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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.[1][2][nb 1]
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.[3]
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).[2][4] 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.[2][5][6]
Catalano won five of the first six runnings of the Ocean State Marathon (1976-1979, 1981)[7][nb 2] and four consecutive at the Honolulu Marathon (1978-1981).[8] 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).[9][10][11][12][nb 3]
Catalano won the Rio de Janeiro Marathon despite getting food poisoning. This was one of her final marathons.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing the  United States | |||||
| 1978 | Honolulu Marathon | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1st | Marathon | 2:43:10 |
| 1979 | Honolulu Marathon | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1st | Marathon | 2:40:07 |
| 1980 | New York Marathon | New York, New York | 2nd | Marathon | 2:29:33 |
| Honolulu Marathon | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1st | Marathon | 2:35:26 | |
| 1981 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 2nd | Marathon | 2:27:52 |
| Houston Marathon | Houston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:35:28 | |
| Eugene Marathon | Eugene OregonNike-OTC | 3rd | Marathon | 2:37:09 | |
| Honolulu Marathon | Honolulu, Hawaii | 1st | Marathon | 2:33:24 | |
In 1992, Catalano married the love of her life, Danny Dillon.[15] Dillon was a Big East champion in the 3,000 meters and a cross country All-American at Providence College.[16] 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.[17]
- The International Association of Athletics Federations credits Catalano's 20 kilometers performance as "Patty Lyons", her maiden name. Various sources report that she also held a world record in the 5 mile; however, the IAAF currently does not recognize a world record or world best at that distance.[1]
- Unlike the International Association of Athletics Federations, the Association of Road Racing Statisticians recognizes Catalano as having set a world best in the marathon with her 2:30:57.1 performance at the Montreal International Marathon on September 6, 1980.[13] The IAAF progression includes two earlier marks from Grete Waitz, including a 2:27:33 performance at the 1979 New York City Marathon, which were set on a course that in 1981 was reported to be short.[1][14]
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