Running Pioneer Jeff Galloway Dies at 80
Jeff Galloway, Olympic 10,000 meter qualifier and founder of the widely adopted Run/Walk method, died at age 80. Galloway revolutionized distance running by making it accessible to millions through his injury-avoidance approach that alternated running and walking intervals. His books and coaching philosophy shaped generations of runners from beginners to marathoners over several decades.
Before becoming an Olympian, Galloway described himself as an overweight kid who struggled academically and had attended 14 different schools by the eighth grade. He began running at his father's insistence and eventually became a high school state champion in the two-mile and an All-American at Wesleyan University, where his teammates included future running legends Amby Burfoot and Bill Rodgers. In the 1972 Olympic marathon trials, Galloway intentionally stepped aside at the finish line to allow his friend and training partner, Jack Bacheler, to claim the final spot on the U.S. team. Galloway, who had already qualified for the 10,000 meters, served as an alternate for that marathon. The following year, he set the American record for the 10-mile road race with a time of 47:49. The iconic "Run/Walk/Run" method originated in 1974 when Galloway started teaching a running class for beginners, hoping it would attract customers to his new running store, Phidippides. The students were all returning to running after at least five years off, so he introduced walk breaks to ensure no one was "huffing and puffing" by the end. Galloway proved his own method's effectiveness at age 35, running his personal best marathon time of 2:16:35 at the 1980 Houston Marathon while taking strategic walk breaks at every water station. This was faster than his previous marathon times where he had run continuously. Beyond his coaching, Galloway was the first-ever winner of the Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta in 1970. He later became a key organizer for the event, helping it grow exponentially by recruiting world-class runners like Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Lasse Virén to compete. His influence extended to millions through more than 20 books, a long-running column in *Runner's World* magazine, and his role as the official training consultant for runDisney events. In 1978, he also co-founded the Avon International Women's Marathon, a key step in establishing the women's Olympic marathon.
