Let’s journey back to the swinging ’60s—an era that saw the debut of “The Flintstones,” Princess Diana’s birth, Martin Luther King Jr.’s historic speech, Muhammad Ali’s gold-medal win at the Rome Olympics, and the USA’s successful moon landing.
The 1960s also marked the second wave of the feminist movement, aiming to address the glaring inequalities faced by women in education, banking, and sports.
However, this story isn’t about that movement. It’s about another trailblazing initiative started by a woman named Kathrine Switzer. She didn’t know what she was getting into.
In 1967, Kathrine became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. She hadn’t specifically trained for it, but with a nightly running routine of 10 miles, she believed she could finish the race.
She prepared for the marathon with her coach, Arnie by her side. At the end of her training, she ran even further than the required 26 miles.
She was ready, and so was her all-male team.
However, the race organizers were not. Halfway through the marathon, Kathrine faced resistance—not just from the physical challenge of the race but also from men who manhandled her and tried to force her out. Women, after all, were not supposed to run the Boston Marathon; they were considered too fragile.
Even if she hadn’t completed the race in the face of such hostility, I would have been her fan. But she did, displaying immeasurable grit and benefiting from the unwavering support of her team.
Read Kathrine’s firsthand account of then fateful, now-iconic day in “Marathon Woman” and marvel at her courage. You might also find yourself feeling righteous anger at the ongoing inequalities women face to this day.
Inspired by her story, I created a playlist on YouTube called “Run Like Switzer.” It features some of the best tracks by artists like Britney Spears, Madonna, Nelly, 2Pac, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and more.
I’ve been running to this playlist, chanting Switzer’s name, and it’s been a great experience.
Fingers in symphony 