Marathon running is very lucrative and those competing at the front of today's London Marathon are expected to be battling it out for around £39,000 in the men's and women's category.
It has also been announced that this year's London Marathon will be one of the richest wheelchair races in history after organisers increased the total prize fund by £48,000 to make a total pot of £167,000. Winner's of the men's and women's wheelchair races will receive £29,300 each, up from £20,900 last year.
The exact amount of offer for the elite men and women runners has not been announced, but it is expected to be similar to three years ago when both genders received £39,000 for winning their respective race.
Second place won £22,000 on that occasion while third place took home £16,000.
There was also a pot of £70,000 to be divided between men who run under sub-2:05.00 and women sub-2:18:00. A further £17,600 was on offer for anyone who won their event in a record time.
Reigning men's champion Ethiopian Sisay Lemma returns to London to defend the title he won last year in the men's event but faces tough competition in the form of fellow countryman Kenenisa Bekele. In the women's event Joyciline Jepkosgei is also back in London to defend her title.
British athlete David Weir will be bidding for his ninth men's wheelchair London Marathon title but will have to beat last year's winner Marcel Hug to scoop an increased first prize of £29,300.
"In our world today, equality and representation is so important and for the London Marathon to be taking a stand and increasing prize money for wheelchair athletes is really powerful and sets a benchmark for all sports globally," Weir told the BBC .
