Linda Somers-Smith (born May 7, 1961, in Bitburg Air Force Base, Rhineland-Palatinate) is an American long-distance runner who is a two-time United States national champion in the marathon.[1][2] Somers competed in the marathon at the 1996 Summer Olympics. She also won the 1992 Chicago Marathon (2:37:41) and the 1993 California International Marathon (2:34:11).[3] Somers is notable as she is one of the very few athletes who has continued running at the elite level since she turned Pro in 1984 into the transition to Masters athlete. She continues to win and place in Open competition, even at the age of 50, all the while as a practicing attorney.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | May 7, 1961 Bitburg, Germany |
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Weight | 47.5 kg (105 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Country | USA |
| Event(s) | Cross country, Marathon |
| Team | Asics Aggies |
| Turned pro | 1984 |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Olympic finals | 1996, Marathon, 31st |
| World finals | 1995, Marathon, 7th |
| National finals | 1993, Marathon, 1st 1994, Marathon, 1st |
She has run in seven US Olympic Trials Marathons and in the 2008 Boston venue she set the United States 45-49 age group record (2:38:49)* placing 17th. She continues to show impressive results, placing sixth in the Open US Club Nationals Cross Country meet in 2009* (Lexington, Kentucky), and setting age group road records in the 5K (16:14, San Jose 11/26/2009)*, the 10k (33:39, Paso Robles, California 9/26/2010), 10 Miles (57:07 Redding, California 3/6/2010) and the Half Marathon (1:13:32, Rock 'n Roll San Jose Half Marathon, California 10/3/2010).
Somers qualified for her seventh consecutive US Olympic Trials A Standard, a record number, while winning the Masters title (sixth place overall finish ) in the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon (2:36:33). On January 14, 2012, at the age of 50, she finished in 28th place at the USA Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston with a time of 2:37:36, another American Age Group Record.
Somers was inducted into the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Hall of Fame on March 17, 2012. Later in 2012 she was inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame.[4]
US road running records
editAge 45+
edit- 5 km – 16:14 (November 2009)
- 10 miles – 57:09 (March 2010)
- 20 km – 69:42 (October 2010)
- Half-marathon – 73:32 (October 2010)
- 30 km – 1:52:44 (April 2008)
Age 50+
edit- World age 50+ Half-marathon record – 75:18 (October 2011)
- Marathon – 2:37:36 (January 2012)
As of 2017
Achievements
edit| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing the  United States
| |||||
| 1992 | Houston Marathon (US Olympic Trial) | Houston, United States | 16th | Marathon | 2:39:50 |
| Chicago Marathon | Chicago, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:37:41 | |
| 1993 | California International Marathon | Sacramento, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:34:11 |
| 1994 | Grandma's Marathon | Duluth, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:33:42 |
| 1995 | World Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | 7th | Marathon | 2:32:12 |
| 1996 | US Olympic Trial | Columbia, United States | 2nd | Marathon | 2:30:06 (PB) |
| Olympic Games | Atlanta, United States | 31st | Marathon | 2:36:58 | |
| 2004 | US Olympic Trial | St Louis, United States | 10th | Marathon | 2:37:28 |
| 2008 | US Olympic Trial | Boston, United States | 17th | Marathon | 2:38:49 |
| 2012 | US Olympic Trial | Houston, United States | 28th | marathon | 2:37:36 |
References
edit- ^ "USA Track & Field – USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions". Legacy.usatf.org. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
- ^ "Untitled".
- ^ "CIM History". Archived from the original on 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2009-05-21.
- ^ "USATF – Masters Hall of Fame".
External links
edit- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Linda Somers". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
- Profile at www.legacy.usatf.org
- Profile at www.runcim.org at the Wayback Machine (archived February 15, 2013)
- [1]
- [2]