RUNNING USA – Syracuse Festival of Races Introduces AnyRunner Prize Money -$2400 up for grabs in first-ever, performance-based prize money for middle-of-the-pack and back-of-the-pack runners

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – (June 7, 2011) – The Syracuse Festival of Races (SFoR) has announced the introduction of performance-based prize money for runners whose finishing times aren't fast enough to win the monetary awards available to top finishers in many road races. The new AnyRunner Prize Money^TM will debut in conjunction with the Men's 5K and Women's 5K at the 19th SFoR on Sunday, October 2.

"We think that AnyRunner Prize Money^TM will add a new level of excitement, motivation, and fun for all of those runners who've never dreamed of winning prize money at a road race," says Dave Oja, founder and race director of the SFoR. "Road racing has always presented the opportunity for any runner to line up with the sport's prize-money winners; AnyRunner Prize Money^TM now offers the opportunity for any runner to be one of the sport's prize-money winners."

The world's first-ever AnyRunner Prize Money^TM purse will total $2400. One hundred dollars will be awarded to the first official finisher in each of twelve AnyRunner times^TM in both the Men's 5K and the Women's 5K at the SFoR. For the Men's 5K, the twelve AnyRunner times^TM will fall between 15 minutes (4:50 per mile pace) and 38 minutes (12:15 per mile pace). For the Women's 5K, the twelve AnyRunner times^TM will fall between 17 minutes (5:29 per mile pace) and 40 minutes (12:54 per mile pace). The list of AnyRunner times^TM will be announced in July, giving all entrants months to practice their paces and plan their strategies.

Oja believes that the SFoR's AnyRunner Prize Money^TM breaks new ground in the road racing industry. "It's unlikely that anything like this has ever been done before," he says. "I've checked with enough industry experts throughout the country to say with confidence that this really is something new under the road racing sun-and we're proud to be introducing it here in Syracuse and Central New York."

With race entries limited to 800 in each of the two 5K races, Oja expects the Festival's 5K race fields to fill quickly.

"How cool is it for runners who've never even won an age group award to have a chance to win $100 for being the first to finish in 22:37, 27:49, 34:51, or whatever the AnyRunner times^TM turn out to be?" he asks. "The AnyRunner Prize Money^TM tag line asks the road runners of the world: Isn't It Time YOU Turn Pro?^TM, and I think an awful lot of them are going to be quick to answer, 'You bet it is!'"

In addition to the Men's 5K and Women's 5K, SFoR events include the MVP Health Care 3K Fun & Fitness Run, the Tops Friendly Markets Community Walk and the Fitness Forum / Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Joint Replacement Run & Walk. Participants in the various SFoR events range from area pre-school children and their families to world class age group athletes as old as 92 competing in the 2011 USA Masters 5K Championship.

Additional information regarding the 19th Syracuse Festival of Races is available at: www.festivalofraces.com

RUNNING USA