Ethiopian running legend and current marathon record holder, Haile Gebrselassie has plenty of incentives when he’s gunning for next week’s Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, to be flagged of 18th January, Sunday.

A prize money of $1 million dollar is up for grabs for anyone who breaks the current men’s marathon world record of 2:03:59, for which Gebrselassie himself set it in Berlin, Germany last year September.

On top of the bountiful million dollar reward, there’s a $250,000 cash for a first place finish, and let’s not forget Gebrselassie appearance fee too.

Gebrselassie promises the media his 27th world record, he added, “Last year, I had a little injury two weeks before Dubai, but this year everything is OK, I feel fine. And I won’t make the mistake of going too fast, like last year”.

The 35 year old ran marathon’s second fastest timing ever in the last Dubai marathon in a time of 2:04:53, but the pace was too fast and he fell short of breaking the record by some 27 seconds.

But his manager hinted to the media that Gebrselassie is prime and fit for a sub 2:04 marathon timing next week.

Let’s not forget that he truly deserve such huge prize money, Gebrselassie when asked about his training, “It’s my top priority, because without running I wouldn’t have anything else. I get up at 5.30am every day and go training. And it’s cold here in the morning now. At Entoto, it’s about plus one degree centigrade. I go to the office at about 9.30am and work until four. Then I train again. I go to bed about 9.30pm, 10pm at the latest.”