Thank you, Kathrine Switzer

If it were 40 years ago, my training and excitement for my upcoming marathon would all be a pipe dream. As recently as 1967, marathons were a boys sport. Women were considered too fragile and not physically capable of completing 26.2 miles. Because she was fantastically stubborn and ready to prove the running world wrong, Kathrine Switzer registered for the prestigious Boston Marsthon only using her initials.

Can you imagine what it was like for her at the starting line? The only woman in a sea of men? A few miles in, spectators and the race director realized there was a girl in the race. *Gasp!!* The race director ran into the race yelling for Switzer to get off the course. He took a hard hit from Switzer's boyfriend who was an All-American football player and Switzer continued on to complete the 1967 Boston Marathon with an "unofficial" time of 4:20. The marathon officials refused to acknowledge her time as she was disqualified from the race for being female. By 1972, because of women like Switzer, Title IX was passed and woman were welcome to marathons all over the country.

Her activism in the coming years paved the way for women in sports. The running community now recognizes women as power houses and no longer doubts our physical ability to kick some major ass. Thank you, Kathrine Switzer.

Click for an article with more information on her wicked awesome accomplishments for those that want more girl power in their day!


Officals attempting to remove Katherine Switzer from the 1967 Boston Marathon - Source: katherineswitzer.com