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Kathrine Switzer Biography

Kathrine Switzer

Kathrine Virginia "Kathy" Switzer (born January 5, 1947, in Amberg, Germany) is an American marathon runner, author, and television commentator.

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Kathrine Switzer Quotes

Talent is everywhere, it only needs the opportunity.

Leadership, Needs, Opportunity, Sports, Talent

Jock Semple and I were at daggers drawn for five years, even though I kind of forgave him from the get-go. I knew he was an over-stressed race director, I knew he was protecting his race. It took five years because we had to do our homework - meaning we women - we did our legislative work and we officially got into the Boston Marathon. Then, all was forgiven by Jock Semple.

Boston, Forgiven, Homework, Race, Work, Years

I organized this global series of races. The data from those races, along with the tremendous amount of lobbying and meetings with federations, convinced the IOC. We got the women's marathon in the Olympic Games in 1984. That was my dream.

1984, Amount, Data, Dream, Games, Race

Most people don't know this but over the course of time, the official of the race in 1967 in Boston, who attacked me Jock Semple and I became very good friends. That gave me a whole new perspective on forgiveness.

Became, Boston, Good Friend, People, Race, Whole

Women is out because she's getting in her daily dose of empowerment, freedom and fearlessness. She has put on her freedom wings for 20 minutes or two hours. That's going to make her whole day right and her whole future hold up and seem entirely possible. The sense of her not having any limits, or any restrictions, to me, is so liberating. She doesn't have to prove anything.

Empowerment, Having, Limits, Sense, Two, Wings

There is an expression among even the most advanced runners that getting your shoes on is the hardest part of any workout

Motivational, Part, Runners, Running, Workout

When I was first running marathons, we were sailing on a flat earth. We were afraid we'd get big legs, grow mustaches, not get boyfriends, not be able to have babies. Women thought that something would happen to them, that they'd break down or turn into men, something shadowy, when they were only limited by their own society's sense of limitations.

Baby, Grow, Running, Sports, Thought, Turn

I don't have any kids of my own, quite by choice. There are two reasons for that. One, I had a sense of obligation for what my life would be and a vision of how to get that accomplished and it didn't include children. It's not that I don't like them, it's just that if you have them, they deserve 100 per cent of your attention.

Children, Choice, Kids, Life, Two

I forgave Jock Semple his action on Boston race just around the time I got to Heartbreak Hill. I had 24 miles to go and you cannot run 24 miles and stay angry. That's the truth. When we go out and we're mad at our boss or mad at the world, when we run, we get it out of our system.

Boston, Heartbreak, Mad, Race, Running

Jock Semple and I began appearing at speeches together and he came up to me on the start line in 1973 and planted a big kiss on my cheek. He said in his Scottish brogue: "Come on lass, let's get a wee bit of notoriety. " He never said he was sorry but that was his way of saying it, I'm sure.

Came, Kissing, Scottish, Sorry, Together

I could feel my anger dissipating as the miles went by--you can't run and stay mad!

Mad, Miles, Run, Running, Stay

At the finish line of the 1967 Boston Marathon, one crabby journalist said it was just a one-off deal and women weren't going to run. Only a 20-year-old who had just run a marathon and was shot full of endorphin would say this but I said that there's going to come a day in our lives when women's running is as popular and as men's.

Boston, Men, Popular, Run, Running, Said

When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to become a better athlete because my first marathon was 4:20. In those days, that was considered a jogging time and I knew people were going to tease me. But I was more fascinated with what women could do if they only had the chance.

Athlete, Boston, Days, Finished, Race, Women

1967 race in Boston changed not just my life, but millions of women's lives. There are also things that, when you get older, resonate more.

Boston, Changed, Race, Things

When I forgave Jock Semple on Heartbreak Hill, I also got really cross with women. I couldn't understand why they didn't get it, why they didn't know that running was so cool and why they weren't in the race as well. Then I thought to myself "How stupid can you be? You've had so much encouragement and motivation and these women haven't. "

Cool, Encouragement, Hill, Motivation, Running, Semple

When I go to the Boston Marathon now, I have wet shoulders—women fall into my arms crying. They're weeping for joy because running has changed their lives. They feel they can do anything.

Boston, Fall, Joy, Marathon, Running

Life is for participating, not for spectating.

Life, Life Is, Marathon, Participating, Spectating

Triumph over adversity that's what the marathon is all about. Nothing in life can't triumph after that

Adversity, Marathon, Nothing, Triumph

A picture, of Jock Semple kissed me,appeared in The New York Times the next day after Boston Marathon in 1973, and the caption was "The end of an era. "

1973, Boston, Jock, New York, Next Day, York

When I got the women's marathon into the Olympics and we had races all over the world I thought, 'That's great, now we're heading towards total equality. ' Then you see that there are women who are still not allowed to drive, get an education, or travel unless they have a male companion or can't carry their passport. There are those who are mired with incredible poverty in North Africa, the mid-east, South East Asia and there's a ridiculous amount of human trafficking.

Amount, Asia, Education, Olympics, Race, Women

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