Lauren HollandBy Lauren Holland

Updated November 2026

The first female marathon runner is generally recognized as Kathrine Switzer, who ran the Boston Marathon in 1967 as an official entrant under the initials “K.V. Switzer.” Before that, women had run the distance unofficially and without bibs, and at least one woman, Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb, finished Boston in 1966 without registering. Switzer’s race is the one most often cited because it was the first with an official number and a documented finish.

Why the Answer Is Not as Simple as One Name

Ask who was the first female marathon runner and you will get more than one answer, depending on what counts as “official.” Marathon racing as an organized sport was built around men, and for much of the twentieth century women were barred from entering. Several women covered the distance in races where no one checked their entries or recorded their times properly. Their performances were real, but the records were incomplete.

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Two points matter here. First, the distance itself was not limited to men; the modern 26.2-mile marathon was standardized in 1921, and women were running long road races well before any rules said they could not. Second, the question of “first” depends on whether you mean first to finish, first to be officially recognized, or first to win. Each has a different answer, and sports historians tend to separate them.

The Factors That Shaped Women’s Entry Into the Marathon

Several factors determined when women could enter and be timed in official marathons:

  • Entry rules. Many races required entrants to be men or to be registered through clubs that excluded women. Boston’s rules were not changed to admit women until 1972, after Switzer’s race had already made headlines.
  • Medical and physiological myths. Early claims that long distance was dangerous for women were used to justify exclusion. Those claims were not supported by evidence, and women’s endurance performances in later decades disproved them.
  • Timing and bib systems. Official results depended on numbered bibs and checkpoints. Runners without numbers, like Gibb in 1966, could finish but could not be placed in the official record.
  • Organized women’s events. The first women-only marathons and the creation of women’s divisions in mainstream races were key steps toward recognition.

What Happened After 1967 and Why It Matters

Switzer’s race drew public attention when a race official tried to pull her from the course. Her male companions pushed the official aside and she finished. The incident was widely reported and helped build support for opening the sport to women. The Olympic marathon for women was not added until 1984, when Joan Benoit Samuelson won the first women’s Olympic gold in that event.

If you want to see how that history shaped current events, our feature on First Female Marathon Winner: Who She Was and How Women’s Racing Changed covers the winners and the rule changes that followed. For the specific race that opened the door, Who Was the First Woman to Run a Marathon? Kathrine Switzer’s 1967 Race goes deeper into the day itself.

How to Research Marathon History Accurately

If you are writing about this topic, citing a school project, or simply curious, a few steps will keep you from repeating myths:

  1. Start with the official results archive of the race in question. Check whether the runner had a bib number and an official finish time.
  2. Separate “first to run” from “first officially recorded.” Those are different claims with different sources.
  3. Look for contemporary newspaper coverage from the year of the race, not only later retellings.
  4. Note the distinction between the marathon as a distance and the modern standardized course, which affects comparisons across eras.
  5. Check race organizers’ own histories, since many have published detailed accounts of early women’s participation.

Was Bobbi Gibb the first woman to run Boston?

Bobbi Gibb ran the Boston Marathon in 1966 and is often credited as the first woman to finish it, though she ran without an official bib. Switzer is recognized as the first official woman entrant in 1967.

Did women run marathons before 1967?

Yes. Women ran long road races and unofficial marathons earlier in the century, but most were not recorded in official results, which is why historians focus on documented races.

When did women first compete in the Olympic marathon?

The women’s Olympic marathon was first held at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, and Joan Benoit Samuelson won the gold medal.

Why is Kathrine Switzer so well known?

Her 1967 Boston race was photographed and reported widely, including the attempt to remove her from the course. That moment made her a central figure in the fight for women’s inclusion.

Where can I find verified marathon results from the 1960s?

Race organizers’ historical archives and digitized newspaper collections are the most reliable sources. Always verify bib numbers and official timing before treating a result as a record.

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Lauren Holland

About Lauren Holland

Lauren Holland is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our marathon & half-marathon guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.