After the first-place male and female runners crossed the finish line at Baltimore’s marathon this past weekend, they left with trophies. When the third-place male runner and second-place female runner finished the marathon, they left with $2,000 apiece.

Baltimore-based Under Armour provided the cash prize to the recipients, who were on the company’s Flow Elite team. But some in the running community question whether it’s fair for them to go home with a cash prize, while the event’s actual winners saw no financial reward.

Some 11,000 people were expected to participate in race events during the Baltimore Running Festival. Runners arrived in the city from all 50 states and 15 countries to take part in the festival, which included a marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 5K. Mathematician Robert Creese, 29, won the Baltimore Running Festival’s men’s marathon Saturday, while astrophysicist Julia Roman-Duval, 40, captured the women’s title (which she also won in 2018).

Under Armour created a 26-member team to run in the festival. Its 17 men and nine women are local residents with full-time jobs, unlike elite professional runners who compete for a living. The sport apparel company’s goal was to give them “the most premium experience possible. Providing them with footwear, training, and access to Under Armour coaches and staff,” according to its website.

It also stated that the runners could win cash prizes if they “hit certain benchmarks of performance.”

Dustin Meeker of Hunting Ridge said he’s active in the running community but did not compete in any race events at this year’s running festival. He knows some of the competitors, including those on the Under Armour team who posted pictures of their $2,000 checks on social media.

Meeker questioned whether it was fair for Under Armour to reward those participants instead of, say, the fastest Marylander or the top Baltimore region winner. He mostly wondered how the runners got on the team, because hand-selecting them would seem unfair.

“Were the runners invited and recruited to be on the team, or was there an open application process?” Meeker asked. “Was this an open process? If it’s simply a matter of recruiting people … it does not sit well with me as a former competitive runner.”

Under Armour said runners were selected through an application and review process done by a third-party vendor. Tyler Muse of Salisbury said Under Armour found him through Charm City Run, a shoe store that also has an elite running team. Muse, who grew up in Bel Air, represents the store when he competes. His coach is affiliated with the running team and gave Muse’s name when Under Armour reached out.

“All we had to do is agree to wear Under Armour basically everything,” he said.

Muse and others also had to sign a contract, post about the team on social media and promote the not-yet-released shoes they were given. In return, Muse said, Under Armour gave them everything they needed to feel like professional athletes, including arranging for dinner with a professional runner.

“We’re far from pros, but we pour so much in it,” the 29-year-old elementary school teacher said. “It was nice to be recognized for all that we do … because it is hard when working 40 to 50 hours a week. It is hard to make time to run.”

Under Armour did not answer questions about what was included in the Flow Elite team experience or what was required of the runners. Instead, the company said in a statement: “UA is committed to providing athletes with the performance solutions they need to compete at their very best. This event gave us the opportunity to do that within our local community.”

Muse finished with a time of 2:32:18 at this year’s marathon, about six minutes behind the first-place winner. He enjoyed his experience at the same event at which he ran his first marathon back in 2017, and his family and one of his former students came to support him. And then there was the $2,000 in prize money.

“I put a lot of time and money into running … it is nice to get financially compensated,” he said.

He plans to put the money toward the house that he and his fiancée recently bought.

Under Armour didn’t answer specific questions about the runners’ performance, the prize money or concerns about the fairness of their reward system. The company did say via email that it was important to partner with local runners for its inaugural elite team.

“We supported these athletes throughout the entire training cycle and race day by providing them with training solutions to help them reach their goals,” the email stated. “We are very proud of the Flow Elite team, and look forward to continuing to support the local Baltimore community in the future.”

Ryan McGrath of Canton said he wasn’t looking to finish in a top spot when he ran in the Oct. 15 marathon. But he wondered how many competitive runners had the opportunity to join the Under Armour team. From his perspective, it looked like Under Armour only reached out to certain people, he said.

The 41-year-old also wondered if there was a conflict of interest because Under Armour works closely with the marathon’s organizer, Corrigan Sports Enterprises, who created the event 20 years ago.

Lee Corrigan, president of the organization, said it was “unbelievable” that some were questioning the fairness of Under Armour’s role and prize money.

“Under Armour is a worldwide brand that happens to be headquartered here in Baltimore,” he said. “Can we agree it’s good for the city of Baltimore and the people of Baltimore?”

Corrigan said the marathon has no cash prize. He said the organizers used to provide them when they had enough sponsors to help pay for the event, but that the sponsorships went down as the city bills they paid to put on the event went up.

He also said Under Armour doesn’t give them a dime. But they do give participants T-shirts.

Roman-Duval of Columbia, the first-place female finisher in last weekend’s marathon, said she felt great after the run. A little tired, she acknowledged, but it didn’t stop her from going on a walk. She finished the marathon in 2:46:53.

“Running through the streets of Baltimore and all the people cheering … that’s just amazing,” she said. “That just made my day.”

After a surgery on her Achilles tendon in September 2021 and months of intense training, she was awarded with glory and a trophy, which was enough for her. She didn’t need the money.

“Honestly, I’m good with what I have now, but I know some people who wouldn’t be,” she added.

She said the Under Armour team contacted her to join the team, but that she didn’t want to. She would’ve had to wear their shoes, which she didn’t like. But she didn’t think what the company was doing was wrong.

“If it brings more competitive runners to the race, I think it’s a good thing,” Roman-Duval said.

CORRECTION

This story has been updated to correct the number of men on the Under Amour Flow Elite team, which is 17.

kristen.griffith@thebaltimorebanner.com