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Kathrine Switzer
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Marathon Woman Paperback – April 4, 2017

by Kathrine Switzer (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 281 ratings
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A new edition of a sports icon's memoir, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Kathrine Switzer's historic running of the Boston Marathon as the first woman to run.

In 1967, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run what was then the all-male Boston Marathon, infuriating one of the event's directors who attempted to violently eject her. In one of the most iconic sports moments, Switzer escaped and finished the race. She made history-and is poised to do it again on the fiftieth anniversary of that initial race, when she will run the 2017 Boston Marathon at age 70. Now a spokesperson for Reebok, Switzer is also the founder of 261 Fearless, a foundation dedicated to creating opportunities for women on all fronts, as this groundbreaking sports hero has done throughout her life.

"Kathrine Switzer is the Susan B. Anthony of women's marathoning."-Joan Benoit Samuelson, first Olympic gold medalist in the women's marathon
Previous page
  1. Print length
    449 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 4, 2017
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.13 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0306825651
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0306825651
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A thoughtfully written memoir...[Switzer is] still running strong; she's headed back to Boston this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of her 1967 pioneering run, making this a perfect time to brush up on running history."
―Mother Runner

"Women all over the world run, and it is due, in large part, to Kathrine's efforts."―Joann Flaminio, 1st woman President of the Boston Athletic Association, overseer of the Boston Marathon

"Kathrine Switzer gives us all a huge life lesson on how to turn negatives into positives. It's about always showing up, working hard, and never, ever quitting."―Meb Keflezighi, Olympic Marathon Silver Medal, 4-time Olympian, New York City and Boston Marathon Champion, author, Meb for Mortals and Run To Overcome

"Kathrine Switzer helped change women's running forever. She tells her story--full of surprises, unexpected twists, setbacks, and Olympic triumphs--with a mix of humor and sharply-recalled anecdote that never fails to engage."―Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner; author, First Ladies of Running; Editor at Large, Runner's World

"Perhaps the best that can be said of any of us is that we have made a difference. Kathrine has, and we see it at the Boston Marathon every year."
―Tom Grilk, Executive Director, Boston Athletic Association, 2:49 marathoner, and perennial Boston Marathon finish line announcer

"Marathon Woman is told with humor and style and is as uplifting and inspirational as was her run back in 1967."
―George A. Hirsch, marathoner and chairman of the New York Road Runners

"Kathrine Switzer clearly propelled women running in to the global phenomena it is today and the struggle she endured even before Chapter IX Is the stuff strong women are made of."―Gloria Ratti, Vice President, Boston Athletic Association

"Marathon Woman is infused with grace and humor, determination and inspiration. And unlike a real marathon--26.2 miles that can stretch on seemingly forever--we didn't want this book to ever end!"
―Dimity McDowell & Sarah Bowen Shea, runners and authors of Run Like a Mother, Train Like a Mother and founders of "Another Mother Runner"

Running may be the connective tissue, but the true essence of Kathrine's journey is a passage to a bigger world. Fifty years ago Kathrine opened the door and literally thousands of women ran through.
―Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer, Runners World; author, My Life On The Run

"Kathrine Switzer is a living metaphor of strength and courage, inspiring millions of girls and women to turn You can't into I can. Since that pivotal moment fifty years ago, she has shown us the power we each have to use our personal experiences to create lives of meaning and purpose."―Elizabeth Kunz, CEO, & Kathryn Thompson, COO, Girls on the Run International

"As the father of a young daughter, I am forever grateful that Kathrine had the courage to step out on that racecourse back in 1967, blaze a path that has strengthened and endured for five decades and shows no sign of slowing down, just like Kathrine herself. Marathon Woman is timeless, as is she."―Dean Karnazes, Ultramarathoner and NY Times bestselling author

