Hundreds of servicemembers and their families got to hear motivational speaker and world-class runner Jeff Galloway talk about distance running during free clinics conducted over three days this past week on Okinawa.

The three clinics — held Thursday, Friday and Saturday at camps Hansen, Kinser and Foster — covered such topics as speed, nutrition, fat burning, running efficiency, goal setting and overcoming and eliminating injuries. About 250 people attended the final session alone.

Kimberly Beard, the Marine Corps Community Services wellness director on Okinawa, said Galloway was invited to speak for two reasons — first, because of a lot of injuries were showing up among runners.

"Secondly, he is such a great motivational speaker, and we really want to try and instill a love of running into people," Beard said.

Galloway, who accepts about 200 speaking engagements a year, was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic team, has run more than 120 marathons and is the author of "Galloway’s Book on Running."

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