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.
Long Run to Glory by Stephen Lane
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Women’s marathon history articles
Leslie Watson – Queen of the Roads
Scottish marathon runner Leslie Watson was called “the Queen of the Roads”. By 1981, she had run more marathons than any other woman in the UK.
Five Women Who Changed Running
Five women who changed running forever. They made the public aware of how strong women could be and how much they could achieve as athletes and runners.
It’s that mum again! – marathons, motherhood and age
Keira D’Amato and Joyce Smith both set national women’s marathon records as mothers and at older ages than expected. How has the media portrayed them?
Margaret Lockley – national marathon champion 1978
The 1970s were an important decade in the history of women’s marathon running. Countries around the world began to lift the ban on women racing long distance. Margaret Lockley was one of the UK’s first top-class women marathoners.
Marathon Blunders
Google “marathon mistakes” and you’ll find lots of articles giving advice about how to avoid things going wrong in a marathon. You shouldn’t overtrain or undertrain, don’t forget to taper, get to the race in plenty of time, don’t get cold at the start, don’t go off...
Women’s History Month – marathon stories
For Women’s History Month, find out about some of the women who have made their mark in the history of the women’s marathon, from Violet Piercy’s solo run in 1926 to Paula Radcliffe’s world record in 2003.
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 lifetime. I was born in...
The Avon International London Marathon, a first-hand account
On 3rd August 1980, 200 women from 27 countries lined up in Battersea Park in London to run a marathon: the third Avon International Marathon. Maureen Fitzpatrick was one of those women, excitedly waiting at the start and hoping to complete her first marathon at the...