Who is Galen Rupp

"My strength is really to try and outlast guys." --Galen Rupp, on his Footlocker strategy.

Originally a soccer player, he caught the eye of American marathon legend Alberto Salazar, who coached him to great high school success. Under his tutelage, Galen became one of the most successful high school distance runners ever, setting junior national and American high school records in the 2000m, 3000m, and 5000m while competing for Portland, Oregon's Central Catholic High School.

As a sophomore in 2001, Galen finished 6th at the Oregon State Cross Country meet, running 15:46. He placed 8th in the 1500m at the Oregon State meet, running 3:59.68 and 3rd in the 3000m, running 8:37.36. His season bests were 3:58.6 for 1500m and 8:32.46 for 3000m.

As a junior in 2002, Galen won the Oregon State Cross Country meet, clocking 14:56. He qualified for the Footlocker National Championship but did not finish the race. On the track, he placed 3rd in the 1500m (3:53.58 season best) and 1st in the 3000m (8:14.36) at the Oregon State meet. He ran a season best 8:14.00 in the 3000m.

As a senior, Galen defended his Oregon State Cross Country title, winning in a time of 14:55. At Footlocker he finished 2nd to Matt Withrow (14:55) in a time of 14:57. Other notables from that race included Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott, his future teammate at Oregon and Josh McDougal, who beat Galen to win the NCAA Cross Country Individual Title in 2007. He then went on to finish 12th at the US Junior Cross Country Championships, running 28:00 for 8k.

On the track in 2004, Galen had a fantastic senior season. He won the Oregon State meet 1500m (3:49.76) and 3000m (8:22.00). He ran a personal best of 3:45.3 for 1500m en route to a 4:01.8 national high school leading time. He also broke the national high school record for 2000m (5:18.5) and 3000m (8:03.67). (The 3000m record has since been broken by German Fernandez, who ran 7:59.83 in 2008)

His biggest accomplishment, however, was probably breaking Gerry Lindgren's 40-year old American high school record for 5000m by almost seven seconds, running 13:37.91. For his accomplishments, Galen was named the Track and Field News Athlete of the Year.

Sources: USATF, Go Ducks, Wikipedia

"Just being around all of those top athletes, it helps me a lot mentally for running in the NCAA meet." --Galen Rupp, on competing in the World Championships

First Year

Galen redshirted his first cross country season at Oregon, but his training didn't suffer. In 2005, he won the US Junior Cross Country title, running 25:13 to win by 9 seconds. He was then the first US finisher at the World Junior Cross Country Championships in France, finishing 20th.

On the track, Galen enjoyed much success. He finished 4th in the 5000m (13:57.43) and 2nd in the 10,000m (29:28.09) at the Pac-10 Championships, leading Oregon to victory. He then finished 2nd in the 10,000m at the NCAA Championships, running 28:23.75. Galen then took 2nd (3:47.47)in the 1500m at the USA Junior Track meet, and 4th at the Pan American Junior Championships (3:50.96).

Galen's bests for his freshman campaign were 3:44.39 for 1500m, an American Junior Record 7:49.16 for the 3000m, and an American Junior Record 28:15.52 in the 10,000m, which he ran to win the Oregon Twilight meet.

Second Year

Galen led the Ducks in both of his cross country races, but suffered a minor injury at the Pre-Nationals meet and did not run again that season.

During indoor track, Galen earned All-American twice by placing 6th in the 3000m and 5th in the 5000m. His qualifying times (7:54.90/13:48.51) ranked him 3rd and 1st on Oregon's all-time indoor lists, respectively.

In outdoor track, Galen placed 3rd in the 5000m (14:00.94) and 2nd in the 10,000m (30:42.10) at the Pac-10 Championships. He qualified for the NCAA meet in the 5000m by finishing 3rd at the West Regionals, but managed to finish only 20th in the NCAA 5000m prelims, running 14:14.02.

Third Year

Galen had a very successful junior cross country campaign. He led the Ducks in all five of his races, including winning the Pac-10 Championships individual title (23:03). He finished 4th at the West Regional meet, and 6th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.

In indoor track, Galen set school records for indoor 3000m (7:54.19) and 5000m (13:38.62). He placed 5th and 3rd in the events at the NCAA Indoor Championships, running 7:56.79 and 13:40.38, respectively. He is the first Oregon Duck to earn four Indoor NCAA All-American honors.

Outdoors, Galen broke Bill McChesney's 1982 Ducks 10,000m record by running 27:33.48 at the Cardinal Invitational. He also ran a personal best 13:30.49 in the 5000m. Galen took both the 5000m (14:02.00) and 10,000m (29:07.84) titles at the Pac-10 Championships. He then won the West Regional 5000m and placed 2nd again at the NCAA Championships in the 10,000m (28:56.19).

