Olympian Jeff Galloway, who changed how America runs, dies aged 80

Jeff Galloway, the running legend of America, passed away at age 80 on Wednesday, February 25, after complications from a stroke and hemorrhage.

Galloway had a hemorrhagic stroke and died at a hospital in Pensacola, Florida, daughter-in-law Carissa Galloway said.

He had dedicated his entire life to the running movement and its benefits, inspiring Americans to run daily.

Galloway had been instrumental in building the movement of the amateur first running boom in the 1960s and 1970s.

He had invented the run/walk method, also known as the "Galloway method” or simply “jeffing,” which guides runners to add walking pauses while running.

Jeff Galloway had been part of the 1972 U.S. Olympic contingent.

The athletic group of that time had inspired elite athletes and amateur runners to transition into their life's walk-run strategy, no matter what, if it’s simply a marathon or just a neighborhood walk.

Galloway’s family announced his surgery on February 20, and his fans turned to social media with posts and prayers for his early recovery from the emergency neurosurgery.

Galloway had survived cardiac arrest in 2021 and was still hoping to complete another marathon after having run more than 230 in his lifetime.

In an interview with The New York Times in December last year, he said, “My mission now, at the age of 80-plus, is to show that people can do things that are normally not done and can do them safely.”

Galloway walked through every single water station during the 1980 Houston Marathon with a faster time, 2:16:35, than his previous run-only 26.2-mile (42.1-kilometer) races.

Galloway is survived by two sons and six grandchildren.