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Kathrine Switzer
Chronological Biography Summary
Highlights: (note: any external links open in a new window)
| 2004: | - 25th consecutive year of work as TV commentator for WBZ-TV's live coverage of the Boston Marathon
- For inaugural MORE Magazine Marathon for women over 40, served along with Grete Waitz as event spokesperson
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| 2003: |
- Received Abebe Bikila Award from the New York Road Runners for global contribution to running
- Received Pioneer in Sport and Entertainment Award from University of South Carolina's College of Sport and Entertainment Marketing
- Inducted into the Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame, Kingston, RI
- Completed 19 consecutive years of TV commentary for the Pittsburgh Marathon, 13 consecutive years for the Los Angeles Marathon, and 15 various years for the New York City Marathon
- Avon Running events continue in 9 countries
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| 2002: | Named one of the four "Visionaries of the Century" by Runner's World magazine |
| 2002-03: | Served as Director of Women's Health and Fitness for RYKA athletic footwear |
| 200l: | Avon Running Global Championship in Budapest, Hungary, has 17,700 women participants |
| 2000: | Received Fred Lebow Award from the Road Runners Club of America for contribution to women's running in U.S.A. |
| 1998: | Inducted into the National Distance Running Hall of Fame, Utica, NY. Inaugural Class |
| 1998: | Authored Running and Walking for Women Over 40…the Road to Sanity and Vanity (St. Martin's Griffin, St. Martin's Press) |
| 1997: | Won Emmy Award for her part of Los Angeles Marathon KCOP-TV broadcast team |
| 1997-2003: | Program Director, Avon Running Global Women's Circuit. Launched $5 million 15-country program in 9 months |
| 1988-96: | AtAlanta Sports Promotions established as event promotion and destination / tourism marketing consultant in New Zealand as well as USA |
| 1988: | Served as on-air commentator for Seoul, Korea Olympics for TV New Zealand and Asian Broadcasting Union |
| 1987: | Married Roger Robinson,PhD, record-setting age group runner, author, professor, and TV commentator, Wellington, New Zealand |
| 1986: | Began living part -time in New Zealand |
| 1985: | - Received a New York State Regents Medal of Excellence for life accomplishments
- Induced into the Halls of Fame of Syracuse University, Lynchburg College and the Road Runners Club of America
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| 1984: | First Women's Olympic Marathon, Los Angeles
- Broadcast first women's USA Olympic Marathon Trials (Olympia, WA) and the first women's Olympic Marathon Race (Los Angeles) for ABC-TV Network
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| 1983: | Awarded Life Citation Award from California National Bank for spearheading the women's Olympic marathon effort. |
| 1982: | - Formed own company, AtAltanta Sports Promotions, Inc.
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Avon Running Events in 21 countries
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| 1981-86: | Served as a Trustee of the Women's Sports Foundation |
| 1981: | - Successfully lobbied International Olympic Committee (IOC) for inclusion of women's marathon event in the Olympic Games. Avon Running events in 14 counties
- Received Billie Jean King Award from the Women's Sports Foundation for organizing work leading to the women's marathon being made an official Olympic event
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| 1980: | Closed downtown London, England streets for first time in history for a sports event with her Avon International Marathon. This was the pivotal event in securing the women's marathon as an official event in the Olympic Games in 1984. It was also the prototype for what is now the great annual London Marathon |
| 1980: | - Avon Running events in nine countries.
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In her PBS coverage of Boston Marathon, interviewed the infamous Rosie Ruiz and revealed her as a cheat on national television
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| 1979: | - Avon Running events in three countries; Avon International Marathon staged in Waldniel, Germany
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Served as commentator for first TV broadcast of a marathon in the USA, for PBS (WGBH-TV) coverage of the Boston Marathon
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| 1978: | Staged first Avon International Marathon in Atlanta, GA, a women's only marathon that was a "substitute" Olympic marathon, and featured 18 of the world's top 20 women runners |
| 1977-86: | Founded and directed the Avon International Running Circuit |
| 1976: | - Named Runner of the Decade ('66-'76) by Runner's World Magazine
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Named Woman Distance Runner of the Year by the Road Runners Club of America, by the Road Runners Club of New York City, and by the Metropolitan New York Athletics Congress
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| 1975: | Finished 2nd in Boston Marathon, and first American woman in personal best 2:51.37; ranking 3rd. all time in USA and 6th in world |
| 1974: | - Finished 5th in Boston Marathon in 3:01:39
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Won the New York City Marathon in 3:07. It is the largest margin of victory in the history of the NYC Marathon: 27 minutes!
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| 1974: | Won the New York City Marathon. |
| 1973: | - Finished 4th in Boston Marathon in 3:20:30
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Obtained first corporate sponsor for the New York City Marathon (Olympic Airways); finished 2nd in the race
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| 1973-1977: | Coordinator, Special Events and Public Relations, AMF Incorporated, White Plains, NY |
| 1972: | - Women made official in Boston Marathon; Switzer finishes 3rd in 3:29.51
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With Fred Lebow and Nina Kuscsik, Switzer is a founder of the first ever women's road race in the USA, the Crazylegs Mini Marathon, 6 miles, Central Park, New York City. (Now the New York Mini Marathon)
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Received Master's Degree in Public Relations from Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
- Worked as 'stringer' for New York Daily News, Munich Olympic Games
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| 1971: | Finished 3rd in Boston Marathon in 3:28 |
| 1970: | Finished 5th in Boston Marathon in 3:34 |
| 1968-1972: | Worked as editor of company newspaper for Bristol Laboratories, division of Bristol Myers, Syracuse, NY |
| 1968: | Graduated, Syracuse University, dual degree in Journalism (from Newhouse School of Journalism) and English, (from College of Arts and Sciences) |
| 1967: | Ran the Boston Marathon as the first official female entrant |
| 1966-68: | Student at Syracuse University; trained with men's cross country and track team, wrote sports for student newspaper. |
| 1964-66: | Student at Lynchburg College, Lynchburg, VA, captained field hockey team, played basketball and lacrosse, ran officially for men's track team in spring 1966, was sports editor of student newspaper |
| 1964: | Graduated, George C. Marshall High School, Falls Church, VA. Played field hockey and basketball, was sports and news editor of high school newspaper |
| 1959: | Began running one mile a day at age 12 |
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