This is a thought I scribbled down last winter after running through the Tallahassee trails bundled in every bit of clothing I could find...In retrospect, this 'sub-elite' system still might work but I know that not even the best distance runners in the country make the kind of scratch they really need to retire after their running career is over. 

I noticed an interesting thing this morning as I ran in 30 degree weather once again. Other than the six figure salary of my current running heroes, one of the big difference between the elites and those of us chomping at the bit for "sub-elite" status is consistency in clothing. Today, I had Saucony shoes, underarmor socks, Puma half tights, an Adidas top, and Pearl Izumi gloves on my run. Oh and Zoot compression sleeves. Six different corporations sponsored me on my run today. Now, this is just wishful thinking of course but if I were Nike or Adidas or K-Swiss (I know one of the shoe reps... just saying) I would look at the sub elite age groupers, those of us who are knocking on the door of sub-elite or elite status and give them a small contract, per diem maybe or a stipend, and all the gear they needed. Maybe pay for travel? Get a group of sub-elites together and send us to Atlanta for a road race or something? We'd still have to keep our day jobs to ensure that running remains a passion, but what could we do with a few extra hours in the day?

Would that make the difference between me being a hindrance on my loved one as I strive for my 80+ mile weeks? Maybe. It would make it just a little easier, and maybe that would be the difference between sub 1530 and sub 1400, a sub 2:40 marathon and a sub 2:25, or a 72 minute half and qualifying for the Olympic Trials... If I had an extra 10-20 hours a week I could train an extra 20-40 miles a week probably (this including getting good sleep at night and requisite naps during big training weeks). 

And, Nike can't tell me it would be bad for business to pay me 10 grand a year to wear all your products when I train and race. 10 large is a hiccup in these companies' books. Think what the company would get in return: people wanting products. Locals would come up to you at road races and ask, are you sponsored? do you like the product? the company? And, we'd all say hell yes. Then you would have more people wearing your product and wanting to work harder to get sponsorship on any level. I think some of this would create the time and money needed to train at a more elite level. Again, I do not think that this little bit extra would get me or anyone I know on the next Olympic team (not necessarily), but it might get a few more sub-elites knocking on the door of the Olympic B Standard or maybe even stepping to the line at the Trials.