At the track and field world championships, distance runners compete on behalf of their countries. What’s less visible to the average fan is that most are also competing for their shoe company sponsors, which largely provide the funding that makes track and field a viable career. Even less visible to the average fan — especially if you aren’t on Instagram — is that a growing number of them are competing on behalf of professional running teams.
Think of them as content houses for professional runners, with less partying and more napping.
“There is a fine line between overdoing it, creating a persona and a character that can drain you and not lead to quality performance on the track,” Ollie Hoare, an Australian middle distance runner who competes for the On Athletics Club, said of social media.