Challenging Gender Bias in Marathon Running: The Inspiring Story of Bobbi Gibb

Last updated on 28 August 2023

In the mid-1960s, an audacious statement reverberated within the world of marathon running: “Women are not physiologically capable of running a marathon.” These nine words, printed on paper, struck a nerve with Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Gibb. She held in her hands the response to her request for an official entry to run the 1966 Boston Marathon, and it was not only a flat-out refusal but also a derogatory comment on her abilities as a woman, despite her remarkable stamina as a long-distance runner. This incident underscored the outdated attitudes prevailing in the world of female athletes, particularly in long-distance running.

At the time, the 1960s were in full swing, but society’s views on female athletes remained regressive. The question of whether women could endure the grueling 26.2-mile marathon had been answered by numerous female runners. Yet, women were barred from participating in practically every marathon event worldwide.

Bobbi Gibb’s reaction to the refusal was one of determination: “To hell with them,” she thought as she crumpled the letter and threw it on the floor. Bobbi Gibb was resolved to run the Boston Marathon, whether they sanctioned it or not.

If you ask Google who was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, you might come across the name Kathrine Switzer, often accompanied by a photo showing a group of men chasing and attempting to stop a woman with the number 261 pinned to her midriff. This image is a shocking portrayal of the embedded misogyny of the era, but it doesn’t tell the whole story of the first woman to run the world’s oldest continually staged marathon. The truth, as is often the case, is more nuanced.

Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, Bobbi Gibb was always an energetic child with a deep love for nature. However, the societal norms of the 1960s still dictated rigid roles for women. Gibb explains, “After the war, people were just happy to return to normality – and normal meant the little women in the kitchen, washing the dishes, with the nice curtains. There were centuries of well-established beliefs about women.” The traditional roles of women confined them to narrow lives, a reality she sought to challenge from an early age.

Gibb’s journey to become a pioneer in women’s marathon running began with a visit to the Boston Marathon route in 1964. The experience left a profound impact on her. She recalls, “I just fell in love with it – I found it very moving. All these people moved with such strength, courage, endurance, and integrity. Something deep inside told me that I was going to run this race – this was what I was supposed to do.”

However, during that era, women’s long-distance running was considered a radical notion. Groundless ideas persisted that a woman’s body was not designed for such extreme exertion. Some even feared that allowing women to run marathons would lead to indecency. Jaime Schultz, a Professor in Kinesiology at Penn State University, explains, “Running was considered a breeding ground for impropriety that would overly sexualize women.”

Remarkably, the names of pioneering female marathon runners from earlier times have largely been forgotten. In 1896, just a day after the men’s marathon event at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Stamata Revithi, a 30-year-old mother from Piraeus, ran the same course unofficially in five and a half hours. Yet, her achievement received little attention, and her story faded into obscurity.

In 1926, Englishwoman Violet Piercy ran the London Marathon course unofficially in 3 hours, 40 minutes, and 22 seconds. She completed two official marathons in 1933 and 1936, stating that her 1936 race was to “prove that women could stick the distance.” Despite clear evidence that women could complete marathons, misguided attitudes persisted.

Even the 1928 Summer Olympic Games, which marked the first appearance of women in track and field events, was marred by a nasty media campaign. It was falsely reported that many women had collapsed from exhaustion after an 800m race and that such endeavors were beyond women’s capabilities. This led to the removal of the event from the Olympics until 1960.

Bobbi Gibb quietly began training for the Boston Marathon in 1964, often seeking solitude in the Middlesex Fells Reservation to escape judgmental eyes. She explains, “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have a coach, no books, nothing. I didn’t have any way of measuring distance, so I just went by time.”

In the summer of 1964, she embarked on a cross-country journey in a VW campervan, covering vast distances and running in different locations. This adventurous trip served as her unorthodox training for the 1966 Boston Marathon.

With only days remaining before the marathon, Bobbi Gibb applied for a runner’s number to officially participate, but her request was denied with a curt dismissal of women’s physical capabilities. She saw this as an opportunity to challenge societal beliefs about women. She recalls, “I realized that this was my chance to change the social consciousness about women. If I could prove this false belief about women wrong, I could throw into question all the other false beliefs that had been used to deny women opportunities.”

Four days before the race, she boarded a Greyhound bus, arriving at the family home 72 hours later. Her mother drove her to the race’s start line, a moment that would thrust her into the spotlight.

Bobbi Gibb’s journey to break barriers was marked by uncertainty. She started the race in unconventional attire and feared potential arrest. However, instead of hostility, she found camaraderie among her fellow male runners. When it became evident that she needed to remove her sweatshirt due to the heat, the men around her offered their support and reassurance.

The story of Bobbi Gibb’s defiance and determination showcases the power of one individual to challenge societal norms and pave the way for change. Her fearless act of running the Boston Marathon in 1966 not only broke gender barriers but also shattered misconceptions about women’s capabilities in long-distance running.