Do "elite" hs runners have jobs?

Many of them work at a running shoe store

Why would elite HS distance runners be different from kids in other sports?

Don't come to LR to try to justify your lazy lifestyle. Get a job!

I had a job every year in HS. During the summers, I doubled my hours. Usually quit towards the end of summer to have a few weeks off before school started and got a new job after settling in to the new school year. Back then (late 90s), it was more common for teens to start/stop jobs based on their school and sports schedules. I did everything from grocery store cashier to Blockbuster video.

My teenage daughter tried to get a job and they basically wanted her to work full time. She is a multi-sport athlete and I basically had to tell her she couldn't work. She babysits instead and makes good money. Not sure what my boys will do when they get older... it seems harder for teens to get jobs now. They are competing with adults for minimum wage positions.

That's really interesting. I think it has to do with the erosion of middle income jobs. So the market is more polarized now with high and low paying jobs. Those middle income or medium skill jobs got automated away with technology or went overseas. So now we have the current environment. I'm 28 and I sometimes see people I recognize from high school still working minimum wage jobs. It's rough out there. No wonder it's hard for teens to find jobs.

Son was an ok runner , 4:20 mile, 1:58 800 9:30 3200. All A student. Made him get a job at Jets pizza. Study, train, work. You need to be exposed to the work force to learn how to interact with customers, other employees and management. These lessons are essential.

Why would you put “elite” in quotes? The standards are published. They’re either elite or they aren’t .

Elite usually implies professional

Top 25 in each state are elite high school athletes in my humble opinion. LetsRun tends to diminish the high quality athletes out there

Why? My kids didn't work in HS or college. One is earning $160K at 26 and the other iels earning $125K at 24. Both were successful students and runners and now are successful adults.

Actually, no there aren't. And I doubt you can name one high level high school or college runner who is earning a lot in their twenties other than one or two who are world class runners.

Set aside elite, I don’t know how any HS kid could pursue good grades in AP level classes, be on a sports team, and have a part time job. There just isn’t enough time.

Because HS distance runners know that it's college or work is around the corner for them. Other sports athletes think that they are going pro.

No, most kids know it’s a long shot to become a pro athlete and don’t even compete in college. If they don’t know, their parents will.

I have a kid is pretty high level. he has always worked in the summer, but I think he will take the summer before his senior year off. and he should. Kids who are truly committed to being top notch in running and in the classroom shouldn't work if they don't have to. Some people need to, and that's okay.

train, eat, sleep, recover. working gets in the way of sleep and recovery.