by Thaddeus Flint
Olympic gold medallist runner, Joan Benoit Samuelson, was at the Walter B. Howard Elementary School in New Lebanon last Friday, the day before the Freihofer’s Run for Women on Saturday. Samuelson, who became the first-ever women’s Olympic marathon champion after winning the gold at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, came to speak to the children as part of the 35th Annual Freihofer’s Run for Women “Elite Athlete Visitation” program.
The initiative was started in 1993 to provide local kids with an opportunity to meet invited athletes and hear from them about their training schedules, world travel, trips to the Olympic games and healthy eating habits.
Nine elite runners visited 18 Capital Region schools and spoke to more than 5,000 Capital Region children.
Samuelson finished 36th overall, but first in her age group, at the June 1 race in Albany.