"At times laugh-out-loud funny, at others inspirational and educational, this is the incredible story of Kathrine Switzer's gutsy fight for women to be allowed to participate in long-distance running. By relating her own passion for running, Kathrine is bound to ignite yours!"―Lisa Jackson, Contributing Editor to Women's Running UK magazine, best-selling author of Your Pace or Mine? and Running Made Easy; and veteran of 105 marathons

"Kathrine Switzer is the spiritual leader, emotional center, activist spark plug and intellectual depth of the global women's running boom. Marathon Woman is simply a page-turning must read."
―Margaret Webb, author, Older Faster Stronger: What Women Runners Can Teach Us All About Living Younger Longer and running blogger at MargaretWebb.com

"As we celebrate so many advancements for women, now we celebrate 50 years since Kathrine Switzer busted through the glass starting line. In her captivating memoir, Marathon Woman, she reminds us of the gift we have, and the responsibility we have to share it, celebrate it, and be grateful for it."―Kristin Armstrong, Contributing Editor for Runner's World, author, Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run

About the Author

Kathrine Switzer, one of the greatest icons in sports, has been an authority on running and women's fitness for over forty years. She is best known for pioneering the official entrance of women into the marathon, beginning with her epoch-making run in the previously all-male Boston Marathon in 1967, and went on to become a world-ranked athlete and the winner of the 1974 New York Marathon.

Switzer is an Emmy-award winning television commentator, having covered a continuous string of the sport's major events, including the Boston, New York, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles marathons, as well as the Olympic and Goodwill Games. Her first book, Running and Walking for Women Over 40, has sold over 100,000 copies. She lives in New Paltz, NY.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Da Capo Press; Revised edition (April 4, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 449 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0306825651
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0306825651
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.13 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 281 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
281 global ratings
Inspirational
5 Stars
Inspirational
Very readable and amazing account of Kathrine Switzer's story, turning a negative event into a positive calling to fight for the acceptance of women in long-distance running, including the push for a women's marathon in the Olympics. And she continues her advocacy. Recently she founded a non-profit organization, 261 Fearless (named after her bib in the 1967 Boston marathon and the feeling so many have after hearing her story), whose goal is to organize non-competitive running organizations for women. I am proud to say that just two weeks ago, as a member of the 261 Fearless Boston 2017 team, I was able fund raise for this organization, and toe the start line with her and 100+ members of our team, cerebrating the 50th anniversary of her iconic run. The book, like Kathrine, is inspirational. I highly recommend it.
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Top reviews from the United States

Valerie S. Sestir
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2017
Verified Purchase
Very readable and amazing account of Kathrine Switzer's story, turning a negative event into a positive calling to fight for the acceptance of women in long-distance running, including the push for a women's marathon in the Olympics. And she continues her advocacy. Recently she founded a non-profit organization, 261 Fearless (named after her bib in the 1967 Boston marathon and the feeling so many have after hearing her story), whose goal is to organize non-competitive running organizations for women. I am proud to say that just two weeks ago, as a member of the 261 Fearless Boston 2017 team, I was able fund raise for this organization, and toe the start line with her and 100+ members of our team, cerebrating the 50th anniversary of her iconic run. The book, like Kathrine, is inspirational. I highly recommend it.
Customer image
Valerie S. Sestir
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2017
Very readable and amazing account of Kathrine Switzer's story, turning a negative event into a positive calling to fight for the acceptance of women in long-distance running, including the push for a women's marathon in the Olympics. And she continues her advocacy. Recently she founded a non-profit organization, 261 Fearless (named after her bib in the 1967 Boston marathon and the feeling so many have after hearing her story), whose goal is to organize non-competitive running organizations for women. I am proud to say that just two weeks ago, as a member of the 261 Fearless Boston 2017 team, I was able fund raise for this organization, and toe the start line with her and 100+ members of our team, cerebrating the 50th anniversary of her iconic run. The book, like Kathrine, is inspirational. I highly recommend it.
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5 people found this helpful
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Linda Adam Hall
5.0 out of 5 stars A role model, to be sure!
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2009
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This is the perfect book to give to a female running partner! Reading Kathrine's story of personal and athletic growth was most inspiring. As well as being an honest and insightful autobiography of her personal and athletic growth, the book really lets you in on the world of networking, marketing and how people influence each other. You see how things can get done with a person's determination and focus -- in the business world as well as through the rigors of athletic training. Kathrine tells pretty much her whole story; whatever she has left out was probably appropriate abridgement, because what we see of her seems pretty complete for the purposes of this book. What an adventure it was at the start of women's running! You get a step-by-step unfolding of what it took to get to that excellent moment in 1984, when Joan Benoit crossed the finish line of the first women's marathon in the Olympic Games. Runners will especially enjoy this book, but it will be interesting to anyone who enjoys reading about people who make a postive difference in the world.
One person found this helpful
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Gabriela
5.0 out of 5 stars Empowering
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2023
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We all know the story of this amazing woman. What i liked is the story behind the epic picture of her on the Boston Marathon and all she went through to keep on running. What we take now for granted started as a struggle... This is a great book to remind ourselves what running is about.
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WDX2BB
4.0 out of 5 stars An accidental pioneer
Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014
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The battle for women's rights in athletics seems almost quaint and definitely silly now.

