“I hadn’t intended to make a feminist statement. I was running against the distance not the men and I was measuring myself with my own potential.” –Roberta Gibb, marathon runner
On August 8, 2012 Sarah Attar became the first woman from Saudi Arabia to compete in track and field at the Olympics. Her performance reminds us all that women were not always allowed to participate in running events, and many women still do not have the freedom to do so today.
Grete Waitz
It was only about 40 years ago when women were banned from competing in marathons internationally. That’s right, no Olympic marathon for women—men only. Women were forbidden to participate in the Boston Marathon until 1972. Back then women were discriminated against and ridiculed for running. In the 1960 Olympics in Rome, the longest distance women were allowed to race was 800 meters (wow a whole two laps). They did not think women could physically run farther, believing it was just too exhausting and debilitating for their bodies.
Women like Roberta Gibb, the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon, did not let rules stop her. In 1966 she crashed the marathon by hiding behind a bush at the start and jumping into the race. She passed 290 men in that race. Katherine Switzer who had entered the Boston Marathon in 1967 under her initials, was assaulted during the race by an event director who tied to push her out of the race. In the same race, Roberta Gibb was pushed off the course just moments before she crossed the finish line.
It was the bold and courageous actions of women like Roberta Gibb and Katherine Switzer that brought women’s running into the public eye and ignited a movement toward equality for women in racing. They disproved a belief that society held for years: that women could not outrun males. But the beautiful thing is that they did not put in hours of hard work and run as many miles as they did in the pursuit of outdoing men. No, every mile was for them because they loved running and they wanted to see how far they could take their bodies.
By shattering records and earning Olympic medals, other women like Sara Berman, Nina Kuscik, Grete Waitz, and Joan Bernoit have changed women’s running. It is their accomplishments that have changed the rules, allowing women to be included in distance races, to run farther, to run in their own categories and age groups just like men, and to enjoy the freedom, power, and confidence running can give a woman.
The advancement of women’s inclusion and participation in athletics teaches us one thing. The fight for equality for men and women cannot be done without a little rebellion. If we want change, we need fearless women who not only dream big but also chase after them with guts and determination.
Sources:
http://www.runlikeagirlfilm.com/history.php
http://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/chapter25.cfm
http://jezebel.com/5161046/running-with-cervixes-women-overcome-hurdles
http://running.competitor.com/2011/04/features/losing-a-legend-remembering-grete-waitz_25632
http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=11726&PageNum=1
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