4.27 Gertrude Betsy Peace

4.27 Gertrude Betsy Peace

Author: Matthew Kleinosky August 15, 2026 Duration: 55:55

Running in the 70s episode 4.27 Gertrude Peace

Gertrude “Betsy” Jackson-Peace started 1975, is a former standout middle-distance runner whose career stretched from Albany, New York (Albany High School Hall of Fame), to Howard University, where she set an 800-meter school record of 2:09.55 in 1982 that stood for an extraordinary 43 years and was selected as "XC/Track Legend". A lifelong runner, coach and mentor, Peace went on to spend decades introducing young athletes to track and field. In this conversation, she looks back on discovering running in the 1970s, competing at Howard during a formative era for women’s track, the training behind her remarkable 800-meter record and going to the 1980 Olympic trials, and a lifetime spent passing her love of the sport to the next generation through many clubs, including Hummingbird Track Club, Potomac Valley Flyers, USA-JA Track Club, Archbishop Carroll HS


Matthew Kleinosky hosts Running In The 70s, a podcast that steps off the beaten path of modern running culture to explore a pivotal decade in the sport. Instead of focusing on stats and records, each conversation is a journey into personal memory. You'll hear directly from the men and women who were there-cross country runners grinding through autumn mud, track athletes pushing the limits on cinder and early synthetic surfaces, and road racers who helped ignite the first mass-participation boom. Their stories capture the unique texture of the era: the training methods without today's technology, the rivalries, the sheer love of the run, and how the landscape of the sport was fundamentally changing beneath their feet. This podcast isn't just about nostalgia; it's about understanding the foundation upon which today's running world is built, told through the vivid, often surprising recollections of those who lived it. Tune in for intimate, meandering interviews that feel like sitting down with a fellow runner after a long workout, uncovering the heart and hustle of 1970s running one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Running In The 70s
Podcast Episodes
4.32 1977 IUP Mens XC Hall of Fame team [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:43
In this special reunion episode, members of the historic 1977 Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Men's cross country team gather to celebrate their upcoming induction into the IUP Sports Hall of Fame. Matthew joins…
4.31 Dipsea Race Gang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:25
In episode 4.31 of Running in the '70s, host Matthew Kleinosky sits down with veteran runners Bill Scobey, Don McEwan, Vince Engel, Roy Kissin, and Mark Byers to share memories and lore surrounding Northern California’s…
4.30 Charlie Duggan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:12
Episode 4.30: Charlie DugganCharlie Duggan stumbled into distance running as a sophomore at Hartford Public High School, intending to spend only a week with the cross-country team before football practice began. Instead,…
4.29 Coach Matt Centrowitz Sr. Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:55
In the second half of his conversation, Matt Centrowitz Sr. traces his path from elite athlete to influential coach. He describes working with Frank Gagliano and the Reebok Enclave—one of America’s pioneering post-colleg…
4.28 Coach Matt Centrowitz Sr Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:23
Episode 4.28: Matt Centrowitz Sr., Part 1 Four-time U.S. 5,000-meter champion Matt Centrowitz Sr. takes us from a tough childhood in New York City to becoming one of America's best distance runners. Matt talks about how…
4.26 Brad Kron [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:59
Running in the 70s episode 4.26 Brad Kron, start 1964, Brockton High school teammate with Ron Wayne, Mass. state and New England XC team champs (1966), Springfield College, Brockton MA Athletic Hall Of Fame, coaching,4th…
4.25 Bill Scobey (Mad Dog) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:48
Running in the 70s Episode 4.25 Bill "Mad Dog" Scobey1960s, Pierce Junior College (3* AllAmerican), US Army Track team, Humboldt State (Hall of Fame), Fireman Hall of Fame, Natl JC record 4 * 1 mile, USA 50Km road record…
4.24 Tom Derderian Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:22
Running in the 70s Episode 4.24 Tom Derderian, Part 2In part 2, we discuss shoe design, racing and meeting other elite runners, Tom's coaching philosophy and more ... Tom Derderian, 1964, UMass, OLY trial 1972/1976, Co-F…
4.23 Tom Derderian Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:33
Running in the 70s Episode 4.23 Tom Derderian, Part 1Tom Derderian, 1964, UMass, OLY trial 1972/1976, Co-Founded Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club, USATF New England President 4 year term, Author: Boston Marathon: The His…
4.22 Hans Koeleman OLY [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:22
𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟕𝟎s, episode 4.22 Dr. Hans KoelemanHans Koeleman, 1974, Dutch National record steeple, Nike History & Heritage storyteller, Founder/Editor Mystical Miles, Clemson XC/Track( 6 * AA), Olympic Steeple semifin…