Kathrine Switzer shares her 2018 running goal
Kathrine Switzer just turned 71 and announced her running goal for 2018
Kathrine Switzer, arguably the most inspirational woman in the running world, has yet another big running goal she’s setting out to achieve. For most, January is the time for goal setting, self-evaluation and revamping the running routine. It’s important to note that elites and running icons do the exact same thing.
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Switzer, who is most famously known for being the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon with an official bib, recently turned 71 and she has her heart set on running another marathon in 2018 – and it’s a big one. In a recent interview with Runner’s World, she revealed that she will be training for and running the London Marathon.
Not only is the London Marathon a big deal in the running scene (it’s a prestigious, well-attended race and one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors) but Switzer also has a personal connection. As an advocate for female runners, Switzer has spent much of her life making the sport more friendly for women. In 1980, she put on an Avon Marathon in London. “But I’ve never run it myself,” she told Runner’s World.
Her most recent marathon was the New York City Marathon which she ran this past fall. Prior to that, Switzer ran the Boston Marathon last spring as a way to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of the day she took to the course despite the fact that women were not allowed to run.
Switzer has made her whole career about bettering the lives of other women. Her organization 261 Fearless (the name is a nod to her bib number from the 1967 Boston Marathon) is an initiative that seeks to empower women and give them the confidence to take control of their lives through the freedom that running grants. She will continue to grow this community in 2018.
One final goal that she shared in the interview: “And, of course, to run until I drop.”
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