Olympian Jeff Galloway Dies at 80

Jeff Galloway, the Olympian and running coach who revolutionized distance running by popularizing the run-walk-run method and making the sport accessible to millions of everyday athletes, died on Wednesday in Pensacola, Florida. He was 80.

Galloway suffered complications from a hemorrhagic stroke and passed away at a local hospital, his daughter-in-law Carissa Galloway said. His family announced emergency neurosurgery on February 20 and invited public messages of support, prompting an outpouring of online tributes from runners who credited him with building their confidence and guiding them to finish lines.

In the days before his death, videos flooded social media as people shared stories of how Galloway's strategies helped them overcome physical and mental barriers. "I never thought I would be a runner. I never thought I'd run a half-marathon," said Karen Bock-Losee, 70, of Jacksonville, Florida, in one such video. "I'm 70 years old, and I've run several since my 60th birthday when I discovered Galloway running. I just want to say thank you."

Born John F. Galloway on July 12, 1945, in Raleigh, North Carolina, he grew up in a peripatetic family that eventually settled in Atlanta,...