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May 28, 2019

An iconic athlete, author, Emmy-award winning broadcaster and advocate for sports and social causes, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially register for and run the Boston Marathon in 1967. She was attacked in the race by an angry official who tried to rip off her bib number (#261) and throw her out of the race because she was a woman. She finished the 26.2 mile distance anyway and went on win the 1974 New York City Marathon and to champion women in the sport globally, most notably leading the drive to make the women's marathon an official Olympic event in 1984. Now, 58% of all runners in the USA are women. To celebrate this social revolution,  and to support another on active aging, Switzer ran the Boston Marathon again, at age 70, on the 50th anniversary of her iconic run, finishing only 24 minutes slower than she did when she was 20.  This run launched her non-profit '261 Fearless' --named after that famous bib number--which empowers women globally though running. She has been honored widely for her achievements including being inducted into the USA National Women’s Hall of Fame which recognized her for creating positive social change throughout her storied career.

My conversation with Kathrine went beyond running, and we talked about the importance of staying active as we age. She also provided some tips for masters runners who want to get the most out of their training, and we talked about her non-profit, 261 Fearless.

 

Resources from this episode:

Her Marathon Woman website

The REAL STORY of that famous Boston Marathon

261 Fearless

Find a 261 Fearless club near you

Coach Kim's website: www.crushingmygoals.com

Power of Run on Facebook

Kim's FREE 28 page guide to running your first 5K

Connect with runners and others who are working to be more active in Kim's Facebook group.

Power of Run on Instagram