George A. Sheehan (November 5, 1918 – November 1, 1993) was an American physician, senior athlete, and author best known for his writings about the sport of

running Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion by which humans and other animals move quickly on foot. Running is a gait with an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is in contrast to walkin ...

. His book, "Running & Being: The Total Experience", became a New York Times best seller. He was a track star in college, and later became a

cardiologist Cardiology () is the study of the heart. Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery di ...

like his father. He served as a doctor in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

in the

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

on the

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

USS Daly (DD-519). He married Mary Jane Fleming and they raised twelve children. He continued to write while struggling with

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

. His last book, ''Going the Distance'', was published shortly after his death.

Early life

Sheehan was born in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, the oldest of 14 children. He was a track star at

Manhattan College Manhattan University (previously Manhattan College) is a private, Catholic university in New York City. Originally established in 1853 by the De La Salle Christian Brothers (Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools) as an academy fo ...

, from which he graduated in 1940, and earned his

M.D. A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of physician. This ge ...

degree in 1943 from the Long Island College of Medicine (now known as

SUNY Downstate Medical Center SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is a public medical school and hospital in Brooklyn, New York. It is the southernmost member of the State University of New York (SUNY) system and the only academic medical center for health education, ...

). He renewed his interest in running at age 45 while living in

Rumson, New Jersey Rumson is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,343, a ...

. He began running in his back yard (26 loops to a mile) and then started running along the river road during his lunch break wearing long-johns and a ski mask. Five years later, he ran a 4:47 mile, which was the world's first sub-five-minute time by a 50-year-old.

Career

Sheehan began writing a weekly column in the local newspaper and continued to write the column for 25 years. Many of these years were served as the medical editor for ''

Runner's World ''Runner's World'' is a global magazine and website for runners of all abilities. It has additionally developed experiential formats, including a digital membership program, called Runner's World+. It is published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylva ...

'' magazine. (He had been introduced to

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

Hal Higdon Hal Higdon (born June 17, 1931) is an American writer and runner known for his training plans. He is the author of 34 books, including the best-selling ''Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide''. He has worked as a freelance writer since 1959, and ...

during the 1968 Olympics. Henderson later recruited him as medical editor for the magazine.) He continued to write for ''Runner's World'' after the magazine was purchased by Rodale Press. He wrote eight books and lectured around the world. In 1958, Sheehan co-founded Christian Brothers Academy, an all-male school in

Lincroft, New Jersey Lincroft is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States.prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

. He continued to run until his legs could no longer carry him. During this period he continued to write about his experiences. This time it wasn't about running, it was about dying. ''Going the Distance'' was his last book, and was published shortly after his death. He died of prostate cancer at his home in the Ocean Grove section of

Neptune Township, New Jersey Neptune Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 28,061, an increase of 126 (+0.5%) from t ...

. Litsky, Frank
"Dr. George Sheehan, Running Figure, Dies at 74"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', November 2, 1993. Accessed December 6, 2012. "Dr. George Sheehan, a cardiologist who became the philosopher of the recreational running movement in the 1970's and 1980's, died yesterday at his home in Ocean Grove, N.J." After Sheehan's death, one of his sons, journalist Andrew Sheehan, published ''Chasing the Hawk: Looking for My Father, Finding Myself'' (Delacorte Press, 200

which discusses his experience of Sheehan as a father and family man.

Books

*''The Encyclopedia of Athletic Medicine'' (1972) *''Dr. Sheehan on Running'' (1975) *''Dr. George Sheehan's Medical Advice for Runners'' (1978) *''Running & Being: The Total Experience'' (1978) *''This Running Life'' (1980) *''How to Feel Great Twenty Four Hours a Day'' (1983) *''Dr. Sheehan on Fitness'' (1983) *''Personal Best: The Foremost Philosopher of Fitness Shares Techniques and Tactics for Success and Self-Liberation'' (1989) *''George Sheehan on Running to Win : How to Achieve the Physical, Mental & Spiritual Victories of Running'' (1992) *''Dr. George Sheehan on Getting Fit and Feeling Great'' (1992) *''Going the Distance: One Man's Journey to the End of His Life'' (1996) *''The Essential Sheehan: 30 Years of Running Wisdom from the Legendary George Sheehan'' (2013)

References

External links

Official SiteGeorge Sheehan Classic
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheehan, George 1918 births 1993 deaths American cardiologists United States Navy personnel of World War II Deaths from prostate cancer in New Jersey Manhattan College alumni People from Neptune Township, New Jersey People from Rumson, New Jersey Scientists from Brooklyn United States Navy officers 20th-century American physicians SUNY Downstate Medical Center alumni American masters athletes Track and field athletes from New York City Military personnel from Monmouth County, New Jersey

Early life

Career

Books

See also

References

External links