Coast-to-Coast Sweep Can Net Marathoners $300,000

The Los Angeles and New York City marathons, friendly rivals before, will now have something significant to bind them. Mercedes-Benz of North America announced Wednesday that it will pay $300,000 to the man or woman who can win both marathons in this calendar year.

Los Angeles and New York share common sponsors, among them John Hancock Financial Services, which supplies elite athletes for the races.

Bill Burke, president of the Los Angeles Marathon, said he believes the bonus will add incentive for world-class runners to compete in both races.

The bonus program also includes a $25,000 bonus to the winner of the men’s or women’s masters’ division of both races. And any runner who completes both races will be awarded a special medal.

In addition, the auto manufacturer said it will donate $15,000 to the Los Angeles and New York chapters of the Achilles Track Club, organizations for handicapped athletes. Burke said the deal is a 1-year commitment by automobile company.

The likelihood of a world-class runner competing in, and winning, both races, however, is somewhat remote. Big-time marathons have big budgets and all compete for the few big names in the sport.

The L.A. Marathon, which is set for March 5, competes with other spring marathons such as Boston and London and, this year, the World Marathon Cup in Milan.

The New York Marathon, scheduled for Nov. 5, competes with other fall marathons such as Chicago, Beijing, Tokyo and Fukuoka.

Fred Lebow, director of the New York City Marathon said that the bonus is more likely to help his race, than L.A.’s.

“Everybody who is going to run L.A. will also run New York,” he said. “There’s no reason not to.”

That may be true for the middle-of-the-pack runner who covets a special medal, but for the elite athlete who gambles on winning in L.A. and doesn’t, there’s little extra incentive to enter New York.

Burke also offered another challenge of sorts to New York. Burke said he is planning to lift the entry ceiling of 18,000 he established after the 1988 race.

New York had 23,000 runners in last year’s race and Lebow said he will not increase that number.

There were 17,040 entries in last year’s fourth annual L.A. race and Burke said then that because of logistical considerations, he planned to limit entries.

Wednesday, however, after some urging from Mayor Tom Bradley, Burke said he believes the L.A. course could handle 25,000 to 30,000 runners. He said he might consider a dual starting line on parallel streets.

“We are blessed with wide streets here. We can do it.”