"Some people may think I am going the wrong way but it's my way.
And for me it is the right way."
And for me it is the right way."
~ Justine Galloway
As far as I'm concerned, anyone who completes a half or full marathon, regardless of time or place, is a total badass. Justine Galloway has run seven half marathons and one full. So, there. Badass status. But then, multiply it by ten. Because Justine did all of these races running backwards. That's right. She runs backwards. Which, since 2011, is the only way she can physically run. And, if I'm being honest, it kind of blows my mind. Typically this is when I do a little writeup about the people I profile, introducing them and sharing their story after having connected with them beforehand. In this case, tho, I'm going to let Justine take the reigns. She gave me the full story and I just think it's worth sharing the whole thing with you. So, with that I'll introduce Justine Galloway, a RUNNER WHO ROCKS.
I started running when I was just a little girl. My dad was training for the marathon and I would run around the block with him when he was finishing his run. I would go on to run fun runs and the Father’s Day run in NYC as a child. When I was 6/7 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. As his health began to decline, my love for running just got stronger. I ran for Teaneck High School, which was truly one of my favorite experiences. I then went on to run for Rutgers. In my 20s, I ran the NYC marathon, Boston Marathon and others. My best marathon time was 3:16. In 2009, my dad passed and I continued to run. I ran my last forward marathon in 2010, the Chicago Marathon.
In 2011, I set out to run the Boston Marathon. At mile 18, I had to call the run after spending time in the medic tent. A few weeks later I would take a fall and after that forward running became nearly impossible. My left leg stopped listening to my brain. I would drag my leg behind me as if it was no longer connected to my body. At one point, it impacted my walking. I would cry walking from my car to the supermarket. I was diagnosed with everything from MS to needing to see a psychologist. After 2 years of trying to find a cause for my inability to run, I was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia (Runner’s Dystonia). I was giving Parkinson’s medication, which I quickly got off of since I had seen what it had done to my dad. With a diagnosis in hand, I stopped searching. Having spent my childhood seeing my dad in and out of hospitals, I decided that having the reason was good enough.
I moved to San Diego, CA shortly after thinking I would swim and bike, retiring my running sneakers. I had found in NJ that at P/T I was able to run backwards. I had also met someone in CA who also had Runner’s Dystonia and she was able to run backwards. It wasn’t long before my running sneakers were taken out of retirement and laced up for backwards running. I started backwards running on the sand and then moved to the streets. I found a running club, running friends, and a boyfriend (who would later be my husband) to run backwards with me. I set out to run a backwards half marathon for the Guinness World Record (GWR) in 2015 with my brother because why not?!? He flew out from NYC to run with me. We didn’t catch it all on camera so I had to repeat in 2016. For 2016, my brother and sister flew out to run it with me. My husband-to-be would also run it with me. I would get the World Record. It would later be broken. I would then break it again running another half with my husband. Once again it would be broken. But for me it was never really about the GWR, it was about finding a way to run!
I would also run the NYC Marathon backwards in 2017 for the Michael J Fox Parkinson's Foundation. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. My plan was to run the whole thing backwards with no forward facing motion. I accomplished it in 6 hours and 6 minutes and felt every step. It was the only marathon I had ever ran where it rained, of course (lol).
I continue to run backwards and will run backwards for as long as I can. Hopefully I will run the NYC marathon backwards again but for now I am just happy to run on the days I can run!
RWR:MEET JUSTINE GALLOWAY
Name: Justine Galloway
Where you're from: Teaneck, NJ :)
Where you reside now: San Diego, CA
Age: 42 (even though I feel 24)
Occupation: Engineer in Biotech (at Illumina)
Blog/website: https://www.instagram.com/rennur316/
FINISHING NYC MARATHON BACKWARDS
ON RUNNING & MUSIC
What do you love most about running?
There is so much to love about running. For me running provides me with a connection to my dad who passed in 2009. He was a runner. He started running the year I was born. He ran the NYC marathon in 1980. At the age of 46/47 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He would run his last marathon in 1990 (Marine Corps) and it would land him in the hospital. His health continued to decline and walking became difficult. So not only does running connect me to my dad but it reminds me that everything we love can be taken away from us at any moment so we have to embrace it for as long as we can. I embrace running. One more thing-anyone can do it. You don't need a lot of money or equipment, you just need to run!
What do you love most about music?
Music brings me back to some of my favorite memories and it makes you feel good at exactly the right time. Music speaks to everyone at an individual level.
Racing backwards w/ the help of Emily K.
JUSTINE'S FAVORITES:
Band (current, all time or both): Mary J Blige, always!
Album (current, all time or both): My Life!
Race venue: NYC marathon
Music venue: Humphreys San Diego (but still have a lot more to see)
Race distance: 26.2
Show you've seen live: India Arie, Mary J. Blige, Dave Mathews, Slightly Stoopid, Janet Jackson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springstein, Counting Crows, Powderfinger…
Ice cream flavor: Coffee Ice Cream
THIS OR THAT?
Sweet or salty? Salty
Live or recorded? Live
Coffee or tea? Coffee
Summer or winter? Winter
Mary J. Blige
Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? The Weekend
Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? Michael Jackson
Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? Mary J Blige
Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? Tribe called quest
Running Boston (forwards)
LAST ONE:
Complete this sentence:
Today, I feel like.... the luckiest person in the world because I went for a run and it felt good!
Top Songs for running, dancing or both:
What’s the 411, Mary J Blige
There’s Hope, India Arie
Lose Control, Missy Elliot
Lose Yourself, Eminem
Last 5 Songs you listened to today:
New York City, Nora Jones
Baby Can I Hold You, Tracy Chapman
Electric Relaxation, A Tribe Called Quest
Slick Rick, Children’s story
Space Between, Dave Mathews
One More Night, Slightly Stoopid
Listen to this:
Running by Mary J. Blige