In the summer, Galen competed in the 10,000m at the USA Track Championships and finished 2nd, running 28:23.21. At the World Championships he placed 11th, clocking 28:41.71.

Fourth Year

Galen only ran three races in his fall cross country campaign. He finished 2nd to teammate Shadrack Kiptoo-Biwott at the Pac-10 Championships (22:59). He then won the West Regional race (29:36) before finishing 2nd to Josh McDougal at the NCAA Cross Country Championships (29:24). The Oregon Ducks did win the team title, however, their first since 1977.

Galen redshirted his track season in order to prepare for the US Olympic Trials. He ran unattached at the Adidas Track Classic 3000m, and won the race in 7:51.17. At the Olympic Trials, Galen won his 5k prelim but opted not to run the final. Then, in the 10,000m, he hung tight to Abdi Abdirahman and finished 2nd (27:43.11), earning his first trip to the Olympics. In Beijing, Galen finished 13th, running 27:36.99, very close to a personal best.

Fifth Year

Galen ran his first cross country race at the Pac-10 Championships, where he won in a course record 22:55. He then defended his NCAA West Regional title by running 27:41.24 to win the 10k race. He then won his first individual national championship when he defeated Sam Chelanga of Liberty to take the NCAA Cross Country title in 29:03.2. His Oregon Ducks team also repeated as team champions.

Galen opened his 2009 track season with a 1:51.33 800m (4th - PR) and a 4:10.13 mile (1st) at the Washington Indoor Preview meet. Amazingly, his splits in the mile were roughly 2:15/1:55, and he ran it 30 minutes after his 800m PR. He then anchored the DMR team to a 9:29.39 2nd place finish at the UW Invite (split 3:58?). He ran the fastest ever 3000m by a U.S. born collegiate at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games to finish 2nd in 7:44.69. In his 4th race in four weeks, Galen set a new American Record for the indoor 5000m, running a time of 13:18.12 to again finish 2nd at the Tyson Invitational.

At the MPSF Indoor Championships, Galen finished 2nd in Section 2 of the 800m, running a personal best 1:49.87. He then won the mile at a last-chance meet in Washington, running a personal best and indoor school record 3:57.86. He then won the NCAA Indoor 5000m time in 13:41.45. An hour later he anchored the DMR team to victory (9:29.59) with a 3:57 split! He then ran away from the field to post a 7:48.94 victory in the 3000m. The Oregon men also won the team title.

Galen opened his season with a 13:55.75 victory at the UCLA-Oregon dual meet. He then ran a controlled 28:28.68 10k to win at the Oregon Relays. He then ran 1:50.00 to finish 5th in the 800m at the Payton Jordan Invitational. Galen anchored the Ducks' 4 x mile team that ran 16:03, and was reported to run 3:58.6 on his leg. Galen entered the 1500m, 5000m, and 10000m at the Pac-10 Championships. On the 1st day, he won his 1500m prelim in 3:46.05 and won the 10000m final in 29:01.93, with a 54 second last lap. He then came back to finish 2nd in the 1500m final, running 3:51.18.

At the NCAA West Regional, Galen won the 5000m in 13:46.41 and finished 2nd in the 1500m in a personal best of 3:39.14 (prelim 3:45.93). At the NCAA meet, Galen finished 4th in his 5000m prelim (13:59.26). He then won his 10000m race in 28:21.45. Galen wrapped up his meet with a stunning victory in the 5000m (14:04.12). In the race, he had to stop and fix his shoe, but he caught up and ran a 4:00 last 1600m and 1:55 last 800m to win the race.

Two weeks after graduating, Rupp won his first USA title, taking the 10,000 meters in 27:52.53. He then announced he is turning pro, and that Michael Johnson will be his agent.

Sources: USATF, Go Ducks, Wikipedia

In Galen's first race as a professional, he finished 8th in the Berlin World Championships 10,000 meters, running a season best 27:37.99.

