RunYoung50
Women’s running history
and the stories of older women runners
Recent articles…
Women’s six day races – world record progression
The progression of the women’s six day ultrarunning world record from Marcy Schwam in 1981 to Sandra Barwick in 1990.
Mary Hanudel – women’s six day races – part 5 – June 1984
American ultrarunner Mary Hanudel was just 24 when she set the six day world record at the Edward Payson Weston Six Day race in June 1984.
Christine Barrett – women’s six day races – part 4 – May 1984
British runner Christine Barrett set the women’s six day world record in May 1984 at a race at Trentham Gardens in Stoke-on-Trent.
Eleanor Adams – women’s six day races – part three – 1983
In 1983 British ultrarunner Eleanor Adams set the women’s six day record for the first time at the Charles Rowell track race in Nottingham.
Run Across Australia – Nikki Love – Part 2
Part 2 of my interview with ultrarunning adventurer Nikki Love about her epic 4000km Perth to Sydney run across Australia
2023 Reflections
Three reflections on 2023 – Katie Holmes reflects on positive moments, grief and loss, and her attitude to running.
Long Run to Glory by Stephen Lane
Long Run to Glory gives us an extended narrative of the events that led to the first women’s Olympic marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Run Across Australia – Nikki Love – Part 1
Part 1 of my interview with ultrarunning adventurer Nikki Love about her epic 4000km run across Australia.
The Crawley 24 Hour Track Race 2023
The race report from the Crawley 24 Hour Track Race which attracted several elite British competitors in 2023.
Ros Paul – women’s six day races – part two – 1982
In 1982 British ultrarunner Ros Paul, aged 23, set a new women’s six day race record at a track race in Nottingham.
Marcy Schwam – women’s six day races – part one – 1981
The history of women’s six day races starting with Marcy Schwam – the first woman to run a six day event after its revival in 1980.
The Mothers’ Marathon 1923
On 7th April 1923, five mothers took part in a Mothers’ Marathon, pushing their babies in their prams the 52 miles from London to Brighton.
Most Read Articles
Six popular articles on my blog recently….
The Women’s Amateur Athletic Association – the 1920s
The Women’s Amateur Athletic Assocation was formed in 1922 to meet a growing demand for organised competition for women in England. The 1920s were an exciting time for women’s athletics as international competition began and the WAAA was established, leading to more clubs accepting women and more athletics events being staged.
An Olympics timeline – women’s running
A timeline showing the running events for women at each Olympic Games from 1896 to 2024. The first women’s track events were held in 1928.
Women’s marathon history – the 1960s
Imagine a time when women did not run in road races. Imagine a time when women were told distance running would harm their health. Imagine a time when running in a marathon meant risking being jeered at or even assaulted. This time was in my...
Female Ultrarunners over 50
Female ultrarunners over 50 are challenging ageist attitudes about the physical competence of older people by taking part in ultramarathons.
Running on HRT
Arriving late for my first race of the cross country season in 2017, I was already feeling hot and bothered by the time I'd dumped my bag, got my trail shoes on and made my way to the start. It was unseasonably warm weather for...
The first London Marathon
On 3rd August 1980, 200 women from 27 countries lined up to run in the first London marathon. It was the first time the city’s streets had ever been closed for a race. The 1980 Avon International Women’s Marathon was a pivotal moment in the campaign to get the women’s marathon onto the Olympic programme.