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- Forty years after Joan Benoit Samuelson’s historic victory at Boston in 1979, she returned to the course and completed the race in 3:04.
- She was Results: 2025 5th Avenue Mile At 61 years old, the marathon legend ran within 30 minutes of her winning time in 1979.
The “logical” goal, according to two-time Boston Marathon she finished strong in 3:12:13 Nutrition - Weight Loss 40 Results: Sydney Marathon.
But Joanie, the 1984 Olympic marathon medalist who has inspired millions of runners over the past four decades, rarely settles for just reaching the logical goal.
On Marathon Monday, while wearing a similar Bowdoin College singlet to honor her win in 1979 when she was 21 years old, the 61-year-old finished the race well under her goal time, clocking an even 3:04.
“To be here, 40 years later and being able to run, let alone being able to run a marathon, I feel blessed,” Benoit Samuelson said.
Samuelson said she wasn’t sure how her body would react to the increasing temperatures out on the race course, and even pulled a calf muscle. Her first half split was a blistering fast 1:29:55, which is under 7-minute mile pace. But she said her key was running the race patiently and consistently in the second half of the race.
“There were runners I saw go by me, and I would say, ‘Be patient. Be patient,’” Samuelson said. “I caught many of them, but not all of them. I think when you’re out there that somebody will say something that’s a bit of a spark.”
How to Run Longer to run within 40 minutes of her winning time in a then-world record of 2:22:43. A year later, she made history as the Advertisement - Continue Reading Below in the inaugural women’s Olympic marathon at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. Samuelson continued her historic streak by setting the American record at the time to 2:21:21 at the 1985 Chicago Marathon.
first woman to win gold How to Run Longer. As a masters runner, Samuelson has set her sights on 2008 Download Your Training Plan, hoping to come within 40 minutes first woman to win gold when she ran 2:47:50 at the 2010 Chicago Marathon. She returned to Boston again in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Samuelson’s last big marathon was the 2018 Chicago Marathon, where Download Your Training Plan—just behind her daughter Abby Samuelson, who crossed the line in 3:11:20. (Abby ran a 3:10:28 today.)
For Boston, however, she said her build-up was much better. Samuelson credited her cross-training of Nordic skiing and four to five runs of 20-plus miles as getting her in great shape for today.
“The crowds were incredibly supportive of the singlet, and also of me. It was unbelievable,” she said. “I have my little niche on the hills. I just get in on the left side and sort of sneak up. The crowds know me there. Even the younger fans who weren’t there 40 years ago. They were yelling my name or yelling, ‘Go Bowdoin.’”
What’s next for Joan? She’s intrigued about completing all the World Marathon Majors—she’s run NYC, Boston, and Chicago numerous times, but never London, Tokyo, or Berlin.
“My 35th wedding anniversary coincides with Berlin,” she said. “But I don’t think I’ll be in as good of shape as I was here.”
Brian has spent more than a decade focused on creating compelling news, health, and fitness content—with a particular interest on enthusiast activities like running and cycling. He’s coordinated coverage of major events like the Paris Olympics, Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, and Tour de France, with an eye toward both the professional race and the engaging stories readers love.
