Kathryn Switzer's got a book out?

How can you spin one incident into a career? Gimme a break.

Kathryn Switzer is one of those who helped to build female marathoning from not existing when I started in 1961 to what it is today.

something tells me that she probably faced opposition to her running as a woman more than just once. the book would include other such accounts, as well as a general sense of what it was like participating in a sport that celebrated men and frowned upon women.

girls might like it.

It'll be made available at the Boston Marathon expo, 40 years after she made history there. Take her in whatever vein you'd like; she's done some things in & for the sport that should make for an excellent book. She was there in the beginning, continued running & running well before branching off to promote women's running by various means and much success. She'll be part of the local NBC Boston broadcast for the 28th year in 11 days.

I think the women marathoners of today were well served by Jock Semple's choice.

yes, women should be allowed equal opportunity in events such as the marathon.

but "the women marathoners have become the biggest stars of the sport", how do you justify such a remark?

Disagree.

Aside from the fact that she's done plenty outside of the one incident which made her an icon, I found her and her hubby a couple of the classiest legends I've ever met.

And unpleasant to listen to? Nope, not hardly, nor tough to look at. :-)

The front page says the book is debuting at Boston. I saw people getting autographed copies at Cherry Blossom last weekend. I always thought the lady who ran before Switzer, and I don't even know her name, got screwed as far as history is concerned. How come she doesn't get the ink Switzer does.

I looked it up before I posted- Roberta Gibb.

I think Switzer was involved in the early Bonnie Belle (?spelling) running series for women, which helped get women involved in running back in the 70s. I think she also campaigned very hard to get the women's marathon included in the 1984 Olympics. No small feat.

Me, I like women runners.

Well, I suppose there might be something to what you're saying that RGibb has been 'overlooked' per her place in women's running history but, I suspect she didn't seek further attention & likely distanced herself from same.

Trivia: who made the awards that went to the top 3 finishers of the first Women's Oly Trials Marathon in Olympia, WA?

Oh please wrote:

Wow, She made a career out of one incident.

Exactly...she used the incident and made a career out of it. Look up the career and then drop the attitude. Ever speak with her? Based on your comments not likely. Otherwise you'd be a complete fool and that couldn't possibly be on this board.

Roberta Gibb may have been overlooked because a) the cameras weren't trained on her and didn't produce front page pictures like they did when Kathrine tussled with Jock Semple and b) Roberta seems to be a somewhat shy and retiring type whereas Kathrine knows marketing and communications.

That having been said, Switzer is a very good person who's fought the correct fights. Her contribution did not end with that day in Boston 40 years ago. She did a lot of committee infighting to help women's long distance running get better official recognition and has been a pioneer as an adminstrator of women's running programs as well. She's done a lot.

Trivia: who made the awards that went to the top 3 finishers of the first Women's Oly Trials Marathon in Olympia, WA?[/quote]

Roberta Gibb. She is an excellent artist, sculpting, an attorney, and astounding athletic talent. But her intentions were never to be a competitive athlete. She did not come with a monstrous achievement drive in athletics.

Kathrine, on the other hand, had little untrained talent. She ran her first marathon in 4:20 or so, but improved from 1967 to run 2:50 in 1975. She was driven in the marathon competition and in the politics of the sport.

They are as different as two people can be in all ways except the love of running.

Tom

I recommend that everyone interested in the history of the Boston Marathon read Tom Derderian's book "Boston

Marathon" "The History of the World's Premier Running Event" issued in 1994.

The first woman to run Boston was Roberta Gibbs who was 126th in 3:21.40 in 1966. (Gibb was 266th in 3:27:17 in 1967.) Gibb was unofficial and was not allowed to have the traditional bowl of beef stew after the race in 1966 She had big headlines and big pictures in the Boston papers that year.

The biggest difference between Gibb and Switzer is that when Gibb applied to run and was turned down she quietly ran anyhow but without entering. She did not wear a number.

Jock was very angry and went after Switzer's number calling her a fraud. When Katherine entered she used her initials and the officials had no idea that she was a female until the saw her on the course.

Those two ladies had completely different personalities and backgrounds. Interestingly, Gibb took a four day bus trip to get to Boston and run. Bobbi Gibb's story is worth reading in addition to that of Katherine. They are both very interesting stories.

A little needy, perhaps./ but switzer turned that drive into some historic opportunities for women as a whole. The Avon Marathon Series alone is enough to seal her legacy. It single handedly brought the women's olympic marathon into being. Running,writing, organizing, broadcasting, lobbyist,is she great at everything? Is anyone? An impressive career.

pendejo wrote:

Disagree.

Aside from the fact that she's done plenty outside of the one incident which made her an icon, I found her and her hubby a couple of the classiest legends I've ever met.

And unpleasant to listen to? Nope, not hardly, nor tough to look at. :-)

Agreed, to the concept of being the classiest pair. Ran into the pair of them in 1987, the Oregon Cascade Runoff 15 km & again here in Victoria, 2004 day before the annual RVM (Royal Victoria Marathon) after being part of the audience hearing a riveting talk given by Dick Beardsley. Found K. Switzer a very pleasant person

this question is a great example of the lack of respect for the sport often shown by people who post here.

often the lack of interest in the history of running comes through with statements like this and the dismissal of advice from the "oletimers" who post here. i am all for living in the moment but to criticize kathryn so thoughtlessly is to criticize so many people who care deeply about where the sport has come from and where it is going.

"K.Switzer" is one of the great pioneers of our sport. Certainly her signature moment was Boston '67, but she has done so much since then, promoting women's running via Bonne Bell and Avon. She was kind enough to visit my running store in Minneapolis a few years ago, one time bringing along a couple of friends.... Grete Waitz and Lorraine Moller!! She's first-class all the way.