World-Class? OC Marathon Is Anything But

It was all to be so wonderful, so world-class. A marathon rich in pride and prize money, an event the county could cheer for years to come.

But the Goodyear Orange County Marathon was none of that. Considering its current state, it probably never will be.

Those who came out to watch the marathon last Nov. 3 might have been impressed. After all, the men’s race ended with a dramatic finish--winner Marcelindo Crisanto caught Rich McCandless with only a mile to go--the day was sunny and bright, and, hey, weren’t those bundles of balloons over the finish line a lovely touch?

But a closer look reveals a scene that’s far less attractive: The Orange County Marathon has yet to pay many of its bills. It owes money to vendors, suppliers, consultants . . . and runners who were lured by the much-publicized prize money.

Certainly, being in the red, which OCM admits it is, is no crime. Major marathons often operate at a deficit for several years before turning a profit. But OCM made a mistake in continually portraying itself as a well-financed organization. It boasted of “deep pockets,” said it was flush with corporate support, that it had enough financial might behind it to put on the race for two or three years, no problem.

No problem? Tell that to the City of Santa Ana, still awaiting $20,000 for off-duty police fees. Tell it to the vendor who’s waiting for a check for $15,000, but is scared to go public for fear OCM will never pay those who complain. Tell it to the runners who depend on race earnings to pay next month’s rent.

Despite its slick posters and self-assured attitude, it seems now that OCM was lacking in financial security from the start. Goodyear was said to have given up to $250,000 to be the marathon’s title sponsor. But last week, a source within the company described a far different scenario--Goodyear provided about $150,000 in promotional items such as the use of its blimp, hats and banners, but virtually no cash.

Sponsors such as BMW and USAir are also said to have provided goods instead of cash. If anyone left the race happy, it was marathon winners Crisanto and Janis Klecker, who received $21,500 BMWs for their victories. But that leaves every competitor awaiting payment to wonder: If there wasn’t much money to begin with, why did OCM choose to offer $100,000 in prizes in the first place?

A reasonable question, but there are many others:

--Why did marathon organizers wait until a press conference 10 weeks before the race to release promotional information to the media? OCM President Kent Bowen said he started organizing the marathon two years ago. It was going to be, he said, world-class. Then why keep it a secret? Why refuse to release information about an event that could have undoubtedly benefited from the publicity?

--Why did organizers ask certain community members to be on an advisory board when they didn’t want their advice? Vince O’Boyle, UC Irvine’s track and cross-country coach, agreed to be on the board but never once heard from OCM’s organizers. When he called OCM to find out what was going on, they told him he’d have to wait for the press conference.

--Why did OCM hype the appearance of Alberto Salazar, acting as if he alone would bring the marathon significance? Salazar, once one of the finest runners in this country’s history, is 10 years past his prime. In last summer’s national championships, he dropped out of the 10,000-meter final, looking overweight and exhausted. He ran the marathon’s five-kilometer companion race and finished eighth in a mediocre field.

--Why wouldn’t--or couldn’t--organizers give out accurate registration figures? One day, one OCM official would say 200 runners had signed up. The next day, another official would say the count was at 2,000. On race day, depending on which official announcement you wanted to believe, anywhere from 1,700 to 4,000 runners finished the marathon. Credibility suffered once again.

So now what? Will we see Orange County Marathon II this fall? Bowen says yes, that it’s just a matter of securing sponsors so the race can pay its bills. But even if the race manages to recover financially, what of OCM’s reputation? Word is already out among the nation’s elite that prize money has not been paid; with the established New York City Marathon the same weekend, don’t look for many top runners here next fall.

And will the local running community forgive and forget? Maybe. But Bowen, perceived by some in the running community as arrogant and unrealistic, is going to have to win it over.

Those who train for marathons know there’s no easy way out--running 26.2 miles takes perseverance, planning and hard work. You can’t run a marathon--not effectively anyway--by simply talking about it.

And you can’t stage a great marathon on empty promises and hype.