# Forgotten history: women couldn't run Boston Marathon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 18, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718 "2017-04-18T17:38:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/1 "2017-04-18T17:38:39Z")
I was pretty young in the late sixties. I remember hearing about marathon runners. Jim Fixx was all over the TV and magazines encouraging people to jog. That is until he fell over dead from a heart attack: While jogging. His death didn’t kill the sport. I never jogged. I’m a die-hard backpacker/hiker. I only run from bears. 😉 I had completely forgotten that women were barred from the sport. It seems completely unbelievable today. Why women were ever excluded is beyond my comprehension. This story reclaims history. > **[Boston Marathon's first registered woman Switzer competes 50 years on](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39626959)** > > Kathrine Switzer, now 70, made headlines in 1967 after daring to enter the all-male marathon. We’ve changed a lot during my lifetime. > [@](#): > > The first time Kathrine Switzer stood on the starting line of the Boston Marathon, it was as the lone woman in a men-only race. > > The fact she dared to compete led one race official to try to rip the number 261 from her back, a few miles in. > > Fifty years on, aged 70, Ms Switzer returned to the starting line wearing the same number. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/2 "2017-04-18T18:00:23Z")
Switzer wasn’t the first woman to run the Marathon and complete it, however, just the first to register and compete “officially.” [Bobbi Gibb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobbi_Gibb) ran the Boston Marathon without registering a year before in 1966, and also ran in 1967, beating Switzer by more than an hour. She’s recognized as the unofficial winner of the women’s race from 1966-1968. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/3 "2017-04-18T18:02:53Z")
Women were excluded from distance races because it was believed the stress would ruin their weak, frail bodies. :rolleyes: I remember when women pushed to run marathons; it was not allowed when I was growing up. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/4 "2017-04-18T18:18:48Z")
There was a women’s 800 meter race at the 1928 Olympics. A description from the [Olympic database](http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/ATH/womens-800-metres.html) tells of how that race led to women not being able to run distances longer than 200 meters in the Olympics until 1960. > [@](#): > > Several of the women competitors were quite tired at the end of the race, not unlike many of the men at the end of 800 metres. But the sight of women so exhausted, some lying on the track, offended many of the sports officials of the time. Descriptions of the event by the women competitors, in later years, state that this did not actually occur. However, eventually the officials decided that women should not run such long distances and no women’s event longer than 200 metres would be contested in an Olympics again until 1960. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/5 "2017-04-18T21:59:07Z")
I’m surprised that I didn’t remember any of this. I was in elementary school at the time. I certainly remember Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King’s assassinations. Kent State. Lots of big events happening in the late 1960’s. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/6 "2017-04-18T23:07:08Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m surprised that I didn’t remember any of this. I was in elementary school at the time. > > I certainly remember Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King’s assassinations. Kent State. Lots of big events happening in the late 1960’s. Kent State was 1970. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/7 "2017-04-18T23:24:44Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Kent State was 1970. Well, people who remember the 60’s weren’t there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/8 "2017-04-18T23:42:26Z")
> [@Penfeather](#): > > Kent State was 1970. That’s the late sixties, for some values of “late”. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/9 "2017-04-18T23:55:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > That’s the late sixties, for some values of “late”. I think we should argue for 7 pages about when a decade ends; it’s clearly the only way forward. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/10 "2017-04-19T00:29:28Z")
I watched an interview with her on Monday after she finished - she did say that all the other male runners were very supportive of her. And her large boyfriend (number 390 in the picture) did body check Semple out of the way when he tried to grab her number. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/11 "2017-04-19T00:49:55Z")
I remember when women broke into not just marathons but running at all. People thought women’s uteri would fall out. Yep. I also remember when girls had to wear skirts to public school which came to the exact middle of the knee. In my high school the girls’ competitive sports team was synchronized swimming (which is frankly harder than it looks). Or you could be a cheerleader I guess. It doesn’t feel that long ago. I haven’t forgotten any of it. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/12 "2017-04-19T00:56:15Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > I remember when women broke into not just marathons but running at all. People thought women’s uteri would fall out. Yep. > > I also remember when girls had to wear skirts to public school which came to the exact middle of the knee. In my high school the girls’ competitive sports team was synchronized swimming (which is frankly harder than it looks). Or you could be a cheerleader I guess. > > It doesn’t feel that long ago. I haven’t forgotten any of it. My mom graduated high school in 1945. She told me she once got sent to the principal’s office for _sweating_ in gym class. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/13 "2017-04-19T01:41:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m surprised that I didn’t remember any of this. I was in elementary school at the time. > > I certainly remember Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King’s assassinations. Kent State. Lots of big events happening in the late 1960’s. I’m not surprised [ul] [li]We didn’t have 24 hour news back then[/li][li]Nobody died[/li][li]What she was doing was _scandalous_ (:rolleyes:), to be swept under the rug & probably not celebrated.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/14 "2017-04-19T02:54:17Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > I remember when women broke into not just marathons but running at all. People thought women’s uteri would fall out. Yep. > > I also remember when girls had to wear skirts to public school which came to the exact middle of the knee. In my high school the girls’ competitive sports team was synchronized swimming (which is frankly harder than it looks). Or you could be a cheerleader I guess. > > It doesn’t feel that long ago. I haven’t forgotten any of it. I used to work for a Catholic academy for girls (high school). Our mail was delivered to the sisterhouse across from the school. One of the nuns would call over to say when it was there, and during the school year, it was a student office runner’s responsibility to pick it up. If there was a lot of mail, the sister would tell the school secretary to send two girls - why? Because lifting too much could ‘hurt your insides.’ During school recess, I was happy to go over and pick it up, and our secretary on more than one occasion was scolded for only sending over one ‘girl.’ And as funny as this sounds, I did find out in my old(er) age that for women, lifting heavy weight on a regular basis can, in fact, ‘hurt your insides,’ so there was at least a kernel of truth to it! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/15 "2017-04-19T13:00:48Z")
I suspect it’s not really hurting you in a way that men can’t be hurt, though. Maybe not by th exact same action, but it could be done. I’ve definitely lifted something up and hurt my “insides” before. Felt kinda like being kicked in the crotch, but not as bad, and no pain on the outside. ---
**Author:** ![blindboyard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindboyard/32/2833_2.png) [@blindboyard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blindboyard)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/16 "2017-04-19T20:18:00Z")
The first time women had a pole vault event at the Olympics was in a year that started with a “2”. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/17 "2017-04-20T21:58:18Z")
So, here is a related question: Olympic cycling - why is there a difference between the men’s and women’s road race distances, as well as the men’s and women’s time trial? I get why they would not have a co-ed competition, but it’s not like the women cannot cover the same distance as the men and be competitive with each other. Anyone know? From Rio 2016: [Men’s Road Race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_individual_road_race) - 150 miles [Women’s Road Race](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_individual_road_race) - 87.6 miles [Men’s Time Trial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men%27s_road_time_trial) - 34 miles [Women’s Time Trial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Women%27s_road_time_trial) - 18.5 miles It’s not like they lower the basketball net or stretch the soccer goal for women, so why the handicap for cycling? I am asking as it seems to be related to the whole “women are weaker” nonsense, but perhaps there is a good reason for the disparity. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2017, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/forgotten-history-women-couldnt-run-boston-marathon/784718/18 "2017-04-21T02:58:45Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I’ve definitely lifted something up and hurt my “insides” before. Felt kinda like being kicked in the crotch, but not as bad, and no pain on the outside. From what you’ve conveyed here, I don’t think you’ll ever be able to have a babby.☹