What an Elite Half Marathon Time to get a Shoe contract?

1:02

OK, so what do you mean by shoe contract? Does it need to be directly with a shoe company, or is something with an intermediate (retailer for example) OK?

I'm sure you could get quite a bit of free gear from a shoe store for a 1:06. Without superior track times, that wouldn't get you much of anything from a major shoe company. Maybe some gear from a minor company though.

What do you mean by minor shoe company? I have a PR right around 1:06 for the half marathon, and am going for sub 1:06 this weekend, As i approach my first marathon this fall i was just curious to see if i may or could recieve some free gear/shoes.

I haven't been around that scene for about a decade, so I really don't know what the various shoe companies are doing right now. In the mid '90s you might have been able to get gear from New Balance. Maybe Mizuno in the late '90s. You'd really have to sell yourself going that route though.

Your best bet for free stuff would probably be to approach local running stores. I've known a lot of ~1:06 guys who had gear deals with running stores.

I live out in the country and milesssssss away from a running store, how would i go about contacting them?

I appreciate your advice and information.

It is quite difficult to get shoes and gear. My PRs were sub 1:05 and below 2:20 and I couldn't get gear from anywhere besides the local running store, and even for that I had to beg and bargain. We simply don't serve much purpose for shoe companies. Get down to the 1:03s, get into the 28:40s in the 10k, get used to being in the top 10 at USATF races, and you'll be eligible for some gear. Brooks has a program that catches a lot of athletes not under sponsorship with a major training group.

When you think about it, shoes and gear are not that expensive, or worth your time to try and track down. An easy way to get them for free are to do local races where shoes are given to the winner. You can usually "jog" to a win and get shoes or a gift certificate, and work it into your regular training as a time trial/tempo run. If you're stuck on looking really good when you go to race, then yes, you'll be spending a fair amount of money to have people look at you and whisper "how fast is he going to run?" Otherwise, I've always been able to get by on $40 clearance shoes and old shorts from 5 years ago.

You have to decide whether it is worth your time tracking down sponsors, kissing their asses, and begging for another pair of shoes, or spending that time working a real job or working on non-running training(weights, flexibility, nutrition...sleep), or having a life. Good luck.

Remember, it's unlikely that anyone is going to get free stuff from anyone because they "deserve" it. A shoe company, or a running store is going to give someone their product to wear in a race because they hope it'll work as advertising.

Even if you're far away from the nearest running store, you might be able to get some form of sponsorship if you place high/win a lot of races within their retail radius (I just made that up). It's up to you to convince them that having you wearing their jersey will help them.

If it's not worth it to you to run the most visible races in the areas around that store, and to commit to always wearing their brand of shoes (even when you've burned through whatever quantity they've given you), then maybe it's not worth it.

As the previous poster mentioned, it can save some time and hassle and commitments to just do it on your own.

Well first off your timing is very bad. This is an Olympic year and pretty much any company has already extended their contracts (even for equipment) to those they feel have a legit shot of an Olympic team or showing well at the trials. The competition is so tight that some very good runners I know right now couldn't get anything and they either competed in the men's or the women's Olympic marathon trials and have top 10 finishes at one of the USA distance championships. So your 1:06 isn't going to raise any eyebrows. If you run a 1:02 as mentioned in an earlier post, that might get you the opportunity to call them. I am not saying this to bash you, just giving you what I know so that you have an idea. Keep running and when contacts start being looked at for the 2009 season, get to them early.

Can't you just tell us what your exact 1/2 marathon PR is? When you say around 1:06 that means closer to 1:07 and probably more like 1:08. As for what constitues a minor shoe company, Saucony would be a good example, followed by Reebok ( based on their crappy shoes )Brooks is higher than those 2, and Nike, Adidas, and Asics would be considered the 3 major players that sponsor legit medal contenders. Actually you also have to include Mizuno in there too. Higher than Brooks but not quite with the big 3.

My half marathon Pr is 1:06:10.

I was a 1:06 guy and was able to get free gear. However, I made off better getting a small local sponsor then a contract with a big shoe company. There was a lot of races that payed for all/some travel and accommodations - I just had to be my own agent.

i had a friend - national-class hurdler, made an olympic trials final - who tried and tried and tried to get a shoe deal

finally got a company to sponsor him and was thrilled

a few days later, box arrives from the company

it's empty

I think you could get gear from a company. Try some shoe companies, look at Cliff Bars, Gu, etc as well. Shoe companies are going to be the only ones offering.

You are going to have to get it though because they aren't going to come to you. Get a running resume together with results showing how many people would be seeing their brands and how you can market their products.

Nike, New Balance, Power Bar, they don't care if you reach your goals really, they want to be sure that more people see their name.

Any clubs in your area? Good way to get some gear.

You have to think like a shoe or apparel company. They only sponsor athletes who will provide favorable exposure for their name and products. If you live in a relatively remote area and can't race often where you would be likely to be photographed wearing the sponsor's gear (this usually means you have to be the winner often), you won't be of any value to a sponsor.

To race frequently out of town, you'll have to be good enough to be invited by an organizer who is willing to pay your expenses. A 66 or 65 minute half-marathon isn't likely to draw much interest, another disincentive for a potential sponsor.

If you lived in a more heavily populated area you could appear at more events at little personal expense and, if you could consistently be a winner, there would be a case to be made to a sponsor for good exposure.

Local running clubs who can dominate in a given geography are a good way to get sponsorship for someone at your level. For instance, the runners of the Nike Central Park Track Club are worthy of sponsorship because they have a strong presence in a large market which provides Nike with consistent exposure week after week.

You would call them up or, better, patronize their store.

Go sub 1:05 to get your Olympic qualifier, and market the hell out of yourself on that basis. It wouldn't do much to spark interest from shoe companies (maybe free gear & some incentives in future races), but you could lead running classes for a local running store or gym/fitness studio, as well as supplemental forms of training (strength training, stretching, etc). The demographic that is interested in running classes isn't going to make a distinction between "olympic marathon trials qualifier" and "olympic marathoner."

Depends on the shoe store. I was getting a couple pairs of shoes and some decent gear (warm-ups, racing attire) and I'm barely a 1:10 guy.

Try the Brooks ID Program you will can get free gear and 40% off of their gear once you spend all you money that they give you try this web address

http://www.brooksrunning.com/Athletes+%26+Events/Brooks+I.D.+Program/

Good luck with it.