During the 1967 race, Marathon official Jock Semple attempted to stop her. This programme was first broadcast on 13th of January 2021. Listen Through Zestful Aging Webpage Download or listen to through iTunes. Jock Semple is best remembered as the apparent madman who chased after Kathrine Switzer 50 years ago in the 1967 Boston Marathon. She went on to campaign for women’s official inclusion in the Boston Marathon in 1972, helped create the first women’s road race, and was instrumental in making the women’s marathon an official Olympic event in 1984. Photos of that moment went across the world, and changed Kathrine’s life and the future of the sport. Kathrine was 20 when she signed up for the world famous Boston Marathon using only her initials, but when she was spotted by race official Jock Semple he attacked her, outraged that a woman was running in the men-only event. Switzer to Girl to Women in the Span of 4 ½ Hours here are some exerts: I signed my name. And weve all seen the iconic photo capturing her defiance and perseverance when the race director, Jock Semple, tried to tackle her off the course. Kathrine retold the story of her groundbreaking run in an ApNY Times article From K.V. Kathrine Switzer was spotted early in the Boston Marathon by Jock Semple, center right, who tried to rip the number off her shirt and remove her from the race.

Back then there was a belief that women were physically incapable of doing such long distances, and it could even be dangerous for their health. Weve all heard how, in 1967, Kathrine became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a registered participant. Kathrine Switzer is a US runner whose dream - back in 1967 - was to be allowed to run a marathon.

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