I just do not understand how people are signed in professional running. 33 year old Andy Bayer gets a contract over 28 year old Eric Holt? Yes, Holt bombed in the US final and has not proven to be the caliber runner to be consistently making teams. But what is a 33 year old Andy Bayer going to add that Holt won't? Holt has proven that he is consistently going to win domestic mile/1500 races and I can see him doing that for a year or two more. That has some value to companies clearly because guys like Engels, Prakel, Gregorek, Wynne are all sponsored and losing to Holt. I am not sure what Andy Bayer is going to be doing in the near future. Bayer got 9th in the final in the steeplechase this year at USAs. He definitely has a way more decorated past than Holt, but this makes no sense moving into the future in my opinion. I did not think Holt was going to get a contract after his performance at USAs because of young guns like Nathan Green and Joe Waskom that have a huge upside, but I am so curious about this decision. If Bayer gets a contract, Holt definitely deserves one.
Pure speculation, but I’m wondering if this is also partially a pathway for Bayer to work for On after a couple more years of racing. They’ve picked up a couple notable ex-pros as employees and maybe Bayer will join that list. Short term, if he does anything with OAC, I’m sure he’d be able to help Beamish tremendously.
As for the original post, I’m a big fan of Eric Holt, but Bayer has a legitimate outside shot of making the next Olympic team with the U.S steeple scene pretty open, and it’s hard to say the same of Holt. Gotta think that gives Bayer more potential value.
Pure speculation, but I’m wondering if this is also partially a pathway for Bayer to work for On after a couple more years of racing. They’ve picked up a couple notable ex-pros as employees and maybe Bayer will join that list. Short term, if he does anything with OAC, I’m sure he’d be able to help Beamish tremendously.
As for the original post, I’m a big fan of Eric Holt, but Bayer has a legitimate outside shot of making the next Olympic team with the U.S steeple scene pretty open, and it’s hard to say the same of Holt. Gotta think that gives Bayer more potential value.
I get why OAC signed Bayer, but Holt has made 2 usatf 1500 finals in a row finishing 4th and 12th. In 2022 he missed team by only .08 sec. He does have a nice blue collar story, and every reason to at least be in the mix.
in a field with no Hocker Centrowitz or Nuguse. The problem Eric Holt has is he’s got a ton of college talent coming into the pro ranks before the 2024 trials and shoe companies are going to gamble on the 23 year old who has comparable PRs and more road left up ahead. He’s a crowd favorite but perhaps not palatable or marketable to the running companies.
True, but Nike recently signed similar blue collar Val Constien for steeple. She couldn't run usatf this year and similarly faces now plenty of new talent for '24. I'm not here promoting Holt, and I'm not so sure how hard he is even looking for a sponsor. His current setup is working for him.
She did but a bit of a fluke, like Holt coming 4th. Amazingly, no sponsor picked up Constien during Olympics, or for 2 years afterward til Nike in '23.
True, but Nike recently signed similar blue collar Val Constien for steeple. She couldn't run usatf this year and similarly faces now plenty of new talent for '24. I'm not here promoting Holt, and I'm not so sure how hard he is even looking for a sponsor. His current setup is working for him.
Eric Holt is this generations Nate Jenkins. Huge blog following and people loved the blue collar work ethic. Saucony tossed some money at him and it never translated into races or sales
Jeez I never heard of this guy, but he really has such a rough championship resume. At USAs, he was 4th in the 1500 in 2012 (we went 2nd and 4th at the Olympics, brutal team to make), 4th in the steeple in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He finally came 3rd in 2018, but there was no Worlds that year, so he still didn't make a team. Finally in 2019 he made the team and the final at Worlds. Crazy consistency.
Apparently he retired in 2021, then announced late last year that he was coming back and wanted to make the World/Olympic team. 9th this year doesn't seem like a bad result all things considered. Better than Jager at least. Hopefully training under the goat Ritz and one of the best teams in the world at altitude gets some more out of him. It'd be great to see him make his first Olympic team next year, 12 years after coming 4th while still in college.
I get why OAC signed Bayer, but Holt has made 2 usatf 1500 finals in a row finishing 4th and 12th. In 2022 he missed team by only .08 sec. He does have a nice blue collar story, and every reason to at least be in the mix.
Last year the US was super weak in the 1500. Hocker, Kessler, and Nuguse were all struggling with injuries. Holt has looked really good all year but still came last in the final. Teare and Kessler both opened up with 3:32s, and still neither of them made the team. The US is stupid deep right now. I hope he gets a contract, but he has to prove he has the ability to make a team at this point. He just dropped a great 3:34 pb, but that's only good for 7th in the country this year. He's probably gonna need a 3:32 to get a good deal.
The LR article on him says he's living with his parents and not working, only making money from races, so he can be all in on running. That's not really blue collar tbh, but regardless, he's not all in. He really needs to go all in and move to Flagstaff to train under The Mike Smith. He's a 3:34 guy training in New York, he's leaving a lot of time on the table by not training at altitude. He doesn't have much income, but if he thinks he can be good enough, he needs to bet on himself. Find some place cheap to live in Flag, buy some dried beans and rice in bulk, and get on the grind.
Beamish has become a major force in Steeplechase and they want someone with experience to train/mentor him. clearly OAC sees a potential Olympian in Beamish and they're giving him all the support they can to help get him there. good for them.
I wish NAZ Elite would do the same for Krissy Gear. I don't think they had any idea how fast she would progress at steeplechase. if she has the Olympics on her mind (and she should) she'll need help. her first Diamond League race proved it'll take more than just having a great kick if she's gonna compete on that level.
Pure speculation, but I’m wondering if this is also partially a pathway for Bayer to work for On after a couple more years of racing. They’ve picked up a couple notable ex-pros as employees and maybe Bayer will join that list. Short term, if he does anything with OAC, I’m sure he’d be able to help Beamish tremendously.
As for the original post, I’m a big fan of Eric Holt, but Bayer has a legitimate outside shot of making the next Olympic team with the U.S steeple scene pretty open, and it’s hard to say the same of Holt. Gotta think that gives Bayer more potential value.
I get why OAC signed Bayer, but Holt has made 2 usatf 1500 finals in a row finishing 4th and 12th. In 2022 he missed team by only .08 sec. He does have a nice blue collar story, and every reason to at least be in the mix.
I might be in a good position to comment on this as someone who pretty extensively interviewed Andy Bayer for an article for Outside Magazine (we spoke for probably 45 minutes with some follow-up texting) when he decided to retire.
Andy Bayer Hung Up His Spikes Just Before His Best Chance to Make the Olympics. Here's Why. – PodiumRunner
He was mostly coached by Ron Warhurst at IU and would be unlikely to uproot his family. He still has kids in school (adopted).
When we talked, he mentioned he didn't love the marketing angle of sports and didn't love that Nike dropped him because he wasn't having enough instagram and twitter followers (sounds like an Eric Holt type of guy)
What I don't actually know and am too lazy to look up is if his PR from this year was good. I remember watching the steeplechase finals and they made it seem like he was a front runner. Yes, he might have finished 9th, but that could also mean that he really went for it. From his perspective, finishing 4th and finishing 9th was the same thing in relation to his goal.
On doesn’t necessarily mean OAC. Where is he living currently? Doubt he’s moving his family around for a small sponsor deal at 33. Psyched to see him back on the scene!