OVIEDO, Fla. — On December 27, 2008, Jay Getty went for a run. A simple couple mile run that he said he was somewhat pressured in to by one of his former runners at Oviedo High School.
- Oviedo man is halfway through running for ten and a half straight years
- Getty has run over 11,000 miles so far
- Started by training former student athlete, Jennifer Barringer Simpson
That runner was Jennifer Barringer Simpson, who not only has won a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but also a gold medal from the 2011 world championships in Daegu, South Korea.
"Well Jenny A - said I was fat, and B - kind of made fun of me," Getty said, with a smile from ear to ear.
On that day, Getty recalls training with his former student athlete. And since then he has refused to take a day off from going for a run.
"I do think it is a little bit of insanity," the Hagerty High A.D. said.
"When we reached the ten year mark everyone kept asking what are going to do, and I originally was going to take the day off," he continued.
But he didn't and he is now halfway through running for ten and a half straight years.
According to the U.S. Running Streak Association, which tracks runners and their streaks, Getty is tied for 211th in the country.
Believe it or not, this puts him about 15,000 days behind the person in number one who still runs daily.
"If he stopped running today I could potentially catch him when I am 91," Getty said. "That would be 40 more years I don't think that's possible. If I can still run at 91 I'm going to be excited."
For a run to be official, Jay has to complete at least one mile a day, but according to him he does on average 3 miles a day.
So far he has run more than 11,000 miles, and he doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon.
During hurricane season, he still runs. He just has to do it quickly.