 Palmer at the 2018 USATF Indoor Championships | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | October 6, 1990 |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Track |
Event(s) | 1500 meters, mile |
| College team | Monmouth |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 1500m : 3:36.98 [1] Mile : 3:54.92i [1] 1 |
| Updated on September 17, 2017 | |
Ford Palmer (born October 6, 1990) is a professional middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1500 meters and the mile. He ran in the men's 1500 meters at the 2016 US Olympic Trials. [2]
Palmer attended Absegami High School in Galloway Township, New Jersey, where he played as a linebacker for the school's football team. [3] Outside of football season, Palmer ran on Absegami's track team as an 800 meter runner. However, after suffering a total of four concussions over the course of high school, he gave up football in order to focus on running. [3] At New Jersey's 2009 Meet of Champions, Palmer placed third overall in the boys' 800 meter race in a time of 1:52.24, his best result in high school. [3]
Palmer attended and ran track at Monmouth University, where he was coached by Chris Tarello. [4] After graduating from high school, Palmer's weight at one point was as high as 205 pounds. [3] In his first two seasons at Monmouth, his training volume was considerably low at 25 miles of running per week. [3] As a junior, a physical check-up revealed that Palmer had high blood pressure. [4] After the diagnosis, he watched Forks Over Knives , after which he began a pescetarian diet, which he maintained for a year. [4] Subsequently, he tried a vegetarian diet, after which he fully transitioned into a vegan in 2011. [4] By the end of Palmer's senior year at Monmouth, he not only changed his diet but also lost 51 pounds [3] and recorded a mile time of 4:00.4. [5]
After graduating from Monmouth in 2013, Palmer began working as a bartender while training under coach Frank Gagliano with New Jersey New York Track Club. [4] In early 2014, he was close to quitting the sport as he worked some overnight bar shifts in order to support himself. [4] He made a career breakthrough on August 1, 2014, when he won the Sir Walter Miler in 3:57.61, his first ever mile under four minutes. [6] In January 2015, Palmer signed a professional contract with Hoka One One. [5] The following year, he raced in the men's 1500 meters at the 2016 US Olympic Trials, but did not progress beyond the first heat after tripping on a wet rack. [2]
Palmer has divided his time living with his mother in Galloway Township and his father in Upper Township, New Jersey. [7]
