Greg Meyer

Greg Meyer (born September 18, 1955) is best known for his accomplishments in distance running. Most notably, he is the last American male to win the Boston Marathon.

Education

He is a 1973 graduate of Grand Rapids West Catholic High School and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI

Family

Meyer was born in Grand Rapids, MI to parents Rita and Jay. He has one older sibling, Matthew Meyer. He met and married fellow runner Paula Lettis in 1980[1] while living in Boston and together they had three children, Nicholle (1981), Jacob (1983) and Daniel (1986)[2]. He divorced 2005 while living in Dexter, MI. He resides near Rockford, MI, north of Grand Rapids, MI and since 2008 has served as Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Aquinas College. </ref> Previous to that Greg was employed from approximately 2000 through March 2007 by the University of Michigan as director of Major Gifts for the Greater Michigan Region[3] where he raised over $125 million for the University.

Sports career

His winning time for that 1983 race was 2:09.00. He has also won the River Bank Run in his home town of Grand Rapids, MI seven times over. Meyer set 10 American Road Racing records and two world records.

"He held the American record for the ten mile run and was a sub 4-minute miler. Meyer’s top-level performances deserves recognition. He set ten American road racing records at the following distances: 8K, 10K, 15K, 25K, Ten Mile. Set two World Records in the 15K (Gasparilla 15K, Tampa, FL) and the Ten Mile (Cherry Blossom 10 Mile, Wash. D.C) Some of Meyer’s other accomplishments include United States Male Distance Runner of the Year 1983, being nominated for the James E. Sullivan Award (America’s highest amateur award) 1983, and being inducted into the following Halls of Fame: ESPN Road Racing, Road Runners Club of American, and Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. He also had victories at the following major races Detroit Marathon (1980), Chicago Marathon (1982), Boston Marathon (1983), Cascade Run Off (1980), Cherry Blossom (1983), 25K River Bank Run (seven times), National Cross Country Champion (1978). Meyer was one of the founding members of A.R.R.A, which was the first athletic union of road racing athletes. In the early 1980’s helped fight and win the right to earn prize money, starting with the Cascade Run Off in 1980. After many runners were banned from running T.A.C. events (now USAT&F) due to the “contamination rule” dealing with professionalism, T.A.C. instituted the TAC Trust system, which eventual lead to open competition and the prize money the athletes today enjoy…not to mention an open Olympic Games."

Quoted from National Distance Running Hall of Fame.

See also

• List of winners of the Boston Marathon

External links

• Greg Meyer
• Greg Meyer Photo
• Greg Meyer: Running Man, Money Man
• Greg Meyer: helping kick start YMCA Run for Your Heart Program in Saginaw