User:Megancrowder/sandbox

Megan Crowder

Kathrine Switzer and Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb are iconic running figures. In 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. Bobbi Gibb was the first woman to run the marathon, but she never officially registered. Switzer and Gibb both illegally ran in the race, due to the fact that women were not allowed to run the marathon at the time. The Boston Marathon started in 1897, and the race only allowed male participants for the first 70 years of it's existence. Women were not allowed to run in marathons because some people believed that the distance would be a detriment to their health or make them infertile. This common belief was proved wrong in the early 1970s.

Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb is recognized as the first woman to unofficially finish the Boston Marathon in 1966. Gibb ran the Boston Marathon by hiding behind a bush near the starting line and sneaking onto the course when the gun went off. She wore men’s clothing in order to blend in with the rest of the male participants. Gibb is known as “The Matron Saint of the Boston Marathon.” She made history as the first woman to actually run the Boston Marathon and also shattered stereotypes concerning a woman's physical limits. According to Yarrow Kraner, "...not just the woman who broke gender barriers in the Boston Marathon, but [who also] had the courage to open the realization of what women can accomplish in a lot of different arenas, and just put a question mark in thousands, [even] millions of minds about what can be accomplished.”

When entering the race, Kathrine Switzer signed her name as “K. V. Switzer,” so that the race officials would assume that she was male. Her entry created an uproar and worldwide spotlight when a race official tried to forcibly remove her from the competition. When the race officials noticed a woman running the race, the race director, Jock Semple, attempted to physically attack her by grabbing her, cursing at her, and trying to rip her numbers(261) off of her shirt. Kathrine’s boyfriend, who was also running in the race, punched Semple and knocked him out. Switzer stated, "It changed my life...When that official tried to pull me out of the race, I decided I was going to finish, even if I had to crawl, and I was going to work to try to give other women the opportunity to do this. . . . I created clubs, events, press conferences." Switzer remained determined and finished the 26-mile race. After finishing the Boston Marathon, Switzer spent time working to make the race female friendly. Switzer made it her goal to equalize women’s rights in the sports field. She wanted to prove to everyone that women were capable of doing anything that men could do. Switzer continued to run in races with other women and campaigned to make women official competitors. Her dream, alongside many other women’s dreams, finally became a reality in 1972 when women were officially allowed to run in the marathon competitively.

In 1973, Title IX was implemented to ensure that citizens would not be discriminated in education or school-related activities in public or federal run institutions based on sex. Therefore, Title XI was made to see that citizens would not be discriminated against because of their gender. The Title XI law prevents sexual harassment, inequality in sports, and discrimination between genders. As a direct result of Title IX, women’s distance running has grown from 800 meters to marathons and beyond in less than a century; running has been proven non detrimental to women's health and well being. Running does not harm women physically or emotionally anymore than it hurts men. According to Running USA’s State of the Sport Report, 56 percent of all US race finishers in 2012 were female, and 57 percent in 2013.

Switzer ran 39 marathons and won the New York City Marathon in 1974. She ran the Boston Marathon eight times with her fastest time being 2 hours and 51 minutes in 1975. She was ranked the 3rd fastest woman in America and 6th fastest woman in the world. In 1972, she created the Avon International Women’s Running Circuit, a 400- event series in 27 countries that lobbied the International Olympic Committee, to add a women’s marathon to the 1984 Olympic Games. In addition, she took on the role as a television sports commentator, wrote three books, and launched a second Avon women’s series that ran from 1998 to 2004. She is also a popular guest personality on television. The titles of her books are Marathon Woman, 26.2 Marathon Stories, and Running and Walking for Women Over 40. She has covered many stories as a sports commentator such as the Olympic Games, Olympic Trials, and World and National Championships. She has also covered every televised edition of the Boston Marathon for 36 consecutive years as well as 27 broadcasts of the New York City Marathon. In many of the races she organized, she also served as broadcast and production adviser. In 2011, Switzer was placed into the National Women’s Hall of Fame for creating positive social change.

The number 261 was Kathrine Switzer’s bib number that was proudly displayed on her front and back during the Boston Marathon race of 1967. This number has become an icon because women say that wearing the number 261 represents a feeling of fearlessness and pays homage to Kathrine Switzer. In Palma de Mallorca, London, thousands of women participate in the 261 Women's Marathon inspired by Switzer. It is held annually on International Women’s Day, March 8th.  According to the 261 official marathon website, “This event brings women throughout the world together in unity. Together, we run to compete, to prove to ourselves and others that we can, to feel strong and to support first time marathoners and celebrate those women who have run most of their lives. We hug, we laugh, we cry and we triumph together. As women, we understand the connection that running brings to us–no matter our background, culture or language, when we line up together on the start of the 261 Women’s Marathon, we know we belong – we feel the sisterhood, we feel the harmony. We are fearless.”