Athletes like Clayton are in a tough spot. Clearly competing for World teams, and what most would consider a top American runner, but just isn't viewed as a marketable athlete like the truly best in the world. So he I'm sure believes, and probably rightly so, he deserves a contract commensurate with someone that is competing at world class level. But the dollars offered are much closer to someone not nearly as fast but has a social media following.
I'm sure Asics was hoping he'd eventually become a 2:05 guy, but that's just not going to happen at this point. So it's probably best both move on. But I'm sure it'll be a tough pill to swallow for him when he finally has to settle for a lessor contract because that's just how the market views good-not-great runners like him. I wish it wasn't that way, and guys that do it the "right way" got rewarded, but as we all know that's just not how it works.
I'm not sure. I think had he been able to run Valencia, a very fast course with tons of similarly fast guys to run for pure time vs placement with (versus getting left behind in a surge or strung out behind a lead pack like in Chicago/Boston), 2:05-2:06 was a real possibility for him. He's had a handful of great performances between Trials, Olympics, and Worlds, where he's run very close to guys much faster than him. 2:07 low as Boston was a bit disappointing, but given he's only 32, I think he's shown flashes of 2:05/2:06 ability, and he's clearly been a better championship runner than TT/Major/Paced runner. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up with a better PR eventually, while still making LA28 over some "faster" guys when it comes to the trials race in STL/PHX.
I'd wager that he's got a 2:05 in him, as much as Mantz eventually has a 2:03 in him. Great training setup. Supportive family. The recipe clearly works. Go Young!
Anyone who says Young isn’t marketable doesn’t understand what brands care about. His actual ability or relative position in the world as a marathoner hardly matters here. 1.) He is an American Olympian two years out from likely competing once again to go to the Olympics this time in the US. And 2.) he has a solid YouTube presence that can easily be scaled with the resources of a big running shoe brand. 60-100k viewers is peanuts, also it’s so much more attractive that a 2:03-4 guy who speaks broken English and zero presence.
Sure, he’s no Noah Lyles or SML, but I’m confident he had plenty of suitors willing to pay him to wear their shoes.
I'm not sure. I think had he been able to run Valencia, a very fast course with tons of similarly fast guys to run for pure time vs placement with (versus getting left behind in a surge or strung out behind a lead pack like in Chicago/Boston), 2:05-2:06 was a real possibility for him. He's had a handful of great performances between Trials, Olympics, and Worlds, where he's run very close to guys much faster than him. 2:07 low as Boston was a bit disappointing, but given he's only 32, I think he's shown flashes of 2:05/2:06 ability, and he's clearly been a better championship runner than TT/Major/Paced runner. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up with a better PR eventually, while still making LA28 over some "faster" guys when it comes to the trials race in STL/PHX.
I'd wager that he's got a 2:05 in him, as much as Mantz eventually has a 2:03 in him. Great training setup. Supportive family. The recipe clearly works. Go Young!
I don’t know about a 2:05 at this point, maybe in Valencia, but his 2:07-low at Boston was a 2:06-low to mid on a normal, flat course in good conditions. Hopefully he’ll get another opportunity.
Clayton Young just posted on Instagram that he's ended his partnership with Asics, a tough decision for him. Where do we think he's off to next? Nike?
You sound like he was the one making the decision. Asics dropped him. He's getting old and made no progress in recent years.
He just PRd a year ago at Boston, a race that would’ve been a sub-2:07 on a flat course in good conditions. Boston ran very fair w a slight headwind late.
And I know it’s meaningless to sponsors, but he was top ten in the Olympic marathon after being clearly the best American at the trials, but for deferring to Mantz. But, he is in the seventh inning stretch of his career now, so…
I'd wager that he's got a 2:05 in him, as much as Mantz eventually has a 2:03 in him. Great training setup. Supportive family. The recipe clearly works. Go Young!
