BELL LAP #34

TURNING THE CORNER ON POST-COLLEGIATE SUPPORT (December 13, 2000)

The plight of post-collegiate distance runners has a long history, so it's never surprising to run into a quote like this:

"After college, our athletes are turned out to pasture. We have no Olympic program in this country. It's as simple as that. No sports medicine, no camps, no nothing...I want to see some interest from somebody. In the past, we've sat back and let our natural talent do it. Well, the rest of the world has caught up."

Those are the words of Steve Prefontaine, from about a quarter-century ago. And if anything seems drastically different these days, it's that the rest of the world has done much more than catch up. They're way, way ahead.

The statistics are indisputable. One example: by the end of this year, fewer than 30 American men will have broken 2:20 in the marathon. Kenyans, meanwhile, will have done so close to 300 times. That kind of discrepancy often precipitates the notion that Kenyans have a special gift for running. Except that, back in 1983, U.S. runners ran 267 sub-2:20s, almost as many as today's Kenyans. So what's happened since then?

In fact, U.S. performances in the marathon and other distances improved steadily from Pre's era through the 70s and early 80s, largely because economic opportunities, modest but unquestionably helpful, began to allow post-collegiate runners to stick around a few years. Shoe companies were prospering, and they all supported lots of athletes. Not just stars, but runners who--with disciplined training, focus, and a bit of financial support--showed they could mix it up with the best.

All that changed after the Los Angeles Olympics. Running shoe sales slumped, companies scratched "second echelon" runners--anyone lacking the clear ability to make headlines--and the base of the pyramid eroded. The number of top American performances at all distances began a steady decline.

More money isn't always a solution, but as the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) has found out, it can be part of the solution. Since initiating its Roads Scholar program in 1996, nearly $100,000--money raised from individuals, clubs, events and companies--has been paid out to developing Americans. The grants are modest, $4,000 per athlete per year, but they've yielded some encouraging results.

"The RRCA's Roads Scholar grant came at the right time, just when I needed it," said Deena Drossin, a 1997 grant recipient. Three years later Drossin was on the Olympic team. So was Nick Rogers, who was awarded a grant last spring, and who later made the U.S. team in the 5000. Milena Glusac, another of last year's Roads Scholars, wrote that she planned "to invest it wisely in travel and training expenses in order to give me the opportunity to race in top-level events." A month ago, Glusac finished 10th in the World Half Marathon championships, the best placing ever by an American. Other grant recipients have had similar successes.

Runners don't improve because money is thrown their way. They improve because they're dedicated and focused, and their improvement almost always comes in conjunction with good coaching and a stable training environment. But the money clearly helps.

Other new programs also show this. Josh Cox, a member of the Fila Discovery USA program--which emulates the highly successful Kenyan training camps--notched a 6-minute PR at the recent Chicago Marathon. Christine Junkermann, also a Discovery USA member, debuted with a solid 2:32:45. In another program, Clint Verran, who enjoys sponsorship from Hanson's Running Shop in Michigan--a member of USATF's Team USA--posted the best U.S. finish ever at this year's World Half Marathon championships. Verran laid the credit for his dramatic improvement squarely on the shoulders of generous sponsorship.

Will individuals, events, companies, and organizations continue to support these programs? If they do, we might be able to look back on these days with some pride, as the time when Steve Prefontaine's words finally sank in. When someone finally started to show some interest.