Deena dissed at Paso Robles 10k

The only "professional" races are the track races in Europe, the US Championships/Olympic Trials, and the Marathon Trials. What is happening in NYC for the Men's Trials is a step in the right direction, a seperate race for the professionals attached to a larger event. I've seen a few similar races, most notably a criterium 5k they used to run near here. You'd have the people's race run a circular 5k course then afterwards you'd have the "elite" race run a criterium course (1 mile loop I think it was). Races are more or less social events for most of the runners/walkers in them. You'll see more recreational runners/walkers sticking around after the race than your top of the line runners, usually awaiting door prizes. This would work for your 5ks and 10ks, but anything longer and you've have to hold it on a seperate day.

The problem with the professionalization of road running is shared with almost all of the "olympic" sports such as gymnastics, ice skating, swimming, etc. They are usually viewed as "amateur" sports. Successful professional individual sports (tennis, golf) have Grand Slams, a series of grand events that grab people's attention. No one cares who wins the AT&T Tennis Classic or whatever, but people do care about Wimbledon. With distance running you don't really have a successful series or point standings like that. You have the PRRO circuit but that's dominated by a million Kenyans. Your sports fan doesn't care to see Kiptanukomen or Leningradigrad because they can not relate and they can not give good interviews because they are usually shipped in overnight via UPS and can't speak English well enough to entertain the average sports fan. They are probably playing better baseball in Japan but the US sports fan doesn't know and doesn't care. So, why should we make them care about fast foreign runners? Create a professional running series consisting of the best US runners. Use existing races but run the US Running Series race at a different day or time. Get the big three involved: Soda, shoes, beer. You sell anything to the masses successfully without Coke/Pepsi, Nike, or Bud/Miller involved.

Alan

Oy vey wrote:

Luca Brazzi wrote:

If Sara Bei (also with ASICS) ask for a complimentary entry would the HB10k have granted it ? HELL YES !

Bei is a Christian. I doubt she would have "crossed a race of her list" that was in her favorite wine country.

Is Kastor a Christian?

Well, its about time someone stood up to the ridiculous price of races these days. Point blank, I refuse to pay more than $20 to enter a 5K. I hate the fact that every race director has killed the competition in our sport by trying to make more money. I know that insurance is expensive, but that is why you work with USATF, because they insure. SO, in my mind, why on earth would Deena, as a pro, go to a race that isn't even going to pay her prize money and that she would have to pay to enter. Normally, if the prize money were there, then she would have a net gain or at least break even and have a nice weekend vacation.

But, I agree, why stuff someone else's pocket to be their publicity when you are a marketable commodity? It doesn't make any business sense. (Although she probably shouldn't have complained about it to the public). If the RD and other RD's across the nation are willing to ruin the competitiveness of our sport by discouraging people from racing, then they are significantly responsible for the lack of performance in US distance running. In the 70's $5 got you into a race, now you have to fork out 25-50 dollars for a 5K or 10K. This discourages the post-collegiate crowd who are just trying to make it and need the competition, thus we had a recession in distance running in America.

So, make yourselves heard and complain about high entry fees, but also don't ream one of our stars for understanding the value of herself as a commodity.

-trackgeek

Running is in the same boat as soccer in this country.

Neither one will ever have the same type of viewership as the NFL or MLB. No matter how it's tricked up.

5$ also filled your tank with gas in the 70's.

I think there are two ways of looking at her post:

1) She refused because the entry fee itself would not be comped. If this is the case, it is a decision based on principle only, since it's clearly a tiny sum. If this is the case, then I applaud her decision. Although she doesn't need the money, lots of runners do. It would be that much harder for a small time pro to get free entry if RDs can just retort that Deena paid her own way.

2) She refused because she wouldn't get a free trip out of the deal. If this is the case, then the decision was financial rather than based on principle. She doesn't write that the RD was acting inappropriately, she's just stating a fact. Since it's a blog that is supposed to give an inside look at an elite runner's life, this is really just showing another interesting aspect of race selection: sometimes elites run races just so they can get a free trip. Sometimes they try to get a free trip and it doesn't work out. Life goes on.

