Jeff Benjamin with Galen Rupp, (2018), photo by Jeff Benjamin
RunBlogRun opines: “Galen Rupp is the finest long distance runner of his generation of the U.S. I have observed this fine athlete since he was about sixteen and I watched him take second in an Jr Champ 5000m. His 10,000m silver in 2012 was dramatic and his move to the marathon has shown his complexity as an athlete.
His 2020 win in the Trials was superb. He did not make a bad move. This piece was sent by Jeff Benjamin who has spoken with Galen many times.”
Awaiting The Baton In The Relay Exchange Zone – Profiles Of Athletes, Coaches & Legends During The War Against Corona
Profile # 12
OLYMPIC Medalist & 2-Time USA Olympic Marathon Trials Champion Galen Rupp
By Jeff Benjamin
1) How is your daily training routine doing and how challenging has it been for you in this environment?
“I feel extremely fortunate that I was able to race at the Olympic Trials and have an opportunity to compete. After the marathon I took several weeks easy like I always do to recover, so I am still getting back into training and building up my volume. Staying safe and maintaining distance from others has been my top priority so I’ve been running on my treadmill and staying home, but have really cherished the time spent with my wife and kids. I have had to adjust my strength training a little bit, but it’s easy to get creative and you just have to make do with what you have.”
2) What advice can you give to runners, -especially youth, high school, collegiate- who are challenged during this time as well?
“This is a difficult time right now in the world but it’s always important to keep perspective and remember what is really important in life and take some time each day to think of some things that you are grateful for in your life. Spending time thinking about all the negatives will only bring you down and can get overwhelming. In any challenging time, I would encourage people to focus on all the things they can do and put your mental energy into that. Always wanted to stretch more? Do yoga? Practice breathing or meditation? Now is a great time to start. I think that it is really important to try to set a daily schedule and keep training (while staying safe, of course). Having a plan will help keep you accountable and keep you focused. I know it’s difficult at the moment but the work you can put in now will really pay off later.”
Galen Rupp, Rio 2016, photo by Jeff Benjamin
