I’ve done a number of races but have never actually gotten paid like a professional. Sure, I’ve gotten free shoes, juggling equipment, t-shirts, and entries into races, but have never been paid. Payments are reserved for race winners and professional runners.
Or are they?
I stumbled on an article in Runner’s World and then did some online sleuthing myself. It turns out you can get paid to run. Here are some ways.
1. JogsForDogs – This is an online dog-running business. You get matched up with a dog that needs exercise and run about 5 miles. For that, you can make $25.
2. Jog Post – This is a leaflet distribution job where you run around London posting leaflets. You can make more than $200 (US) a day.
3. Born To Run – And if you’re in Washington, you can join this store’s running group and get paid in store discounts for every mile you do.
4. City Running Tours – If you live in a big city like Chicago, New York, Boston, etc. there may be a running tour group near you. Sign up and you can get paid $25 – $40 for a 6-8 mile run. What a deal!
5. Running Rickshaws – For the Canadian jogglers out there, you can try your hand at being a rickshaw runner. And you can make from $500 – $600 a week. Although, I imagine it would be significantly less in the winter.
6. GymPact – This is an interesting concept. A group of people pool their money together then agree to some workout goals. The people who meet or exceed the goals get paid. The people who don’t meet their goals have to pay.
I might try that City Tours one since they have it here in Chicago. I wonder how they feel about jogglers. hmmm
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I like the running with dogs thing! I reminds me of ‘Dancing with wolves’. I can see myself now: dashing through the grass with this big dog taking giant leaps beside me.
And then getting paid! My cup runneth over.
I am in LA and everyone here takes their dogs everywhere. It makes me miss my dog. I am definitely signing up to see if people will let me run with their dog. I’ll have to forfeit joggling on these runs, though..
I got something from Walgreens about a a rewards program for walking (you get points for every mile). I have no idea what the points are good for, and I suspect the benefit is limited, but I very much doubt they wouldn’t count miles run rather than walked.