Michaeledward
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thread 1/7
“When she applied to run in the Boston Marathon in 1966 they rejected her saying: “Women are not physiologically able to run a marathon, and we can’t take the liability.”
Then exactly 50 years ago today, on the day of the marathon, Bobbi Gibb hid in the bushes and waited for the race to begin.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 2/7
When about half of the runners had gone past she jumped in.
She wore her brother’s Bermuda shorts, a pair of boy’s sneakers, a bathing suit, and a sweatshirt. As she took off into the swarm of runners, Gibb started to feel overheated, but she didn’t remove her hoodie.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 3/7
“I knew if they saw me, they were going to try to stop me,” she said. “I even thought I might be arrested.”
It didn’t take long for male runners in Gibb’s vicinity to realize that she was not another man. Gibb expected them to shoulder her off the road, or call out to the police.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 4/7
Instead, the other runners told her that if anyone tried to interfere with her race, they would put a stop to it. Finally feeling secure and assured, Gibb took off her sweatshirt.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 5/7
As soon as it became clear that a woman was running in the marathon, the crowd erupted—not with anger or righteousness, but with pure joy, she recalled. Men cheered. Women cried.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 6/7
By the time she reached Wellesley College, the news of her run had spread, and the female students were waiting for her, jumping and screaming. The governor of Massachusetts met her at the finish line and shook her hand. The first woman to ever run the marathon had finished in the top third.
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Michaeledward
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thread 7/7
10:31 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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Robin
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In response to Michaeledward.
I'm sitting here this morning reading "Run to the Finish" by Amanda Brooks because I've started running again. The fact that I can enter running events as a woman without worry is because of women like Bobbi Gibb and others. Should never, never have been an issue though. Never stop fighting!
10:46 AM - Apr 21, 2024
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