Catch the "Spirit of the Marathon"
Friday January 18, 2008
If you're looking for some inspiration to run, why not check out "Spirit of the Marathon", the award-winning film by director Jon Dunham? The film follow six runners, as each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the 2005 Chicago Marathon. It makes its nationwide premiere next week, on Thursday, January 24, and will be showing for one night only. Visit the "Spirit of the Marathon" website to find theaters near you and purchase tickets.
Want to run your own marathon?
The movie “Spirit of the marathon” gives the impression Katherine Switzer was the first woman to run the Boston marathon, which is incorrect. The first woman to run Boston was Roberta Gibb in 1966.
Hi Brian, Thanks for your comment. I agree that they did make it seem as if Switzer were the first woman to run it because they didn’t mention Gibb. I think they said something like, ‘She was the first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon’ – which is true because Gibb ran it unofficially. She did not have a bib for any of three years that she ran it (1966-68). In 1967, Switzer registered for the race (under the name K.V. Switzer so officials didn’t know she was a woman), so she was the first woman to run it with an official race number.
I really enjoyed seeing all the old photos and footage from the Boston Marathons — very cool!
Actually, they say in the film that Kathrine was a women’s running pioneer which is completely accurate. It was never said in the film that Kathrine was the FIRST to run Boston.