AnyRunner Prize
Money™
Questions & Answers
What is AnyRunner Prize Money™?
It’s the world’s first
performance-based prize money for runners of nearly all paces. We’ve
announced twelve 2011
AnyRunner Prize Money™
times for both our Men’s 5K and our Women’s 5K. The first finisher
officially timed in each of the twenty-four
AnyRunner Prize Money™
times will win $100 in
AnyRunner Prize Money™.
Is there some kind of drawing for selecting the winners?
Nope! This is intended to be a contest of
skill—much like the competition that the fastest runners engage in when they
race for prize money at the front of the pack. The idea is to give
EVERYONE running the race the opportunity to enjoy the kind of fun,
excitement, motivation, and payoff that up until now has been reserved only
for elite runners.
So it’s some kind of prediction run?
Not at all! No prediction needed or accepted. This isn’t about guessing; it’s about running. Watches are allowed. Splits are called at all the usual locations on the course. The digital clock over the finish line will be visible to all. 5K
runners will win AnyRunner Prize Money™ based on whether they are the first official finisher in one of the AnyRunner Prize Money™ times. Each runner picks the AnyRunner Prize Money™ time at which he or she would like to finish, and then uses his or her current level of fitness and ability to pace himself or herself to be the first official finisher in that AnyRunner Prize Money™ time.So what are the AnyRunner Prize Money™ times for 2011?
For the Men’s 5K: 15:19; 17:19; 19:19; 21:19; 23:19; 25:19; 27:19; 29:19; 31:19; 33:19; 35:19; and 37:19.
For the Women’s 5K: 17:19; 19:19; 21:19; 23:19;
25:19; 27:19; 29:19; 31:19; 33:19; 35:19; 37:19; and 39:19.
What’s so special about 19 seconds?
This is the 19
th annual Syracuse Festival of Races.Won’t this encourage some people to run slower 5K times than they normally run to make it easier for them to win the
AnyRunner Prize Money™?It might, but we sure hope
not! After all, it’s the Syracuse Festival of Races 5K course, to
which people travel from all over the country to run every bit as fast as
their current level of fitness allows. Why waste your best shot at a
PR or a season best 5K for the very same likelihood of finishing first at
some other time that’s slower than you’re capable of running?
Think about it for a minute: At every one of the
AnyRunner Prize Money™
times, there will be a bunch of people focused on being the first official
finisher in that time. Nobody gains an advantage of any kind by
running more slowly. Slowing down is CERTAIN to give you a slower
finishing time than you’re capable of running, while at the same time
offering no better chance of winning
AnyRunner Prize Money™.
To us, it sounds like a pretty lousy bet
to make.
What about people stopping or slowing down just before the finish line if they think they’re finishing too early?
That would be dangerous and contrary to the rules of the sport, so it is strictly taboo! Anyone who stops or "kills time" anywhere in the finishing stretch will be subject to disqualification and ineligible for
AnyRunner Prize Money™. The same will be true for anyone who crosses the finish line more than once, and for anyone who interferes with the progress of any other runner. If you get to the finish line early, kick harder and be happy with the extra few seconds you shave off your finishing time. AnyRunner Prize Money™ will be spent and gone within a week or so, but your fast finishing time at the 2011 SFoR will be with you for life!The difference between winning and losing is going to be tenths of a second for many of these times. How can you be sure you’ve identified the actual FIRST official finisher in each of the AnyRunner Prize Money™ times?
That’s where the experience and skill of Leone
Timing comes in. In addition to B-Tag timing, they’ll have all 5K
finishers on a Finish Lynx camera. The camera gives them the ability
to review all of the finishers at the
AnyRunner Prize Money™
times and confirm that the chip timing system
has accurately recorded the finish order. You’re correct that tenths
of seconds will matter, and Leone Timing will be able to visually confirm
any and all close finishes.
When will the AnyRunner Prize Money™ winners be announced?
Just as soon as they’ve all been verified by race officials and Leone Timing using video of the finishing stretch and the finish line. Initial copies of the results posted at the race site will be unofficial. Final, official results will be posted at www.festivalofraces.com later on race day. In just the same way that many prize money races award checks to their top finishers, AnyRunner Prize Money™ awards will be mailed to winners following race weekend.
All of which raises the question:
Isn’t It Time
YOU Turn Pro?™
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