About The Coach of Capital Area Runners

George Buckheit is the the head coach of Capital Area Runners, with assistance from other group members. As an athlete, George was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American during his collegiate days at Bucknell University and is a member of his alma mater’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

He went on to have an outstanding post-collegiate career, running personal bests of 7:59 for 3,000m, 13:43 for 5,000m and 28:39 for 10,000m on the track and recording numerous road race victories up and down the East Coast. In 1986, George was selected to represent the United States at the 3,000m track distance in the USA vs. Great Britain dual meet.

George’s biggest coaching influences are his former mentors and collegiate coaching legends Art Gulden of Bucknell and Dick Weis of Oklahoma State (who was George’s high school coach). George’s coaching career got its start in 1979 when he served as graduate assistant to Coach Gulden at his alma mater.

Since moving to northern Virginia in 1998, George has coached many of the DC area’s elite distance runners, including Marine Corps Marathon Champions Mary Kate Bailey (2004) and Kristen Henehan (2007).