50 years later, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon completed the race again

Most people don’t think of marathon running as a sport reserved for men or women, but in 1967 things were very different.

That was the year that Kathrine Switzer, inspired by a coach who told her the marathon was too far for a “fragile woman” like her, became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon.

Previously, only men could register for the race, so Kathrine had to register with her initials, as “KV Switzer”. A race director even tried to pull her off the course during the marathon.

Jock Semple, who was known for pulling “unserious” racers off the track, ran after Switzer and tried to tear off her race number. He only stopped when Switzer’s friend knocked him to the ground.

Despite the interruption, Switzer finished the race in an impressive 4 hours and 20 minutes. Five years later, in 1972, women were finally allowed to enter. But Switzer’s journey didn’t end there.

Switzer continued to race over the years. Career highlights include a second-place finish in the Boston Marathon and a first-place finish in the New York City Marathon. She also hosted TV shows, wrote best-selling books, and won awards for both endeavors.

This year, the Boston Marathon honored Switzer by retiring her iconic bib number, 261, after she ran with the number one more time.

The most incredible part of this story? After 50 years, Switzer has only added 24 minutes to her time and finished the race this year in 4 hours and 44 minutes.

Switzer’s determination to do what others told her she couldn’t do has inspired countless women over the decades, who tell her so in person at every marathon she runs.

“Now when I go to the Boston Marathon, my shoulders are wet and women fall into my arms crying,” she wrote.

“They cry with joy because running has changed their lives. They feel like they can do anything.”

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