How could we preclude half of the population from enjoying what men enjoyed since the rise of leisure time? Did medical experts really claim that women couldn't run long distances, or that they couldn't handle the strain of playing full-court basketball?

It is easy to forgot what it took to get us to where we are now. So Kathrine Switzer's book, "Marathon Woman," serves as an excellent reminder of those past struggles.

The first part of this autobiography, which actually extends only through 1984, deals with how she became the female to be officially entered and run the Boston Marathon. She used an initial for a first name on the entry form, and she had to fend off Jock Semple, an official at the Marathon to do so, but she finished the race. Suddenly, all things female in long-distance running looked a lot more possible. Her stories about preparation for Boston are extremely detailed, as if she was taking notes along the way.

Switzer could have been content with being a trivia question and moving on to other areas of life, but she was smart enough and clever enough to carve out a niche in running. She graduated from college and juggled all sorts of responsibilities. Switzer spent some time training to become one of America's best marathoners while earning enough money to pay the bills and doing paid and unpaid work in order to push the cause along. The one question that comes up is: Did the woman ever sleep in the 1970's?

The steps were slow but steady. Switzer eventually hooked on with Avon, which set up a series of races around the world. Good women runners seemed to be falling out of trees to win races for a while, as potential became performance. In 1980, a women's marathon was held in London, and the event featured top athletes from around the world. The next year, the Olympics added a women's marathon to its schedule for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. They have stayed there ever since.

It's always instructive to read books about struggles like this to see where the resistance comes from. In sports, the athletes rarely push back. They often are just happy that more people are participating. Indeed, Switzer was generally encouraged to run by her male counterparts. No, it's the bureaucracy that sticks to the "we've never done it this way" attitude until pushed against the wall.

Switzer goes all in when it comes to her story, revealing much about herself in this very candid story. She's paid a price for her quest, mostly in her personal relationships. Her book checks in at a lengthy 400 pages, which may be a little too much detail for some, and it could have been written 20 years ago. She's been busy in the meantime, writing other books and doing media work.

Then again, maybe that's a sign that Switzer has more of her life story to tell than was revealed in "Marathon Woman." Part two of this tale no doubt will be as interesting as part one.
6 people found this helpful
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Fran V
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read!
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2017
Verified Purchase
Excellent read! Very well written. Not intense, just a very interesting story about the beginnings of women's running (I won't say "movement") and Ms. Switzer's experiences in it and its promotion. As a runner who has reaped many of the benefits from the female running pioneers (it's really eye-opening how good we have it today), I highly recommend this book.

