On Jan. 8, 2011, Laurita Samuels will be running in the 18th annual Disney World Marathon in Orlando, Florida as a member of the “Perfect 18 Club.” This elite group has participated in every Disney Marathon since the inaugural race in 1994. This will also be Samuels’ 38th marathon, overall.
Twenty years ago at age 38, Samuels began jogging around her backyard merely as a way to get into shape. At the suggestion of a close friend, she took on a half-marathon challenge. “It was exciting, exhilarating, and a lot of fun,” Samuels told StrengthUSA.com about her first official running experience.
And she was hooked. Samuels, now 58, has competed in the New York, Boston, Vermont and Connecticut marathons, along with Disney World. But she hasn’t stopped with only 26.2 miles of grueling running. -- Samuels hit the water and the bike, competing in triathlons at the national and world levels, ranging from sprint to Half Ironman distances. In Sept. 2010, Samuels competed with Team USA at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship in Budapest, Hungary. This year, she will travel with the USA Triathlon Team for competition in Beijing, China.
“Marathoning and triathloning have brought great opportunities,” Samuels said. “Meeting wonderful people from all walks of life and building lasting relationships has been an incredible blessing.”
