Driving with the Hansons - 100K Guarantee : Speakers & Interviews

I agree that the 2:15 marathoners are doing nothing but create numbers for the program, but that's why your idea won't work. If the Hansons got rid of everybody but Sell (he's leaving soon) and Davila, they would not be highly visible and would therefore lose their backing from Brook's. Trust me, they would, believe it or not. Hence the reason for all of the athletes that don't and won't ever have the talent to run with the big dogs....2:15 is not running with the big dogs. So then, the team will be the way it is as long as they have a major sponsor. Sorry, but that's the way it is people. I didn't make the rules, I just explain them.

Dude you were right on and accurate. The Hanson's are nice, but who cares, that's not what is being discussed. For the most part, they do have a bunch of 2:15 marathoners. I live in the area also. I am pretty darn sure that I know who you are. If you are who I think you are, you blew by me 2 weeks ago under the over pass on the trail towards Riverland Park. Yes, there was a young girl on a bike riding in front of you. Am I right?

If I am right, I know you are a decent guy who is both wise and passionate about running. Aka, you know your stuff. My running buddy knows you and said not to post your name, but that it has to be you and he will confirm it Sunday morning at Stoney Creek. Again, great post and good luck with the Crim and the Freep this fall.
Dave

Fair enough, water under the bridge.

2) You are right, it is between the Hanson's and the athletes, it's their business. But, this is a website and we are voicing our opinion. I state my opinion that way because if I were them, I truely believe that's what I would do.
4) I see your point, totally. I just don't agree. Simple logic here. Why is Dathan and the others I listed not with the Hanson's? See my point.
5) I swear 100% on my daughter's life, I have never run for the Hanson's. Yes, I know them and like them both. They are kind and considerate and always polite when we see each other. They have yelled out hi to me in the park before I even saw them. As I said, it's NOT personal.
6) Friend, let me tell you, they make plenty on those shoes.
7) That is my fault because I missread where you said Brook's came on in 2003 and therefore the team started then. I knew the reality, but read it wrong.
8) Why is it interesting that I know the location of the specialist so well? I don't know what you are talking about.
Again, it was not a contest.

To "the guy" who exchanges long posts with me;

I've had some time to calm down, and you are actually right on some things. Quickly-
1) We agree. In the long run, 2:15 won't satisfy most Hanson athletes. You win.
2) We agree, again. 5 years? I still say that's between the Hanson's and the athlete, but essentially we agree. You win.
3) We agree, and it was not a contest, you are right. Does not really matter who does or does not work in the stores, that is another choice the team members have.
4) Well, I actually said name a running store that does, you said a lot of 'companies" do. Tomato, tomatoe. You win. But I do think most would agree there is a little bit of a difference in amount between what Nike's bottom line profit is versus Hanson's. But I see your point. You'll never see mine, but you still win.
5) I honestly don't even remember anymore, but I was clearly wrong on suggesting you were someone a Hanson's athlete may have "taken" something from. You win.
6) Well, I was a bit frustrated, forgive me. But I still say the customer service at Hanson's is worth more than a lot of other specialty running stores I've been to. You win.
7) Ummm....gee, I said the team started in 1999, so....I think ....lets see, '99 came before 2000, 99 came before 2001.....stores opened in 1991....ah, to hell with it. Even though you are wrong based on the dates, you win.
8) Wow. Okay, big fella. That is a clean shutout. Interesting you know the location of the specialist so well though......YOU WIN!!!

Dear Keith and Kevin,

You guys make stupid decisions. You start with guys that are barely even D1 All-Americans. Then after a couple years they are disappointed that they are not some of the best in the world. Hey Hansons, what did you expect? Someone mentioned mass exodus. If that means that you are cleaning house and starting fresh? Good, it is about time. You are never going to make these guys into world beaters. They are not talented enough. By allowing guys that have not progressed to continue, you are sending the wrong message. Drop everyone except Sell and Davila and start over. Everyone else has been given enough time. I think both Keith and Kevin are too close to the situation to make the necessary cuts.

Wow, what a waste of a post. That's ur response? U must care, U took the time 2 post.

