Bob Gralley Makes Half-Marathon a Family Affair

Parkville, MD—Bob Gralley is no stranger to racing in marathons across the mid-Atlantic.

Mr. Gralley, 89, has competed in 42 of them, including the signature races in New York and Boston. In recent years, the half-marathon of the Baltimore Running Festival has become the staple event for the resident of Oak Crest retirement community.

At this year’s 13.1 mile race on October 17, Mr. Gralley made it a true family affair along the course in Baltimore. He was joined by his sons, Craig and Kevin, and his granddaughter, Sara.

During the crisp, sunny fall day, the foursome ran together throughout the duration of the Baltimore Running Festival race. They crossed the finish line--as a family-- in 3 hours, 30 minutes.

“That was a special moment for us,” described Mr. Gralley. “Craig has run with me a number of times, but this was the first half-marathon ever for Kevin and Sara. They all did very well, and we enjoyed the opportunity to do this as a family.”

Mr. Gralley, who has logged over 54,000 miles since beginning to run at the age of forty-five (45), trains on the campus of Oak Crest and cycles with his family in Baltimore County. He is already looking ahead to 2016, which would be his sixteenth half-marathon.

“Running has not only been a great form of exercise but also a fun, social experience for me,” noted Mr. Gralley. “There’s nothing like the excitement of marathon day, and I hope to do it again next year.”