Una línea de tiempo de la historia de las mujeres corredoras de NYRR
Updated February 2024.
Women's History Month celebrates the contributions of women to events in history and contemporary society. As we celebrate this month, we’re highlighting historical milestones achieved by women runners in and around NYRR events and programs and in the running community.
1958 – NYRR is founded with 47 members; although all are men, the organization welcomes members of all genders in an era when sport was almost exclusively segregated by sex.
1960 – The women’s 800 meters (approximately half a mile) is held at the Olympics for the first time since 1928, becoming the longest Olympic distance for women.
1966 – Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb is the first known woman to complete the Boston Marathon; she runs unofficially, hiding in the bushes before the start.
1967 – Kathrine Switzer runs the Boston Marathon officially, finishing despite the efforts of race officials to remove her from the race.
1970 – The first New York City Marathon is open to women; the lone woman entrant, Nina Kuscsik (pictured below), drops out due to illness but goes on to win in 1972 and 1973.
1972
- The Boston Marathon officially opens entries to women.
- The Crazylegs Mini Marathon (now the Mastercard New York Mini 10K) is the first women-only road race.
- Title IX legislates equality in girls’ and women’s sports.
- The women’s 1500 meters (just under a mile) is held at the Olympics for the first time.
- The six women entrants in the New York City Marathon protest unequal treatment by staging a sit-down strike at the start; their action successfully changes the rules.
1975 – Marilyn Bevans is the first Black U.S.-born woman to run a sub-3:00 marathon with her 2:55:52 at Boston; 28 total have now achieved this feat.
1976 – In the first five-borough New York City Marathon, Michiko “Miki” Gorman sets an event record of 2:39:11 at age 41.
1978–1988 – Grete Waitz (pictured below) wins the New York City Marathon a record nine times, an achievement that’s unlikely ever to be equalled.
1984 – The women’s marathon becomes an Olympic event following years of lobbying worldwide. The women’s 10,000 meters is added in 1988, the women’s 5,000 meters in 1996, and the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 2008.
2000 – NYRR includes official wheelchair divisions for men and women at the New York City Marathon and adds wheelchair division prize money in 2001.
2002 – The New York City Marathon initiates a separate start for elite women to increase visibility and competitive advantage.
2003 – Margaret Okayo (pictured below) runs 2:22:31 to set a still-standing New York City Marathon event record.
2004 – The all-women More Marathon is held in Central Park; the event has become the REAL SIMPLE Women’s Half Marathon.
2005 – Mary Wittenberg (pictured below) becomes the president and CEO of NYRR and race director of the New York City Marathon, the first woman to hold these positions.
2011 – The NYRR Hall of fame is launched with Grete Waitz as one of two inaugural inductees. The Hall of Fame now includes 40 members, 15 of whom are women.
2016 – The first Girls Run at the New York Mini 10K is held.
2018 – The New York Mini 10K includes a wheelchair division for the first time, with Susannah Scaroni taking the tape in 22:48.
2020 – Women’s participation in non-marathon road races nationwide is 61%, according to Running USA.
2022
- Laura Muir smashes the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile event record, running 4:15.
- Over 44% of the finishers of the TCS New York City Marathon are women.
- Susannah Scaroni (pictured below) sets a TCS New York City Marathon event record of 1:42:43 in the women’s wheelchair division.
- The TCS New York City Marathon elevates its lactation experience for nursing mothers with enhancements at the start, along the course, and at the finish.
2023
- Mastercard becomes the presenting sponsor of women’s elite fields at NYRR marquee events.
- Nnenna Lynch becomes NYRR’s Chair of the Board of Directors; she is the first woman and the first African American to serve in this position.
