Joan Samuelson, 53, Freeport, ME

Joan Samuelson, 53
  • Born May 16, 1957
  • Attended Bowdoin College
  • Won 1979 Boston Marathon in 2:35:15
  • Set Boston course record and world best of 2:22:43 in 1983
  • Six-time Falmouth Road Race champion
  • Won 1985 America's Chicago Marathon with U.S. record (2:21:21)
  • Set U.S. 50-54 record for 3000m indoors at USA Championships (10:22.68)
  • 1984 Olympic Marathon gold medalist in 2:24:52 (first ever women's Olympic Marathon champion)
  • Author of "Running Tide" and "Running for Women"
  • Founder, Beach to Beacon 10K road race
  • Helped pace cycling icon Lance Armstrong in 2006 ING New York City Marathon
  • Set age group record 2:49:08 at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials
  • 37:40 for 10K in 2009
  • Ran 1:25:43 half-marathon at 26.2 for Donna in February 2010.
  • Ran 17:47 at Freihofer's Run for Women in 2010, a single year age group record for 53-year-olds
  • U.S. running icon