Day 3,832: Brooks Endorsed!

 My "endorsement" contract from Brooks Running came in the mail today, just as I was considering retiring their now-discontinued Pure Connect 4s from my shoe rotation.

Last month, the company, in what I think was a brilliant ad campaign, allowed runners to "sign-on" with them. Runners would get access to a tip website at www.brooksathlete.com and ... wait for it ... a check for $1.

"While running, you have the right to yell at the top of your (very healthy) lungs, "I'm getting paid to do this!" as you pass pedestrians and other runners," the contract says. "They don't have to know it's just a dollar."

I signed up, but I didn't even think I'd get the check -- the tiny print said they would mail out a max of 20,000 checks in the United States -- and my runner endorsement number was in the 25,000s.

The check comes with the "contract" as seen above, and a code of conduct, that includes lighthearted expected athlete behavior, running do's and don'ts and unacceptable behavior.

Some of the points are well taken, including making sure to "think twice, speak once," and "Yes, you have the right-of-way, but you're always going to lose a fight with a car."

All of it is in good spirit, as they say they've "made it as easy as possible to abide by our expectations, thereby giving you no excuse not to have a fantastic run every time you lace up."

So maybe those Pure Connects can stay in my overflowing shoe bin for a little while longer, even though I think they are hard on my feet during runs. It's the least I could do being #BrooksEndorsed.