Jeff Lucas has influenced the running of thousands of area runners over the past 20 plus years. Jeff has run with, organized groups run for and trained with thousands of local runners and athletes through the years.

Jeff's background is in exercise physiology. His initial focus during college was more on strength training and less on endurance. He's worked with fitness and wellness programs at both Wright State University and University of Dayton. While at Wright State he headed a wellness program which had over 5,000 participants go through the various parts of the program during the eight years he directed it. The program included everything from fitness classes, fitness assessments, wellness educational classes, nutritional guidance, endurance events, etc.). The goal was to get people moving, active, fit, and healthy.

 

Jeff found that giving people goals helped them to stick with the training plan. If they just trained for the sake of wellness, he found that most people would get side-tracked. So, he used local running events, 5k and 10k races as goals for those he was training. As the goals for his trainees became longer events, such as half marathons and marathons, Jeff realized that while he had all the scientific background needed to train them, he lacked the actual experience. So, he started running everything from 5ks to marathons. Most of the races Jeff runs, he runs with someone he is working with and not for himself. To date, Jeff has run 56 marathons and only a few of them were to see how fast he could actually run. All the others are to help someone else achieve their goal.

 

Currently, Jeff organizes a Saturday-morning group run. The runs are open to anyone and everyone who is looking for a group to run with. The Saturday morning runs often times will have as many as 30 or 40 runners. The run has no ties to any particular club, team or running shoe store. Some have nicknamed the Saturday morning run the 'friends of Jeff' run. Depending on the season, it meets each Saturday morning at 8 or 8:30 at Oakwood High School's Stadium. The distances and routes vary each week, but every week there are multiple different groups that run a wide range of paces. If you are looking for a group to run with, come out on any Saturday morning and meet Jeff Lucas.