Nick Symmonds made $350,000 in 2015 as a pro runner.

Mikeh33 wrote:

CaptainPhillips wrote:

And I am almost certain, aside from any physical body issues (too short, for example), a pro runner most likely works just as hard, or has more athletic talent than someone hitting .125 in the big leagues.

Runner might work harder, but in no way is he more athletic than a major league baseball player. Baseball is a skill sport, and takes a level of hand eye coordination that just isn’t required and running.

You’re kidding right? Way harder to be a world class runner.

CaptainPhillips wrote:

[quote]He was the top of the top, dude wrote:

And I am almost certain, aside from any physical body issues (too short, for example), a pro runner most likely works just as hard, or has more athletic talent than someone hitting .125 in the big leagues.

Uh, no. If you made it to the big leagues, you have more athletic talent than a pro runner. For example, a Mendoza-type infielder has the ability to turn a double-play, make over the shoulder catches, and maybe throw a 90mph fastball to first. Oh, they may also steal you 25 bases/year.

INoThinkSo wrote:

CaptainPhillips wrote:

[quote]He was the top of the top, dude wrote:

And I am almost certain, aside from any physical body issues (too short, for example), a pro runner most likely works just as hard, or has more athletic talent than someone hitting .125 in the big leagues.

Uh, no. If you made it to the big leagues, you have more athletic talent than a pro runner. For example, a Mendoza-type infielder has the ability to turn a double-play, make over the shoulder catches, and maybe throw a 90mph fastball to first. Oh, they may also steal you 25 bases/year.

Whatever, but I think it is fair to say that a #25 in the US at Baseball, Football, Hockey, Basketball and, heck, even soccer is going to make 10-100 times what the #25 runner makes. Anybody that makes a career out of running does not do it for the money.

I am Sam wrote:

kmaclam wrote:

Huh???

You haven't seen his youtubes?

Hard to imagine he was world class just a few years ago, hard to even imagine he was a serious runner in fact.

I have seen his youtubes. Maybe I am too easily amused but I actually think most of them are entertaining. You must really be dissing Ryan Hall too if you are so put off by elite runners not being able to run like they used to.

Belarussiya wrote:

If he won a Gold instead of silver in 2013, how much more would he have been paid in 2015?

Hey, not much more.

Its for less than 2 minutes of work

All the training and prep is on his own time.

Let me just say that I think Nick Symonds is ugly, fat, incompetent, a bad businessman, egotistical, a poor Karioke singer, and unable to change engine oil. His sense of humor falls flat, so he shouldn't quit his day job.

Hey, it's Letsrun.com, so I, like a few others, can send the man more than his share of zingers!

No, Nick, I appreciate your past, including the more distant past when you were an awesome runner. Best wishes to a guy MOST of us admire, then and now.

LappedMiler wrote:

Let me just say that I think Nick Symonds is....

Yeah...that's "Symmonds", not "Symonds"...I know.

Mikeh33 wrote:

RunCzar wrote:

Nick just posted a new video where he talks about the most money he made in 1 year as a Pro.

He made $350k gross but after coaches, agents, tax, etc he ended up with $150k net income. I was actually kinda impressed....

Doesn’t seem like much at all. I bet there are swimmers, not silver medalists, who make more.

And why was 2015 his most lucrative year, and not the Olympic year, when the eyes of the world are on you?

And why did his coach and agent and taxes take 60% of his income? That seems outrageous.

He talks about it but because basically he was getting paid for what he did. 2013's silver medal probably kicked in some escalator clauses in his contract and he was able to get a bit more in appearance fees as having the silver medalist was a bigger draw than some guy who finished 5th every time. And it should be mentioned that he talks about not paying a coach, medical, and the like because of being part of a team so he was actually taking home more than that.

It would be curious to know what a fast guy with a good social media could pull off. If the athlete special was running 3:30, would his subscriber count go up? The other key to making big money would be to get some sponsorship outside of the sport. Tough to get that level of visibility in a niche sport. Other than Bolt, I can't think of a single guy in the past 10 years in track and field globally. Maybe Kipchoge can leverage that sub 2:00. A lot of athletes in other countries get by with much more local fame. Farah has done fine in the UK but nobody in the US cares.

LappedMiler wrote:

LappedMiler wrote:

Let me just say that I think Nick Symonds is....

Yeah...that's "Symmonds", not "Symonds"...I know.

I have more respect for Richard Simmons than Nick Symmonds.

