The Week of September 24, 2023

Photo of Tigist Assefa at the Berlin Marathon finish line taken by Ryo Gokita

Written by Fall Sports Intern

Department of Wide Open Spaces, Charting and Cartography

In the 1967 Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer defied the AAU rule banning women from races longer than a mile and a half, pinned an official number to her grey sweatsuit and toed the line. Mid-race, she was attacked by co-race director, Jock Semple, who physically tried to remove her from the course- his efforts thwarted by Switzer’s boyfriend who knocked him to the ground. She finished the race in 4 hours and 21 minutes.

The overall world record at that time was 2:12:00, set by Morio Shigematsu on a point-to-point course. By today’s world record rules, the official world record would have been Abebe Bikila’s 2:12:11 gold medal run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

The women’s world record is now 2:11:53.

Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa knocked over 2 minutes from Brigid Kosgei’s 2019 mark in Berlin last Saturday. Assefa negative split her marathon halves, running 66:20 / 65:33 in the brand new $500 Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1.

Five years after Switzer finished the Boston Marathon, the Boston Marathon, now with sufficient evidence that the women were physiologically capable of completing the distance began allowing women to register and compete officially. In that same year, 1972, Title IX was enacted, mandating that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance”.

It has only been 50 years since the concept of women competing in sport in a way equal to men became a societal goal in the United States.

Whatever discussions are being had on message boards and Twitter about the validity of the recent record-breaking performance will likely be short-lived as it is highly probable that the record, however extraordinary, will not last long.

Access to sport for women is much improved but participation is still markedly behind that of men’s sports. At the vast majority of high school track meets, the number of girl’s heats is less than the number of boy’s heats. The culture around competition and societal encouragement of girls to enter and stay in sports is changing, but old stigmas die hard. It was only a generation ago that race directors believed women incapable of running a marathon and scientists shrugged as they tapped the ash from their cigarette tips.

Organizations like Wildwood Running and Bras for Girls are doing the work to encourage girls to get into and stay in sport and live active lifestyles, providing them with the necessary information to do so. Performances like Assefa’s are inspiring for girls (and anyone) to see, and positive role models on social media, professional or recreational are incredibly encouraging- people like Colleen Quigley (@steeple_squigs), Keira D’Amato (@keiradamato), Faith Kipyegon (@faithkipyegon) Emma Coburn (@emmacoburn), Emma Bates (@emmajanelbates), Des Linden (@deslinden) and many more. Listing a few feels like a crime to so many others out there.

We still have a much lesser grip on women’s capabilities than men’s as evidenced by the last Olympic cycle’s US Olympic Trials qualifying process. For qualifying marks set by USATF presumably to net a similar number of competitors from each gender (2:45 and 2:19) 513 women qualified compared to 267 men. In the 2024 Olympic Trials qualifying window, the women’s qualifying time was slashed from 2:45 to 2:37, while the men’s was brought down only by 1 minute to 2:18. If the number of women qualifiers is less during this Olympic cycle, I predict that it will tick back up again for 2028, even with the same qualifying time. There is no real way to understand the power of motivation and encouragement of women and girls and the dedication to understanding what works specifically for women.

As pioneering women continue to break through barriers to access and erase stigmas, charting a path forward that is uniquely theirs, there is no telling what is possible. The territory is much more uncharted compared to men’s competitive running, which has nearly a century head start in mass organized competition and an incalculable head start in societal acceptance, belief, study and encouragement.

Back women and girls in sport in any way you can and see the results.

In other inspiring news…

Photo of Eliud Kipchoge by Ryo Gokita

King Eliud Kipchoge, following his 6th place finish in Boston got back on track (road) in Berlin, taking his fifth win at that particular world major in 2:02:42- his eleventh world major marathon victory. He is the first man to accomplish both of those feats and continues to inspire all, even if it is inspiring those with exceptional lung capacity to take up the flute until he retires.

And Scott Fauble takes a swing and will no doubt be back for another when he decides it’s best to do so…

Photo of Scott Fauble by Ryo Gokita

Sometimes, you eat the bear, and sometimes, well, he eats you.

This is an easier pill to swallow for track types, who can saddle up for an 800m or 1500m the next weekend following a less than stellar outcome.

A marathoner trains in darkness for months on end, waiting for the one day when they can channel their fitness, guts and drive into one shot for a big harvest. But sometimes the crop gets washed away, or plagued by locusts or some other godawful thing, and then it’s back to the grind. No if’s, and’s or but’s.

Scotty Faubs is fit. We know that because he’s been quiet on the social media front. Aside from a pre-race interview, there was nary a peep from his camp to the public. A sign that the old workhorse was sitting on a helluva haystack.

He was on pace for a good one in Berlin through the half in 1:03:45 until his stomach turned on him and then there’s not much to do. He stepped off 18 miles in.

Darkness washed over the dude - darker’n a black steer’s tookus on a moonless prairie night.

But that’s the thing about old Scotty Faubs, he’s got gravel in his gut and he lives for the darkness. It’s where he can stew and grind and hurt, until it’s time to pony up for the next big rodeo.

He’s not one of those flashy track types that needs a good regular dose of the spotlight to keep ticking.

He’ll go back and lick his wounds and get back out on the open roads away from the gram until it’s time to go all in again.

Time again to jump in the ring and wrestle the bear for another 26.2.

I guess that’s the way the whole durned marathon comedy keeps perpetuatin’ itself.

…and the darkness ain’t so bad. There’s a lot of sunshine and endorphins out on those dusty roads.

Welp! That about does ‘er… Wraps ‘er all up.