Kathrine Switzer Interview: The Quest for Equality in Marathon Running

Kathrine Switzer describes her parents as motivational figures who raised her to believe she could do anything if she put her mind to it. She details how she became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, how it changed her life, and gave her a purpose to give women more opportunities in sports. Switzer discusses the importance of the first women’s marathon to be included in the 1984 Olympic Games, which she was a commentator for.

Kathrine Switzer was born into a military family stationed in Germany. She attended Syracuse University, earning a B.A. from the Newhouse School of Journalism. In 1967 at the age of 20 Switzer registered for the Boston Marathon as ‘K.V. Switzer’. After the race began, the race director realized Switzer was a woman and attempted to forcibly remove her. However, she continued on and completed the course. Photos of this “Boston Incident” ignited the women’s running revolution at a time when popular theory held that women were not strong enough to run the 26.2 mile distance. Thanks to the efforts of Switzer and others, women were officially allowed into road races in 1971. The next year, she earned her M.A. in public communications from Syracuse University. In 1977, Switzer founded the Avon International Running Circuit, an initiative that created running programs in 27 countries for over 1 million women. These efforts eventually led to the inclusion of the women’s marathon as an official event in the Olympic Games. In 1984, 49 athletes from 28 countries ran the inaugural Women’s Olympic Marathon. Switzer went on to simultaneous careers as a fitness expert, television broadcaster, author and public speaker. She formed her own company, AtAlanta Sports Promotions and is an Emmy Award-winning television commentator who has done broadcast work for ABC, CBS, NBC and ESPN. Switzer’s books include Marathon Woman and Running and Walking for Women Over 40. A member of the inaugural class of the National Distance Running Hall of Fame (1998), Switzer was named one of four “Visionaries of the Century” by Runner’s World Magazine (2002), and has received the Abebe Bikila Award from the New York Road Runners Club for her global contribution to running (2003).

From the 2013 PBS Documentary “Makers: Women Who Make America”, examines how women have helped shape America over the past 150 years, striving for a full and fair share of political power and economic opportunity.

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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:06 Growing up
12:58 Sexism
16:06 Getting into running
22:37 Marathon woman
29:04 Boston Marathon
43:30 Finish line
44:52 Reason for running
45:28 Amateur Athletic Union ban
47:28 Winning first marathon
49:00 Olympics
52:29 Women’s sports
01:01:57 Working
01:03:31 Success
01:05:28 Women supporting women
01:06:40 Marriage
01:11:25 Women’s movement
01:27:08 Advice
01:27:57 Legacy

Kathrine Switzer, Marathon Runner

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