Half you guys rip on the athletes.
They aren't good enough or they are wasting their time or they'll never run 2:12.

WHO CARES? That is their decision.
Half of you guys are ripping on the Hansons.
1. They are wasting their money or they are making too much money.

Brian DID work in the store BEFORE his HD gig, you didn't mention that.

Only that he did AFTER his HD gig was over. I know, he sold me shoes before the HD gig started & U can't tell me he didn't. I've got a receipt with his name on it after he rang me up..............again, before the HD gig.
Clint did work in the store 2. He sold me shoes also, BEFORE his PT gig.
You came on to say that? Who cares if they work there or not? Melissa sold me shoes also & she's as nice & kind & funny as any person I've ever met. R U going to say that she doesn't work there either? Well she did.
Why don't you post your workouts & ultimate goals versus employee store participation?

Who's blaming anyone. They are given a chance, where's the prob.? People are discussing the guarantee & the quality of runners. It's just a discussion man, no biggie dude. You're right though, they are B level guys & don't have the talent to take it to the next step, except for Brian Sell, but he's not a 2:07 guy, not that there's anything wrong with that! Seinfeld lingo!

Dot has NEVER worked in the store.

Luke does not work in the store.
Clint does not work in the store.
Desi does not work in the store.
Brian Sell did not work in the store while he was part of the Home Depot program. He asked if he could come back to the stores after losing his Home Depot job.

1) I did not say it was ruining anyone's life. I stated a fact. 2:15 repeatedly will do nothing in the long run, period.

2) I have no problem giving runners a chance. You are obviously not reading my post or responding to someone else. After givin' a chance, if you don't have it, move on, that's my point. I don't care who they are, it's irrelevant. It's not the runner's name, it's the 5 years of the same time over and over. I can't and won't explain that again.
3) Not one for me, it's not a contest. I am using logic and facts, you are using bias because you run with the Tuesday night speedworkout group. As I stated, it's nothing personal against Keith or Kevin.
4) That's simple.....NIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're welcome on the part about me bring up 2:15 marathoners and them getting a CHANCE (see #2!!!!!!!). My point of view will not waiver one bit. They are givin' a chance and that 's good, but then move on if it ain't happening. A 5 year 2:15 marathoner is a person who was givin' a CHANCE to improve, but didn't. Umm.....that's called a 2:15 marathoner.
5) Are you stating that I am a 2:17 marathoner with an axe to grind? Your mind is playing tricks on you, but at least my ideology has gotten you to think, albeit a little too much for your axons and dendrites. Care to take a guess? Whatever guess you take, I promise you will be wrong. What 2:17 marathoner is going to come on this site and take this much time to respond to YOU?
6) To the first part of your question, I make $65,000-$70,000 a year. Does that help? That was a ridiculous question on your part. It is not about me, I'm not on a video saying that I offer $100k to my fellow employees if they do what........? The second question is so dumb I won't respond except to say that if you'd like to go in and pay an extra 50% more, have at it. I'm bettin' you won't do that. More meaningless rhetoric on your part.
7) Yes, there was a team at the Crim 10 miler in 2000, 2001, etc..Clint, Jim J., etc.....they were wearing Hanson singlets, therefore they were a team!!!! Was it just a coincidence that they were randomly wearing the same uniforms? That's a TEAM!!!!!!!! Now's the part where I tell you to get diagnosed soon, for your own good.
8) Firstly, I will go to any workout that I choose. Secondly, they were never, not given credit. Do you actually read what people say or just 2 sentences and surmise the rest to your own thoughts? YOU may be sitting on the couch as an old, bitter, washed up and never was, that I believe. They on the other hand are getting a chance, a fair legitimate chance to show their ability. I give the Hanson brothers and Brooks """Major Kudos""" for giving them the opportunity. You sound like you are severely jealous of not ever accomplishing anything in life. That is sad. There is a good psych specialist on the corner of 19 and Garfield. I believe they take walk-ins.
I'll be at Dodge Park next Tuesday between 7 and 7:30 but you close mindedly surmised your own thoughts about my statement. I never said I did the speedworkouts on Tuesday night, I said I just ran their (there) last Tuesday night. I did. I ran through with my daughter on her bike as we went that way to watch the carnival rides go up. I ran through, over the green bridge and took a right to Kleino Road. I touched the cable at the end of the path and turned around and came back for a nice hour run with my daughter on the bike next to me. Although I credit Hanson's for doing those workouts, I do my own, that's my choice. If you'd like to hook up, do as I said and post your name and email and we'll go from there. I mean you know you're right, be proud. You know you're gonna go next Tuesday and say I stood up for you guys, I'm your pal fellas............do I get a discount?
I'm not stopping under the pavilion to try and ask who's the dumbo on Letsrun who has a man crush on Kevin and Keith Hanson. As I said, I lik'em, they are nice guys, but you sir are clearly BIASED!
I'll be running Tuesday evening to the bridge and taking a left towards Riverland, down to the Social Security Building (an hour and 20 minutes, but jump in wherever you like). If you'd like to tag along, fine. You can use your bike if you need to. Heck, you may even be a nice guy, but you are very, very confused on the facts, facts that are not opinion. Signing off.

