Rupp has never failed a drug test, and he is one of the most frequently tested American athletes.
He is also very private, staying off of social media and eschewing media interviews except around major marathons. Other athletes who had been training under Salazar had announced moves to new coaches, but Rupp had not, fueling speculation about his training and preparations for theHis move to Smith, who is based in Flagstaff, Arizona, is a radical shift away from the insular culture Salazar created at the NOP in Beaverton, Oregon.
Smith, 39, is a well-respected collegiate coach, having led the NAU men’s cross-country team to NCAA team titles in 2017 and 2018, and a runner-up finish in 2019. The women were 14th in 2019. Before NAU, he coached at Georgetown, his alma mater. In college, he earned, and he later qualified for the Olympic marathon trials in 2007 . He got his start in coaching working under legendary distance coach Jack Daniels.
“What I found out by getting to know Galen was that there was much more going on than the picture portrayed of him, and I wish the world knew that,” Smith wrote in his email.“I have never seen someone more all-in in my life.” He wrote that he expects Rupp “to line up in Atlanta on February 29th and contend for a spot on the 2020 Olympic team.” The full text of Smith’s email to