Winner of the very first women’s Olympic marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson has spent her life breaking records and paving the way for female runners around the world. Now she’s teaching her personal philosophy and approach to running. Whether you’re an experienced runner or have been thinking about getting started, you’ll learn how to get motivated, set goals, and achieve victory in running and in life.

Syllabus

Meet Your Instructor

Decorated marathoner Joan Benoit Samuelson welcomes you to her class, tells you what it covers, and shares her inspiring story of how she went from dark horse to gold medalist in the first women’s Olympic Games marathon.

Your First Steps

Joan helps you identify your motivation for running and how to harness it. She also provides tips for how and where to purchase the proper pair of shoes and discusses the benefits of logging minutes as opposed to miles as a marker of success.

Starting Line

This lesson is about the 1972 Title IX legislation, which was signed into law while Joan was in high school. She shares the personal stories that took her—a natural and passionate runner—from rural New England roads all the way to the Olympics.

Goal Setting

Joan explains her personal goal-setting framework, outlining how setting a “pie in the sky” goal, breaking it down into short-term goals, and then using micro goals can help you achieve anything.

Balancing the Runner’s Mind

Joan outlines the importance of, and techniques for, finding balance in your life. She talks about overcoming self-doubt and negative thoughts, and empowers you to listen to your own body in deciding when to take time off.

Running Equipment and Environment

Joan highlights the accessibility of running: All you need is a pair of shoes. She discusses equipment selection and breaks down all types of running environments and how they can impact a run.

Running Techniques

In this lesson, Joan shows you how to identify and embrace your natural running style. She discusses breathing techniques, maximizing your stride, and getting the most from your arm movement.

Stretches and Strength Training

Joan demonstrates a set of stretches and strengthening exercises, and then walks you through the steps to creating your own routine.

Case Study: Your First Marathon

In this lesson, Joan gives guidance on implementing a three-month training schedule to prepare for your first marathon while demystifying race day, from when to check in to where to stand in the pack.

Navigating Injury

Joan teaches her personal method for navigating injury, shares stories of her own injuries, and proposes ways to continue advancing as a runner despite injury through a cross-training program.

Beyond the Finish Line

To close the class, Joan reflects on how her career as a runner has changed, and perhaps more important, how it hasn’t. She inspires members to share their love of running with their families and pay it forward in the running community.