Special Guests
26.2 with Donna welcomes Olympian Joan Benoit Samuelson, Marathoner Bill Rodgers, and 26.2 with Donna Training Director Jeff Galloway. Look for these special guests as a part of the 26.2 with Donna Speaker’s Bureau at the Health & Fitness Expo presented by Eisai Friday and Saturday, as well as a part of the Lots of Love Pasta Party Program on Saturday.
Joan Benoit Samuelson
An Olympian well known in the running world, Samuelson won the Boston Marathon in 1979 and again in 1983. She won gold at the Olympics’ first women’s marathon in 1984 and won the Chicago Marathon in 1985. She has written books including “Running Tide” and “Running for Women.” A participant in the 26.2 with Donna since the Inaugural Year, Joanie is a 26.2 with Donna Streaker and will be running the Marathon event in 2013.
Bill Rodgers
Bill Rodgers was born to run. As a child he chased butterflies; as a high school senior he won the Connecticut cross country championship. At Wesleyan, he met Amby Burfoot, who motivated him to run farther and faster, but after college Bill quit running. Inspired by Frank Shorter’s 1972 Olympic victory, and watching his old roommate, Amby Burfoot, run Boston, Bill vowed to take to the road. In 1973, Bill Rodgers entered his first Boston Marathon, but dropped out after 21 miles. The next year he came in 14th in 2:19:34. In 1975 Bill Rodgers set a course record (2:09:55), even stopping on Heartbreak Hill to tie his shoe! He won Boston in 1978, 1979 (breaking his own record with a PR 2:09:27) and 1980. Bill also won the New York City Marathon four times, in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979. Bill has set world masters records for 5K, 8K, 10K and 10 miles. Bill Rodgers is currently a spokesperson for his own sportswear company and running center, as well as the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Running 2nd Edition.” He runs about 25 races a year, and also makes about 25 speaking engagements per year.
Jeff Galloway
Jeff Galloway is the author of the top selling running books in North America, Galloway's Book on Running and Marathon You Can Do It and a Runner's World columnist. He is also an inspirational speaker at over 200 running and fitness sessions each year. Jeff's quest for the injury-free marathon training program led him to develop group training programs in 1978, and to author Runner's World articles which have been used by hundreds of thousands of runners of all abilities. His training schedules have inspired the second wave of marathoners who follow the Galloway run-walk, low mileage, three-day, suggestions to an over 98% success rate. He has worked with over 150,000 average people in training for specific goals and is the inventor of the Galloway RUN-WALK method. Jeff qualified for the 1972 Olympics in the 10,000 meters and as an alternate for the marathon. Jeff's first business experience, in 1973, was a store for runners called Phidippides. He still owns two Phidippides stores in Atlanta. Jeff now supervises Galloway Productions, which conducts dozens of fitness seminars throughout North America, fitness vacations to Greece and Lake Tahoe, and training groups in 40-50 cities a year. Read Jeff’s full bio here.
