I appreciate the respectful disagreement and the examples that counter my points. Like I said, I'm not trying to sway anyone's opinion about the guy personally. It may have more to do with his sponsor, MarathonGuide.com, than it does with his own choices.
I'm just saying, it has a negative effect in terms of the impact on the running community when someone who is unknown comes in from 1000 miles away to win a race in an uncompetitive fashion. This isn't Wardian specifically, but an example is someone soliciting the organizer of a marathon with a $1500 first prize for travel, room, and expenses, getting "invited", and winning by 16 minutes. That person leaves, and literally, within a day, nobody is talking about the race. Sixteen minutes later, an actual race takes place between three runners from the city the race is being held in and from one state away. Completely ignored by the media, and nobody hears about it or cares.
Conversely, same race, several years prior. Organizer is not interested in or prepared to pay travel, etc. to a name runner like Wardian. The field is largely local and somewhat regional. A great race with a close, dramatic finish takes place, local runner wins in course record time. Media goes crazy. That runner is on radio and TV (locally) for a week after the race, etc., and people still talk to that runner about the race years later, where they were when it happened, and their memories about it like it was the goddamn Kennedy assassination.
So, there is a kind of blowback to the local running scene that can happen in either case. It's not right or wrong, it's just what happens. I see other people stepping up and aspiring to do what Wardian does (or did, in destroying uncompetitive fields), and I strongly disagree with it, because I've seen how it can take a lot of positive things away from an event and a community.
Yes, there are examples of Wardian and racers like him running at races with no prize money, but how do you know the costs aren't covered by a sponsor, or the race director? It has to make economic sense for them to fly or drive across the country to run a race, so the money for that is coming from somewhere. I strongly, strongly doubt it is coming out of pocket, given he has a family to support.
Anyone can race anywhere they want, but those choices have effects. I don't like the effects I've seen caused by people who make the choice to race often in locations far away from their homes, taking resources and attention away from the communities that support those events. Don't throw a hissy if you disagree. It's just my opinion.