After 5 Decades Of Coaching–I’m More Committed Than Ever!

I was 28 years old, had served my country in the Vietnam combat zone with the US Navy, and had recently competed in the Munich Olympics. Having just earned my Masters degree, I was inspired to be a classroom teacher by my father, Elliott Galloway, who had put his innovative ideas about education into action at The Galloway School in Atlanta. Motivated by running with the best in the world–I was ready to introduce young minds to ideas that could enhance their lives.

So, immediately after returning from Munich, I began my classroom career in another state.  Sadly, it wasn’t a good experience, and by the end of the school year, I was ready for a change.

I knew that I was a good teacher—if I could find the right subject and venue.  During two months of track races in Europe, Russia, and Africa I discovered that many of my fellow runners were at various crossroads in their professional life.  I reflected on advice I had received from my father and Dr. Martin Luther King about choosing a career.  Both talked about finding a lifetime occupation that would help others improve the quality of their lives.  I then looked back on the truly life-changing experiences in my life such as education, mentors, friends and habitual activities that left me feeling better than I did before I did them.

By the end of this expansive overseas running tour, I knew what I wanted to do.  Running had empowered me to find something positive about every workout and then—every project and challenge I faced.  I was ready to help others start exercising and continue so they could experience the amazing benefits other runners and I had been receiving.

But there was no running industry in 1973—nor any way to build a career around running.  But at every running event I was meeting a new wave of recreational endurance runners and walkers who were hungry for information and training programs that could sustain improvement.  How could I help these folks and sustain a career?

My lifetime best friend, Geoff Hollister, had opened one of the first Nike stores (which sold shoes and clothing for many sports), and I had helped him in the store from time to time.  The interaction with running customers got me thinking about a new concept at the time: a dedicated store for runners where the staff knew how to find the right shoes based upon foot shape and function.  This would be a running center for community clinics, training programs, coaching, and the best books/information on training, nutrition, motivation.  I chose the name “Phidippides”, a legendary Greek messenger runner who is the founder of the sport of road & trail running—and the marathon.

So I entered the business world—but making money was not the primary goal. I was teaching people to do something that made them feel better, think better, and bring others into exercise (and into the store). I had a location to develop the first national network of training programs, the run walk run® method, events such as the Peachtree Road Race, and coaching for any level of runner or walker.

As requests came in from across the US and the globe to teach my method I passed the leadership of Phidippides to a series of new generations of Phidippides managers. At the same time, I have become more passionate about bringing even more people into running, walking, and fitness. Every day I hear the results of my advice that eliminates injuries, allows average people to finish marathons and halfs without exhaustion during the training or the event, and provides proven strategies to be strong to the finish.

So this New Year, I will reluctantly retire from Brick and Morter retail to focus on our Galloway App, Training Hub, wonderful retreats, and online coaching. I’m looking forward to each new day! Let me know if I can help you!