Elaine Van Blunk (née McGillam;^[1] born September 11, 1964^[2]) is an American long-distance runner who finished third at the 1994 Chicago Marathon. She was the 1989 winner of the 3000 meters at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships, and finished seventh in the 10,000 meters event at the 1991 Pan American Games.

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Elaine Van Blunk

Personal information
Birth name	Elaine McGillam
Born	(1964-09-11) September 11, 1964 (age 59) United States
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Medal record Long-distance running USA Track & Field Indoor Championships 1989 New York City 3000 meters Marathon World Marathon Majors 1994 Chicago Marathon

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Van Blunk attended Archbishop Prendergast High School,^[3] and later Saint Joseph's University.^[4] She graduated from Saint Joseph's in 1986.^[1] She is married to Jim Van Blunk, who was an athlete and later admissions director at Saint Joseph's University.^[4] Jim Van Blunk won the 1986 and 1987 Broad Street Run races.^[5] Van Blunk has lived in West Deptford Township, New Jersey,^[4] and Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania.^[6]

Whilst at Archbishop Prendergast High School, Van Blunk competed in Catholic League girl's athletics competitions. In 1981, she finished third in the cross country event,^[7] and in 1982, she won the 3,200 meter race in a meeting record time of 11:09.4.^[8] Whilst at Saint Joseph's University, Van Blunk qualified for the 1985 NCAA Championships,^[3] and in 1986, she became an all-America athlete.^[9] After graduating, Van Blunk worked as an accountant,^[1] and later as an investigator in Atlantic City, New Jersey for the office of the New Jersey Attorney General.^[4] She gave up the role to pursue athletics full time,^[4] although she also worked part-time as a track assistant at Saint Joseph's.^[1] Van Blunk was sponsored by Nike.^[4]

She was the 1989 winner of the 3000 meters event at the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships.^[10] In the same year, Van Blunk finished sixth in the Penn Relays mile run.^[9] She also won a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) race in Park Avenue, New York City,^[9] and a 3.1 miles (5.0 km) event at the Metropolitan Athletics Congress.^[9] In 1990, Van Blunk won the 10,000 meters event at the Penn Relays. She finished second in the event in 1991, albeit in a faster time.^[4] In 1990, Van Bluck won the 8 km road race at the United States Championships.^[11] She competed at the 1991 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Seville, Spain,^[4] and placed seventh in the 10,000 meters event at the 1991 Pan American Games.^[12] In 1992, Van Blunk won a Dukes invitational 5,000 meters race in a time of 16:04.7.^[13] In 1993, Van Blunk set a course record of 1:12:11 at the Fairfield Half-Marathon.^[6] She also won the Broad Street Run,^[5] in a course record time of 53:15,^[14] and the half marathon event at the United States Championships.^[11] She also finished 21st in the 10,000 meters event at the 1993 World Championships in Athletics.^[15]

In 1994, Van Blunk finished third at the Chicago Marathon, 51 seconds behind winner Kristy Johnston. It was Van Blunk's second career marathon.^[16] In 1995, she won the 25 km road race at the United States Championships,^[11] and competed in the marathon event at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics, but did not finish the race.^[17] In 1997, Van Blunk won the Broad Street Run for the second time.^[5][14]

• Old Kent River Bank Run: 1995^[23]
• Cooper River Bridge Run: 1994^[23]
• Broad Street Run: 1993, 1997^[23]
• Pittsburgh Great Race: 1989^[23]

• USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
  • 3000 m: 1989^[10]