Why would established stars run the OLYMPIC Marathon?

Faultie Logic wrote:

Looking at the 2 year out predictions and reading about Brett Larner's run on the Olympic Course today, I wonder why any established runner would want to run the Olympic Marathon? It was 96 degrees and humid today during what would be race time in Tokyo.

Take a look at Shalane and Desi. They have very few earning opportunities left in their career. The trials are in February 2020 which means that they will probably not be able to run NY in 2019 or Boston in 2020 and if they make the team and run in 90 degree temps in August will be too beat up to run 2020 NY. These 2 athletes would earn 25k-50k by running the trials and the Olympic Games and miss out on three pay days of $150k--$200k if they skipped the Olympics. This is a difference in a half a million dollars in appearance money.

The two old women your speaking won't be at the games, they will be older yes, Shalane has already talked of retirement, Desi caught a flyer that she will never replicate gain.

Why would a star want to run in the games? Its simple, greatly increased value if you medal.

Added value if you finish in the top ten for negotiating other events.

The flip side is a medal means something beyond the dash for cash.

FormerTree wrote:

HRE wrote:

History will leave you a legacy as an Olympic champion in the marathon that no number of big paydays at Chicago or Berlin will. And as an Olympic medallist you'll easily make up the money "lost" by skipping one of those paydays later on.

I am not saying you're wrong, but I am curious if there are numbers to back this up?

Your appearance money value will go up significantly at the big US races if you're am Olympian and there's good money to be made placing in the top three at the Trials. Your shoe company almost surely has a nice bonus for making the team in your contract and another for doing well at the Games. Plus, there's no guarantee that you're going to hit the big paying places at a major marathon. Maybe you could be a bit ahead by skipping an Olympics but if so it won't be by all that much.

Faultie Logic wrote:

Desi caught a flyer that she will never replicate gain.

You are probably right, but counterpoint could be that Desi should race in non-ideal conditions. She could run a smart even paced race like she is known to do and hope the heat breaks everyone else.

It is sad that some people only make decisions based on money. Some of the most unhappy people you will ever meet are slaving away at jobs they hate.

Billy Mills is still making money as a motivational speaker more than 50 years after his upset 10k win.

A lot of top marathoners will skip the Olympics for fall/spring paydays, but an Olympic medal, particularly a gold medal is the gift that keeps on giving.