Mass Exodus means that guys that the level B guys coming out of college have now realized that they are B level guys.

That is not the fault of anyone.
Good for the athletes for trying to make it to the next level.
Good for the Hansons for giving them a chance.
Good for Brooks for helping to allow these B athletes to find out the truth.
It seems to me like their should be a full round of congratulations. No one to blame.

Are these videos in response to the mass exodus of team members in Rochester Hills this month??

wow. what a buzz kill

27:36.99 1 Tim Nelson Oregon TC 05/02 Payton Jordan
27:39.68 4 Anthony Famiglietti Saucony 04/25 Hamilton Inv
27:52.53 1 -Galen Rupp Oregon 06/25 USATF
27:58.59 2 Dathan Ritzenhein Nike 06/25 USATF
28:00.22 10 Fasil Bizuneh New Balance 04/25 Hamilton Inv

So only 5 people are national class in the US this year? That doesn't make sense. You don't run much do you? 29-flat qualified for track nationals this year, thus making that 'national class'.

I agree with you dude (or sir if you are older). Overall, you stated more facts and you did not critique anyone,but gave a concise opinion with examples. You're not going to convince the other guy no matter what. He's against all of us. Accept it. I wouldn't meet with him if he paid me.

We DO see it differently;

1) Like I said, Hanson's offers these folks that think they can make it a CHANCE. They don't make them chose running over a 9-5. It is simply an opportunity. If they can do no "better" than 2:15 and all they can do is make world teams no one else wants, I don't see how that is ruining someone's life. Unless you are a 2:17-2:20 guy who would make those world teams if not for Hanson's...hmmm, axe to grind??!!??
2) I din't bring up Menefee, they did. I simply used that example to prove my point. Mark was another person give a CHANCE like I mentioned above. What did he do in the long run? We'll never know, he only stayed a year, so he must not have felt it was worth it to him. That was his choice, but at least he had the CHANCE to see. Nike or adidas would not have given him this CHANCE out of college like Hanson's did.
3) If you saw Dot in the store, I must have been wrong on that one. I never knew she worked for the store. One for you.
4) Name ONE running store that has spent HALF as much as Hanson's on a team like this. And I don't mean one where they let 4 hour marathoners pay some absurd fee to be on this team. And thanks for bringing up the 2:15 thing, you are actually right...most 2:15 guys don't pay an agent fee because they don't have an agent because they are not viewed as good enough by many like you. Just one other thing Hanson's gives athletes a CHANCE at, without charging them for it.
5) Please see the last 2 sentences of point #1...
6) We agree. You wanna talk about how much mony YOU make??!!?? How about you ask Lannana(sp) or AlSal or Gags or Vigil how much THEY make first? And none of those guys owns running stores that I know of. The Hanson's make money from sales in the stores, and the service they train the employees to provide. I went to another running specialty store in the state of Michigan while near that town, and the difference in level of customer service was astounding. I say Hanson's should mark up their products 50% more than the national average just based on that alone.
7) Time for your history lesson because you are just flat out wrong. Store #1 opened in 1991, #2 in 1993, #3 in 1994, and #4 in 2000. The team started in "99, which by my math is some 8 years after store #1. Keith told me that store #4 was just opened to provide hours for when the team grew like they knew it would. Brooks came on in 2003. So they have not "always had a team". Now comes the part where people like you will criticize them for taking so long.
8) First off, as a long time customer of Hanson's, let me say this-if this is how you truly feel, please stay away from the FREE speed training the Hanson's offer at Dodge Park to community local Joe's like me. We all support the efforts of the Hanson's and you sound like you don't want to give them credit for anything they do. They have provided these workouts for us for years, even though I know it must bother them when people show up to these FREE workouts in products they don't sell. Now they must have to wonder who at their FREE speed workouts basically thinks like you do. Once again, to answer your last question, Kevin and Keith are just trying to give the people they feel are worth investing their time, money, and effort, one thing....a CHANCE. A CHANCE to see if they can get to that Meb/Abdi/Dathan/Sell or whatever level, so they don't have to sit on the couch as some old, bitter, washed up, never was, and wonder how could they could have been if they only had been given a CHANCE.
As for your "offer", I don't believe in email exchanges on a public forum like this. Dodge Park, name the Tuesday, I'll be there.

