In previous months, we have learned about famous Maine artists, authors, and politicians. This month we will learn about an incredible Maine athlete, Joan Benoit Samuelson, who has equally inspired Maine's young people to compete, to excel, and to dream.
Samuelson was born in Freeport, Maine, in 1957 and started running as a teenager. In 1973, at the age of sixteen, Samuelson entered and won the Boston Marathon. This was only the beginning of an impressive career that has spanned several decades.
Samuelson has since entered and competed in the Boston Marathon, the Chicago Marathon, and numerous other races, setting records in the process. She entered and won the Boston Marathon again in 1979, while still a college student at Maine's Bowdoin College. She also won the Boston Marathon in 1983.
In 1984, the women's marathon became an official Olympic event. That same year, Samuelson competed and won the Olympic trials and won an opportunity to compete at the 1984 Los Angeles Games-despite knee surgery just prior to the trials. Samuelson then competed successfully and won the gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Following her Olympic win, Samuelson took some time off from competition to have a family. But she continued to be very active, became involved with the missions of several nonprofit organizations, doing fundraising and public speaking on their behalf. She also wrote two books, The Complete Book of Women's Running and her autobiography, Running Tide. She has also acted as a motivational speaker, encouraging others to run, to compete, and to pursue their dreams.
In 1998, Samuelson organized the Beach to Beacon road race in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, a 10-K road race from Cape Elizabeth to Portland Head Light. Samuelson continues to run, to compete in master's competitions, and serves of the boards of directors of several nonprofit organizations.
In December 2004, Samuelson was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Though more and more women are running and competing, Samuelson was one of the pioneers of the women's marathon. Without her dedication to the sport, the opportunities available to young women today might not exist. Samuelson has set the standard and has opened doors for others.
The following links contain additional information about Samuelson. The University of Augusta site provides some biographical information on Samuelson and her involvement with many of Maine's nonprofit organizations. This information can be accessed at: http://www.uma.edu/libraries/MWHOF_Websi...
For more information on Samuelson's records and Olympic competition, visit the following link: http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/ben...
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