32 Facts About Kathrine Switzer

Kathrine Virginia Switzer was born on January 5,1947 and is an American marathon runner, author, and television commentator.

Kathrine Switzer was born in Amberg, Germany, the daughter of a major in the United States Army.

Kathrine Switzer's family returned to the United States in 1949.

Kathrine Switzer graduated from George C Marshall High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, then attended Lynchburg College.

Kathrine Switzer transferred to Syracuse University in 1967, where she studied journalism and English literature.

Kathrine Switzer earned a bachelor's degree there in 1968 and a master's degree in 1972.

Kathrine Switzer finished with a time of 3:21:40, ahead of two-thirds of the runners.

Kathrine Switzer had decided that she would run as an official competitor despite the prohibitions.

Kathrine Switzer registered using her assigned AAU number, and paid the full race fee.

Kathrine Switzer had a male runner collect her bib - number 261 - before the race.

Kathrine Switzer's father was supportive of his daughter's entry into the race, and on race day, other runners assembling for the start greeted her with support and enthusiasm, leading her to feel "very welcome".

Kathrine Switzer ran among others from her running club, including coach Arnie Briggs and her boyfriend Tom Miller.

Kathrine Switzer did much of the actual organizing of the race, processed most of the applications, and wrangled the mob of runners to the start of the course on race day.

Kathrine Switzer was a strict traditionalist who considered the Marathon to be "sacred," and was well known in Marathon circles for his custom of charging angrily after participants he found insufficiently serious about the race.

Semple charged at Kathrine Switzer and tried to rip her numbered bib off of her running clothes, to prevent her from continuing as an official competitor.

Kathrine Switzer finished the marathon in approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes.

The symbolism of Kathrine Switzer's escape from Semple's charge far overshadowed the success of Bobbi Gibb, who ran the race for the second time and was the first woman to cross the 1967 finish line, with a time almost an hour faster than Kathrine Switzer's.

Semple later claimed that Kathrine Switzer had been issued a number through an "oversight" in the entry screening process.

Kathrine Switzer was the women's winner of the 1974 New York City Marathon, with a time of 3:07:29.

Kathrine Switzer was named Female Runner of the Decade by Runner's World Magazine.

Kathrine Switzer later became a television commentator for marathons, starting with the 1984 Olympic women's marathon, and received an Emmy Award for her work.

Kathrine Switzer wrote Running and Walking for Women over 40 in 1997.

Kathrine Switzer released her memoir, Marathon Woman, in April 2007, on the 40th anniversary of her first running of the Boston Marathon.

Kathrine Switzer has said that when she attends the Boston Marathon, she is glad to see other female runners:.

Kathrine Switzer was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 2011 for creating a social revolution by empowering women around the world through running.

In 2015, Kathrine Switzer launched a global non-profit called 261 Fearless with an ambassador program, club training system, and events.

Kathrine Switzer was placed in wave 1 and corral 1 and finished in 4:44:31.

In May 2018, Kathrine Switzer was the commencement speaker at the 164th commencement of Syracuse University, and received an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree.

In 1968, Kathrine Switzer married Tom Miller, the man who had put an end to Semple's attack in 1967.

Kathrine Switzer subsequently married and divorced public relations executive Philip Schaub.

Kathrine Switzer then married British-born New Zealand runner and author Roger Robinson in 1987.

Kathrine Switzer eventually made amends with Semple after he changed his mind with regard to women in sports.