Joan Benoit Samuelson, 54, Freeport, ME

Born May 16, 1957
Attended Bowdoin College
Running USA Hall of Champions, 9th Class, in 2012
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. F50-54 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
Set U.S. F50-54 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.
17:47 at Freihofer's Run for Women in 2010, a single age record for 53-year-olds
2010 Quad-Cities Bix7 (USA 7 Mile Championships), 14th place overall, 43:11, top Master
2010 F50 champion at Falmouth Road Race, 41:36
Set U.S. women's 50-54 age group record at 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:47:50
U.S. women's 50-54 age group records for 10 miles in 1:00:52, 25K in 1:36:45 (pending) and 30K in 1:57:01 (pending) set in 2010
2010 USATF Outstanding Athlete of the Year, F50-54
2011 Freihofer's Run for Women 5K, 35th place, 18:22
2011 LL Bean Fourth of July 10K, 3rd place, 38:59
2011 USA Women's 10K Championship, 38:58, first among women 50+
U.S. running icon, legend and ambassador
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