Running Firsts

My friend Lee just passed along a great article from the NY Times called The Barriers Fell, One Year, One Step at a Time, which is about the journey women have taken to become runners (thanks Lee!).

While as a runner I’ve personally experienced the many benefits of this sport, and even wrote about why it’s such a great thing for girls and women to do in my book , I don’t know if I fully realized how far women have come in the sport in such a short period of time.

The article talks about how, even as late as the 1970’s, women were discouraged from taking part in any competitive sports, but especially running. In fact, women weren’t even allowed to run the popular Boston Marathon until 1972.

Okay, I’m dating myself a bit here, but I was alive in 1972 (a toddler, but still…). I find it almost impossible to believe that women and girls were denied so many incredible opportunities in my lifetime. But I’m also thankful things are much better today. I started running when I was in middle school, and still do it today. It’s done more for my body image, self-esteem, self-confidence, emotional well-being, and health and fitness than anything else.

So, I wonder what’s next for women and girls? We’re running marathons, we’re flying to outer space, we’ve got our own national basketball league. Well, I can think of one more barrier we need to break through…becoming President of the United States. I can only hope I get to see this first in my lifetime, too!