Country of Birth
United States
Industry
Sports
Top Achievements
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an officially registered competitor, despite the race organizer physically trying to stop her while running.
Early Life and Education
The daughter of a US Army major, Kathrine Switzer was born in Amberg, Germany in 1947. Her family returned to the United States in 1949.
She attended Lynchburg College but transferred to Syracuse University in 1967, where she studied journalism and English literature. She earned a B.A at Syracuse in 1968 and an M.A. in 1972.
Early Career
While at Syracuse University, Kathrine Switzer received permission to train with the men’s cross-country running program. Trainer Arnie Briggs thought that women were not suited to run marathons, but admitted to Switzer: “If any woman could do it, you could, but you would have to prove it to me. If you ran the distance in practice, I’d be the first to take you to Boston.”
Achievements at the Boston Marathon
In 1967, Kathrine Switzer officially registered for that year’s Boston Marathon. A few miles into the race, marathon organizer Jock Semple, known for his hot temper and fanatic safeguarding of the marathon, chased after her to try to physically remove the bib with her official number. Semple was ultimately knocked down by Kathrine’s boyfriend, who was running next to her, and Kathrine proceeded to complete the marathon.
Following the marathon, Kathrine became an advocate for women in sports.
Recognition
In 1967-77, Kathrine was named Female Runner of the Decade by Runner’s World Magazine. She went on to win the New York City Marathon in 1974. In 1984, she was hired as a commentator for the women’s Olympic marathon, which launched a long career as a marathon commentator.
In April 2008, one of Kathrine’s books, Marathon Woman, won the Billie Award for journalism for its portrayal of women in sports. In 2011, Kathrine was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame.
In 2018, Kathrine was the commencement speaker at Syracuse University and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters.
Additional Facts
- Another woman, Bobbi Gibb, unofficially ran the Boston Marathon a year before Kathrine, and had done so in 1967 as well, also unofficially. However, Kathrine’s running gained notoriety because of Semple’s attack. The two later reconciled and became close friends.
- Kathrine wrote two books: Running and Walking for Women over 40 in 1997 and a memoir, Marathon Woman, in 2007.
- Katherine participated in the 2017 Boston Marathon — the 50th anniversary of her first race — and as a tribute, was assigned bib number 261 the same as her number the first time.
- Kathrine has been married three times: first to Tom Miller, the boyfriend who knocked down Jock Semple when he attacked her during her first Boston Marathon. They divorced five years later and Kathrine subsequently married and divorced public relations executive Philip Schaub. In 1987, she married New Zealand runner and author Roger Robinson.
