A Boston Marathon First: Bobbi Gibb On Her History-Making Run

What was the world like in 1966? The Beatles were on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” the Celtics were NBA Champions and women were prohibited from running the Boston Marathon. Boston-native Bobbi Gibb says she was training at distances up to 40-miles at that time, but a letter responding to her entry application informed her, “Women are not physiologically able to run marathon distances."
"Part of what I wanted to do is show that men and women can do things together."

[@patrickmoan4086]

I'm going to have my 14-year-old daughter watch this. Wonderful woman and leader.

[@warrenjoseph76]

Absolutely heroic and historic run. More people should be aware of your brave accomplishment!

[@dawnmanser2969]

I was born in 1971. Until now, I never heard this story. What an inspiration this is for anyone that wants to follow their passion. I'm going to share it with everyone I know.

[@mylagreen1027]

Thank you for making it so I could run marathons!!!

[@Starchild91]

What an incredible human being...

[@AliReza-cx7wg]

Impressive! Pioneers have put a huge effort to make our current life pleasant

[@Nimanada]

It made me cry reading BBC article. Bobbi Gibb should be the name of the medal given out at Boston Marathon!!! That would honour this amazing trail blazing woman!

[@kaylaferguson6583]

soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo heart warming 🥰

[@kaarenremley7585]

What an amazing story! I love her!

[@CarolineLeads]

Awesome

[@dakelei]

When she tells her story I'm always delighted that she doesn't demonize men and points out how supportive and nice they were.

[@mithulahiri4105]

There's no reason to demonise men. We know that there are supportive ones out there. It's the ones who do barbaric things who have to be talked about when women's lives are at risk - to teach everyone, not just men and boys, where that warped mentality comes from.
I realise that it might seem as if we like to concentrate on those events, but personally, as a girl who has had to deal with patriarchal beliefs and standards, it's infuriating when ONE more thing seems to be in jeopardy for us, whereas boys and men are free to keep doing it. I'm talking about running, here.
In the not so distant past there has been an influx of crime against female runners/joggers. It was terrifying for all of us and probably kept a good number of girls and women from running for a while. On top of that, suggestions of carrying all manner of gadgets, running with a human-someone or a non-human-someone, etc. it was disheartening that we needed to take extra-precautions because we were the more vulnerable sex. What's just as frustrating is that a lot of us run, not for exercise, but for competition - so how do we rationalise carrying around all that gadgetry when we want to run fast? