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Who is Jeff Galloway?
• A world-class athlete. As a member of the 1972 Olympic
team, Jeff competed against the world’s best athletes in Europe,
Africa, and the former Soviet Union. He broke the U.S. 10-mile record
(47:49) • Co-founder and director of the inaugural edition of the
Avon International Women’s Marathon in Atlanta, Ga. This race
was designed to promote the cause of a Women’s Olympic Marathon,
which reached a successful conclusion in the 1984 Olympics.
GROWING UP A very average teen runner: "I can identify with the struggles of sedentary, overweight adults and kids, for I was one. Because my school required sport participation every quarter, as an 8th grader, I enrolled in a track conditioning program. Two months of running forest trails produced a young runner addicted to the positive well being that comes after a run, the camaraderie, fun, and mutual respect which I've since learned that distance runners share everywhere, at any age." But Galloway was far from an instant success. It wasn't until his
senior year, after more than four years of running, that Jeff even
qualified for the State High School Championships (in Georgia).
By coincidence, Jeff attended a small liberal arts school, Wesleyan
University, at the same time as Amby Burfoot (now editor in chief
of Runners World) and Bill Rodgers (later, multi winner of NYC and
Boston Marathons). MARTHONING Over 120 marathons: "My first marathon was an accident. Arriving
home from my freshman year at Christmas break, I enrolled in the
first annual Atlanta Marathon because of the size of the trophy.
I made a lot of mistakes in training and hit a big bad wall at 19
miles. Since there were only four others left in the race at that
point, and I was leading, I struggled in to win-but it took two
years before I could think of running another marathon. I currently
run about 60 slow, endorphin-filled miles a week, and 3-4 marathons
a year. I've not found any experience which bestows the high level
of satisfaction, accomplishment and self-respect as one receives
from finishing a marathon--at any speed." TRAINING PROGRAMS Jeff's quest for the injury-free marathon training program led him
to develop group training programs in 1978, and to author Runner's
World articles which have been used by hundreds of thousands of
runners of all abilities. His training schedules have inspired the
second wave of marathoners who follow the Galloway run-walk, low
mileage, three-day, suggestions to an over 98% success rate. Taking a break in the 60's: "I chose to spend the late 60's in
an all expense paid cruise courtesy of the US Navy, where I learned
how very addicted I was. Imagine what the sailors on my ship thought
when the only thing I was driven to do after 2-3 weeks at sea was
to run." THE OLYMPICS On to the Olympics: "In the fall of 1970 I enrolled in graduate
school at Florida State University with two missions: to get a masters
degree and to qualify for the Olympic Trials. My friends on the
Florida Track Club, Frank Shorter and Jack Bacheler, talked me into
joining them for high altitude training at Vail for two months prior
to the 1972 Olympic trials. Qualifying for the Olympic team was
fulfilling beyond words, but my greatest thrill was pacing Jack
through the marathon trial and then dropping back at the finish
so that he could take the remaining spot on the marathon team."
Jeff qualified for the 1972 Olympics in the 10,000 meters and as
an alternate for the marathon. RUNNING BUSINESS Jeff's first business experience, in 1973, was a store for runners called Phidippides. Knowledgeable staff members continue to help customers with their exercise programs and are trained to match up shoes with the function and shape of the feet of each person. They stay on top of the ever-changing market, the different factories used, how the shoes actually work, and the many little devices which may reduce injury-or are pure advertising hype. He still owns two Phidippides stores in Atlanta. Jeff now supervises Galloway Productions, which conducts dozens of fitness seminars throughout North America, fitness vacations to Greece and Lake Tahoe, and training groups in 40-50 cities a year. As a race director, Jeff helped to organize the Peachtree Road Race as it grew from 1200 to 12,000 in three years. He organized the first Avon Marathon for women which contributed greatly to the inclusion of the marathon in the Olympics. His main Atlanta event, today, is the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk, which enters more than 20,000 each year. QUOTES "This past year, my 42nd year of running, was the best of my life. It is my mission in each of my talks to help others avoid the aches and pains, while experiencing all of accomplishment and attitude enhancement which running bestows better than anything in life." "Jeff Galloway is perhaps the one individual in the American running community who can combine a superior knowledge of our sport with the highest level of achievement - making the Olympic team." Bill Rodgers, 4-time winner of the Boston Marathon " Certainly Jeff Galloway has both the knowledge and the physical ability to speak from experience. His book is an outstanding contribution to competitive running." Kenneth H. Cooper, M.D. Author of Aerobics "Jeff Galloway is one of those rare individuals who not only knows his craft, but also has the ability to convey this knowledge through teaching." Frank Shorter 1972 Olympic Marathon Champion "Jeff Galloway is one of the most experienced, thoughtful, and
innovative distance runners in American today. His book now allows
all runners to benefit from his ideas and to improve their running
with field-tested methods. I recommend it highly." Joan L. Ullyot,
M.D. Author of Running Free
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Who is Jeff Galloway?
