Marathon Woman

I first read about Kathrine Switzer while scrolling through Pinterest. That horrific picture of Jock Semple trying to pull her off the Boston race brought me to a puddle of tears. I was at work and had to leave my desk to calm myself. At the time, I was training to run my first half marathon, and running had brought me a lot of relief to stress at work and at home, and imagining somebody trying to take that away from me broke me. I read up her story on Wikipedia, but it didn't occur to me to look up her book at the time.
 

 

I ordered the book from Amazon when I saw the recommendation on Wendy's blog.

Source : Runner's World

I have read 5 running books, with Born to Run being my favorite to this date. But some felt forced; like Frank Shorter's, which was recommended by NPR.

As soon as I started reading Marathon Woman, the book felt easy to read, and very well written. Ms. Switzer gives great details on how she started running, and leading up to the excitement of running Boston, several times.

This book had what I wanted in other running books, the story of how she started running, why she wanted to run the marathon, and great detailed recaps on her training and her races, also how it affected her life and her personal relationships... I need those juicy bits that keep it all more realistic.

Source

 
When the book arrived, I set it on the table and my son saw it and wanted to know why those men were pulling on the girl. I explained to him what was happening in the photo ( my son has been told the prestige and honor of running Boston for at least 3 years now, so he very well understands what Boston Marathon means ) and he wanted to know why she wasn't allowed to run, and couldn't believe that she wasn't allowed to run, because she was a woman. Then, one night, when reading with my son, he asked me to read him the part of Ms. Switzer being pulled from the marathon.

I had already read the part where Jock Semple and Will Clooney tried to pull her off the race, before reading it to my son, but it made me very emotional again, and I fought off tears while reading it to him.

The entire book was filled with moments that made me teary eyed. From the struggle of acceptance of women at races, her fight to get the Olympic games to add Women's marathon, and her quest to complete the marathon under 3 hours.

The book was amazing! there wasn't a single part that I felt was dragging, and it kept me trying to find time to read it.

I listened to her interview on Another Mother Runner, in which she said that they are auctioning the rights for a movie. How amazing would that be!!

Did you ever see the pictures of Ms. Switzer being pulled off the race?
Have you read other running books?