Joan Benoit’s Life and Career as a Marathon Champion

“Running in my life as a young person gave me a feeling of freedom,” says Joan Benoit Samuelson, long-distance runner and Olympic gold medal–winner. After two years at Bowdoin College, she received a running scholarship for North Carolina State University, where she ran cross-country and earned All-American honors, an accolade designated for the top collegiate runners in the country. In 1979, Joan won the Boston Marathon, a feat she replicated four years later, setting a world record in the process. But it was when she won the first-ever women’s Olympic marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles that Joan solidified her status as one of the greatest runners of all time.

Learn more about the extraordinary life of the first Olympic women’s marathon gold medalist.

1. 1. Joan took to running after a skiing accident. Born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Joan grew up skiing but broke her leg while playing that sport, leading her to try long-distance running.
2. 2. She had knee surgery right before the US women’s Olympic trials. Joan injured her knee on a twenty-mile run and had arthroscopic knee surgery seventeen days before the United States Olympic Women's Marathon Trials. She recovered quicker than expected, qualifying for the 1984 Olympic games.
3. 3. She has come in first place at six marathons. Joan won the 1979 and 1983 Boston Marathon, the 1979 Nike OTC Marathon, the 1980 Auckland Marathon, the 1984 Summer Olympics, and the 1985 Chicago Marathon, where she set a marathon record, crossing the finish line in 2:21:21. (Joan placed second in the 1978 Bermuda Marathon and third in the 1988 New York City Marathon.)
4. 4. Her Boston Marathon time set a new world record. Joan ran the 1983 Boston Marathon in 2:22:43, taking two minutes off the world record that Grete Waitz of Norway previously set.
5. 5. She is in multiple halls of fame. Thanks to her winning athletics on an Olympic team, Joan is in the 1984 National Distance Running Hall of Fame, the 2000 Maine Women's Hall of Fame, and the 2004 National Track and Field Hall of Fame. The athletic complex at Freeport High School, just outside of Portland, is also named after her.

Joan Benoit Samuelson is a trailblazer in the sport of running. You can expect these highlights and more from the world’s first Women’s Olympics marathon champion, available exclusively on MasterClass:

• Buy running shoes in a physical store. Running shoes are a highly personal choice; you can pick from different styles depending on the kind of running you pursue. “You're not going to order online; you’re going to go to a running specialty store and have a knowledgeable salesperson fit you to the right shoe for your foot,” Joan says. “You have to think about the body mass and the impact with every step or every stride. Bone strength is certainly a concern. Some runners will opt for a shoe that accommodates an orthotic.”
• First-time marathoners should aim for completion. “If you're a first-time marathoner, your goal should be to complete the 26.2 miles. Time is not a factor for you; it's just completing the distance and going the distance and getting that medal around your neck at the finish line,” Joan says. “And I think that's goal enough. Some of you may be run-walking the marathon, some of you may want to run the entire distance, and that's up to you as a first-timer.”
• Learn critical stretching techniques. Joan teaches the stretches that serve as the building blocks of perfect running form. One is the Achilles stretch. “This one is really important to me because I've had a history of Achilles issues. And Achilles helped to stretch the soleus and the gastrocnemius. The calf muscles, if you will,” she shares. “With the Achilles stretch, you're not doing reps. You're holding a position. And holding that position, I would suggest you do it for sixty to ninety seconds—that's on each leg. You don’t want to overstretch.”
• Not knowing the exact road race course may be a benefit. An element of surprise can boost your speed. “I don't look at marathon courses before I run them,” Joan says. “If I don't know what's around the next bend in the road, I tend to run faster to see what's around that next bend. And what I don't know won't hurt me.”
• Running can offer freedom and success. “I was embarrassed to be seen running on the roads as a young teenager—I grew up in a family of brothers, and I grew up in a neighborhood full of boys, so I always worried a little bit about my tomboy image,” Joan recalls. “Running gave me a feeling of freedom. It also gave me a feeling of success when I set a goal for myself and was able to achieve that goal. When I first started to run, I ran inside the confines of an old, abandoned Army post. And there wasn't any vehicular traffic allowed in the area at that time. I would run to my heart's desire.”
• When training for a big race, know how to eat. When training for a half marathon or marathon, you must eat properly. “I think the biggest mistake runners make while fueling themselves before a big race is either to overeat or undereat, and that's gonna look different for every runner out there,” Joan says. “Don’t introduce new foods right before the marathon. Whatever you're eating in the days leading up to the marathon, make sure they are tried and true and tested. And that you can tolerate whatever food it is and digest that food appropriately and efficiently.”

For additional perspectives on fitness and developing a winner’s mindset, consider the following classes:

1. 1. Robin Arzón on mental strength: Robin Arzón is a fitness expert and Peloton instructor. Watch Robin’s class to learn how to overcome mental blocks, develop self-worth, and find your purpose in fitness and life.
2. 2. Serena Williams on tennis: Serena Williams is a champion tennis player. Watch Serena’s class to improve your tennis serve and develop mental toughness before a match.
3. 3. Simone Biles on gymnastics fundamentals: Simone Biles is a gold-winning Olympic gymnast. Watch Simone’s class to learn basic gymnastics techniques and how to overcome fear and sports anxiety.

Before you toe the line, you must learn proper running form and training techniques. Discover Joan’s approach to running technique, strength training, and racing when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.