Korir Getting Bonus Thanks to Carey P.

Credit is given where credit is due. Executive race director Carey Pinkowski of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is doing the right thing and has arranged for an undisclosed prize bonus for Wesley Korir. The bonus is unrelated to the normal prize money structure for elite athletes and has no effect on it. Korir, a Kenyan native and former track and cross country runner at Murray State and the University of Louisville, ran a 2:13:53, which was the fourth-fastest time at the Oct. 12 marathon. However, Korir was not in the invited elite field and started at 8 a.m. instead of 7:55. Under USATF rules, he was not eligible for prize money ($15,000 for fourth place). A marathon spokesperson said the bonus is "simply a recognition of an outstanding performance by a runner not in our elite field." The spokesperson also race officials are working to bring Korir back for the 2009 race. He registered for the race on his own this year. I think this is a class act all the way around.