Marathon & Ironman over-hyped?

More money in the longer races. Marathons can charge $50 or more and still get fields much bigger than pretty much any 5k where people complain about having to pay more than $25.

I do think it would be really cool to have more prize money in the shorter races but participation has to increase and you would probably need to get ready for a price increase.

There are a lot of "regular" people with full-time jobs, families, etc. that are extremely competitive in Ironman triathlons. Sure, genetics may play a part. But, I suspect hard work and smart training is the biggest factor.

EGO. A lot of it can boil down to ego. People want to be able to brag to themselves, or others about what they've accomplished. Finishing a 5k, in a mediocre time, is not going to elicit "oooohs" and "awwwws" like finishing a marathon or ironman in a mediocre time does.

I hope they finally put on a big 5k with $1k+ in prize money for you ....

... and then you get your doors blown off.

I'd be happy with getting my doors blown off... so long as the participation rate and competitiveness increased in my local 5ks!

As for being competitive in the Ironman while juggling a full-time job, a responsible family member, and trying to think of someone other than yourself... lol... and lol again.

the cancer guy wrote:

If you have a family and you take time away from it, you're being selfish.

Unless that time you take away from your family might possibly keep you alive longer.....

It is also possible that you hate your wife and kids. If that's the case, then it's not a big deal.

People train longer and run fewer marathons than 5k/10k. Logically, the prize money should be better.

Marathons are not overhyped as a competitive distance race. Marathons are overhyped as a major life event/spirit life journey or whatever the hell you want to call it where everyone is a winner just because they walk/jogged for over five hours and went from 220 lbs to 190 while raising money for the local ferret rescue.

So we should reward higher volume, rather than higher speed/intensity? Even though you are capable of burning more calories in a shorter, higher-intensity training session than a longer, lower-intensity session?

I have to agree with the comment that if you don't like your wife & kids, doing the IM or marathon is a great way to escape. And if you don't get along with your co-workers and "friends"... :P

I ran in a road mile a few months ago that gave $250 for first place.

I sympathize with you (I think shorter road races are undervalued by society, which tends to view completing a marathon as a massive accomplishment, and pretty much any other race distance as diddly-squat).

But I also think this prize money structure largely makes sense,assuming you're trying to reward potentially-winning marathon racers and potentially-winning 5k racers equally.

For example, how many good 5ks could you race in a year? Definitely 10, probably 15, maybe 20. Win $75 at each of these and you're making $750-$1500 a year from racing.

How many relatively high-level marathons can you run a year? Definitely two, maybe three, and almost certainly not four (not every year, anyway). Win $500 at each of these and you're making $1000-$1500 a year--the same as the equally-skilled 5k runner.