Then why was he complaining about having no money then? I don't get it.[/quote]

Because basically $100K after taxes stinks for a 1:43 guy and you cannot do anything on that $$$ especially knowing careers are short in T & F.

He was right.

Are people really saying $150k AFTER taxes/job related expenses isn't very much? Mental. Assuming how owned a $500k house (with a mortgage + property tax roughly 2k-2.3k/month), he still netting around 75k in pure disposal income!! AND CONSIDER HIS "JOB" WAS TO RUN AND BE AN ATHLETE. Anyone who would complain with this life and salary is insane! He was doing VERY well in 2015.

Kenneth Copeland, verified millionaire wrote:

Are people really saying $150k AFTER taxes/job related expenses isn't very much? Mental. Assuming how owned a $500k house (with a mortgage + property tax roughly 2k-2.3k/month), he still netting around 75k in pure disposal income!! AND CONSIDER HIS "JOB" WAS TO RUN AND BE AN ATHLETE. Anyone who would complain with this life and salary is insane! He was doing VERY well in 2015.

OK so what does he do for the remaining 85 percent of his career?

Kenneth Copeland, verified millionaire wrote:

Are people really saying $150k AFTER taxes/job related expenses isn't very much? Mental. Assuming how owned a $500k house (with a mortgage + property tax roughly 2k-2.3k/month), he still netting around 75k in pure disposal income!! AND CONSIDER HIS "JOB" WAS TO RUN AND BE AN ATHLETE. Anyone who would complain with this life and salary is insane! He was doing VERY well in 2015.

Would you take a 30Y mortgage knowing that your career will be over in 5-10 years?

Honestly, 150K dollars to be world class, in a career where you can make top money only for a decade or so, is very little.

30:45X-C1978 wrote:

Kenneth Copeland, verified millionaire wrote:

Are people really saying $150k AFTER taxes/job related expenses isn't very much? Mental. Assuming how owned a $500k house (with a mortgage + property tax roughly 2k-2.3k/month), he still netting around 75k in pure disposal income!! AND CONSIDER HIS "JOB" WAS TO RUN AND BE AN ATHLETE. Anyone who would complain with this life and salary is insane! He was doing VERY well in 2015.

OK so what does he do for the remaining 85 percent of his career?

Coach and write books. I think this is why Shalane does those cookbooks.

mid D guy wrote:

Kenneth Copeland, verified millionaire wrote:

Are people really saying $150k AFTER taxes/job related expenses isn't very much? Mental. Assuming how owned a $500k house (with a mortgage + property tax roughly 2k-2.3k/month), he still netting around 75k in pure disposal income!! AND CONSIDER HIS "JOB" WAS TO RUN AND BE AN ATHLETE. Anyone who would complain with this life and salary is insane! He was doing VERY well in 2015.

Would you take a 30Y mortgage knowing that your career will be over in 5-10 years?

Honestly, 150K dollars to be world class, in a career where you can make top money only for a decade or so, is very little.

Firstly, I made mistake with my calculations - $125k in disposable income!!! I included the house/mortgage amounts to demonstrate how much money he actually earned, which was a boat load. That post-tax-housing amount is WAY more money than that vast majority of American households will ever earn in pre-tax salary, let alone that early in life. Even making half that/year and saving, he is going to have a nice base of savings early in his life that will (literally) pay good dividends later on when his running career is over. And again, he did this by running, ie, not a real job! Anyone in this situation to get a quarter as lucrative as his should be thankful.

I don’t know if a 3:30 guy has time to shore themselves on social media so I don’t think it would go up- unless they’d had handlers. And they probably would.

gdm wrote:

Mikeh33 wrote:

And why did his coach and agent and taxes take 60% of his income? That seems outrageous.

Let's see Federal Income tax 93k, social security 8k, OR state tax 35k, agent/manager 15%*350=52k, coach 10%=35k?, healthcare/insurance etc. 10k? I can see that adding up to $200k pretty easily.

200k seems like a lot. Would be have been paying for coaching? I didn’t watch the video to see the breakdown but I would think the coach would be paid by the sponsor for someone like him. Only taking home 150k of 350k does seem pretty low

How does 350k in income get whittled down to 150k? Taxes aren't above 50%. Who has the breakdown?

And most people who make $200k don't say they make $120k or whatever it is after tax.

That's honestly like nothing. It makes me feel better about being an engineer making 90+ year after year after year.