It is NOT a how-to book, so you'll be disappointed if that's what you're looking for.
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BMG
5.0 out of 5 stars Marathon Woman
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2013
Verified Purchase
I chose this rating because: it is a very well crafted, well-written book; the sincerity of the author comes through and rings true; it is inspirational without being soppy, preachy, or sanctimonious. It is inspiring to read about a woman who has survivedpersonal difficulties and disappointments but has continued to lead a happy, successful, productive and inspirational life in an area where women have only recently been accepted.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Melissa
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read.
Reviewed in Canada on June 25, 2020
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Amazing book. I couldn't put it down.
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cliente amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars potente
Reviewed in Italy on April 7, 2021
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la storia di kathrine switzer è davvero potentissima. è grazie a questo libro che ho ripreso a correre.
consigliato a tutte le donne che già conoscono il potere trasformativo della corsa, e a quelle che sono disposte a scoprirlo.
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Kate
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book
Reviewed in France on May 1, 2016
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Great book both on the fantastic marathons Kathrine Switer ran and on the great fight she lead to get women into official races. Inspiring.
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shivakumar
4.0 out of 5 stars good read
Reviewed in India on December 7, 2015
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good one
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Lisa Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational, candid and laugh-out-loud funny - but make sure you've got someone to share it with!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2013
Verified Purchase
Packed with hilarious anecdotes, gossip from behind the scenes of major marathons, life lessons, and numerous fabulous photos, Marathon Woman is one of the best running books I've ever read. Be warned, however - do not read this book while you're alone as parts of it are so funny or moving you'll deeply regret not having had someone to read them out aloud to (as I continually did to my long-suffering husband while on holiday!)

Having seen the iconic photos of the day a race official tried to rip off Kathrine's race number when she entered the all-male Boston Marathon I was keen to know more about the incident and the woman who caused such a stir, and this book - part memoir, part historical document, part love story - certainly delivered on all counts. Fifteen years after I first started running marathons (I've now done 36 and two 56-mile ultras), it came as a real surprise to learn that being `allowed' to run 26.2 miles, which was seen as too gruelling for us delicate ladies, was all thanks to Kathrine Switzer. This is because she didn't just pave the way for elite women to enter marathons and campaign to get the women's marathon recognised as an Olympic sport, she tirelessly fought to make marathon running accessible to women throughout the world by developing the mass-participation women-only Avon Running programme.

Kathrine is a very experienced and accomplished journalist and this is evident throughout the book - she knows exactly how to keep you feverishly turning the pages by weaving strands from her often turbulent personal life with details of her punishing training schedule and stellar career. Kathrine's story is proof that the right training programme and sheer guts can turn an `ordinary' runner into an exceptional one (even if you have to work and commute): she ran her first marathon in a very average time of 4h20, went on to win the 1974 New York City Marathon with a time of 3h07, and subsequently did a PB of 2h51 in Boston in 1975. As a super-slow runner, who came last in three marathons in 2012, I found her story incredibly inspirational.

There are so many lessons to learn from Kathrine's journey: it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission (to satisfy her employer Avon, for whom she did PR, she strung a banner advertising the brand across the finish line of the Avon International Marathon in London at the last minute - so cunningly side-stepping the BBC's ban on advertising), that one should never let good ideas go to waste (she based her proposal for the Avon Running programme on scribbled notes she stuffed into a shoebox over many years) and that hard work always pays off.

I was formerly a fitness-phobe and marathon running has transformed my life and motivated me to write my book Running Made Easy  Zest: Running Made Easy (Zest Magazine) , which has inspired thousands of women in the UK to give walk/running a go. I only wish I could have read Kathrine's life-affirming book in my 20s as I'm sure it would have encouraged me to take up running 10 years earlier than I did. In Marathon Woman, Kathrine repeatedly proves how running is so much more than putting one foot in front of the other - it's a way of empowering us and giving life meaning.
7 people found this helpful
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