Posted: September 12, 2007

Athletics: Counting Down To The 30th Anniversary Lasalle Bank Chicago Marathon

30 Inspiring Stories in 30 Days Former LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon champion (1993) and Olympian, Linda Somers Smith returns to the Chicago field looking to become the first woman to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials for a sixth time. After serving on the broadcast team for the 2006 race, Linda has been drawn back to the race by the sheer thrill of competition. WHO: Linda Somers Smith AGE: 46 OCCUPATION: Olympian and lawyer HOMETOWN: San Luis Obispo, California (born at Bitburg AFB, Germany) MARATHONS: 20-25 RUNNER STORY: Linda Somers Smith began running long distance as a method of keeping in shape for the tennis season while earning her degree at the University of California, Davis. She thought jogging could help her pass the time when rain prevented play on outdoor tennis courts. As a junior, she was encouraged to try out for the cross country team and knocked out a 34:36.30 in the 10,000m. Linda found herself competing in a new sport and was on her way to achieving an impressive file as a runner. Life happened for Linda as it so often does. In 1986, she earned her Juris Doctor and began practicing general business and real estate law. In 1997, she married Scott Smith and just one year later she adopted Monica, her then 13 year old niece. Meanwhile, she continued to train and compete in various races both nationally and abroad. She finished notably in the top 15 of more than 10 marathons. Her achievements include winning The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (1992), the Long Beach Marathon (1993) and the California International (1993). Linda rocketed to her personal best in 1996 at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials with a 2:30:06 finish. She followed it up by finishing 31st (2:36:58) at the ’96 Olympics in Atlanta; despite an excruciating tear in her Achilles tendon during the race. Considering her prior success, Linda was surprisingly disappointed in her performance at the 2003 Boston Marathon. Though her training was interrupted by a rib injury and an unexpected trip to Detroit for a funeral, she still felt she could meet her goal of finishing in under 2:35:00. However, the antibiotics could not suppress the sinus infection she was suffering and she knew early on that she would not reach her desired time. Nonetheless, her determination pushed her to cross the finish line and place third in the Master’s division. Her experience in marathons earned her an invitation to join Mike Adamle in broadcasting The 2006 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon on WCSR-AM, Sportsradio 670. It was then that she was lured back again by the thrill of the Marathon. At 46, Linda has decided to return to The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon in an effort to do something no woman has done before – qualify for her sixth U.S. Olympic Trials. She never strayed from her work as a lawyer, her obligations to her family, or yielded to the pains of training. Since her first race in college, she has succeeded and celebrated the rewards of running. This year she returns to the streets of Chicago as a former champion, the managing partner of the law firm, Duggan Smith LLP, and as a Master’s runner once again. RACE INFORMATION: The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon will celebrate its 30th anniversary on Sunday, October 7, 2007 as 45,000 participants advance to the start line, embarking on the culmination of 45,000 personal journeys. Along with the massive field of recreational runners, the 26.2-mile course will welcome a full field of world renowned professional athletes drawn to the flat, fast, urban setting and the potential to break world and national records. The professionals will compete for prize money and points in the World Marathon Majors series which will crown its first male and female champions with $500,000 each at the close of 2007. Since the inception of its charity program in 2002, The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon has generated more than $27.5 million for a variety of charitable causes including $9.5 million in the 2006 event alone. Registration for the race opened on January 1, 2007 and closed when it reached capacity on April 18. Linda’s story and all previously released runner stories are available at ChicagoMarathon.com. Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest