Has anyone here met Rupp in Person?

You think shy guy but in person its more of an I'm better than you and above you than it is shy.

Typical person nothing out of the ordinary though.

Didn't feel one way or the other about him can see both sides of the love/hate.

My company is a major sponsor of The Bank of America Chicago Marathon. After the race he came to our tent. He was very gracious talking with our runners and taking pictures. I did not detect any snobbishness at all.

Not directly related to his personality, per se, but I still like this story.

A former college teammate of mine is a low-level pro. He and some of his training partners were running a road race that Rupp was in, I no longer remember which one. This was a couple years ago. At one of the meals provided to the elite field, Rupp’s security guy comes up to my friend’s group and asks if Rupp can take their table so he can have his back to the wall. Apparently Rupp not only travels with personal security guards, but he also needs to watch his back like a Wild West gunslinger. My friend was pissed, but since hearing that story, my impression of Rupp’s badassitude went up just a little bit.

yes

Rupp in person wrote:

If so, how’d it go? Reading all of the negativity in one of the other threads got me wondering if he’s really as stand-offish in person as the media portrays him.

I’m just wondering about his personality, not whether people think he may have broken the rules or not.

Any former teammates, etc.?

Flew back on a plane with him a couple years ago into Portland. Of course he knows he's good, but he was both kind and respectful. I'd post a picture if this place was mandatory registration, but that'll never happen, so I'll never post the picture. He was a nice guy to me anyways.

HeardAStory wrote:

Not directly related to his personality, per se, but I still like this story.

A former college teammate of mine is a low-level pro. He and some of his training partners were running a road race that Rupp was in, I no longer remember which one. This was a couple years ago. At one of the meals provided to the elite field, Rupp’s security guy comes up to my friend’s group and asks if Rupp can take their table so he can have his back to the wall. Apparently Rupp not only travels with personal security guards, but he also needs to watch his back like a Wild West gunslinger. My friend was pissed, but since hearing that story, my impression of Rupp’s badassitude went up just a little bit.

I would guess that that was insisted on by the security

Wait, is this just a giant euphemism for him being scared of doping officials sneaking up behind him? GOTCHA SAMPLE B*TCH.

I've met him multiple times, in various settings (after competition, at a grocery store, etc) and he's never been friendly. It's hard to tell if he's just awkward/shy, but he definitely seems disinterested in interacting, which is the opposite of all of the other pro runners I've met. Most others seem enthused to talk to a running fan, it's not like the average person recognizes them. My guess is that a lot of it is awkwardness vs ego, but hard to tell. He's certainly not very supportive of the general running community at large, which may just be because he has no real need to market himself career wise.

Rupppp wrote:

I've met him multiple times, in various settings (after competition, at a grocery store, etc) and he's never been friendly. It's hard to tell if he's just awkward/shy, but he definitely seems disinterested in interacting, which is the opposite of all of the other pro runners I've met. Most others seem enthused to talk to a running fan, it's not like the average person recognizes them. My guess is that a lot of it is awkwardness vs ego, but hard to tell. He's certainly not very supportive of the general running community at large, which may just be because he has no real need to market himself career wise.

He probably is shy/introverted and would like to be able to go to the grocery store without having to chat it up with some random running fan. I get that he’s a big name and should promote the sport and talk to fans, etc. But I just get the feeling that is not his personality and doesn’t want to make a lot of small talk. I’m an introverted person and having with to make small talk with people I don’t know can be draining and not my favorite thing.

I've met perhaps 30-40 elite runners, and Rupp was by far the most aloof and awkward. Tinged with an arrogance that was only taped by Alberto and Kara, two very unpleasant people when first encountered (they are probably nicer in private). When Kara, Adam, Alberto and Galen would all be hanging out at the Dempsey, it was like all the air was sucked out of the place.

Jerry and his guys were the polar opposite, especially Solinsky.

I met Galen Rupp during a shakeout run with some marathoner friends before the Chicago Marathon. He seemed to be very nice and agreed to take a group photo with all of us.

Yessir wrote:

When Kara, Adam, Alberto and Galen would all be hanging out at the Dempsey, it was like all the air was sucked out of the place.

If all the air was sucked out of the place, everyone inside would have died. You're saying that Galen showing up made it like everyone died? I think you're exaggerating.

I was literally a foot away from him as he was jogging behind Chelanga at the 2008 NCAA xc national meet before he crushed him in the last 3k. He seemed pleasant enough.

If I was one of the best runners in the world and knew what people were saying and accusing, I wouldn't associate with ANYONE who said they were a runner.

I don't know him and have never met him. I'm sure he must hate LetsRun and the Brojos. For those newer people on this site, there were a lot of anonymous people making fun of him and cyber bullying him on this site back in his Oregon days. Maybe he associated most runners with this type of childish insecurity and is therefore turned off by other runners and also people which he does not personally know. I'm sure he visited the site at one point in time. Seeing what some people said about him here, I honestly couldn't really blame him for not liking people in general if that's the case.

Several different times in several different situations. Most of them after races. In most cases he didn’t seem to want to talk, especially if he had a bad race.

The times that I talked to him where he wasn’t racing he always seemed the exact opposite. Much more personable when he was in a non competition environment.

Rupppp wrote:

I've met him multiple times, in various settings (after competition, at a grocery store, etc) and he's never been friendly. It's hard to tell if he's just awkward/shy, but he definitely seems disinterested in interacting, which is the opposite of all of the other pro runners I've met. Most others seem enthused to talk to a running fan, it's not like the average person recognizes them. My guess is that a lot of it is awkwardness vs ego, but hard to tell. He's certainly not very supportive of the general running community at large, which may just be because he has no real need to market himself career wise.

lol

He’s so far beyond having to “market” himself to random strangers. Anyone who has to please sad running nerds or make appearances isn’t as successful as Rupp. Believe it or not there is a life outside running and this is true for professionals. His job is to run fast. Being elite and running for Nike affords Rupp the comfort of not having to whore himself out for cheap publicity. Sounds like a dream to be honest.

If I were fast I’d want Rupp’s public profile. Haters could blow me.

"Seeing what some people said about him here, I honestly couldn't really blame him for not liking people in general if that's the case."

Exactly the point. Not to mention most if not all the people making fun of him and bashing him are really jealous at his success as a long distance runner.

I’ve met him. He’s certainly not the most extroverted person, but he’s very polite and definitely doesn’t give off any “drug cheat” vibes. Seems very passionate about running and his family.

Meeting Galen is my lifetime dream, and i won't give it up.