...........facts please, not opinion.

I have yet to post but you are wrong on many accounts, not all, but many. Please allow me to explain.
1) Yes, if they don't have the ability, they should be working a 9-5 job, why not? 2:15, while better than you and I will get you nowhere IF, yes IF, you do it over and over and over and over. Understand?
2) Your point to the poster who mentioned Mark Menefee, what is your point? Who cares if you would have heard about him or not before the Hansons? The Hanson's are more visible because of the amount of athletes whether Mark ran for them or not. What did Mark end up doing in the long run? Leading part of an O.T. race? Okay, and that means what?
3) I live near the stores, how would you know if Dot hasn't worked one day in the stores. I saw her in the Utica Store a few years ago many times and she wasn't reading a book. I can't answer for Desi.
4) The Hanson's, according to an article I believe in the NY Times, spent a million dollars of their own money. Right!!! Thousands, sure, that I do believe. So what, many business owners do that. Do you have a clue on how much mark-up there is on a running shoe? If you worked at any store that sells athletic shoes, you would know. The mark-up is scary. Do you know what Dathan pays for an agent fee, peanuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can't handle the truth, because you don't know what the truth is. If Dathan pays 5%, so what? He's still far ahead of the 2:15 guys. He will make in one year more than most of those guys will make combined in 5, yes 5 years!
5) You said good question to one poster and said that at least they would be curious as to what the Hanson's are doing right. Please explain. As others have stated, besides Brian, what are there BIG accomplishments? The WC Marathons and Clint, Kyle, ect....don't count! Why you ask? Because those are marathons where they represent the United States because our top marathoners don't want to go. Make sense?
6) I don't know why someone would call them shady, that I disagree with. But, Kevin and Keith are making a "very comfortable" living off of their program. It is more money than you probably realize. I say good for them, it was their gamble and it paid off. Unfortunately, I believe it bothers some people that they don't talk about that, only what the athletes potential income is, not how they benefit.
7) They did not go from 1 store to 4 before they had a team. Do you mean before Brooks jumped in to back them, or not? They've had a team all the way back to Kyle Baker, not O'Brien. When Kyle left or was asked to leave (whatever) he made the statement that when you go to the line and see all of those Hanson singlets, you know you're in for a race. They've always had a team, maybe you just weren't aware of it.
8) I have no pit bull in this fight/arguement of yours, but if you'd like to post your email address WITH your name (real one), we can kindly discuss it or meet over at Dodge Park for a friendly bantering session at one of the green picnic tables under a pavilion. I just ran their last Tuesday night. I like Kevin and Keith and like what they are doing, but I don't agree with "everything" they do just like you don't agree with a lot of people who made other posts. Right? No one is above criticism. I don't know how old you are, but I've been around son and I know how this system works. Hanson's has a high number of guys that run around 2:15 and that is fine. But they are highly visible because they all come by together in Chicago or wherever running with the same color singlet and it makes people recognize them. That's fine. But, they are still runnig 2:15 and nowhere near the Ritz's, Hall's, Abdi's, Meb's of the world, let alone their own teammate who is usually 4-5 minutes ahead of them. Why? Because they can't run that fast and prove it race after race. Is that not true?

