Our past is historic, but we are still making history every day. Our founder was a humble soul who accomplished great things. We find that to be a true source of inspiration for all of us - any one of us can make history. Kelley's Pace is a resource for everyone, no exceptions.
John J. Kelley holds the distinction of being the only male to win both the Boston Marathon (when he beat the record of the previous three years by SEVEN minutes) and the Mount Washington Road Race. He had a prestigious running career, including representing the United States in two Olympic Games - Melbourne in 1957 and Rome in 1960.
In classic John fashion, he went on to spend the rest of his career helping others. He coached at the local high school, even training future champions such as Amby Burfoot. He also decided to help others find the joy of running by opening a shop with his wife Jacinta in the town of Olde Mystic in 1978 - Kelley's Pace.
Jeff Anderson took over the store in 2014 with the goal of continuing the legacy of John J. Kelley. He wanted to create a family-run community running store that provides a positive experience for anyone looking to run, walk, be active, or most importantly, feel comfortable on their feet day in and day out.
From the Owner, Jeff Anderson: I live and work in this community. I am just an Average Jeff who got into running later in life for mental release and physical fitness. I ended up enjoying it, and I wanted to share that with everyone.