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Running legend inspired by Chicago Marathon’s evolution

Thirty years after making American history at the Chicago Marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson marveled at how the race has changed since her record-setting run through the city.

“It used to be an event within the city, and now the whole city takes notice. I think that’s great,” the 58-year-old Maine native said. “I think the race has pulled a lot of spectators in from the sidelines who are inspired by the runners they see running the event because I think they can relate to a lot of the runners out there actually running, whether they’re running for a charity or whether they’re running to set a personal best or to overcome a challenge.”

Benoit Samuelson set the American women’s record with a time of 2 hours, 21 minutes, 21 seconds in the 1985 Chicago Marathon, a record that stood for 18 years until Deena Kastor broke it in 2003.

Benoit Samuelson plans to run the race again next month. So naturally, we can expect a repeat of 1985, right?

“No,” the 1984 Olympic gold medalist said, laughing. “If I can run within 30 minutes [of my record time], I’ll be totally pumped. If I can run sub-three hours, I’ll be happy.”

The distance running legend recalled her historic race from three decades prior during an appearance at the Nike store on Michigan Avenue in September. She said she has no regrets about how her career turned out.

When pressed, however …

“It would be having not looked at the Chicago course the year I set the record, because all of a sudden there was the finish line and I had a lot left because I was afraid Ingrid [Kristiansen, the then-world record holder] was gonna come back on me,” she said. “I was just trying to maintain a pace that would let me go with them if they came from behind if there was a finish line.”

Right now, the women’s marathon world record is about six minutes faster than Benoit Samuelson’s time in 1985, 2:15:25, set by Paula Radcliffe in 2003. The fastest men’s marathon ever run was 2:02:57.

Benoit Samuelson said she could see the men’s record getting broken within her lifetime.

“I think it’s possible that men in my lifetime will run, if they don’t run sub-two hours, they’ll run 2:00:00 or close to two hours,” she said. “I don’t know if you’re gonna see anybody break Paula’s time in my lifetime. That’s just so incredibly fast. “

So what advice would she give to someone running the Chicago Marathon for the first time?

“Just be patient, to enjoy and appreciate the support that’s out there,” she said. “I always tell people it’s much easier to pass runners at the end of a marathon than it is to be passed and to realize that it is 26.2 miles, and you don’t have to spend your wad right up front.”

Matt Lindner is a RedEye contributor. @mattlindner

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