Jeff Galloway, Olympian and Pioneer of the Run/Walk Method, Dies at 80
jeff galloway, the Olympian who popularized the run/walk approach and became a widely read running author and coach, has died at 80. He died Wednesday from complications from a stroke and brain bleeding.
Jeff Galloway’s influence and methods
As a runner of limited talent and limitless dedication, Jeff Galloway became a formative figure in the running movement in America. He was a pioneer of the run/walk method, also known as the “Galloway Method” or “Jeffing, ” and promoted adding walking intervals into runs. For more than 50 years he recruited, inspired and educated runners, wrote and marketed a best-selling training book, and built a reach into the running community that many described as unmatched.
Early life and high school
Born John F. Galloway (called Jeff) in Raleigh, North Carolina, he was the son of a naval officer and experienced a disrupted childhood. By 1958, in eighth grade, he had attended 14 schools and said he was an overweight kid with no sports experience who was struggling academically. After trying cross-country, he found running could be “a boost to my spirit and brain, ” could “bestow a sense of hope, ” and revealed the sport’s supportive group dynamics. It took more than two years for him to show any talent, but at Westminster Schools in Atlanta, Georgia, he ran a 4: 28 mile and won a state high school 2-mile championship with a 9: 48 time at age 17.
Wesleyan, teammates and training
Running helped him improve academically and he went on to Wesleyan University in Connecticut. The lack of a high-pressure track program there provided unexpected benefits: friendships with Amby Burfoot and Bill Rodgers as cross-country teammates, an opportunity to train indoors at Yale with Frank Shorter, and the freedom to compete on weekends in New England road races. Galloway said, “I loved running road races, ” and that experience helped him become All-American, improving on the track to a 4: 12 mile and a 14: 10 for 3 miles.
Military service and later choices
On graduation, at the height of conscription for the Vietnam War, Galloway opted to sign for the officer program of the U. S. Navy and completed three years’ service. He did 18 months of active service as a gunnery officer off the coast of Vietnam, and on brief shore visits his priority was to run as a way of relieving the stress of war zone service. After completing his service he aspired to become a teacher and also wanted to test his potential as a runner. He said, “I wanted to see what I was made of, ” unclear in the provided context.
Olympics and marathon results
After qualifying for the Olympic Games in the 10, 000 meters in 1972, he represented the United States in the 10K at the 1972 Olympics. The following year, in 1973, he finished fifth in the Boston Marathon.
Coaching, writing and lasting legacy
Galloway founded running stores, running groups, running camps and running travel, was involved in creating important races, and became one of the sport’s most sought-after speakers. He moved into social media, podcasts and race promotion, and served as a training consultant for runDisney. He believed walking during a run reduced the risk of injury, conserved energy and kept confidence afloat; he said, “I’ve been using them ever since, ” and added that he continued “fine-tune the ratios of running to walking based upon pace per mile and individual needs. ” Many of his followers and clients came to regard him as a personal friend.
A message posted on Galloway’s account Wednesday informed followers of his death and said in part: “Jeff spent his life proving that anyone could cross a finish line. He celebrated every mile, every walk break, and every finish. He coached millions, but found fulfillment in each of your stories of personal accomplishment. Jeff had an almost supernatural ability to look at any person, any age, any fitness level… and see not what they were, but what they could become, in fitness and in life. ”
He is survived by two sons and six grandchildren. With a record of innovation and a wide reach into the running community, Galloway was described as probably the most influential single contributor to the evolving running movement in America.
Jeff Galloway’s death marks the loss of a coach and mentor whose methods changed how countless runners approached training and racing.
