Life after post-collegiate running

The drive and determination exhibited in the pursuit of any athletic goal, if properly transferred is invaluable in any field. Also the experience of being a competitive runner prepares you for a job in any of the related fields, i.e. working for a shoe company, agent, other sports related marketing and manufacturing, but it depends on what your interests and aptitudes are.

Some people like to make a complete break with the sport and persue other interests or develop other aspects of their themselves. It depends on what you enjoy doing.

You're only young once. You have a window to run your best that will close as you get older. True, goals change as you age and you might be a world beater as a master. But in relative terms, if you wait too long, you won't ever reach your full potential.

You can always start climbing the corporate ladder. Just realize you may enter the work field as a 35 year old competing with 22 year olds.

As a person who has gone through the post collegiate process and has seen many other runners do the same, I believe I can give some insight. Most runners continue to run for a year or so after college, because that is what they are used to and it is their routine. But, soon after they realize they don't have the team structure or anybody there to help them keep training. They also probably have a job (full time) and or family that prevents them from training to their potential. Soon, their competiive running will end.

Others, who really love running, have a plan to compete and continue for a few years. They have hopes and dreams of setting PRs and making US teams. They think that the only way to do this is to get a slack job and train as much as possible, putting off their professional work goals in the mean time. This, is generally the best way to get good in the short term, total dedication to running. But, I think this can only go on for a few years, unless you are a real stud who gets paid to run, as most people want cars, TVs, rent paid, food, etc and the american way of life. It is also hard on relationships, girlfriends don't understand running like you do and they want to do to dinner and movies and get presents weekly. I think, it is important for runners to see the big picture. YOu can run and work at the same time. If anything, work part time at a job that is giving you real experience for a career you might want to do later. It looks much more impressive to work part time for a law firm than at the local shoe store if you want to get a real job. Look at rod dehaven, he was working 30 hours a week(usually 40, but they let him cut back for the olympic trials), he also has a family, and he won the olympic trials, beating many "full time" runners with no jobs. so, it can be done, and done effectively. Also, if we use Wejo as an example, he is continuing this website, which i'm sure is a full time job as he trains. He may not be going to the old 9-5 job, but it is work non the less.

so, in summary, I think that if you want to continue to run and for many years after college, realize that eventually you should find work that suits your training and allows for growth in some profession other than running. You can have both!

I don't think it's as big a deal as people say to work and run. I work 37-40 hours a week and run 120 miles a week pretty easily, even with a day of complete rest. I'm married and my wife goes to school; she works part time so there's some income there but it's not a lot. My job doesn't pay a lot but it keeps food on the table. Our car runs fine (knock on wood) and our apartment is halfway decent. We go out to drink or to the movies fairly often because we like to have fun.

I think the main problem is people get so wrapped up in "making it"--having a brand spanking new Jetta in the driveway, having the flat-screen tv, newest computer, game systems, etc etc, that they feel like anything less is this great sacrifice. It's not, really. Well, I guess, to me, it isn't. I'm happy enough putting my hours in--at both work and running--and watching the dream develop.

My chances of becoming anything great as a runner are virtually none. Still, I'd rather live like this than go off into corporate america to make 50 grand a year and take no risk. Falling short of something extraordinary far outweighs being another schmoe in a suit who lives and dies and no one notices or cares, maybe not even himself.

You will have some memories and training mates who will last a lifetime and one never knows, you might pull a sub-2:12 or something phenomenal out of your a**. The job may be nothing to brag about but I can't knock someone for working. You're rolling the dice to keep your running dream alive. You can also go to grad school which is conducive to training hard and pursuing or furthering some of your loftier career ambitions. Once you get too old, the demons of what if might bother you and it sounds like you are not mentally ready to hang 'em up. But if you do go for the training first, working second route, don't go half-way. Really get after it and see what you can do with yourself, otherwise it won't be fulfilling and you should indeed hang them up.

Anybody that has worked hard enough to achieve success in long distance running should be able to channel this into a successful non-running related post running career. Just remember that your good times while indicative of a strong work ethic may not mean a hill of beans to many people. The longer you delay finding your life's work the more likely you will be working for a boss that is younger than you. It can be a bitter pill to swallow - believe me. My dad and I had many heated discussions about this and I was angry for a long time - but twenty years later I know he was right. A couple of positives : 1)you will have lots of energy and passion if you attack your work in the same manner as running 2) you will look damn good in your suit compared to the couch potato! GOOD LUCK

First of all, it depends on the degree and career. Unless it's in sales, I think fellow dreamer is sleeping a little too hard. Walking into a job interview saying "I've got a 5 (or 10) year-old degree I've never used, but I'm an athlete" gets you a job delivering Fritos. You can work your way up through all the 22-year-old grads you're working with, but it'll take awhile. If you're a scientist or some such, I would guess you're in even worse trouble.

