She Became the First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon in 1967. Now, at Age 79, She Still Runs Up to 40 Miles a Week (Exclusive)
She Became the First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon in 1967. Now, at Age 79, She Still Runs Up to 40 Miles a Week (Exclusive)
Meredith WilshereSun, April 19, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC
0
Kathrine SwitzerCredit: AP Photo/Mary Schwalm -
Kathrine Switzer made history in 1967 as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon at just 20 years old
Switzer, now 79, tells PEOPLE she continues to run 30 to 40 miles a week and still advocates for accessible running for all
Switzer's nonprofit, 261 Fearless, empowers women globally through running
Kathrine Switzer made history by running, and she doesn't plan to stop any time soon.
Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967, has dedicated her life to furthering access to women's running and tells PEOPLE that, at age 79, she still runs "30 to 40 miles" a week.
While it's not always easy, she does it anyway.
"Every day, I always think there's something more important that I need to do," she says. "I start thinking about it, and I say, 'You're always better after the run. You're always better. You can sleep better, plan better and work better. You're always better.' "
Although Switzer says she has been dealing with some health "setbacks" and "had to cut back" on her mileage, she notes that it's "really important" for her to run as much as she can.
Kathrine SwitzerCredit: Paul J. Connell/The Boston Globe via Getty
She emphasizes that making time to get physical exercise isn't "an indulgence, it's a necessity."
"Put on your shoes and get the hell out of the door," she says.
She notes, however, that it's important to "make it as accessible as possible," since people often "put off the things" that require extra time or effort.
"Just go out the door — even if you're in the city or whatever — it's okay. Just get outside," Switzer shares.
Switzer is a beacon of hope for many, as her work and advocacy helped break boundaries for women in running. Five years after she first ran the Boston Marathon, the organization finally permitted women to compete in the race in 1972.
However, Switzer felt like there still weren't many opportunities for women to participate in running events.
She concluded that "other women weren't in the race because they hadn't had the opportunity to realize themselves."
In 1977, as a director of the Women's Sports Foundation, she met an Avon executive who told her the company was interested in sponsoring a women's running event and asked for her thoughts.
Advertisement
Kathrine Switzer
She wrote a proposal for the company, detailing what it would take to create a program that could enact actual change. She was then hired by Avon as its Global Running Ambassador and played a pivotal role in advancing the company's long-standing commitment to women's health and empowerment.
Through her leadership, Switzer helped expand Avon's international running programs, including the Avon International Running Circuit, the largest women's running series in the world at the time, which raised awareness and funds for breast cancer and critical causes affecting women.
Her work with Avon International Running Circuit led to the women's marathon being included in the 1984 Olympic Games. Throughout her life, she had dedicated herself to ensuring there was space for women to run and creating it where there wasn't any.
In 2015, Switzer launched a global nonprofit called 261 Fearless. Through the global nonprofit, she continues her mission of building a worldwide community that uses running as a vehicle to empower women of all backgrounds to realize their strength — physically, mentally and socially.
This year, Avon is back, sponsoring 261 Fearless runners at the 2026 Boston Marathon, and continuing its work with Switzer to make women's running more accessible and visible.
Switzer tells PEOPLE it's been "very gratifying, thrilling, actually, and stunning" to see the lifelong impact her work has had, even for those who weren't yet born during her iconic marathon or the 1984 Olympics.
"People who weren't even born have this huge sense of gratitude. The fan mail is really cute, sometimes from little kids and even from adults, saying, 'I was 14 when I watched it on TV. I'll never forget that moment' or something like that," Switzer shares.
"Or even that it's just a simple letter, saying, 'Running has changed my life and it would never have happened without you,' which is not true. I mean, it would have happened somehow... I was just maybe ahead of that time," she says.
Kathrine SwitzerCredit: Bettmann
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
When asked if she has any advice for women or other people who are showing up in spaces they've never seen themselves represented in before, Switzer, of course, thinks the best time to plan is while out pounding the pavement.
"First of all, I always tell them, 'Go out and get exercise every day, whether they walk or run, if it can please be outside some of it. You've got to get the air and the nature around you," she tells PEOPLE.
"During that time — because I find it very creative, instead of sitting around moping — I decide which space I can be in. What does it take to get there?" she continues. "Let's work on two or three things, or even one or two things. It could be, 'I'm going to talk to somebody who's in that space. Maybe I can get in that space.' Read a lot and watch people that you admire, seriously admire for the right reasons, look at their histories, and maybe say, 'Can I do that, or what's the parallel for me?' "
Switzer is proof that progress happens when you start by putting one foot in front of the other.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
