Patti Catalano Dillon (née Lyons, April 6, 1953) is a former long-distance runner from the United States who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set world bests in the half marathon, 30 kilometers, and 20 kilometers. She was the first American woman to break 2:30 in the marathon in 1980. She was the runner-up in the 1980 New York City Marathon and the 1979-1981 Boston Marathons. She is Mi’kmaw.
Early life She grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts, in the working-class Houghs Neck neighborhood, the eldest of nine children. Her father was a second-generation Irish immigrant from Dorchester and an all-Navy boxer. Her mother, a Mi'kmaw woman, had run away from home in Nova Scotia when she was 11 and wound up in Quincy working as a nanny after lying about her age.
Running career Catalano has held the World Record in the marathon and American road records in the marathon, half marathon, 30 kilometers, 15 kilometers, 10 miles, and 5 mile (now 8 kilometers). Described as "one of the most dominating American female road runners of the 1970s" and "the queen of U.S. women distance runners", she was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 2006.
She unsuccessfully attempted to qualify for the 1984 Olympics.
Catalano won five of the first six runnings of the Ocean State Marathon (1976–1979, 1981) and four consecutive at the Honolulu Marathon (1978–1981). Included among the many races she has won are the Montreal International Marathon (1980), Crim 10 miler (1980, 1981), the Crescent City Classic 10 km (1980, 1981), and the Rio de Janeiro Marathon (1985).
Catalano won the Rio de Janeiro Marathon despite getting food poisoning. This was one of her final marathons.
Achievements Representing the 1978Honolulu Marathon Honolulu, Hawaii 1stMarathon2:43:101979Honolulu Marathon Honolulu, Hawaii 1stMarathon2:40:071980New York Marathon New York, New York 2ndMarathon2:29:33Honolulu Marathon Honolulu, Hawaii 1stMarathon2:35:261981Boston Marathon Boston, United States 2ndMarathon2:27:52 Houston MarathonHouston, United States 1stMarathon2:35:28Eugene Marathon Eugene OregonNike-OTC 3rdMarathon2:37:09Honolulu Marathon Honolulu, Hawaii 1stMarathon2:33:24
Personal life Catalano is Mi’kmaw through her mother and reconnected to her heritage later in life. Toward the end of her running career, she struggled with injuries and bulimia. She divorced her coach, Joe Catalano. Several years later, following her third divorce and loss of her job, she struggled with homelessness.
In 1992, Catalano married Dan Dillon. Dillon was a Big East champion in the 3,000 meters and a cross country All-American at Providence College. As of 2003, they live in New London, Connecticut, with their two children. Catalano won Best in Show with a French Lop at the Pennsylvania Rabbit Convention.
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External links Patti Catalano Dillon - Official website