Not to say don't focus on training, but keep ALL your priorities in order. I still say grad school is the best avenue, particularly if you can get an assistantship or something.

When you're old and feeble, reflecting on your life and what was important to you, it's very doubtful that it is going to be the size of your house or the kind of cars you drove. It's going to be doing the things that were important and made life fun. It's going to be knowing that you chased your dreams. It's going to be knowing that you never have to wonder "What if."

Exactly! I dedicated myself to running for a number of years after graduating and didn't make it anywhere near the top. Do I regret my decision? Hell no.

I will go to my grave knowing that I gave it all I had and it just wasn't good enough. I will not be one of these middle aged guys standing around at parties talking about what "could have been".

I say if you really think that you have the talent and the determination - then go for it!

Somebody in this boat might consider teaching. This is a natural. I have 2 friends that were marathon types that did this. One of them was a 2:14 marathoner. He stayed in grad school and kept going until he became a prof - added benefit of scamming on the coeds for years longer than maybe he had the right to :) The other guy was an elementary teacher after a stint of sleeping on friends floor and working at Mickey Ds. He came to his senses. This route also has the benefit of summer training like you are back in high school. You just don't want to flounder in a subsistence existence until you are 30 and have to move back home. Chicks won't dig this and it's kind of awkward at your 10/15/20 year reunion! As was stated earlier you can still run well and hold down a 40 hour job. I have a friend that is 40 and still places high in races. It's a long life after the peak years. How you live it is largely going to be dictated by the decisions that are going to have to be made - rather quickly.

From Thoreau

"Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed and in such desperate enterprises? If a man cannot keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears the beat of a different drummer. Let each man step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."

At least you know.

How about this: go to grad school, pursue something related to running such as an exercise physiology degree. Stay 4 years though, not 2, and get your doctorate. Then become a professor making anywhere between 45-70 grand a year depending on where you start, and you basically just bought yourself 4 more years to train and race like you were in college. Just be careful not to get into too much student loan debt, go to a state school so tuition is reasonable.

That's the route I'm planning. Going to grad school for MA next year and then probably going to finish out with Ph.D, try to get published, and get a teaching job in a decently paying college.

my one buddy did the same thing - his phd is in Sport Psychology . Works for him. Good Luck!

Grad school is not always easy for training. It really depends on what you choose to major in. If you are majoring in a science that requires tons of time in the lab, outside of teaching undergrads and your own class work, it's not very easy to train full time. However, if you are majoring in a non-lab related major, it probably is a good set up for training.

You sell yourself in any job interview. It?s up to you to make the running into a plus. Are you better with some experience in your field? Sure. This is where part-time, internships, or even flexible full-time comes in.

I like hire a range of people. It?s like spring training in baseball - no team goes with the most experienced roster they can get. They won?t pass on a rookie with potential. If someone won?t hire you, you probably don?t want to work for them anyway. They?re probably seeking drones who won?t rock the boat. Give me somebody with energy, drive, fire, and imagination anytime.

So you get to start entry level at a more advanced age - so what? What do you think career changers do?

See you after your assault on the summit. I?ll give you an interview.

What about a PhD in business? I know that in accounting, most universities will waive PhD students' tuition and pay $10-20k on top of it. Worth a thought. Then, if one can get published, it translates to a well-paying job (starting salary for an assistant (NOT tenured) accounting prof at my school is $150,000, and this is in a very low cost-of-living area).

The negative: you commit yourself to being in one place for the fall and spring for 4 years.

I don't really know too much about the workload of a PhD Accounting student, but I want to consider it. Are there any Business PhD's out there? In terms of workload, how feasible would it be to attempt running at an elite level while getting a PhD?

Try law school. If you can get in to a good one (top 15 or so), you should be set for a 100k+/year job when you graduate. The median starting salary at my school is $125k/year. Law school gives you plenty of time to train, and anyone, provided they have good grades, can get in (all you have to do is take the LSAT). But don't go unless you're committed to studying hard, and you get in to one of the top 10-15 schools. Otherwise, the investment isn't really worth it.