Mirror Mirror: Kathrine Switzer

Katherine Switzer, Marathon Woman.

How different this world is today thanks to the trail blazing efforts of prominent women in history?

We think nothing of lining up on the Gateway Bridge with men to compete in the Bridge to Brisbane, but this wasn’t always so. The Boston Marathon, brought into infamy earlier this year thanks to terrorism, was the scene of another explosive occurrence in 1967. However, in this instance, pride was generally the only thing hurt!

What had everyone in a tizz? A woman officially ‘entered’ the Boston Marathon. Yep, seriously, that’s what the buzz was. Katherine Switzer was physically approached by an official along the circuit, trying to stop her from racing. She managed to finish the race, and I tip my hat to the fellow male runners who kept Katherine safe. Take that you sexist gits!

I can hear you all asking what this brave woman has been doing in the last 46 years?

Lets have a bit of a sticky beak shall we?

The photos of the official trying to stop Katherine from competing, have become part of Time-Life’s “100 photos that changed the world.”

After Boston, Katherine went on to win the New York City Marathon in 1974 and 1975. As well as competing in over 35 other marathons.

Activism fed this amazing woman’s desire to open doors for other women in the world of competitive marathon running. In conjunction with Avon she helped create the Avon International Running Circuit. With events covering 27 countries and reaching out to millions of women, I would deem this venture to be a complete success. So would covering over 200 events for ABC’s Wide World of Sports, some of which earned her a number of Emmy awards.

She has written numerous books since 1997… Running and Walking for Women over 40, 26.2 Marathon Stories and Marathon Woman. This last one won her an award for journalism from the Women’s Sports Foundation.

In more recent years Switzer has been lending her talents to public speaking. She has vast knowledge in health, sports, and inspiring women from all walks of life to blaze their own trails, so the journey for the future generations can be easier.

Her award list is pretty long however the most deserved would be the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls NYC, in 2011.

I think we can all agree this woman is an undeniable world treasure.

Read more about Katherine Switzer at the below links.

Sources

http://kathrineswitzer.com/about-kathrine/kathrines-full-bio/

http://www.run247.com/articles/article-2200-19th-world-congress-of-aims.html