1000. I wanted to hang myself. It was down the street. I skipped it because I assumed Kenyan mayhem.

I once won $25 for getting second or third in a 5k, in 18:20ish. More recently got $75 for a 16:02.

$120 for a 5:30 mile equivalent. It was a 1 kilo race uphill with about 30 guys in it, $60 for second and $40 for third. I guess second was like a 5:45 miler and 3rd a 6:00 guy.

won $500 for a 29:13 8k and yes I am a guy. Just jogged and out kicked the 2nd place guy.

Isn't there a website that lists races with prize money?

I used to have to turn down money a bunch back in the early 90's when races actually had prize money when i was in middle school running around 18 flat for 5k. Races don't give out money like they used to which is why times are slow after like the first 5 people of any local roadie

in 2001 I was 2nd female in a 5k road race & I got 2 plane tickets (got anywhere in continental U.S.) I want to say I ran a 19:40, give or take. 1st place took $500 (she had an option between money and plane tickets), if i remember correctly. This was a freak thing that happened.

in 2002 i had a 2nd place finish in 20:40 and got $75.

2 big cash prize races occurred in my city on the same day and apparently I opted for the right race!

A few years ago I won a Women's Only race in 19:40-something. NO $$, but the 1st place prize package was: a 6 month gym membership, $100 gift certificate to local running store, $500 in laser hair removal/3 skin tightening treatments at a local spa, & a coupon book. (This was before the economy tanked).

So, no, I'm not a fast runner, but somehow, whenever I tend to spontaneously race, usually without much training, I tend to end up in races that result in some awesome prizes.

I got injured this summer and had only run once in six weeks. I jumped in a little 5k in the morning and won it in 19:21 (no money)

Went to a 7k that evening and the winner got $100 bucks. I kept moving up as the race went on and ended up 2nd place in 26:40. I was only 21 seconds behind the winner who I may have caught if it was a 5 mile race. He ran 26:19 so a little over 6:00 pace to get the $100. All the AG winners got a mug that was good for a free beer at the local sports bar.

I won $50 at a 5K with a 17:40 run. It was a PR for me so I was happy with my time but surely did not expect to get paid. I was 7th overall and 5 of the guys in front of me were either college or HS runners that couldn't accept money so I ended up with the overall 2nd place.

I've also won a tiny inaugural 5k with a blazing 20:XX showing. No money but did win the donated first place prize.

I got a $50 gift card to a running store for being the overall winner of a 5k in 19:30. There was no entry fee for the race and we still got a lot of swag.

Went to a small town for a 5k and ran a 20:41 to win first overall and get a 50 dollar certificate for a running store. And yes I'm a guy. I used it for a pair of brooks running tights

It's funny how when I tell people I'm running a marathon, they always ask if I'm running Boston or New York, etc.. I could care less about the hoopla of those races. I finished 2nd in the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham(female) 2 years in a row and won $1000. I ran 2:56 both years. I was beat by an Ethiopian the 2nd year I ran. I guess that's not the slowest someone has posted. I'm really interested in learning more about the really slow races with prize money. It would be nice to go to a race and not have to worry about seeing Kenyans or Ethiopians on the starting line and winning by a landslide (and getting money). I'm curious about what the letsrun community considers a "slow kenyan". I don't recall (knowingly) ever beating one. I guess the money comes with the competition. I ran a 1:20:45 half about a month ago and won by almost 8 minutes but received no money (not even a gift certificate).

There is a Scottish festival in my town every year over Labor Day Weekend. Among other competitions, they hold a kilted mile on Saturday and Sunday. Winner gets $100. They hold it on a horse track and all runners are wearing kilts, so times are a little better than they sound, but I won the thing in 4:55 on Saturday one year and then came back and won the next day in like 4:40. I wouldn't be surprised if no one else broke 7 minutes. It felt like stealing.