RunPro The importance of the support RRCA provides and how it benefits and is appreciated by the participating athletes is best understood by an examination of how these programs have worked, not only in the past, but also leading up to the 2020 USA Olympic Team Marathon Trials: Run Pro Camp. In recognition of the difficult transition that often encumbers promising collegiate distance runners attempting to compete on the professional level, the RRCA has in place RunPro.com to provide athletes with a comprehensive overview of what it takes and what is involved in becoming a professional distance runner. RRCA's RunPro Camp, a two-day seminar typically held in July, connects 15-20 aspiring professional runners with the resources necessary to pursue a professional running career. RunPro Camp helps athletes understand how to stay in the sport for the long term, as most distance athletes see success the closer they get to their thirties. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, RunPro Camp 2020 was forced to cancel but will return in 2021. Roads Scholar Program. Since 1996, the RRCA has awarded significant monetary grants to assist American post-collegiate road runners who show great promise to develop into national and world-class road-running athletes. “The grants are really seed money in a sense,” notes Andy Smith, Program Director. “The funding is for runners that show potential but maybe haven’t quite succeeded to the point that they can be self-sustaining." While aiding many, the Roads Scholar program has provided grants to Deena Kastor, Kate (O’Neill) Tenforde, Amy (Yoder) Begley, and Alexi Pappas – all who went on to become Olympians. Elite Grants. In support of athletes training for the 2016 Olympic Team Trials Marathon in Los Angles, the RRCA started its Elite Grant Program to provide $2500-$3000 in financial support to about 15-17 athletes that demonstrated authentic Olympic Team potential. Grants were given to a mix of previous Roads Scholar grantees along with athletes that had shown significant progression in their professional running career. At the LA Trials Marathon, RRCA supported athletes finished 4th, 5th and 6th. For the 2020 Olympic Team Trials Marathon, the RRCA again have provided $45,000 in financial support to seventeen athletes
Nearly 50 men and women who participated in one or more of these RRCA programs have qualified to compete in the 2020 USA Olympic Team Trials Marathon, including race winner Aliphine Tuliamuk who received a $1000 winner’s bonus from the RRCA.
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