Kathrine Switzer
From WikiRun
| Kathrine Switzer | |
| Event | marathon |
|---|---|
| Nationality | United States |
| Born | 1947 |
| High School | George C. Marshall HS, Falls Church, VA '64 |
| College | Syracuse University '68 |
Kathrine V. Switzer (1947—) is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. In 1966, Roberta Gibb ran the race unofficially, and returned and ran unofficially in 1967 as well. Switzer was not aware of that women were running unofficially and submitted an entry for 1967 as "K.V. Switzer" without indicating her gender. She completed the race in 1967 wearing a number, five years before women were officially allowed to compete in it. It was not done in any attempt to mislead the officials; she had used "K. V. Switzer" for many years to sign the articles she wrote for her college paper. Attempts were made by race coordinator Jock Semple to remove her from the race, but her boyfriend shoved him aside and sent him flying. The photographs taken of the incident made world headlines.[1]
 AP/Wideworld Photo |
In 1974, Switzer won the New York City Marathon in 3:07.
In 1987, she married Roger Robinson and spends part of her time living in New Zealand. Switzer co-founded the Mini Marathon 10K, an all-woman race held in New York City. She organized a race series for Avon Cosmetics in 1997-2003, and has served as a television color commentator at a number of marathons. |
In 1998, she was inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame.[2]
On April 15, 2008, Switzer won a Billie Award for Switzer's memoir, Marathon Woman, in the journalism category.
Books
- Switzer, K, Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women's Sports (2007 Carroll & Graf) ISBN 9780786719679
- Switzer, K and Roger Robinson, 26.2 Marathon Stories (2006 Madison Press) ISBN 9781594863301
- Switzer, K, Running and Walking for Women Over 40..the Road to Sanity and Vanity (1998 St. Martin's Press) ISBN 0312187777
- Switzer, K and James A. Peterson Fit It Run: A Conditioning Handbook for Runners
References
- ↑ The Real Story of Kathrine Switzer's 1967 Boston Marathon-Life is For Participating
- ↑ http://www.distancerunning.com/inductees/1998/switzer.html Retrieved 2009-01-01.
External links
- Marathon Women - Morning Edition, NPR (April 15, 2002)
- Kathrine Switzer website
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