Let's see, in order-
To "Help Hanson runners"-are you serious? People are in business to make money. I know, weird concept. But the Hanson's spent thousands of dollars of their own money to start the team. Not many people in business to make money will engage in such a sure fire money losing venture. Any athlete running for Hanson's who is "starving" would probobly be "starving" or worse without the Hanson's help because they don't make the right choices. They can have a job if they want, or work anywhere else, as long as they don't go over a set amount of hours. After all, running is job #1, right? You can't train properly and clock 40 hours a week at work and expect to be successful for long. "Who would want to commit to this program?" Someone who want's a CHANCE....

To "Poopie"-yeah, I heard of Menefee...the question is, before the Hanson's let him in, had YOU heard of him?? You know why he wasn't running for Nike or somebody else? Because with all due respect to Menefee, they would have told him to get lost. So the Hanson's did not "where" him out, but they did "allow" him to get fast.
To "So?!?!?!"-The people who have mortgages are the ones who either don't need the free housing the Hanson's offer because they are doing well enough on their own, or that cannot because they are married and can't have their wives living with a bunch of guys. Either way, if they qualify, they don't need to pay a mortgage or rent unless they choose to.
To my friend "Robert Rumsey"-Well since Beijing arguably the most successful Hanson's runner is Desiree Davila, 2:31 marathoner who will represent the USA in Berlin this August. She has never worked one day in their shoe stores, so by your reasoning, why do they allow her on the team? And neither has Dot McMahan, their best finisher from the women's olympic trials marathon, not one day. I can name more, but I think you get the point. It is not so "shady" now, is it??
To "Get Real Man"-Wow, interesting. Let's ask Dathan how much he pays in agent fees. I know some of you might think everyone is like the Hanson's and does not charge agent fees, but that's fairytale land. Same with Abdi, same with Meb. You are right about one thing though, if Dathan or anyone else with his credentials came to the Hanson's group, they would not be "living in Rochester with a bunch of 2:15 marathoner's". They would probobly live a lot like the other 2:10 guy, in his own house. Why would any of those guys come to the Hanson's team? Good question, and honestly, I don't have an answer. I know if I were them, I'd at least be curious to what the Hanson's are doing right. If they can turn guys who were not considered worthy by Nike's standard's or by any big name coach's standards into USA qualifying marathoners, what could they do with me? All of those athletes were NCAA cream of the crop. Ask yourself this question-Why didn't Brian Sell go to Nike out of college? Why didn't Mark Menefee go train in Chula Vista out of college? Why didn't Kyle O'Brien, or Mike Morgan, or any of the other Hanson's runner's that have been ripped on here or on other message board's go and sign a bigger contract somewhere else??
Look, you don't have to agree with or like what the Hanson's group is doing. But it is better than just allowing athletes who would otherwise be working 9 to 5's to leave the sport if they did not have the opportunity to continue. That alone I think deserves respect, or at least mention. Calling what they are doing shady or in any other way suggesting the Hanson's are not about the best interest of the athletes is just BS though, and as a customer of theirs since they only had one store with 20 shoes in it, I take offense to that suggestion. They went from one store to 4 before starting the team, so they are successful even without the team. I'm amaized they have to put up with all of this and other criticism they get when they are only out to offer help and a chance.

With all due respect Lil Steph, I think he IS suggesting that athletes like Abdi, Meb, Dathan and Ryan are all doing better financially with their respective contracts than they would be with Hansons........................and more importantly, I AGREE. His statement is true.

Are YOU suggesting that those 4 athletes (all 2:10 flat or faster) are making LESS with their contracts, perks, appearance fees, etc...than they would if they were on Hansons? If so, you are confused.

Are you suggesting that EVERY current athlete that has run those times is receiving $100k?

