not a pro wrote:
Being a sponsored runner != being a pro runner.
If you live in the US and you don't make at least the US minimum wage, you are not a pro.
Guess you have to win a whole lot more here in Australia with a minimum wage over 37k.
not a pro wrote:
Being a sponsored runner != being a pro runner.
If you live in the US and you don't make at least the US minimum wage, you are not a pro.
Guess you have to win a whole lot more here in Australia with a minimum wage over 37k.
The amount of ego and utter horsesh*t from some 'runners' is laughable.
Desperately wanting to be recognised as an elite endurance runner after a jog around the block.
Give it a rest. It's boring.
doctorj wrote:
sub 14 baby wrote:
I'm not a pro runner, but I do make $150,000 a year and I have a smoking hot wife.
The real you: Making 30 grand a year , buried in debt, driving a 1999 kia, living in your parents basement and dating the local strip club redneck.
No no- he THINKS he's dating the stripper because she smiled at him when he tipped her.
I doubt there a US pro contract out there lower than 40K... Asics gave Becky Wade 70K after one good marathon. Maybe in trail running lol.
I agree with OP, but not with his number or definition of that as a true pro or his seemingly condescending tone about the situation. I agree with others that have said if you can live off of ONLY running then you are a true pro (which is probably top 5+ in their event.)
For those not that level, but close, I preferred the term Post-Collegiate Runner, or Elite Runner (or sub elite really because let's get real - if you are a consistent 64-66 1/2 guy out of school trying to make it in your early years when you might have 'potential' chances are unless you have real talent - you're not making a US road team or placing top 5 in any championships usually, but you're still good enough to get press, win regional races, go to USA road races, help faster teammates who may be closer, or win prize money and maybe get some help from a post-collegiate team, but you're not truly elite or fully paid), but elite is easier to say or explain to people who like running , are fans in the community, but not fully in know of what truly elite is.
Having been in such a training group years ago, the following things were some things that I had covered at various times or earned: Shoes, Gear, Coaching, Travel, Hotel, Housing, Prize Money.
Lets break that down.
Lets consider the following:
Coaching is $100/monthx 12 months = $1,200
Rent is maybe $300/month (assuming you share a house with 2-3 roomates) x 12 months = $3,000
Shoes + Gear (10-12 pairs of shoes, racing gear, warmups, training gear = $2,000
Prize Money: Pick your races correctly in a good year and race a decent amount of time and not getting hurt = $3,000-$4000
Travel and Hotel (either paid for by race or team) lets say 4 big trip races based on $250 RT flight & 2x$125night hotel = $2000
You are looking like you're getting around $11,000 - $12,000 subsidized. You cant live off that super easily so you work another 15-20hours a week in an easy job get another $7,800-$10,400 (retail, shoe store, timing company, something industry related). Far from being a real pro, but you can live with somewhere between $18,800 and $22,400 be self sustaining and devote your time to racing and see some amazing cities, race some big races for free, compete in US championships, meet amazing people and friends and create some amazing memories.
Are you fully pro? Nah, not close but you got to live as close to the dream as possible even if for a little while before continuing onto life in a different way, and were able to get close enough to a level that most wont see or experience.
So in the words of Cartman on South Park... was it worth it, son? ''Totally...''
not a pro wrote:
Being a sponsored runner != being a pro runner.
If you live in the US and you don't make at least the US minimum wage, you are not a pro.
oh sweet... I make way more than that at my Full-Time Job
*begins to change instagram bio
a couple of thoughts wrote:
Full time runners don't do 40 hours per week. A 140 mpw guy might be able to run 20 miles a day in two hours, certainly not much more. So multiply, say 15 hours per week by the minimum wage and you'll get a better number. Even so, this is a pretty stupid way to draw the line.
Pro runners running 140 mpw week don't spend 15 hrs a week on the sport, it is way more. Maybe 15hrs actually running but there is a lot of additional hours for recovery, rehab, strength/core training, some do cross-training. For the best pros, it would definitely equate to a 40hr per week job. Plus you need extra time for sleep and recovery people working normal jobs don't.
One of the biggest reasons for Bekele's decline was he started to spend more time on his business interests and that took away from the other things that made him such a dominant runner. Bekele is definitely more talented than Kipchoge but Eliud spends all day running, resting, or focusing on activities that make him a better runner. Being world-class in running is definitely not a 15hpw job.
