Olympic Athlete wins fun run

strokeslover

I done a 8k fun run (http://www.unityrun.com.au/) this morning with my mate in Sydney for charity, and at the end i found out that Ben St Lawrence(who competed in the Olympic 2012 10km for Australia) won the race. He got the prize which was a trip to Hawaii.
Myself and my friend were a bit shocked as he obviously won by a long way
!
Im just wondering what your thoughts are on this, as I personally don't think it's right that a professional athlete can turn up and dominate a fun run!!

rom

It may be a "fun run" but the prize is no fun. If they exclude people like some big city marathon's do now where the national prize is like 10k and the first place prize is 1K or something like that to make Kenyan runners not bother with it but really that's more of a "It's my ball I am going home" type thing. People forget from time to time that running is a race where people try to win. Mass participation is well and good but if you have trained your whole life to run as fast as your man can then why shouldn't he get a trip over some part-timer ? http://benstlawrence.com/ like the tag line for the site wonder if he will add it here http://benstlawrence.com/schedule/

average_runner

strokeslover wrote: »

I done a 8k fun run (http://www.unityrun.com.au/) this morning with my mate in Sydney for charity, and at the end i found out that Ben St Lawrence(who competed in the Olympic 2012 10km for Australia) won the race. He got the prize which was a trip to Hawaii.
Myself and my friend were a bit shocked as he obviously won by a long way
!
Im just wondering what your thoughts are on this, as I personally don't think it's right that a professional athlete can turn up and dominate a fun run!!

It's open to all and do u not think it's great u can run against him?

strokeslover

average_runner wrote: »

strokeslover wrote: »

I done a 8k fun run (http://www.unityrun.com.au/) this morning with my mate in Sydney for charity, and at the end i found out that Ben St Lawrence(who competed in the Olympic 2012 10km for Australia) won the race. He got the prize which was a trip to Hawaii.
Myself and my friend were a bit shocked as he obviously won by a long way
!
Im just wondering what your thoughts are on this, as I personally don't think it's right that a professional athlete can turn up and dominate a fun run!!

It's open to all and do u not think it's great u can run against him?

Yeah, I suppose I can now always say I competed against an Olympian, which is great!

Fair play to him winning, we all want to win, we're athletes, But I didn't expect him to be bothering with such a small race being a pro and all, I felt bad for the mere mortals that thought they might have had a chance of the win today.
.
But I suppose that was my initial reaction, of course he is free to compete as its an open event, I just felt it was a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, that's all!

RayCun

Small race maybe, but a big prize

robinph

That is a big prize for a fun run. Although he's pro I expect everyone behind him in the race earns more money as they will have proper jobs as well.

Pisco Sour

Fair play to him is what I say!

ManwitaPlan

This thread sums up everything wrong with running today.

You were beaten by a better athelte nothing more nothing less, suck it up.

People have been running races to earn a crust long before the fun run crowd came along. Incredible.

Pisco Sour

ManwitaPlan wrote: »

This thread sums up everything wrong with running today.

You were beaten by a better athelte nothing more nothing less, suck it up.

People have been running races to earn a crust long before the fun run crowd came along. Incredible.

+1, and he's had a long hard season, and fancies a holiday. He sees a local fun run with a prize to Hawai'i, and thinks "why the f*ck not!".

Hawai'i is an awesome spot. Good on him for keeping an eye out on little opportunities like that.

RingTheAlarm!

Also, regardless of him winning or not - great publicity for the fun run! Sure Sonia O'Sullivan used run the mini-marathon in Cork a good bit before, nobody was giving out that she won.

theboyblunder

ManwitaPlan wrote: »

This thread sums up everything wrong with running today.

Everything?


Really?

Like you I happen to disagree with the OP, but that response gets my vote for 'exaggeration of the week' - which is pretty good going given the fuss that was made of prince harry's vegas party on tuesday

menoscemo

strokeslover wrote: »

I done a 8k fun run (http://www.unityrun.com.au/) this morning with my mate in Sydney for charity, and at the end i found out that Ben St Lawrence(who competed in the Olympic 2012 10km for Australia) won the race. He got the prize which was a trip to Hawaii.
Myself and my friend were a bit shocked as he obviously won by a long way
!
Im just wondering what your thoughts are on this, as I personally don't think it's right that a professional athlete can turn up and dominate a fun run!!

I just Checked out Ben there and see he came 21st in the 10k at the olympics. Maybe you are under the impression he is a big time pro?
This is not premiership football I'd say he earns very little, probably less than the average worker in fact. Running races like this is a way for runners to supplement their income, if they didn't exist they couldn't be runners. Go to any race in ireland and you'll see elite athletes and olympians just trying to earn a crust. Nothing wrong with that, it's their job!!

Ceepo

menoscemo wrote: »

I just Checked out Ben there and see he came 21st in the 10k at the olympics. Maybe you are under the impression he is a big time pro?
This is not premiership football I'd say he earns very little, probably less than the average worker in fact. Running races like this is a way for runners to supplement their income, if they didn't exist they couldn't be runners.Go to any race in ireland and you'll see elite athletes and olympians just trying to earn a crust. Nothing wrong with that, it's their job!!

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

Pherekydes

Ceepo wrote: »

[/B]

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

If the first prize was a holiday in Hawaii I'd say this would change.

menoscemo

Ceepo wrote: »

[/B]

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

I was at the Longford Marathon/Half today and 4 olympians were present (granted only 1 ran today) and another who narrowly failed to gain olympic marathon qualification. In any race with a decent prizepool there will be several National Standard Atheltes.

rom

menoscemo wrote: »

I was at the Longford Marathon/Half today and 4 olympians were present (granted only 1 ran today) and another who narrowly failed to gain olympic marathon qualification. In any race with a decent prizepool there will be several National Standard Atheltes.

