If you ran the distance in practice, I’d be the first to take you to Boston." By the winter of 1967, Switzer was training for the upcoming Boston Marathon, tackling courses in Syracuse and on the roads between Syracuse and Cazenovia, New York, 20 miles away. Briggs insisted a marathon was too far for a "fragile woman" to run, but he conceded to Switzer: "If any woman could do it, you could, but you would have to prove it to me. Permission was granted, and cross-country assistant coach Arnie Briggs began training with her. 1967 TrainingĪfter transferring from Lynchburg to Syracuse, Switzer sought permission to train with the men's cross-country running program. She earned a bachelor's degree there in 1968 and a master's degree in 1972. She transferred to Syracuse University in 1967, where she studied journalism and English literature. Marshall High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, then attended Lynchburg College. Her family returned to the United States in 1949. She went on to campaign for women’s official inclusion in the Boston Marathon in 1972, helped create the first women’s road race, and was instrumental in making the women’s marathon an official Olympic event in 1984.Switzer was born in Amberg, Germany, the daughter of a major in the United States Army. Photos of that moment went across the world, and changed Kathrine’s life and the future of the sport. Kathrine was 20 when she signed up for the world famous Boston Marathon using only her initials, but when she was spotted by race official Jock Semple he attacked her, outraged that a woman was running in the men-only event. Back then there was a belief that women were physically incapable of doing such long distances, and it could even be dangerous for their health. Kathrine Switzer is a US runner whose dream - back in 1967 - was to be allowed to run a marathon.
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