Tuesday, April 19, 2022

April 19, 2022: Boston Marathon Studying: Katherine Switzer

[On April 19th, 1897, the first Boston Marathon was run. So for the 125th anniversary of this iconic road race, this week I’ll AmericanStudy a handful of Marathon histories and contexts, leading up to a special Guest Post from my favorite RunningStudier!]

I don’t tend to dedicate entire posts to linking to another piece; but in this case, as the groundbreaking runner and Boston Marathon participant Katherine Switzer notes in her own intro to the piece I’ll share, it’s vital that we get the facts of her experiences from her own perspective, rather than the many mythologized narratives that have sprung up around them and her. So in lieu of reading a full post of mine about Switzer, I’ll ask you to check out this recollection of that 1967 Boston Marathon, drawn from her memoir Marathon Woman (2007) and originally published in Runner’s World magazine. Enjoy!

Next Marathon split tomorrow,

Ben

PS. What do you think? Other Boston Marathon histories or stories you’d highlight?

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