Meb Keflezighi is a living legend, and rightfully so. A three-time Olympian (and winner of a Silver Medal at the 2004 Games in Athens), the 40-year-old Keflezighi counts marathon wins at Boston and New York City among his many accomplishments. Last weekend he finished second at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Los Angeles, earning a spot on his fourth U.S. Olympic team.
He’s famous for other reasons, too. The father of three has a reputation not just as a fierce competitor but as, well, a nice guy. Soft-spoken and quick to smile, Keflezighi is unfailingly polite, gracious, and humble in interviews and public appearances.
What most people don’t know is that there’s another side to Meb. Through interviews with ordinary people who have crossed his path over the years, Dumb Runner has heard several stories that paint a very different picture. And it’s not a pretty one.
Here are just a few of their anecdotes.
Not a Kind Man
“Tom” (names have been changed throughout) was working as a clerk at a Los Angeles Blockbuster video store in 1987 when, as he recalls, a young Meb Keflezighi walked in and returned some videos.