Keeping the legacy alive: Fred Jaffe Memorial Run

The Fred Jaffe Memorial Run, also known as the Lake Hills Run, was a route created by the Eastside Runners back in the 1990s. As a founder, leader, and host of the Lake Hills Run, it makes sense that Jaffe's name now lives on through the route itself. Eastside Runners will host the next Fred Jaffe Memorial Run, starting at SHOES-n-FEET on Saturday, November 30 at 8:30 AM. 

Founded in 1980, the Eastside Runners is a Seattle area running club based in the Eastside. It has since grown into a prominent running group for people of all running levels. People with interests ranging from recreational running to competitive running are encouraged to join the group. Events like the Fred Jaffe Memorial run are a chance to support the local running community and the Eastside Running Club. SHOES-n-FEET is a proud supporter of the Eastside Running Club and their efforts in putting on the Fred Jaffe Memorial Run.

"SHOES-n-FEET is proud to support the Fred Jaffe Memorial Run and the Eastside Runners who make it happen," said Adam Stuhfaut, Director of Running at SHOES-n-FEET. "The route is a great tribute to Fred Jaffe and the history of the Eastside Runners, both of which have helped positively shape the Bellevue running community."

Longtime Eastside running member Pete Marshall, 82, is the current leader of the Fred Jaffe Memorial Run. Marshall, who joined the Eastside Runners after retiring in 2003, established a personal connection with Jaffe through his association with the group.

According to Marshall, Jaffe wasn't the fastest. Still, his presence had an extraordinary impact on the group as a whole. “[Jaffe] served on the board and ran in numerous events at an advanced age when many of his contemporaries would be sitting on the sofa watching TV,” Marshall said.

However, Jaffe's life couldn't be adequately honored if we solely gave him credit for his contributions to running. For starters, he was a musician, a writer, an accountant, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

"He was a very cultured person who knew quite a bit about history and had participated in a lot of historical events," Marshall said. "As far as his demeanor, he was a calm person and very nice to talk too."

People understood Jaffe as a compassionate father, husband, grandparent, student of music and literature, war veteran, and, of course, a dedicated member of the running and fitness community. Having lived such a purposeful life, the Fred Jaffe Memorial Run is an excellent opportunity to support the Eastside runners while also giving thanks to a man who most certainly lived up to his name.

Eastside Runners members prior to a run in Lake Hills, Bellevue. July 2019

Eastside Runners will host the next Fred Jaffe Memorial Run, starting at SHOES-n-FEET on Saturday, November 30 at 8:30 AM. For more on the Fred Jaffe Memorial Run and the Eastside Runners, click here.