Tim Mahaffey

Year Inducted: 2025

Tim is one of those individuals who, when you meet him, you cannot help but like right away. He carries with him an energetic spirit that is instantly uplifting and encouraging. This same spirit has been displayed in his running.

Distance Cycling

Yes, this is a running hall of fame. However, long-distance cycling played a key role in the path that brought Tim to long-distance running. At the age of 29, Tim realized that he wanted to be able to look back on his life and see more than being a math teacher for 50 years, so he put together a bucket list of physical events he wanted to accomplish. Three of those events were to run a marathon, ride across America, and swim across the Mississippi River.

In 1976, Tim began doing major bike trips with a group called Wandering Wheels. Since that first bike trip, Tim has now cycled across the United States from coast to coast 17 times. He has competed in cycling tours and/or races in all 50 states and a number of foreign countries.

Tim then took his cycling a step further and began doing triathlons. He has won his age group at four major distances (sprint, Olympic, half, and full Ironman). At one point, Tim had ten consecutive podium finishes.

Distance Running

In 1977, one year after starting his cycling adventure, Tim added distance running to his menu of training events. Although he had done some occasional running years earlier for fitness, he did not take it seriously. His first race was the inaugural running of the Dayton River Corridor Classic half-marathon. He would continue to run every DRCC to date as one of only four runners to complete all of the DRRC races.

Since that first half-marathon, Tim has run 184 full marathons and 51 ultras (including two 100-mile events). He has completed 234 half-marathons. He is a member of the 50 State Club, which means he has run at least one marathon in all 50 states. He is only three states shy of completing all 50 states at the half-marathon distance, with 47 to date.

Over the years, Tim has been an active member of a number of local running clubs, including the Huber Heights Running Club, the Vandalia Running Club, and the Ohio River Road Runners Club. During that time, he volunteered and helped support various club activities and races.

After moving to Florida in 2012, Tim continued to compete and add to his running adventures. In fact, Tim upped the stakes as he turned age 60 years young by starting to race ultra distances. He has trekked ultra races from 50K all the way up to the 100-mile event in at least 13 different states.

Ultra PRs: 50K (5:39:00), 50 Mile (10:35:05), 100K (14:30:05), 100 Mile (25:22:00).

Ambassador
The energy and encouragement mentioned earlier about Tim has continued to be a shining light for those who cross paths with him. He is a true ambassador of our running community. During his life here in the Dayton area and beyond in Florida, Tim has been a truly positive and inspiring individual who has embraced (and shared) various elements of the essence of running: energy, camaraderie, adventure, competition, perseverance, and joy. Tim has represented our running community in the utmost positive way and has continued to bring encouragement to many runners who may not have done that next race or challenge if not for his encouragement. Tim truly represents the running spirit.

…and yes, Tim did swim across the Mississippi River. Trifecta complete.