News
JoggingBuddy interviews Kathrine Switzer the marathon woman
04 October, 2010
Q - Kathrine, you have been such a great inspiration for lots of women in particular - where do you draw your inspiration from?
LOTS OF PLACES--OTHER ATHLETES, GREEK HEROES, AND NATURE ITSELF. IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL TO RUN AND SUCH A PRIVILEGE THAT I TREASURE THE GIFT. ALSO, WHEN I SEE WOMEN 'DISCOVER' RUNNING, AND HELP THEM TO DO THAT, I AM ALWAYS INSPIRED TO SEE THE POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION THAT THEY HAVE IN THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF IT; IT ALWAYS THRILLS ME AND MAKES ALL THE WORK WORTHWHILE.
Q - You have had many successes, what sticks out in your mind as the best?
LEADING THE DRIVE TO GET THE WOMEN'S MARATHON INTO THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN 1984. IT WAS THE GLOBAL SERIES OF 400 RACES IN 27 COUNTRIES THAT I CONCEIVED, ORGANIZED AND FOUND SPONSORSHIP FOR THAT GOT THOSE WOMEN ON THE ROAD, GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY, AND THEN WE COULD USE THOSE NUMBERS AND DATA TO CONVINCE THE IOC. THE AVON INTERNATIONAL RUNNING CIRCUIT WAS IT'S NAME AND THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. I THINK GETTING THE WOMEN'S MARTHON INTO THE OLYMPICS IS THE PHYSICAL EQUIVILENT OF GIVING WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
Q - How do you manage to keep so fit? is it all down to training?
YEP. THE MORE YOU DO THE MORE YOU CAN DO. BUT REALLY I JUST TRY TO RUN 5 TIMES A WEEK, ABOUT AN HOUR EACH TIME AND DO A LONG RUN --OVER AN HOUR--ONCE A WEEK. IT'S REALLY AMAZING HOW THAT JUST DOES IT. I COULD DO MORE AND SHOULD BUT I'D RATHER WRITE ANOTHER BOOK.
Q - Your have launched and updated your book "Marathon Woman" recently; tell us about the book!
THE BOOK IS A MEMOIR OF MY LIFE, UP TO GETTING THE WOMEN'S MARATHON INTO THE OLYMPICS IN 1984. IT IS POIGNANT, INSPIRATIONAL, AND VERY FUNNY TOO. ALSO FRANK AND INFORMATIVE AND A LITTLE SEXY. IT WON A BILLIE AWARD FOR JOURNALISM ALSO BECAUSE IT CAPTURED A VERY IMPORTANT ERA IN WOMEN'S RUNNING--FROM THE DARK AGES INTO THE OLYMPIC STADIUM. MEN ARE LIKING MY BOOK A LOT TOO BECAUSE IT IS FUNNY AND FRANK AND TALKS ABOUT LIFE, NOT JUST TRAINING, BUT HOW HARD IT IS AT TIMES TO DO IT ALL, AND I'M GETTING WONDERFUL FAN MAIL FROM PEOPLE, MEN ARE THE MOST SURPRISED BECAUSE IT IS NOT A 'GIRLIE' BOOK.
Q - Our website has members from a huge background - some are just starting out, others are experienced Marathon runners or indeed veterans of Ultra marathons; what advice would you give them?
YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT, LOVE THE PROCESS. THE RACE IS JUST THE FROSTING ON THE CAKE, BUT EMBRACING NATURE, ALL WEATHER CODITIONS, AND TAKING SHEER JOY FROM THE CAPACITY OF HUMAN ACHIEVMENT IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
Q - Some of our members have set themselves targets - "to run the first ever 5K" or "to finish a marathon in under 3hrs 30mins" - whats your next challenge?
I RAN MY FIRST 26.2 MILE/42.2 KM DISTANCE IN 34 YEARS IN MARCH IN A DIFFICULT OFF-ROAD RACE IN THE SOUTHERN ALPS OF NEW ZEALAND--28 RIVER CROSSIGS! IT WAS ASTONISHING AND OPENED MY EYES HUGELY EVEN THOUGH I'VE RUN ALL MY LIFE. NOW THE CHALLENGE IS TO RUN MARATHON TO ATHENS --THE CLASSIC ATHENS MARATHON--ON OCT.31 IN CELEBRATION OF THE 2,500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF MARATHON, WHICH BEGAN IT ALL. MY CHALLENGE IS TO DO IT ON THE ROAD. I DO MOST OF MY TRAINING NOW OFF-ROAD WHICH HAS HELPED ME RUN FOR 50 YEARS, SO NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GET USED TO A HARD SURFACE AGAIN. WATCH THIS SPACE!!
Q - Finally, JoggingBuddy.com is all about encouraging people to meet up and go running together; if you could run with any celebrity, who would it be and why?
EMIL ZATOPEK. I'VE MET HIM A FEW TIMES THANK GOD, HE IS SUCH A HERO TO ME, TO MEET HIM BEFORE HE DIED--BUT HE IS A MAN WHO KNEW IT WAS ALL ABOUT TRAINING AND WAS WILLING TO SUFFER FOR IT, AND SUFFERED IN LIFE, BUT ALWAYS CAME UP SMILING. I ADORED HIM.
WWW.MARATHONWOMAN.COM