Bigger Than My Wallet Gives Me Credit For

...and since there are less triathlons here than there are running events, even the average guy has to travel farther to get beat. But we can solve this problem, given enough time and a job. This is a reprint of an earlier blog posting I had on another site. Forgive me. I'll do better next time...

I've been a runner for nearly 15 years and an athlete for nearly 10. Outside of my senior year at The University of Tampa, every expense related to running or triathlon; shoes, clothes, travel, entry fees, rehabilitation, and so forth, has come directly from my own pocket. I consider the $500-1,000 spent each year on running alone as an investment into my own well-being. However, I'd be lying if I said I never wanted to have someone else pay for my habit.

I will say I've been fortunate to be employed by the federal government in one way or another for nearly 20 years. This provides a secure income, liberal vacation and sick time, reasonably-priced health insurance (although I could complain about my dental coverage...), a 401K-like retirement plan, and - most importantly - tenure. As long as I don't break any laws or kill someone (I've fantasized about doing my boss in more than once, but we're all better now...in many ways...), show up to work in clothing other than my Speedo within a time zone of when I'm supposed to be there, I'm good to go. The new pay-for-performance system might not provide any pay raises, but I can keep the wolf away from the door.

My coach has told me (to a degree) that having someone pay for you to do what you like to do is something akin to prostitution. Mekhi Pfifer told Eminem in the movie "8 Mile" that '...free comes with a (graphic reference to sodomy).' But I still envision the fantasy about just how cool it would be to be a professional athlete, especially in the endurance sports.

Since I'm not independently wealthy I still have to pay for all the things to keep honey, hound, house and 'hoopty' happy or copacetic. That J-O-B stuff keeps otherwise driven, motivated, and (nearly) physically-talented persons from becoming professionals at whatever sport they love. In order to get better you have to train, in order to train you need time and resources, in order to get time you have to steal from other things in that small 24-hour stretch (that ideally includes sleeping) otherwise called a day, and resources, well...there I digress.

So, where do you go to find opportunities to use, as Tim Cahill wrote about the joy of adventure travel, other people's money? If you're a regular user of an on-line race registration web site, sometimes the opportunities find you, via the siren call of e-mail. In the past I've filled out on-line applications for sponsorship, to no avail. After several years of consistent, strong performances at races from the 5K to the half-marathon, I felt I was unjustly being ignored because I live far from other major metropolitan cities.

Since I began coaching this year, I got a little more aggressive in applying. I would love to have a team supported by sponsors. Another option would be to earn a sponsorship, kick @$$ and take names for a season, then tell the sponsor, '...hey, I have a team full of people like me; let's make a deal.' My decision to explore different distances, moving up to the marathon in the fall, dabbling in triathlon, plus the fact I was going to run lots of out-of-town events this year, this racing schedule had to show I wasn't just a little fish with a big name in a much bigger pond of marketing opportunity.

I was selected for the Snickers Marathon Team, who provide me with racing kit for running and expect I will go out, market and do well. Ah, here comes that sudden sodomized feeling. Since they won't let me place my club logo on their gear, I cannot represent my club at the same time.

It puts extra emphasis on my own training and desire to do well at events, since there are incentives built into the agreement. Not that I needed much incentive beforehand, but if there's a chance for money and perhaps a little recognition I can step up the energy level.