I don’t know about a 2:05 at this point, maybe in Valencia, but his 2:07-low at Boston was a 2:06-low to mid on a normal, flat course in good conditions. Hopefully he’ll get another opportunity.
I was one of those who kept saying, "Save it for Valencia." Wish that he hadn't run Worlds, although I understand the attraction, particularly when that Worlds Marathon looked very much like a down year and that he had a better chance at a podium.
He's a 2:06 guy last year at Valencia, period.
I personally think that Young would be better in a time trial race, where he could put his head down and just follow the guys in front and get pulled along. Its, frankly, so similar to what he is used to doing in training. Surge/tactical races make him think too much. Every interview he does find him saying, "Well, when they went I didn't think that I could match that and I was feeling cooked right then, so they got 60 meters on me." Mantz, a much more emotional racer, throws the hat down and just goes. Not saying he isn't thinking, but it seems much more instinctive to go. Young thinks about and seems to get in his own head a bit.
Still, the multiple youtube series that he had done with various sponsors have been amazing, the best look behind the curtain of a modern, top level, American marathoner and have made him, I think, a favorite with a lot of people who wouldn't give a damn about elite marathoning.
I agree with you that his videos are great, but I doubt that they reach mainstream America. I think he's well known and liked in the community of running nerds, but Joe Six Pack has never heard of him.
Fact is Young is a 2:08 marathon runner which at the moment is far closer to what the top women are running than the men. I agree that on a legal course he's worth more - but that remains to be seen. But in his favour his videos are very well done and i think he can offer a lot to a sponsor beyond times as he is articulate, sincere and open on camera . He and Albertson are a good pair and should be good for Brooks. My heart tells me he (and Albertson) have that big breakthrough just around the corner. One last point, a bone of contention. Why did he let Mantz win the trial? Seems inexplicable to me and probably his only chance of winning a marathon.
Fact is Young is a 2:08 marathon runner which at the moment is far closer to what the top women are running than the men. I agree that on a legal course he's worth more - but that remains to be seen. But in his favour his videos are very well done and i think he can offer a lot to a sponsor beyond times as he is articulate, sincere and open on camera . He and Albertson are a good pair and should be good for Brooks. My heart tells me he (and Albertson) have that big breakthrough just around the corner. One last point, a bone of contention. Why did he let Mantz win the trial? Seems inexplicable to me and probably his only chance of winning a marathon.
I'm as big a Clayton Young fan as possible. But where these changes with agents, representation, business etc come, I think it basically comes down to Clayton Young has an irrational belief in himself. I think even he would admit that.
And it's the reason he's been successful to this point. If he stopped when people doubted him, he never would have made the Olympics, made himself what he is today. He is marketable, both as a former Olympian and as a popular youtube presence. Irrational self-confidence can be a tremendously beneficial trait in the pursuit of excellence.
But, I just think there's a disconnect. He also thinks he could be a WMM podium finisher. He thinks he could be an American Record holder. He thinks he could be an Olympic medalist. And I don't think a lot of the parties he's negotiating with see him the same way. I think that leads to disconnects, and a smaller company like Brooks is probably more willing to take a big swing with him than a large company like Asics.
I think he's a little displeased with not winning the trials and not running on a fast course such as Chicago in '25 and not being able to run Valencia '25.
Just speculating, I'm sure he and asics didn't always see eye to eye and he has to regret giving Mantz that trials victory. Kind of interesting in Mantz Chicago documentary he is barely in it or speaks
Verbiage is that it was a tough decision for him, meaning he had say in the matter. Most likely scenario is he was offered some amount to stay with Asics, and he didn't feel good about the offer, so he didn't accept and looked elsewhere. If your company gave you a pay cut or many years in a row without a pay raise, would you stay? Maybe maybe not.
More people know who "go one more syringe" is because of the marketing. Brands aren't marketing their athletes like that. It was good that he left Aiscs, it might even be better for his achilles but ask CJ Albertson how Brooks is with all of his 2:10 marathons.