I Signed A Pro Contract
Look at us. Who would've thought? Not me!
How It All Started
In 2018, I decided to move to Boulder, CO to pursue pro running. Not finding a lot of success at the NCAA level, my chances of “making it” were low. Guys like me don’t really pan out in this sport — we overtrain, get hurt, burn ourselves out, get too discouraged with the consistent failures — there’s an overwhelming feeling to “get life going already.”
I chose to pursue running after college because, to be honest, I wasn’t excited to do anything else. I knew there was more left in the tank, and there was unfinished business — dreaming of being one of the best steeplechasers in the US, one of the best all-time, one of the best in the world. I wanted to be a pro runner to my core, and I was going to figure out if I had what it took.
After 2024, there was no doubt in my mind that there was another four good years left in me. Those goals still consume my mind on every run.
After the Olympic Trials year, I spent a little time at home in the Bay Area to see some family. Training basically year round, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to be away from California and my family. The training and racing serve a greater purpose – it’s what I consider to be my life’s work. Testing my limits physically and mentally to see how fast I can truly run is something I’ve committed the past 14 years of my life to. Considering I just recently turned 30, it’s taken a majority of my life to be as good as I am now. Spending time away from my family is something I know is worth pursuing for the sake of happiness, and something my family is more than happy in supporting me through. Especially my Grandma Dear.
I was able to see Grandma Dear (what we call my grandma on my dad’s side of the family) after the Olympic Trials while visiting home back in the Bay Area. My Grandma Dear supports all of her grandchildren’s endeavors (18 of them, and now a handful of great grandchildren), and while my silly running dream has pushed the limits on that idea, she continues to support me nonetheless. I’m pretty sure she knows absolutely nothing about pro running, or what anything I’m doing means. But within five minutes of seeing her after the Trials, she said:
“You had a pretty good finish this year, that means you’re going to train more for the next one (Olympics), right?”
You said it, Grandma, not me.
The end of an Olympic cycle brings a lot of change. Personally, 2024 was a benchmark year that could have been presented as a way to slowly step away from competitive running. If for any reason I felt like it was time to hang up the spikes – I wasn’t getting any better, life demanded transitioning to full-time work, or my heart wasn’t in it anymore, the end of 2024 would have been the right time.
My 7th place finish at the Trials could have warranted a step away from the sport. I’ve come a long way in the past six years, from barely qualifying for the US Championships in 2019 to finishing three seconds away from a spot on an Olympic Team. That’s something I’m content with when it’s time to call it a day. On the flip side, those three seconds are still a ways off, and it could have been equally discouraging, depending on your perspective.
I was already planning on going for LA 2028, but had some doubts as to whether that was a good decision for me and my future.
Grandma Dear suppressed those doubts real quick. I’m all in for 2028.
Present Day
Come 2025, with a lot of life transitions and shifting dynamics of Tinman Elite, I told my agent it was time to look for a sponsor. Upon shopping around, it became very apparent to me that the steeplechase was not the event to be in if you want a contract. With the event left off of the 2026 “super world athletics championships” or whatever that B.S. is called, national and global eyes on the event might be dwindling. It might be a dying art – but I still want to be one of the best at it. Someone, some brand was going to see that. They’ll see what I’ve done, and they’ll see the same vision as me for the future.
Enter ASICS.
Starting this year, I have signed a professional running contract with ASICS. My own running contract. How cool is that??
I genuinely never thought I’d actually get one of these, but it brings a new breath of life in my perspective for the next Olympic cycle. I have a brand and a new team of people that will support me through the highs and the lows, and I can’t help but want to be successful in running to show my gratitude for their belief in me. ASICS hasn’t necessarily jumpstarted a big belief in my own running, but they are greatly reinforcing what I’ve always believed deep down.
From 2018 to present, I have lowered my personal bests from:
1500: 3:49 → 3:43
Mile: 4:08 → 3:57
3000: 8:19 → 7:47
5000: 14:13 → 13:38
3000 steeple: 8:52 → 8:20
Here’s what I hope to run through the next couple of years:
1500: sub 3:37
Mile: sub 3:55
3000: sub 7:40
5000: sub 13:20
3000 steeple: sub 8:10
Now while I definitely want to lower all of my PB’s, my main focus is on the steeplechase, and I want to share my big, big goals with you for the next four years going into the LA Olympics:
World Championship qualifier
Top 10 American steeplechaser all-time (currently that mark sits at 8:12, but will be much lower come 2028)
2028 Olympian
Sub 8:10
The steeplechase in the US is going to get very, very competitive here through the next four years, and I want to be in the conversation for top dog in the US. That’s going to be a tall task, but I believe in myself, my coach, and the system I have here in Colorado.
I’m glad ASICS is on board, and I can’t wait to share the journey with you all.
Thanks for your support through all these years. I wouldn’t be here without it.
Cheers,
Joey
If you go sub-3:55, you'll have to change the name of this newsletter!
Major win for the good guys, ASICS got a great one in you! Way to keep pushing all these years, super inspiring.