What Happened to Jeff Galloway? Heart Attack Survivor Dies of Stroke at 80
Feb. 25, 2026 — Renowned running coach Jeff Galloway, a 1972 U.S. Olympian in the 10,000 meters and creator of the run-walk-run method, died at age 80 from complications of a stroke and brain bleeding, Runner’s World reported.
Galloway’s family announced his death on Facebook, as shared by WDWMagic, without specifying the cause. The Wikipedia entry, updated the following day, confirmed the stroke-related complications cited by Runner’s World.
Prior Health Scare: The 2021 Heart Attack
Many online searches for what happened to jeff galloway? Heart Attack reference his remarkable survival of a near-fatal cardiac event in April 2021 at age 75. During recovery from a workout, Galloway’s heart stopped for over four minutes, requiring defibrillation and CPR, per a New York Times profile. He received five stents and a pacemaker/defibrillator. In a personal blog post on JeffGalloway.com, he reflected: “In spite of the loss of capabilities… the mental boost was just as before!”
Galloway attributed the incident possibly to Agent Orange exposure during U.S. Navy service off Vietnam. Despite this, he resumed running, completing marathons into his 80s. The NYT piece detailed his January 2026 marathon finish—last but joyful—embodying his philosophy.
Questions like what happened to jeff galloway? Heart Attack highlight confusion with his recent passing, but the 2021 episode fueled his advocacy for run-walk-run, which he promoted post-recovery.
Career Achievements and Legacy
Galloway won the inaugural Peachtree Road Race in 1970, set an American 10-mile road record (47:49) in 1973, and triumphed at the Honolulu Marathon in 1974. He earned top Boston Marathon finishes, including fifth in 1973 (2:21:27).
As runDisney’s official training consultant for decades, he provided plans and led clinics for events like Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, per WDWMagic. He authored over 20 books, including Galloway’s Book on Running, founded Phidippides stores and running camps, and wrote for Runner’s World.
His family’s tribute captured his impact:
“Jeff had an almost supernatural ability to look at any person… and see not what they were, but what they could become… He is survived by every person who ever crossed a finish line and thought, ‘I didn’t think I could do this.'”
Social media buzz, including Instagram and Reddit, echoed this, with tributes to his inclusive coaching.
Galloway’s run-walk-run method enabled countless finishers, cementing his legacy beyond elite racing.
