What non-marathon races should form a formal US roads circuit?

I'd look for

1) Races with both a history and ongoing commitment to competitive running at every level from pro to age group, as well as

2) Up and coming races with the ambition to have the same commitment.

I'd exclude storied races that just want to be their city's running-themed mass participation party. Also, I'd look for a geographic distribution that matches the overall (running) population.

I like this idea. Back in the late 70's/early 80's there was a road circuit with many of these races.

It's what helped contribute to the popularity of the sport (back then) because people saw the pro's up close.

These races were on TV and actually got viewers.

I think a distinct circuit with a "Grand Prix" style point system would be good.

I like all of your races and there are probably more. I suppose depth of field and appearance and/or prize money have to go into the equation.

I also think it could take the emphasis off of marathons for "newer" runners. I know so many who (along with their hobby jogger friends) think that running farther, no matter who slow, is better than running shorter and faster.

Give these events more publicity and make them important and the masses may follow.

This is how you grow interest and popularity for the distances in America. A Grand Prix styled slate of races and the overall points champions are declared “The Best Distance Runners in America”.

It us accessible to the masses unlike track

Like NASCAR or F1, fans understand the points and can keep track of the standings

It opens up more marketing and sponsorship deals for athletes

Events can be shown live or, maybe better, later in the day after editing and packaging to maximize relevant action and drama for viewers

Keep it Americans only so that personal brands and fan bases can be built - we need homegrown heroes to grow the sport in the USA, not another discipline dominated by foreign talent

Talented post-collegiate athletes get an avenue to extend their careers. The pure thoroughbreds can sign with BTC and OAC to do Diamond League, just think what huge stars Connor Mantz or Weini Kelati could be in such a format instead of racing for anonymous middling finishes on European tracks

It is long past time to bring back competitive road racing in America to boost elite running and to save the roads from becoming the exclusive dominion of hobby joggers

You nailed it with the KEEP IT AMERICAN ONLY. We need to create our own stars.

USATF Road Running Circuit has been a thing for decades.

usatfrunningcircuit.runnerspace.com

USATFRunningCircuit.com - USATF Running Circuit Official Site

The USATF Running Circuit is a USA Track & Field road series featuring USATF championships from one mile through the marathon and consistently attracts the best American distance runners with over $480,000 ($240,000 per gende...

Link:usatfrunningcircuit.runnerspace.com/

Alan

All excellent ideas. I can see bringing in a few foreigners just to add some spice. Just NOT 10 Kenyans who are going to take the top 10 spots.

Not to get political but one thing I never considered that could prevent someone from continuing after college (until the other day) is college debt!

I talked to someone I know who signed a contract and this idea would suit him perfectly.

He said one factor he had in being able to continue was that he had no college debt.

But, I love this thread and I hope the people who can make it a reality are reading.

Letsrun!!! promote this.

And unless I'm just missing it- why wasn't Bix on the homepage?

It's a major race and deserves coverage.

In the old Running Times magazine it would have been a feature article.

As noted in the OP, the current circuit is half-baked, and as long as USATF (with its scattershot coverage plan, challenging bid requirements, and overall lack of attention paid to road racing) is in charge, it will be.

I forgot Florida races—Gasparilla and the Jacksonville 15k could belong on this circuit. And it’s not in Florida, but I also forgot Crazy 8s in TN as a possibility. They hosted just the men’s USATF championship this year, and if this series were open to having single-gender stops on the tour, that could be a men’s counterpart to a women’s only race like the Boston 10k for Women.

Probably has to do with money. Those RDs would prob have to pay a chunk to USATF.

Because of the business model of 'professional' running it will always fail.

In no other sport can nonprofessional compete alongside professionals.

Road Running is not a professional sport. Track is no more professional than gymnastics or wrestling.

Alan

This!

I would add 5th Avenue Mile in NYC and the Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh.

What do we all think the ideal format is—starting point for that discussion:

-start late February or early March, finish in late October or early November

-have 1-3 races every month of the season, never have two races on the same weekend

-score “regular” races 10 deep (100 points, 75 points, 60 points, 50, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5)

-designate 4 annual “majors” that score 15 deep (250, 200, 175, 150, 125, 100…), always to include the last race of the season

-an athlete can score for the season once they’ve scored in 5 races on the circuit—no dropping in just 2-3 times, winning those races, and being the series champion, you’ve gotta be a regular competitor on the circuit to win

-the races should all pitch in $100k total to contract with 10 men and 10 women ($5k annual contract/athlete, payable upon when they become eligible to score in that years’ series) and commit to providing travel to any of those athletes who commit to a series race’s pro field at least a month in advance (so that series races get the benefit of knowing they have a solid foundation to their pro field, and get the marketing/PR benefit of getting to promote the presence of series athletes in advance); races can then recruit the rest of their pro fields individually (and non-contracted athletes would be eligible to win the series if they competed and scored in enough series races)

-the races should also pitch in $400k for prize money, with $100k each going to the overall men’s and women’s champ, 50k for 2nd, 25k for 3rd, 15k 4th and $10k 5th

-the races should also pitch in an additional $100k of prize money to be parceled out in different creative ways to be announced at the beginning of every year (cycling style “boldest racer” bonuses, cash primes, best performance in races 10k and under or over 10k, etc)

-overall series top-3, event champions, and winners of those awards should be identified with social colors or markings on their bibs and/or uniforms the next year

-athletes should be given the same bib # at each of the events for the season, and that number should be printed on their singlet (or at least as a back bib) and those singlets offered for sale

-have each season begin and end at the same race, so that over the course of 10-12 years every race gets to be the finale (like the WMMs calendar); otherwise, there’ll assuredly be bickering between these independent races about who gets the benefit of being the finale

-all races have to be streamed or broadcast on the same platform—I would even pay a subscription fee for this (for 10-15 races I would probably pay $75-ish, I think?)

Thoughts?

The Diet Pepsi 10K series back in the 80's was a pretty good event that went to many large cities all over the US. OK, not every city but quite a few of the larger cities around the country.

Where does all that money come from? It won’t be from subscription fees.

There are "circuits" like the rnr half races, lululemon is forming a new one. The problem is these don't have much prize money. Unless the race pays athletes to come, they will lose money travelling to them. The US is just too low density with travel being too expensive for any serious formal circuit besides what USATF has now.

These races already invest in pro fields. Series races could choose to redirect their investments from where they are now to the series, or make an additional investment in the sport beyond what they invest in pros now. This additional investment may even be justified on a financial basis—if being part of a compelling series can drive additional engagement to participating events year-round and streaming/broadcast can create additional event weekend sponsorship opportunities. But even if it isn’t a financial boon, many of the races listed above are non-profits and believe investing in pros is part of their mission. If these orgs host US road champs and Olympic Trials—which are known financial losers—it’s not but a hop skip and a jump to getting them on board with something like this if someone credible were to spearhead organizing it.

gotta have Bix on the circuit!

Are there really races held where the goal is to invest in pro runners?. A non-profit entity is not necessarily a charity and the money will still have to come from somewhere.

Another issue is that the best runners are on the track and they are not going to want run 1-3 all out road races a month and I don’t believe their sponsors will want them to either. And a marathoner focusing on a major marathon probably isn’t going to frequently run road races and certainly not HMs.

I know that Bill Rodgers raced frequently but he didn’t have a sponsor and needed the money. He said he was over-raced and would race far less often if he was a runner now.