Set for July 14-17 in Minneapolis
Minneapolis – July 11, 2011 – Twenty-one distance runners, who have recently graduated from colleges and universities throughout the country, have been selected to attend the first-ever RunPro Camp designed specifically for athletes who are interested in pursuing a professional running career. The camp will be held July 14-17 in Minneapolis.
The camp is a companion to a web site at www.RunPro.com that was launched in February 2011 to assist promising distance runners make the transition from collegiate to professional athletes. The camp, as well as the web site, was created and developed by Team USA Minnesota with the support of a 2010 Excellence Challenge Grant from USA Track & Field.
“We have had a great response to the camp from both athletes and people who are already part of U.S. professional distance running,” said Dennis Barker, Team USA Minnesota coach and the RunPro Camp coordinator. “We look forward to having them all together in one place so the athletes can get the information they need to become professional runners. Plus those already involved in professional running will have an opportunity to meet some very talented athletes who are just beginning their careers.”
Selection to the camp was based on an application process. Most athletes selected were NCAA qualifiers and a number were All-Americans who competed in distances ranging from the 800 meters up through the 10,000 meters. All have finished their collegiate careers where they ran cross country, indoor and outdoor track and show good potential for moving on to become professional runners. Travel and lodging is being provided to the qualified runners.
Schools represented include the University of Richmond, University of Oregon, Western Washington University, University of Minnesota, William and Mary, Duke University, James Madison University, University of California Davis, Adams State College, Queens University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Nebraska, Princeton University and DePaul University, among others.
The RunPro Camp will have USA Track & Field representatives in attendance, along with training center coaches, shoe company and agent representatives, financial and health experts, and elite race recruiters. Also attending will be professional distance runners who will share their experiences about turning pro.
Presentations at the Camp from a variety of speakers include:
. Professional Running Programs, Opportunities and Support
. Overview of the U.S. Distance Running Training Centers
. Elite Athlete Panel on the Professional Athlete Experience
. Agent and Self Representation
. Professional Athlete Race Recruitment and Initiatives
. PR and Community Involvement
. Drug Testing for Professional Runners
. Tax and Financial Considerations for Professional Runners
. Shoe Company Contracts
. Health Care Support
About Team USA Minnesota and RunPro.com
Team USA Minnesota is based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Formed in 2001, the purpose of the training center is to improve the competitiveness of post-collegiate American distance running and to develop Olympians. The RunPro.com web site and RunPro Camp is a project developed and maintained by Team USA Minnesota with initial support of an Excellence Challenge Grant from USA Track & Field. USATF is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. For more information visit www.teamusaminnesota.org or www.RunPro.com.
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Contact:
Pat Goodwin
952-924-1081
pfgoodwin@teamusaminnesota.org
info@RunPro.com
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