Three years ago I called the race director of a fairly small 10k race on behalf of a buddy who had run sub 29 earlier that year. RD would not give a free entry. We go anyway, after I enter him the RD was non-stop on the microphone announcing that this guy was running! Unreal. He did win in 29:30, it had a handicapped start so he passed the last runner about 3km from the finish.

What most people miss is that the RD doesn't have to 'pay' the entry fee and it only costs him what the marginal cost of one more runner; maybe a couple of bucks.

Having been involved in many races on the athlete and organizing side; I cannot understand how the RD wouldn't think it wouldn't be worth a couple of bucks to have a friggin' Olympic medalist at his race. He could have spun it into something pretty special. By all accounts this RD is supposedly a pretty knowledgable guy so who knows why he had the brain freeze. THe issue from what she wrote was just the entry so I don't know why weekend in wine country comes into it.

800 dude wrote:

I think there are two ways of looking at her post:

1) She refused because the entry fee itself would not be comped. If this is the case, it is a decision based on principle only, since it's clearly a tiny sum. If this is the case, then I applaud her decision.

What principle? Did Mitch Massey solicit Deena Kastor, or was it the other way around? If anyone has a case for standing on principle it's Massey. Deena flat out wanted a freebie. That's a lack of principle. Deena can wait another 6 weeks for a dose of celebrity worship. Mary Wittenberg will cater to her every need at the expense of the B-qualifiers, who are left to fend for themselves.

The Race Director at this 10km in Paso Robles is obviously making a bad decision not to invite Deena Kastor to the race and letting her run for free. It's within his rights to make bad decisions. If I was a race director and Deena Kastor called me asking for a comp entry, I would definitely provide it.

One of the main qualities that sets the sport of road racing apart from other sports is the egalitarian nature of the sport. Joe Schmoe and Jane Doe can pay the entry fee and line up at major marathons with Paul Tergat and Paula Radcliffe. There no other sports like this in the world.

I am a big fan of Deena Kastor. If the road 10km PR is so meaningful to Ms. Kastor, then perhaps she should reach deep into her pockets for the US$25 for the entry fee like the rest of the runners.

It's a CHARITY run. You don't ask for a comped entry to a CHARITY event. It's tasteless.

I don't know about all the rest of this stuff, but I do think that Kastor is Jewish. The religion of Jesus.

I'm really not sure these stars bring in alot more runners either. I was a race director for years and 99% of the people that run on the roads on a weekend, could care less about any other runners anywhere else. That's not what weekend warrioring is all about.

heck, I coach a high school cross country team that went to the state finals last year, that no matter how I try, I cannot get any of them to look at intranet sites about distance running, or read articles about running.

I'll be willing to bet that none of them could name a top 20 NCAA team.

Very few people, even within the sport are appreciative of what any of these runners do and the fact that they would come to a race, locally wouldn't impress them in the least.

It's like using money as a drawing card. You may get "a few" extra people..that's it.

I know for a fact that Bob Schul once showed up for a road race during the Pan Am games, lined up and nobody ever knew he was there until the end of the race, when some sharp dude pointed him out to the director..

The race entry fee is 25-30 dollars. Top 240 runners recieve $50 cash for finishing. Most donate the cash to the charity. Perhaps she could keep it. [quote]uhhuh wrote

Karno Kool Aid wrote:

DK deserves a free entry, with running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days and all that.

I should get comp'd too. My prs are better then hers and his in everything from the mile to the marathon. (uh..but I'm a guy)

I ran the 10K masters championship a few years ago and found out at that the race director doesn't comp anyone except the previous year's winner. At the time no one else received lodging, travel expenses, or a comp entry. The RD is very consistent about this. It is a wierd location for a national championship race since to get to Paso Robles from almost anywhere outside of Californai requires airfare, car rental, and lodging in addition to the entry. The reason top masters runners show up is the decent prize money that pretty much offsets the travel expenses.

Oletimer wrote:

No, but you have run against him I'm sure. He's a good guy and we get along just fine.

bruce bickford

i got it... wrote:

bruce bickford

Bick has never lived in Colorado.

Armchair Psychologist wrote:

But having faced the fierce opprobrium from the Let's Run community she has removed all evidence of what she was looking for.

Did she take it off her website? I can't find it...if this was mentioned, sorry. I'm sneaking online at work and don't have time to read all 8 pages of the thread. Someone give me the short answer?