Laura Michalek

Laura Michalek
Born	1963 or 1964 Berwyn, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Long-distance runner, antique furniture business owner, charity auctioneer
Years active	1979–present
Known for	Winning the 1979 Chicago Marathon

Laura Michalek (born 1963 or 1964) is a former American long-distance runner notable for winning the 1979 Chicago Marathon. Although she originally placed third, Michalek was awarded first place after the initial two finishers were disqualified. Following her athletic endeavors, she operated an antique furniture business in Seattle, Washington between 1994 and 2005, and later pursued a career as a charity auctioneer.

Early life and education

Born and raised in Berwyn, Illinois, Michalek attended Morton West High School, where she participated in cross country and track events. She obtained both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Illinois University. In the early 2000s, she completed auctioneer training at the Missouri Auction School.

Career

Michalek’s entry into competitive running began in 1979 with races held throughout Illinois, motivated by a neighbor who jogged regularly. At age 15, she became the youngest individual to win the Chicago Marathon, finishing with a time of 3:15:45. Though initially finishing third, she was declared the official winner after the first two finishers were disqualified for failing to complete the entire course. As a consequence of participating in a race outside of IHSA regulations, Michalek was suspended from her high school cross country team and consequently missed the 1979 state championships.

Following her marathon victory, Michalek briefly continued road racing before shifting her athletic focus to rugby. Professionally, she worked as an AIDS educator prior to entering the antique furniture industry in Seattle from 1994 until 2005. Since then, she has established herself as a charity auctioneer.