In the 1960s and ‘70s, female endurance athletes were either treated as second class citizens or barred entirely from participating in the world’s great marathons. But, at the 1972 New York City Marathon, six women gathered at the starting line to challenge that unequal treatment. For ten minutes, the women staged a sit-down strike, refusing to begin the race. A photo of the protest, published in a big New York Times spread, sent shockwaves through the running world and set in motion a shift of consciousness towards female athletes still felt today.
Join host of the episode, Hillary Frank, producer, Gretta Cohn, women’s running pioneer, Kathrine Switzer and one of the famous six, Nina Kuscsik, for an expanded conversation of the brand-new ESPN 30 for 30 podcast episode “Six Who Sat”. The group will discuss the fateful day as well as the repercussions and movements that fueled progress for future female runners.
The documentary will be released on October 30th. You can find it at 30for30podcasts.com
Kathrine Switzer has long been one of running’s most iconic figures. Not just for breaking barriers as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967, but also for creating positive global social change. Because of her millions of women are now empowered by the simple act of running.
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