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ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON

November 1, 2009

Joan Benoit Samuelson

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: We welcome Joan Benoit Samuelson, 25 years after her star victory at the first women's Olympic marathon. Joan comes back and continues to run and continues to proudly thrill us and amaze us. 2:49:09 today. 2 hours 49 minutes and 9 seconds. I'll ask Joan to say a couple of words and we'll open it up for questions.
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Well, I was delighted to be back in New York for the 40th running of the ING New York City Marathon.
As Richard said, it's been 25 years since my Olympic win. I was told this was my fifth New York City Marathon, and it's the 20th anniversary of my Olympic run.
I remembered after the press conference it's also the 30th anniversary of my first marathon ever, 1979. So there are a lot of anniversaries in line for this run today. I didn't set any public goals for myself because I had put too much pressure on myself in Boston last year at the Olympic trials. But deep down I definitely wanted to go under 3 hours and I really wanted to go under 2:50. I think I went out a little too fast, but I was able to hold on. And I had a ton of support out there along the course, and that was very instrumental to getting me under that 2:50 mark.
THE MODERATOR: Just a note, Joan ran with, I think it was the first wave at 9:40? So you were with the masses.
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Right, I was with the masses of the David had invited me to run with the elite field. But I knew I'd go out too hard and get dropped. And it was great to run with the masses. It helped me a lot.
THE MODERATOR: One more stat. Joan, you said to us sometime during the week I think you have never dropped out of a race, and you've always run under 3:00 hours; is that true of how many races? Do you remember?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: I don't know how many marathons I've run, I'm sorry. Too many, probably. But I've never run a marathon over 3 hours and I've never dropped out ave race of any distance, so I'm glad that's still intact. Anything can happen in a marathon as you well know, and especially here in New York City. It's a tough course. I applaud all the efforts of everybody who ran today, especially Meb setting a PR on this course, I thought that was just fantastic.

Q. What is her overall place in the women's race?
THE MODERATOR: I don't have that yet. I'm working on it.

Q. You mentioned going out too fast, do you know what your halfway split was?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: I think I was 1:22 at the half.

Q. How did that feel?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: It felt good at the time, but it caught up with me.

Q. Did you see some of the same faces, the men obviously, through the whole race?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Yes. I was having a little trouble getting going with my stride the first 5k. Then I sort of got into a rhythm and felt quite comfortable. I think that probably the last six miles were the toughest for me. I remembered I had a good ride between 10 miles and 16 miles. I remembered picking up Lance there two years ago. I said, you know, if I can feel as comfortable at this point as I did with Lance having jumped in at 10 miles, then I'm okay.
I really felt fine. But it really catches up with you quickly. I was concerned about my hamstring, which has been very problematic. I've also had a very demanding travel schedule this past -- well, these past couple of months. So I was a little concerned about that. I was carrying quite a few miles through all of that travel. I thought I was in as good a condition heading into this as I was before the trials and perhaps even a little better.
I think the amount of racing and the amount of traveling I've been doing probably led to some of that wear and tear?

Q. Did you have any flashbacks to any bad memories when you got to the point of the course where you were flattened 20 years ago?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: No, but it almost happened again. There were two -- I won't say little old ladies, because I now fit into that demographic. But there were two ladies crossing the crosswalks slower than I was running, and I had to go around them, and I almost didn't see them.

Q. Can you just give your thoughts. The American men had such a great day today in the race with 6 in the Top 10. It had been a long time, obviously, since Americans had won this race. Did you have a feeling of maybe why it's coming around on the men's side? Do you see maybe the women being able to do that, too?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Well, it was an amazing day for the American men. I'm very happy for all of them. They all ran really, really well, and there were some great debuts as well with Jorge's performance. And the guys at the top, Abdi had a great race out there. Meb, Ryan, of course, they all ran really well. I'm happy and proud of all of them.
I think the women are really doing as well. Of course this was the men's national championships, so the women weren't here. Many of them ran at the Twin Cities Marathon because that was the first opportunity to on qualify for the trials.
I think the training camps and the coaches that are now giving back to the sport are really helping our top athletes.
THE MODERATOR: A quick note. All three of those gentlemen that were up here were parts of teams that New York Road Runners have financially supported as part of our U.S. program since 2001. And we have concentrated on the men for several -- the last few years with the trials. But our hope is now to bring the women's trials here and begin to do the same for the ladies moving forward. But we'll have Mary here in a little while.

Q. Are your motivations for running marathons the same as they were 20 years ago? You're still hammering out there pretty hard. Tell us about what's getting you through the races now if it was any different than it was when you were winning the races?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Well, many years ago Nike ran a campaign with me entitled "There is No Finish Line." And 20 years ago I really didn't understand what that was all about, but now I'm beginning to understand what that's all about.
I think with every finish line there is a new opportunity. And I think, you know, whether it's an age group record or a course record, these opportunities motivate me to keep going. I will not continue to run marathons when I know it's not in my best interest to be putting in the amount of training that it takes for me to tow a marathon line. I have had some injury problems, but I've been able to control the issues.
You know, I'm certainly not going to -- I don't think I'm going to be here for the 50th, but never say never (laughing).

Q. Couple weeks ago you were at the Nike Women's Marathon. I know it's a big thing for you. What do you see the difference between events like that and events like this? Seems like is the sport maturing because there are elite races and races where people really celebrate just being there?
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Right. They're developing races. I think the Nike Women's Marathon is a great event, and the Half Marathon it allows women a chance in the spotlight, so to speak, and it's a way for them to develop themselves and their names so that they'll get the invitations to races like the ING New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon and Chicago, et cetera.
So I think that's a good thing. And I ran through that race with somebody who was trying to set a PR, and to be able to run with somebody and have her accomplish that goal was a huge thrill for me. So I think that's what our sport's all about. I think with all the coaches who are giving back to this sport, they're really accomplishing the same thing.
THE MODERATOR: We thank Joan for coming back, and congratulations.
JOAN BENOIT SAMUELSON: Thank you all, very much. Thank you.

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