Jeff Galloway, the Olympian and longtime running coach whose run-walk-running approach helped popularize the idea that many people could train for distance events without running every step, died Wednesday at age 80, his family said.
Carissa Galloway said he had a hemorrhagic stroke and died at a hospital in Pensacola, Florida, after undergoing emergency neurosurgery. His family had announced the surgery on Feb. 20 and invited the public to express support.
In the days around the operation, tributes surged online, with runners posting videos and messages in hopes of recovery, and recalling advice they said helped them find confidence at race starting lines. The response highlighted how widely Galloway’s training ideas had traveled beyond elite athletes to everyday runners planning everything from 5Ks to marathons.
Galloway’s method began in the 1970s, after he agreed to teach a running class through Florida State University in 1974, two years after competing in the 10,000 meters at the Olympics. He said in a description on his website that his group started with walking and a few one-minute jogs, then adjusted the frequency of walk breaks so runners were not “huffing and puffing — even at the end.” He said the goal was to keep groups together and allow everyone to finish “either a 5K or a 10K with smiles on their faces.”
He believed walking during a run reduced the risk of injury, conserved energy, and helped maintain confidence during training and competition. Galloway also said he continued “to fine-tune the ratios of running to walking based upon pace per mile and individual needs,” using the approach across his running career and the training philosophy he shared through books, websites, and retreats.
Jim Vance, an elite endurance sports consultant in San Diego, described Galloway as a “pioneer” in getting people to run. Vance said in an interview, “He removed the barrier to entry, which was mostly mental,” adding, “Running isn’t supposed to be a suffer-fest. It should be something peaceful, something enjoyable, so people can enjoy running and not dread it.”
The influence of the run-walk-running approach was also reflected in the experiences of other runners who said they discovered Galloway’s guidance when they were older than most first-time marathoners. Karen Bock-Losee of Jacksonville, Florida, said in a video that she did not “thought [she] would be a runner,” but that after discovering Galloway running, “I’m 70 years old and I’ve run several since my 60th birthday.” Susan Williams recalled meeting him during a half marathon in Murray, Kentucky, in 2011, saying, “You passed me, and my butt was cramping,” then describing how he “turned around and came back” and “talked me through it.”
Bobby McGee, a Colorado-based running coach, said the approach made running more accessible by changing what runners expect from themselves. “When a group of people in any kind of run — from marathons to fun runs — get together afterwards they talk about their time,” McGee said. “Nobody asks them if they ran the whole thing.”
Galloway survived heart failure in 2021 and, after his recent surgery, remained hopeful about completing another marathon, the report said. He logged more than 230 marathons during his lifetime and was described as still working toward new races even after earlier health setbacks.
In addition to coaching through runDisney, a series of races held at Walt Disney Co. resorts, Galloway also ran in events and shared training perspectives tied to specific races. One example cited from his career: he walked through every water station during the 1980 Houston marathon and finished with a time of 2:16:35.
Galloway is survived by two sons and six grandchildren.