In the 1994 Los Angeles Marathon, Paul Pilkington was paid to set a fast pace early for other runners. At the 15 mile marker, however, and with a 2-minute lead, Paul decided to keep running, and the rest is history.
Luca Barzaghi, a pre-race favorite, fell so far behind Pilkington during the final miles that he could no longer see him. He figured Pilkington had dropped out of the race, so he continued to run at his own pace. Barzaghi crossed the finish line, arms raised and with a big smile. But soon he was wondering where all the cameras were when a silver medal was draped around his neck. That’s when he then learned that the athlete who is paid only to set a fast pace and block the wind for the better runners actually kept running.
To the surprise of the expected favorites and fans, Paul won, finishing the race in 2hrs 12 min 13 sec. Not only did his winnings include $27,000 and a new Mercedes, but that year the L.A. Marathon was the National Championship race, so he also became the United States National Champion.
“But today, after I did my job by getting out fast, nobody came after me,” said Pilkington, who won his first marathon in four years. “I couldn’t believe nobody closed the gap. I figured as long as I was out there and feeling good, why stop?”