According to Runner's World Magazine, Joan Benoit Samuelson is "the greatest American marathoner in history."

She is the only American woman to have ever won an Olympic gold medal in the marathon. She is a pioneer of women's marathoning. She won the 1979 and 1983 Boston Marathons, and the 1992 Columbus Marathon. In 1985, she was awarded the Sullivan Award. Benoit Samuelson is the American record holder for the marathon and half marathon.

Benoit Samuelson has never been a fan of the celebrity that accompanied her running success. At one time she even told Sports Illustrated that she considered giving up the sport so she could be left alone. But these days, Benoit Samuelson can be found training in Freeport, Maine, where she resides.