Why would 4 Kenyans show up to a small race in Dallas?

In the Northeast, where many Kenyan and Ethiopian runners are based (in the Philadelphia area and in the Bronx, for example), this kind of thing is extremely common. They'll often find two races to do in a weekend, usually, as in the case you mention, for a few hundred bucks. There have been a couple of long articles written in the NYC area about them, and one generally gets the impression they came here figuring they'd be able to get something more.

Saw a news clip a few weeks back about the influx of Africans coming to train in Mexico at higher elevations.

Africans were collecting a large percentage of Mexican road race winnings, and race organizers were beginning to limit winnings for foreigners. Could be changes in Mexico's road race scene are driving foreign athletes into Texas?

"Kenyans" are not some kind of robots, just like the rest of us they come with different abilities and reasons, some come for $300,000, $300 and others just for the fun of running. So instead of whining, and complaining why not work a little harder and smarter in order to be competitive.

...and others just for the fun of running

Yeah...no, they don't. I'm trying to imagine an African with sub-29:00 10k ability paying $25 to get run a local race with no prize money. For fun. And I can't stop laughing.

This is the dumbest thing I've read on Let's Run, and that is saying a lot.

I'm trying to imagine an African with sub-29:00 10k ability paying $25 to get run a local race with no prize money. For fun. And I can't stop laughing.

This is the dumbest thing I've read on Let's Run, and that is saying a lot.

hahahahahaha

The fun of running???

HAHA seriously unbelievable.

This reminds me of a time when I was with a friend after a race and we were chatting with some of the Kenyans. One had finished out of the money, and my friend asked him if he "still had fun out there". No joke.

They come for the exact opposite reason, which is why they get into any race that they think they have a shot at a few hundred bucks.

The top guns go for the Peachtrees and the Boilermakers, while the rest look for smaller ones.

Yeah, I mean this is no value judgment, but they're here for the loot. Whether they can win a lot or a little, it's the loot, period.

which race?

McKinney Historic 5K?

No Kenyan women, however.

Am not sure where this thread is headed, but want to be clear that I was not passing judgment related to whether the Kenyans should or should not be racing in Texas. I'm of the mind that they should make money where they can if they have the talent to do so.

I was only pointing out one possibility as to why they might be looking for races in Texas at this time. When I read the article, I was actually appalled that Mexican race officials were excluding Africans from collecting prize money, and assumed that practice was not legal in the U.S., but maybe I'm wrong. Can race directors decide which nationalities are eligible for prize money in the U.S.?

Yes they can and they do often declare prize money being available to US citizens only.

Many races have two pools of prize money: an 'American only' pool and then an 'open' or 'international' pool. I think that's fine and actually good as it encourages Americans to compete in the same races as top internationals. Most USATF championship races will do this. Even if the prize for being top American is higher than the prize for being top overall, at least both get something.

One time I saw a small race with only a few hundred bucks on hand and it was declared that the money could only be won by US citizens, or foreign citizens who had a good reason for being in the US such as studying, working, etc. That to me seemed unfair. If you're going to have American-only money, either make your race a national championship or put it alongside open money so you encourage competition. But why have a local race restricted to Americans?

Limonada wrote:

I was actually appalled that Mexican race officials were excluding Africans from collecting prize money, and assumed that practice was not legal in the U.S., but maybe I'm wrong. Can race directors decide which nationalities are eligible for prize money in the U.S.?

U.S. orgamizers have been doing that for decades. It's the reason Kenyans started going to Mexico in the first place. Of course in the U.S. they are less blatant about it like making popular road races into US champs so only making money available to citizens. Then there is the doubling of money for US citzens. The thing is, they are not only doubling money for citizens but halving the money for forigners. Life is hard for a pimp or a Kenyan.

white chicks

Isn't $300 about 3 years income in Kenyan?

Tommy2Nutts wrote:

The fun of running???

. . .

They come for the exact opposite reason, which is why they get into any race that they think they have a shot at a few hundred bucks.

You think that Americans at that level are any less mercenary?

I've been amazed at how many American runners -- not just the top ones, but also 30-minute 10K runners and worse -- will decide on which races to run based on the prospect of winning a few hundred bucks or less.

If people are so concerned about discouraging runners who show up for the cash instead of the fun, then the obvious solution is to stop offering prize money, not to discriminate against runners from a country where the sport is respected and the competitors are really good.

Taper Jean Girl wrote:

We just had three women and one male Kenyans enter a race in the area that pays only $300 to the winner. Are times that bad? They list their times from 13:41 for the guy and between 15:21 to 15:55 for the women. Shees.

If you could get 300 bucks for doing your weekend work out wouldn't you. This happens in New Mexico all the time if there is a race with cash money prizes even small ones there will be a few Kenyans there just doing a work out and colecting some money. Also you would be surprised profesional runners dont make much money at all especially your average Kenyan that is still trying to make it big. Keep in mind a 13:41 may seem fast in america but in Kenya that is just a sweet JV highschool time. There are problably 20 kenyans that are faster than Rupp who cant get Nike to even talk to them because they are like 60 dudes faster than them in Kenya.

When I lived in ABQ I lost the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot to a kenyan.

First prize a turkey, I got the cornish hen.

Dallas isn't "just driving into Texas." It's ten hours from the Mexican border. Texas is a BIG state.

To the OP, if they've contacted your race requesting comp entries based on those "times", I strongly suggest that you offer instead to refund their entry fees if they run under a certain time - say 14:00 for the guy and 16:00 for the ladies. There are some great Kenyan runners here in the US, but there are an increasing number who are freeloaders and they are not adding to the sport. It's time for race directors to step up and hold them accountable when they lie about times,etc.