Championships

2003 Oregon State Cross Country Champion (14:56)
2004 Oregon State Cross Country Champion (14:55)
2005 USA Junior Cross Country Champion (25:13)
2006 Pac-10 Cross Country Champion (23:03)
2007 Pac-10 5000m Champion (14:02.00)
2007 Pac-10 10000m Champion (29:07.84)
2008 Pac-10 Cross Country Champion (22:55)
2008 NCAA Cross Country Champion (29:03.2)
2009 NCAA Indoor 5000m Champion (13:41.45)
2009 NCAA Indoor Distance Medley Relay Champion (9:29.59 - 3:57.08 split)
2009 NCAA Indoor 3000m Champion (7:48.94)
2009 Pac-10 10000m Champion (29:01.93)
2009 NCAA Outdoor 10000m Champion (28:21.45)
2009 NCAA Indoor 5000m Champion (14:04.12)
2009 USA Outdoor 10000m Champion (27:52.53)

Personal Bests

1:49.87i - 800m - Seattle (2009)
3:39.14 - 1500m - Eugene (2009)
3:57.86i - mile - Seattle (2009)
7:44.69i - 3000m - Boston (2009)
13:18.12i - 5000m - Fayetteville (2009 - AR indoors)
27:33.48 - 10000m - Palo Alto (2007)

US HS/Junior Records

5:18.5 - 2000m (HS)
8:03.67 - 3000m (HS - now 7:59.83, German Fernandez, 2008)
7:49.16 - 3000m (Junior - now 7:47.97, German Fernandez, 2009)
13:37.91 - 5000m (Junior - now 13:29.98, Chris Derrick, 2009)
28:15.52 - 10000m (Junior)

Sources: USATF

10,000 meters

1. 27:13.98 - Meb Keflezighi - Palo Alto (2001)
2. 27:16.99 - Abdi Abdirahman - Eugene (2008)
3. 27:20.56 - Mark Nenow - Brussels (1986)
4. 27:22.28 - Dathan Ritzenhein - Berlin (2009)
5. 27:25.61 - Alberto Salazar - Oslo (1982)
6. 27:29.16 - Craig Virgin - Paris (1980)
7. 27:31.34 - Todd Williams - Knoxville (1995)
8. 27:33.48 - Galen Rupp - Palo Alto (2007)
9. 27:33.93 - Alan Culpepper - Palo Alto (2001)
10. 27:34.72 - Alan Webb - Palo Alto (2006)
11. 27:36.99 - Tim Nelson - Palo Alto (2009)
12. 27:37.17 - Bruce Bickford - Stockholm (1985)
13. 27:37.45 - Bob Kennedy - Palo Alto (2004)
14. 27:37.74 - Anthony Famiglietti - Palo Alto (2006)
15. 27:41.05 - Ed Eyestone - Walnut (1985)
16. 27:42.15 - Dan Browne - Palo Alto (2004)

5,000 meters

1. 12:56.27 - Dathan Ritzenhein - Zurich (2009)
2. 12:58.21 - Bob Kennedy - Zurich (1996)
3. 12:58.56 - Matt Tegenkamp - Brussels (2009)
4. 12:59.22 - Bernard Lagat - London (2006)
5. 13:01.15 - Sydney Maree - Oslo (1985)
6. 13:10.00 - Adam Goucher - Heusden-Zolder (2006)
7. 13:10.86 - Alan Webb - Berlin (2005)
8. 13:11.77 - Meb Keflezighi - Heusden-Zolder (2000)
8. 13:11.77 - Tim Broe - Oslo (2005)
10. 13:11.93 - Alberto Salazar - Stockholm (1982)
10. 13:11.93 - Anthony Famiglietti - Walnut (2007)
12. 13:12.24 - Chris Solinsky - Heusden-Zolder (2007)
13. 13:12.91 - Matt Centrowitz - Eugene (1982)
14. 13:13.32 - Abdi Abdirahman - London (2005)
15. 13:13.49 - Bruce Bickford - Oslo (1985)
NR. 13:18.12 - Galen Rupp - Fayetteville (2009)

3,000 meters

1. 7:30.84 - Bob Kennedy - Monaco (1998)
2. 7:33.15 - Bernard Lagat - Paris (2009)
3. 7:33.37 - Sydney Maree - London (1982)
4. 7:34.96 - Adam Goucher - Monaco (2001)
5. 7:34.98 - Matt Tegenkamp - Monaco (2006)
6. 7:35.84 - Doug Padilla - Oslo (1983)
7. 7:36.69 - Steve Scott - Ingelheim (1981)
8. 7:36.90 - Chris Solinsky - Sheffield (2007)
9. 7:37.04 - Jim Spivey - Koln (1993)
10. 7:37.70 - Rudy Chapa - Eugene (1979)
11. 7:38.03 - Marc Davis - Monaco (1993)
12. 7:39.03 - Dathan Ritzenhein - Sheffield (2007)
13. 7:39.28 - Alan Webb - Eugene (2005)
14. 7:39.45 - Tim Broe - Lausanne (2001)
15. 7:40.0 - Daniel Lincoln - Eugene (2006)
NR. 7:44.69 - Galen Rupp - Boston (2009)

Source: All-Time Athletics