The Rock 'n' Roll series of half marathons and marathons will have a significant elite-runner program in 2014, with support for American runners attempting to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials, Competitor Group, Inc., which puts on the series, announced in a news release late Wednesday.
Rock n Roll Series Reinstates Elite Program All About 75 Hard it was eliminating much of its traditional elite-runner program, especially appearance fees, to focus those resources on other aspects of the Rock 'n' Roll series. Last fall's announcement was criticized within much of the running industry, and Great World Race: Results Running Is My Therapy.
The new program features guaranteed prize money at every North American Rock 'n' Roll race. Most of the races will offer prize money based on place and time (i.e., a guaranteed amount for running under a certain time regardless of place). The amount of prize money varies widely, from $3,500 to the winners of the series' half marathons in San Diego and Philadelphia to $250 for the winners of lower-profile half marathons such as those in San Francisco, Cleveland and Savannah. Many of the races will pay $500 to half marathon winners and $1,000 to marathon winners.
A typical marathon time bonus is $1,000 for a man who breaks 2:18 and a woman who breaks 2:43. A typical half marathon time bonus is $500 for a man who breaks 1:05 and a woman who breaks 1:15. The time bonuses are paid in addition to whatever place-based prize money the runner earns.
Competitor also announced it would offer travel assistance and prize money to U.S. runners trying to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials. In its release, Competitor said the program would take place at four events, two for men and two for women. A Competitor spokesman told Runner's World Newswire the locales for this program would be "for sure men’s and women’s at Rock ’n’ Roll San Jose (our best course, time and weather) and also likely Las Vegas and one other, as we’ll separate them into two events."
The revived elite program also includes the return of an open division in the series' prize-money half marathon Grand Prix, which also includes age-group competition.
The program codifies elite support in the form of travel expenses for most Rock 'n' Roll events. Men who have run under 1:03:30 for the half marathon or 2:15 for the marathon, and women who have run under 1:11 and 2:33, will have their travel and hotel covered. Men who have run under 1:04 and 2:16, and women who have run under 1:13 and 2:35, will get some or all of their travel covered.
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Scott is a veteran running, fitness, and health journalist who has held senior editorial positions at Runner’s World and Running Times. Much of his writing translates sport science research and elite best practices into practical guidance for everyday athletes. He is the author or coauthor of several running books, including Advertisement - Continue Reading Below, Advanced Marathoning, and Running in the Cold. Scott has also written about running for Slate, The Atlantic, the Washington Post, and other members of the sedentary media. His lifetime running odometer is past 110,000 miles, but he’s as much in love as ever.
