WORDS: CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN
Whether we realise it or not, as women who run, we make a powerful statement about who we are and what we’re capable of every time we exercise. A quick glance back to the not-so-distant past proves just how much women have battled stereotypes and male-domination within sport. Just 50 years ago, for example, women were banned from marathons because we were deemed too fragile. Trailblazers, including Kathrine Switzer (who became the first woman to officially run the all-male Boston Marathon in 1967), fearlessly pushed the boundaries of what was considered appropriate for female runners, paving the way for more of us to compete freely.
However, while we are now afforded freedom to run in Western cultures, restrictions are still very much in place for women wanting to participate in other nations around the world.