Drake Relays (On-the-Roads) and the Almighty (Dollar)

Snubbed by the actual Drake relays track meet, I entered the 8k race they have on the last morning of the meet.  The race has been competitive in the past with winners like Rod DeHaven, Jason Lehmkuhle, Matt Gabrielson and other recognizable names.  It wasn't the same this year, but I went out and pounded out a 24:01 (4:53/4:45/4:55/4:48/4:37) by myself to get the win.  They even gave me a Drake winner's flag, but when I went out on the track for the award presentation, I had to scrap my plans for a victory lap.  It was a nice trip, and I got to watch the relays for the first time since I ran there in college.  I also got to see Coach Smith and watch some current and former K-Staters run.

Heel striking.  Coach looks on.

Onward to the content---

I read an article recently about how poorly compensated professional runners are.  I'm not a real professional, so it's even worse for me, but I have a genius wife that can pay the bills while I run and sleep and pursue stupid things that don't really make money.  Elites without that sort of luck have a rough time.  Recently though, I've noticed a trend toward gaining some funding through charity or donation websites.  I think it's a nice way to maybe pick up a few bucks without having to risk anything, but I'm not sure how it applies to a broader spectrum from not-quite-elites to world class runners.

I don't NEED to make money from a kickstarter fund drive or a PayPal donation.  But man, it would help.  I'm not starving to death, but I did waste our entire tax refund on my triple root canal. 

I guess the question is this:

At what point do you become a panhandler?

The current forces that govern track and distance running seem much more concerned with publicity and power-posturing, than with the well-being of running sports, or the runners who do the running.  I understand that it's a big complicated world out there for a sport that contains athletes from musclebound sprinters to skinny guys running down city streets, but there's not even an sign of interest in doing something for the interests of others.  We are the 99% or something.

I can't really expound on this much more, being poorly informed as I am on most things.  I will leave with the thing that bugs me most.


As a sort-of-elite, non-olympian who runs distances from 5k to the Marathon, I can make decent money just from winning races, and I can do it all year long.  I have friends who run shorter distances at a much higher level, that have nowhere to take a running career.  They can only race for a few months of the year,  there is almost no prize money, and a soul-removing shoe contract is the only to keep above water.   I should not be faring better in running than someone who has competed in the Olympics.