Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford Run, Switzer, Run: The Women who Broke the Marathon Taboo (Classic)
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Apr 17, 2026 A romp through the marathon’s strange history and the myths that kept women off the start line. The story of Kathrine Switzer’s flagged entry and the official who tried to stop her. A secret, unnumbered run that quietly proved the point. How women’s times have closed the gap and why longer races now favor different strengths.
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The Spine Race's Brutal Winter Test
- The spine race is a brutal 268‑mile winter ultramarathon along the Pennine Way with heavy attrition; in 2012 only 3 of 11 finished.
- Jasmine Paris, a breastfeeding mother, entered in 2019 with a GPS tracker and emergency button among 100+ entrants.
Kathrine Switzer Defies Boston Officials
- Kathrine Switzer secretly registered and ran the 1967 Boston Marathon wearing K. V. Switzer and number 261.
- At four miles an official tried to rip her number off and was body‑checked by her boyfriend Big Tom, creating an iconic photograph that galvanized change.
Verify Rules Before You Assume You Can't Enter
- Check formal rules before entering an event because absence of explicit prohibition can allow unexpected entry.
- Switzer and coach Arnie verified the Boston rulebook found nothing forbidding women, so she registered as K. V. Switzer.