"Marathons are becoming full time jobs..."

I am not a marathon runner however many of friends and relatives enjoy the hoopla, energy and health benefits of the marathon scene.

People from all over the world actually go on tour,scheduling one marathon after another. Many marathons have a high purse for the top finishers, and other less known marathons are run just for the sport.

Most marathons are usually won by runners from Kenya or Ethiopia, these people overwhelmingly control the finish line. Since 1997 five Kenyan men have won the New York marathon and  the fifth time for a Kenyan woman since 1994. In addition, Kenyan men have won all but one of the past 12 Boston Marathons.
http://marathon.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/ethiopian-system-built-to-groom-marathoners/

How many Americans travel to Kenya or Ethiopia to run in Marathons? My guess is not many for the obvious reason, it is not easy economics, that's if those countries even have marathons?

I feel that Marathons in the United States should be for citizens of the United States, other countries could enter but not take the purse. The same for other countries sponsoring marathons. I believe only the citizens of the host country should be eligible for the purse.

Marathons in the United states are becoming full time jobs for many Kenyans and Ethiopians, it's time we keep the money in our own backyard and support America!