Richest Sub-4 Miler?

Haile Gebreselassie has run sub 4, and I'm guessing he's probably made the most because of his longevity and his marathon wins/world records. I'm only speculating, though.

Brian Maxwell, inventor of the PowerBar, 1980 Canadian Olympic Team marathoner, who sold his company to Nestle for $375 million was a very rich runner. I think he was around a 2:15 marathoneer, not sure of mile time. He passed away at age 51 a few years ago.

Phil Knight, with large holdings in Nike, is worth about $10 billion, but his mile time was above 4:00, but I think under 4:10.

I would guess that if we made a list of the ten people with the best combination of running achievement and wealth accumulation, these would be two of them, but I don't think either meet your original criteria.

i am.

i am a millionaire of the soul...

econversations wrote:

Who is the richest sub-4 miler?

Coe?

Someone under the radar?

Hypothetically, if someone ran sub-4 and was a billionaire, would that be a first?

In terms of sheer career and running related earnings, I would have to agree about Haile G (although obviously he's made most of his money in the marathon).

As for pure miler, you've gotta wonder how much $$ El G was getting from the royalty in his country for all of his accomplishments (especially the double Olympic gold). I'm thinking he was compensated quite nicely.

The First One has probably done quite nicely for himself, albeit not through running. A long career as a distinguished physician was probably pretty lucrative though I wouldn't imagine millions.

But think about how little Bannister made from his actual accomplishment (maybe nothing at all?), and how much someone today would make for such a feat.

Coe or Haile. They're both very very wealthy men.

Some Competition wrote:

Brian Maxwell, inventor of the PowerBar, 1980 Canadian Olympic Team marathoner, who sold his company to Nestle for $375 million was a very rich runner. I think he was around a 2:15 marathoneer, not sure of mile time. He passed away at age 51 a few years ago.

Phil Knight, with large holdings in Nike, is worth about $10 billion, but his mile time was above 4:00, but I think under 4:10.

I would guess that if we made a list of the ten people with the best combination of running achievement and wealth accumulation, these would be two of them, but I don't think either meet your original criteria.

Can you read??

SomeActualData wrote:

The First One has probably done quite nicely for himself, albeit not through running. A long career as a distinguished physician was probably pretty lucrative though I wouldn't imagine millions.

But think about how little Bannister made from his actual accomplishment (maybe nothing at all?), and how much someone today would make for such a feat.

Oh yeah, you're a guaranteed millionaire when you run 3:59.9.....

i am a millionaire of the soul...[/quote]

What's your interest rate on loans???

Jim Ryun was the first person who came to my mind, probably bring in $150-$200K as a congressman. Rich by my standards, but I doubt anywhere close to Haile or Coe.

latently homosexual teenager wrote:

SomeActualData wrote:

The First One has probably done quite nicely for himself, albeit not through running. A long career as a distinguished physician was probably pretty lucrative though I wouldn't imagine millions.

But think about how little Bannister made from his actual accomplishment (maybe nothing at all?), and how much someone today would make for such a feat.

Oh yeah, you're a guaranteed millionaire when you run 3:59.9.....

Think a bit before you use sarcasm. It is obvious that he is hypothesizing what it would be worth for a FIRST 4 minute mile to occur now instead of 1954.

SomeActualData wrote:

But think about how little Bannister made from his actual accomplishment (maybe nothing at all?),

I think Bannister's accomplishment has paid off quite well for him, just indirectly rather than directly.

There was a thread awhile back discussing what was more difficult/rare, running a sub 4 mile, being a billionaire, or climbing Everest. Running the sub 4 mile was deemed to be the most rare, then being a billionaire, then climbing Everest. I feel like the easiest way to get 2 of the 3 would be for a sub 4 guy to train for a few years and scale Everest. There is no way any billionaires are running sub 4. It would be plausible for a billionaire to be able to try climb Everest I feel.

As to the original question, its hard to tell. Do you really think Coe is worth that much??? I imagine with all of the Ivy league/Stanford guys running fast now a days one of them will wind up in banking or at a hedge fund and kill it.

Some Competition wrote:

Brian Maxwell, inventor of the PowerBar, 1980 Canadian Olympic Team marathoner, who sold his company to Nestle for $375 million was a very rich runner. I think he was around a 2:15 marathoneer, not sure of mile time. He passed away at age 51 a few years ago.

Phil Knight, with large holdings in Nike, is worth about $10 billion, but his mile time was above 4:00, but I think under 4:10.

I would guess that if we made a list of the ten people with the best combination of running achievement and wealth accumulation, these would be two of them, but I don't think either meet your original criteria.

According to his wikipedia page he ran 4:10 while at Oregon. But think about what a 4:10 mile was worth in 1959. The world record was 3:54.5.

SomeActualData wrote:

The First One has probably done quite nicely for himself, albeit not through running. A long career as a distinguished physician was probably pretty lucrative though I wouldn't imagine millions.

He ended his career as Master of an Oxford college, which I would imagine carries a salary of around GBP 100k ($150k) - but with fantastic free lodgings and access to a superb wine cellar ;-)

Towards the end of my time as an undergrad, a few of us wondered how rich you'd have to be to maintain that lifestyle in the outside world. Beautiful buildings, room cleaned for you, meals cooked for you, very little to worry about apart from your specialty...by that yardstick academics beat mere millionaires hands down.

maybe Marty Liquori. He was part owner of Athletic Attic; a 'footlocker' of the 70s and 80s. Cashed out. Just plays in a jazz combo in Gainsville now, for fun. I think he is a millionaire.

Teddy Mitchell was the 1st American to break the 4 minute mile while in high school. It's true. Ask him.

Don Paige may be one?

He was well under 4 and I think he now builds/designs tracks. He designed Princeton's track I believe

Not sure if Jim Hill ever broke 4 mins, but as the owner and founder of Sporthill, he's gotta be rakin in the dough.