Last year Grace interviewed several amazing runners for a class assignment, I keep meaning to post it and it came up in our girls reflection meeting.

There is a video compilation, then the full interviews are also linked:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E4aUDFjy_40NTU0yHWo3yfIWOwNRdy6teCrs0Be4QOg/edit?tab=t.0

Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967. After being attacked by a race official, Jock Semple, photos of Switzer were shown everywhere and exposed the harsh world of women’s distance running. Switzer has gone on to help the sport of women’s running grow. She helped conduct studies on women’s running and has created running programs like the former Avon International Running Circuit and 261 Fearless, all programs to help women run.

Joan (Benoit) Samuelson was the first woman to win an Olympic Marathon, winning gold in the 1984 Women’s Olympic Marathon. Alongside that, Samuelson won the first ever Women’s Olympic Trials and held the American women’s marathon record for many years. Since then, Samuelson has gone on to create races and inspire many other famous women to pursue the sport of distance running. Samuelson continues to run and is constantly giving back to the sport of running.

Anne Audain is known as the first ever professional woman distance runner. Born with a bone deformity in both of her feet and going through corrective surgery at the age of 14, Audain was able to prove at a young age what women could do as runners. Audain ran in Cross Country and Track World Championships, the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics. Audain helped revolutionize the sport of road racing, helping to get amateur athletes paid. Audain is the previous record holder in the 5,000m.

Camille Estes is a lifelong runner and has helped grow many running businesses. Estes was a collegiate runner at a time when many girls and women didn’t pursue sports traditionally participated by men. Estes has competed in and won many races in the Louisville area, including the mini marathon and Triple Crown. Estes is also an entrepreneur in the running world. Alongside her husband Jim Estes, Camille helped run the Louisville Fleet Feet for many years.

Deena Kastor is the former American women’s marathon record holder and bronze medalist in the Women’s Olympic Marathon. From a young age, Kastor pursued running, eventually pursuing a career as a professional woman distance runner. Kastor would eventually become a famous distance runner, eventually focusing her career on longer distances like the marathon. While competing in other Olympics, Kastor would place bronze in the 2004 Athens Women’s Olympic Marathon. Kasotor would be the first woman to break Joan Samuelson’s American women’s marathon record.

Jenny Simpson is a current women’s American distance runner. From a young age, Simpson decided to run and proved to be a very successful runner. Simpson is a 1500m runner, while also competing in the 3,000m steeplechase. Simpson has meddled in the 1500m several times in large scale events like the Track and Field World Championships and the Olympics. Most recently, Simpson has begun her descent into the higher end of distance running by running the 2024 Boston Marathon.

Kiera D’Amato is a current women’s American distance runner and is the former American women’s marathon record holder. Starting out running as a young girl, then becoming a collegiate athlete, and getting back into running as an adult, D’Amato has become a large part of the world of modern women’s distance running. At the 2022 Houston Marathon, D’Amato broke the women’s American marathon record. Recently, D’Amato ran in the Olympic Trials and plans on competing in the 10,000m.