Episode #35 — Greg Gearhart: A Mississippi Running Legend

Episode 35 of On Your Left with Matt Clem features a true legend of Mississippi running, Greg Gearhart. Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, Greg was cut from every sports team he tried out for, eventually finding his place in band and Scouts. After graduating from Virginia Military Institute in 1978 with a degree in Civil Engineering, he moved to Mississippi to help build Grand Gulf Nuclear — and along the way, discovered a passion for distance running that would shape the next several decades of his life. Greg went on to become a six-time Mississippi Marathon champion and one of the early pioneers of the trail and ultrarunning scene in the Jackson Metro area. At age 45, with encouragement from Dick Bennet, Greg entered the world of ultrarunning — and he hasn’t stopped since. Now, after logging more than 100,000 lifetime miles, Greg is still hammering out the mileage at age 70. In fact, he celebrated his 70th birthday in incredible fashion by completing the Sedona Canyons 125 during Cocodona 250 week in Arizona. Beyond his own accomplishments, Greg has been a huge inspiration to generations of Mississippi runners and helped lay the groundwork for much of the trail and ultra community we enjoy today. From VMI and Grand Gulf, to six Mississippi Marathon victories, more than 100,000 miles, ultramarathons, and a 125-mile race at age 70 — Greg Gearhart’s running story is one of longevity, toughness, and a genuine love for the miles. On Episode 35, we sit down with one of the true legends of Mississippi running and talk about the journey, the people, the races, and the miles that made Greg Gearhart the runner he is today. Song of the week: https://open.spotify.com/track/0bjKbwEvZfU5epyZ3aZm1y?si=aueMivMZTSiA2VHBmv11aQ&utm_source=sms Produced by Daniel Anderson at Audio Alchemy Productions.