Perks for a sub-elite (2:29) marathoner

husky jelly and smelly wrote:

Film Rep wrote:

2:29 is probably considered sub-elite if you are a woman 🤔

Gotta love those jealous washed up D1 haters. We get it, your natural talent led you to a 3:48 1500m. Sorry blue collar running threatens your sense of worth.

Haha. More like a 4 flat 1500m. These guys went to sub par D1 schools and got sub par degrees. D3 is where it's at.

Great run! You’re closer to Kipchoge and Bekele than I am to you.

Deseret News marathon in Salt Lake City at the end of july. Look it up, it is a sick race.

The race director is awesome, and the elite coordinator is also great. They recently took over the event and they are doing everything they can to build it into an even more incredible event.

I was a little under 2:30, and I got a hotel and free entry, and there is an elite bus to the top.

No perks, you are still a hobby jogger. In reality you are no better off than someone who ran a 6 hour marathon. No big paycheque, no fanfare, no fame.

However, if you were an average football player you would earn a fortune.

Congrats on the huge PR!

I basically agree with other posts - you'll be able to get some comps and if you're lucky some travel for small/medium sized races and easy seeding for some large races. Some larger races though you really aren't going to get any different treatment than a 2:39 runner. I'd guess races around 1000-3000 people are where you'll get the most bang here, large enough to have a budget for elites and small enough that the qualifiers aren't closer to 2:20.

For example:

Philly has a 2:24 time for the elite field and 2:40 for front corral

Hartford has a 2:30 time for the elite field

Vermont City has a 2:33 time for the elite field

Agreed with poster above, and would also add that you can likely get comp'ed entry to Cherry Blossom and Pacers races in DC. Army 10 doesn't really have elite entries so you're still paying your way there.

Richmond is hit or miss - the race director is a bit nuts.

You might also look into the US Championships. I'm not sure exactly what qualifying times are, but I was able to get free entry plus $ for hotel at the half champs and some other road races.

I'm up in Vermont and VCM., which is a great race would give you free entry, bottles at elite tables and possibly put you up in a hotel. You'll have to find "sub-elite" marathons to get better perks.

https://www.usatf.org/events?eventcategories=5

sub elite is sub 2:23, not 2:10 You def are a 2:50 runner

Not to burst your bubble but nowadays sub-elite is still around2:19-2:20 flat. Your times are good enough to get some highlights at local newspapers and be a local hero at local races. I am a 2:19:03 from the early '80s locally celebrated yet internationally sub-elite good enough to qualify for Moscow '80 (they ended up supporting the boycott, so I stayed home)yet I never dared to be as un-modest as you are. 40 plus years I feel much better about it but back in those days I considered myself a blue collar runner, essentially a bum, so go figure your status.

Good luck!!!

2:29 is great for an amateur and you should be proud of your accomplishment. However to get sub-elite perks they are actually worth anything you gotta be a OT qualifier or right on the cusp.

Many thanks to the suggestions of various races that will comp entries, provide better starting corrals/tents. Very helpful resources, keep them coming! I wouldn't had even known where to start looking.

Thanks to the people who put realistic expectations on what not to expect.

Negative thanks to everyone who felt the need to aggressively gate-keep the term "sub-elite" (not even elite, just a term means less than elite)... but maybe your negative comments have help keep the thread high on the boards so actually helpful people will see it.

Negative people speak the truth but whatever floats your boat.

Sub elites can get a lot with a strong social media presence. Parker Stinson for example. Hobbyjoggers eat it up

Congrats on a fantastic time! I don't have much more to add than what's been said already. I think the biggest "bang for your buck" with that time is to take advantage of the majors and get into the sub elite fields. Things like having a bus with the elites and spending time in the indoor track complex instead of sitting outside for 4 hrs at NYC marathon. Or being in the ADC in Chicago. Now is the time to run the majors where you get treated better than the masses and it makes your overall experience more enjoyable. You'll continue to start at the front and find comped entries here or there but I'd recommend going to big races where you get special treatment and checking those boxes before you cant do it anymore.

Officialdb wrote:

Sub elites can get a lot with a strong social media presence. Parker Stinson for example. Hobbyjoggers eat it up

Parker is a national-class elite. Sub-elite is borderline OTQ.

Good attitude, OP. Haters gonna hate. Sub-2:30 is sub-elite. I'd probably say even under 2:35 or 2:40. You're essentially in the same status from 2:20-2:45 as a guy. Comped entries here & there. But no OTQ. Probably a distinction under 2:25 because that means you could probably chase the OTQ.

This thread is old but should help. A lot of the races mentioned have the same standards or something close.

https://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=8497425

Just wanna go on the record as a 2:28:57 guy that 2:26-2:30 is not even sub-elite.

We are sub-sub-elite

Or call it “local elite”

Since when is 2:29 sub elite? Try 2:24 which is worlds away.

Semantics. If you're spending your time trying to tear down a 2:29 guy or make a huge distinction between 2:29 & whatever you consider to be sub-elite, you're probably just a tad miserable and/or jealous. Call it whatever you want & keep getting insulted by labels but 2:29 is a good time. Not quite elite but better than very good amateurs who are running in the 2:30s & 2:40s & 2:50s.

2:29 is sub-elite. You're getting comped at races. You're not challenged by something like a BQ. But you're still a little off of an OTQ. You in a very small percent of the running community with a sub-2:30.