621. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Business of Running, with Kyle Merber

Ali on the Run Show

Ali Feller

Run, Health & Fitness, Women, Inspiration, Runner, Entrepreneur, Sports, Fitness, Health, Running

4.9 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 14 March 2023

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

"There are definitely stars who make $500,000, a million dollars a year. If someone is breaking world records, they are getting paid."

It's a series! Welcome to "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know!" I've worked in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now, and as much as I've immersed myself, there's still so much I don't know or understand. So if I, a relative industry insider, am still confused about things like shoe contracts, drug testing, waterfall starts on the track, and the Diamond Leagues, surely I'm not alone. I put out the ask — What's something you don't understand or have always wanted to ask about the running industry? — and the responses came pouring in with great questions.

So today, former professional runner and founder of The Lap Count (and track and field's biggest fan and hype guy) Kyle Merber is here to answer all of your questions about the business of running. Sponsorships and appearance fees and "OK but who actually pays coaches?" and NDAs, oh my!

SPONSOR: Tracksmith. New customers, use code ALINEW for $15 off your first Tracksmith order over $75. Returning customers, use code ALIGIVE for free shipping, plus a portion of the proceeds from your order will be donated to Moms Demand Action.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Alley on the Run Show.
0:06.8	I'm your host Alley Feller and I am super excited about today's episode.
0:11.3	I have been working in the running industry in some capacity for roughly a decade now.
0:16.4	I have learned and I have immersed myself and I've had an absolute blast whether I'm
0:21.1	talking with everyday runners at races or interviewing professional athletes on the podcast
0:26.1	or at finish lines.
0:27.7	Still, there is so much I don't know or understand about this sport.
0:33.1	And if I work in the industry and still have questions, something's been telling me other
0:38.4	people have questions too.
0:40.6	Well, my hunch is correct and I know it is because I put out the ask on Instagram stories
0:45.7	a few weeks ago.
0:46.7	I said, what is something you've always wanted to ask or don't understand about track
0:51.3	and field distance running or the running industry at large?
0:54.7	And the questions came pouring in.
0:57.9	See, I had that hunch.
0:59.3	I kind of knew.
1:00.7	I received hundreds of questions about everything from whether Pacers and Races get paid and if
1:06.0	they can go on to finish the race and win it, which we talked about with Corey McGee
1:09.8	a few weeks ago, to how the lane assignments are decided on the track to whether professional
1:14.9	women who race and buns get bikini waxes before every race.
1:19.6	So what I thought would be a fun 45 minute episode answering these questions.
1:25.5	It's turning into a series.
	...

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