FROM merriam-webster
-engaged in by persons receiving financial return
-participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs
So if you are increasing your bank account you're professional.
So add up all of the money spent on shoes or clothing, entry fees, transportation to races... If you're coming out ahead then you're a professional.
If you made $800 in prize money throughout a year, but you buy your own shoes for a few hundred dollars and had to pay some entry fees for a few hundred dollars and paid for a PT appointment to get rid of an injury, then you're not professional.
If you made $1000 prize money and had every race entry fee paid for, all flights paid for, and have services available to you if injured, then you're professional.
Being professional at something does not mean that thing is your career.
If just netting money makes you a pro then yay for me. I've been a pro for 12 years and never broken 15 in the 5K.
That literal definition sucks, BTW. It's like calling yourself a cancer survivor because you had a small basal cell patch removed from you leg.
The OP's definition makes a lot more sense.
Teigen wrote:
EXACTLY. I was just telling this to a runner making $15,079 the other day. They are NOT a professional runner lol!!
Anyone who makes $15,079 or less is an amateur. Anyone who makes $15,080 or more must be doping.
Art Vandelay the fake one wrote:
not a pro wrote:
Being a sponsored runner != being a pro runner.
If you live in the US and you don't make at least the US minimum wage, you are not a pro.
Truth! And if you're not a pro, you're a HOBBY JOGGER!!!
Why'd you have to use the H-word, man?
You can call me what you want but so far this year I have made 2 trips to Europe on someone else’s dime. I have also spent just under 5 grand in travel domestically with my sponsor paying for.
Just over $10,000 in travel.
Free Rent would of cost me $7,000
$4,000 in gear
$2,500 in massage
$2,000 in PT
Didn’t pay for coaching probably $2,000
So that is $27,500 but zero cash
I only made $6,200 in prize money on top of that.
Am I a pro?
I work a part time job that brings me in about $10,000 a year.
Label Less wrote:
You can call me what you want but so far this year I have made 2 trips to Europe on someone else’s dime. I have also spent just under 5 grand in travel domestically with my sponsor paying for.
Just over $10,000 in travel.
Free Rent would of cost me $7,000
$4,000 in gear
$2,500 in massage
$2,000 in PT
Didn’t pay for coaching probably $2,000
So that is $27,500 but zero cash
I only made $6,200 in prize money on top of that.
Am I a pro?
I work a part time job that brings me in about $10,000 a year.
You are the perfect definition of semi-pro. Pro runners pay their own rent/mortgages with the money they make running.
not a pro wrote:
Being a sponsored runner != being a pro runner.
If you live in the US and you don't make at least the US minimum wage, you are not a pro.
Tell that to the NCAA, not us. You're not even allowed to accept a $100 prize or monetize a YouTube channel because then they consider you a "professional athlete."
So the Nike Project runners pay their own mortgage ?? They live on the campus ?? However I'm sure they are paid more than minimum wage !
Nike's Oregon Project is a group created by the athletic shoe company Nike in 2001 to promote American long-distance running. The runners live in the Portland, Oregon, area and train at Nike's headquarters campus located just outside the Portland suburb of Beaverton, Oregon. Some of the runners in the group live in a specially designed house where filters are used to remove oxygen from the air to simulate living at high elevation. Numerous studies[2] have shown that living at altitude causes the athlete to develop more red blood cells, increasing athletic performance. In addition to this, special software is used to monitor electrodes attached to the athletes, determining what condition they are in and how far or fast they can train.
Label less - you’re basically explaining what a tier or so up from my what my experience would be like.
And thank you for breaking it down like that. Similar but better (as you are obviously faster)
Good luck to you, keep after it, and I hope you get a big breakthrough.
You are traveling the World to run and someone else is paying for it.
Your housing and medical is paid for because you run.
Your equipment is paid for because someone feels like you are worth it to be branded.
YOU ARE A PRO.
You are missing it.
Elite != Pro and Pro != Elite
Runner A competes in a couple diamond league races, but is not sponsored and didn't win prize money.
Runner B does the US circuit, runs a bunch of 2:20 marathons and makes $25K.
Runner A is elite, but not pro.
Runner B is pro, but not elite.
Pathetic as hell that people are on here acting like 15k is a lot of money??? That’s less than a part time cashier makes at the dollar tree.
Not really sure why people care what random clowns on Instagram call themselves... Just beat them and move on.