Thats cause she won the Frank Duffy yesterday

menoscemo

rom wrote: »

Thats cause she won the Frank Duffy yesterday

Nope, talking about Serio Ciobanu. He won the half in Longford today. Just failed to get the Olympic A Marathon standard by 20 seconds in Rotterdam.

rom

menoscemo wrote: »

Nope, talking about Serio Ciobanu. He won the half in Longford today. Just failed to get the Olympic A Marathon standard by 20 seconds in Rotterdam.

Was thinking you were refereeing to Maria McCabridge. 20 secs, that is very close.

pconn062

Bit of a nothing story, fastest runner shows up and wins race, the end!

I just think it would be cool to run in the same race as an Olympian, in what other sport could you hope to compete against the best in the world (OK not compete maybe but still in the same event). I did a small club race a few weeks ago and I was lined up right behind Maria McCambridge, one of the best female runners we have and an elite athlete and I just thought it was cool to be standing one row behind her in a race.

MrCreosote

Reminds me of Competitive Dad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2x_DI7tzNQ

Bugsy2000

Sure, he's an Olympian now, but prior to qualification he was just a normal club runner like the rest of us. And qualification or no qualification can be a close run thing (as mentioned above, 20secs for Sergio)

Should Olympic qualification automatically preclude club runners from participation in races they would previously have entered?

Run and Jump

pconn062 wrote: »

I just think it would be cool to run in the same race as an Olympian, in what other sport could you hope to compete against the best in the world

+1 from me - I'm jealous of the people who ran with (and against) Kenenisa Bekele in Dublin earlier this year: "Well, Bekele won - but he had to beat me to do it!"

And isn't Mo Farah doing the Great North Run along with Haile Gebresalassie? This is like having a kickabout with Messi and then Diego Maradona shows up!

BeepBeep67

Years ago the hot runners (Kiernan, Curtis, Cusack, Hooper, etc) would decide on who was running which race depending on who needed a portable telly, or whatever else was on offer. They work hard enough to get that level, fair play if there's a few easy gongs up for grabs.

seamus

I'm surprised more of them don't operate in a syndicate the way many pro cyclists and golfers do. Prizes won are divided up among the group based on performance, meaning that the group as a whole can pool their talents to gather more prizes and that people's income is more stable even when they're injured, etc.

ThisRegard

Ceepo wrote: »

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

Ahem,
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=80394576&postcount=496

The prize was a box of Heroes.

Krusty_Clown

ThisRegard wrote: »

The prize was a box of Heroes.

Yes, but was it the 950g tin, or the 450g cardboard box? The 950g tin is comparable to a trip to Hawaii, whereas the 450g box is more like a trip to Howth on the DART.
You'd often see former Olympians out and about in various races. Didn't Linda Byrne win the wimmen's mini marathon (narrowly pipping Rosanna Davison to the finish line). Maria McCambridge can often be seen in the Dublin graded meets. Lots of Olympic hopefuls run in Ballycotton, etc.

ThisRegard

It was the box. But she can't complain, she had the choice from a selection of wines and either Heroes or Roses I think it was, she went with the Roses off her own bat.

Ceepo

ThisRegard wrote: »

Ceepo wrote: »

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

Ahem,
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=80394576&postcount=496

The prize was a box of Heroes.

Don't know what the Ahem is for,
Only pointing out to op that you don't see them at Every race as suggested,
And still stand by what I said, if course there are always examples like yours if you want to prove me wrong, but this is probably more the exception than the rule
I would love to see more top quality athletes at races as I gives a whole new buzz to the race, fair play FB for running that race
More of it I say

Ceepo

ThisRegard wrote: »

Ceepo wrote: »

Dont see to many Olympians or Elite athletes at every race in Ireland . In fact only in a hand full of races is there anyone that would make the top 30 in the National Cross Country

Ahem,
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=80394576&postcount=496

The prize was a box of Heroes.

Don't know what the Ahem is for,
Only pointing out to op that you don't see them at Every race as suggested,
And still stand by what I said, if course there are always examples like yours if you want to prove me wrong, but this is probably more the exception than the rule
I would love to see more top quality athletes at races as I gives a whole new buzz to the race, fair play FB for running that race
More of it I say

ecoli

Ceepo wrote: »

Don't know what the Ahem is for,
Only pointing out to op that you don't see them at Every race as suggested,
And still stand by what I said, if course there are always examples like yours if you want to prove me wrong, but this is probably more the exception than the rule
I would love to see more top quality athletes at races as I gives a whole new buzz to the race, fair play FB for running that race
More of it I say

I think it is actually becoming more the norm

Few examples that come to mind from around the country:

http://www.slaneyolympic.com/2011/02/14/records-tumble-at-mysport-10k/
Campbell winning the dracula 5k this year
Tom Fitz winning the Race Pix5k this year
http://results.racetectiming.com/Results.aspx?CId=74&RId=36&EId=1
http://www.florawomensminimarathon.ie/
Martin Fagan winning Rathfarnam few years ago
Kenneally winning Dunboyne last year
Barry Minnock and Liam Brady in Dunboyne this year


You will always see a few around the circuit trying to make a bit of money to survive

Timmaay

ecoli wrote: »

You will always see a few around the circuit trying to make a bit of money to survive

Excellent to see in my view also! We were debating/moaning about the lack of funding in Irish athletics in the Olympics postmortem thread afew weeks ago, I for one am much happier to see a fraction of my race entries go to the winners which will hopefully help fund their Olympic bids, rather then get some rubbish medal/tshirt or "goodie" bag that I'm not going to ever give a 2nd thought about after the race!