Greg Meyer (born September 18, 1955) is an American

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely Aerobic exercise, aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength. Within endurance ru ...

. Meyer's winning time for the 1983

Boston Marathon The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon race hosted by eight cities and towns in greater Boston in eastern Massachusetts, United States. It is traditionally held on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897, the event was ins ...

race was 2:09.00. He was the last American to win the Boston Marathon until 2014, and the last person born in America to win the Chicago Marathon until 2017. He set ten American road racing records and two

world record A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...

s, and won the River Bank Run, in his home town of

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, seven times.

Personal life

Meyer was born in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

to parents Rita and Jay. He has one older sibling, Matthew Meyer. Meyer is a 1973 graduate of Grand Rapids West Catholic High School. In 1977 he earned a degree in education and social studies from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. In 1986 he earned a

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum an ...

degree from

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...

. He met and married fellow runner Paula Lettis in 198

while living in Boston and together they had three children, Nicolle (1981), Jacob (1983) and Daniel (198

Meyer and Lettis divorced in 2005 while living in Dexter, Michigan, Dexter. Meyer remarried in May 2019. He and his wife Kerry reside near Rockford.

Career

Greg was employed from approximately 2000 through 2008 by the University of Michigan as director of Major Gifts for the Greater Michigan Region, where he helped raise over $125 million for the university. From 2008 to 2012 Meyer served as Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Aquinas College. In Fall of 2012, he became the VP & Executive Director of the Aquinas Foundation. After his time at Aquinas, he served as the VP of Development and Communication for the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids from 2015 to 2018. In October 2018, Greg joined University of Michigan Health - West as their Chief Community Officer.

Running accomplishments

Meyer set American road racing records in the 8K, the 10K, and the 15K. He set world records in the 10-mile run and the 25K. He was the first

runner to break the four-minute mile mark. In 1978, Meyer won the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union's

cross country running Cross country running is a sport in which teams and individuals run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain such as dirt or grass. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and soil, earth, pass through woodlands and ope ...

title, in 29:35.9, narrowly edging out

Alberto Salazar Alberto Salazar (born August 7, 1958) is an American former track coach and long-distance runner. Born in Cuba, Salazar immigrated to the United States as a child with his family, living in Connecticut and then in Wayland, Massachusetts, where ...

.Meyer Runs 29:35.9, Takes A.A.U. Title
''

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 26, 1978. Retrieved October 1, 2018. The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics, and Meyer finished 7th in the 1984 Trials. Meyer's winning time for the 1983

s, and won the River Bank Run, in his home town of

, seven times. Meyer was inducted into the U of M Athletic Hall of Honor and was inducted into th
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

References

External links

National Distance Running Hall of Fame profile

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meyer, Greg Living people 1955 births Sportspeople from Grand Rapids, Michigan American male long-distance runners American male marathon runners Chicago Marathon male winners Boston Marathon male winners University of Michigan alumni People from Dexter, Michigan Sportspeople from Washtenaw County, Michigan Boston University School of Education alumni 20th-century American sportsmen

Personal life

Career

Running accomplishments

See also

References

External links