Any money we take in from entry fees and sponsorship is put right back into the race, to make it a higher quality event. S ome of the costs of the of the race might seem unnecessary to the average runner. The Boston Marathon is in a unique position in this regard, according to Fleming. We are a marquee race, in a position of leadership in the sport. In order for marathon running to become a major sport in the eyes of the media, some races have to attract the top international field.
Prize money does that.
All of the runners who run in Boston know it is a special race, and offering prize money has a lot to do with that. Fleming insists the Boston Marathon offers the best value in running. The New York Marathon does it that way. We felt that though that every runner should be in the same boat. They all qualified, and are all doing the same things that go along with the race.