Anyone who is that good, except for the Sell-exception, is going to get a lot more money to run for Nike, BELIEVE IT OR NOT!! Dathan has run 2:10 flat. Why isn't he living in a house in Rochester with a bunch of 2:15 marathoners? Because Nike is paying him a lot more money with more perks and bonuses than 99% of the posters on this board could possibly understand. I'm not saying the Hanson program is good or bad, I don't care. I'm just stating a fact about why 100k is not that impressive when you can meet the standards. Why didn't Meb come here in 2002? The answer is simple. How about Abdi? By the way, he's run 27:16 for 10,000, THAT is elite, not someone running almost 8 seconds slower per mile for the same distance. This is my first and only post on this thread. Good day!

The 100k guarantee is for 2 main reasons.

1. Allow up and coming runners to know that if you are good enough, you can make a decent chunk of cash in distance running. So that more athletes continue to run post collegiately.
2. Make sure that all runners that achieve those times are negotiating contracts with whoever their shoe company is of equal value.
The idea has very little to do with Hansons or Brooks and everything to do with keeping people in the sport and making sure that their sponsor is paying them appropriately.

I just went to the Hanson-Brooks site at took a look at there team records. The only person to ever qualify for the 100k was Sell and that happened once. No one else has meet those standards that he speaks about. Clearly, Hanson-Brooks is the place to go if you want to work in a shoe store. Shady.
http://www.hansons-running.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=41&Itemid=61

Anyone who says sub 28 isn't fast is ridiculous. That's 4:30 pace. I understand it isn't close to the world record, but it's a world record for a reason. Only one person had ever done it and only once. Sub 28 is elite whether you like it or not.

They receive free housing.

So? According to the Hanson's men's bio's (assuming they are current) Sell is the only one to meet the standard.

How is this helping the rest with their mortgages.

Take all the credit? Kevin was talking about Brian Sell at camp and he says just the opposite. He told us that Brian deserves 100% of the credit for all of his successes. He said that he and Keith only help by providing an environment to allow the athletes to work hard and that Brian's hard work is what has made him great. He gives Brian all the credit.

ever heard of mark menefee? i think the hansons program does not allow runners to get fast. its like, do all this work on your own, get fast, then we'll take all the credit, make you run a lot of miles, and then where you out before you move on to law or dental school :)

Anonymous Coward meant where is wow as in where is the work out wednesday today

28:00 flat is very good, no doubt about it. But......it depends on the race. If Galen, Nelson and Fernandez, yes I said German, all run the 10,000 in June/July of 2012, 28:00 ain't gonna cut it. No disrespect on my part to any of the posts. I've run 33:11 (yeah, I'm slow and I can admit it), so I'm not pointing fingers nor am I jealous. But I'm just sayin' it's a good time, but in a fast race, it's not gonna get you in the top 3.

I agree with Zachary. Taking into account that Galen Rupp beat Ritz, Meb, Abdi and a plethora of other elite runners to take the national title without going under 27:50 shows that a 28 flat is very, very good.

Apples to oranges kid.

That's obviously good money to run, but think about a sub 28 minute 10k. While it may not be close to the WR it's still very elite. MLB players are guaranteed 385k just for making it to the majors.

Are you talking about me? Who the heck is WOW????

Let me get this straight. You can run over a minute slower than than the 10k WR and not be good enough to hit the Olympic A standard, and they will still guarantee you a $100K? That is pretty amazing money for B level athletes.

Where is WOW????

Umm, not really. You should probably investigate a bit closer into their training before making those assumptions. Also, there's this guy named Brian Sell... you may have heard of him....

buy brooks

That is pretty good money to run. So much for the starving runner theory. The sport of running is obviously pretty healthy.

How can you run those times with their training? All they do is run mileage with all the money the Hanson's make they should give the runners salaries monthly. It's a joke. The Hansons guys are starving while Kevin and Keith get richier.. who would want to commit to this program?

That's fairly surprising stuff...given that 27:59 is not even remotely a world class time and is at the outter range of national class time. It's 15 seconds PER MILE slower than world record

that is how you suppose take care of your athletes...if they are welling to run those times that he just mention than bonus's is where its at....GET AT ME MAN..

how does 100k compare to other major company contracts like nike, adidas, asics, mizuno, new balance, etc

kaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.........go into that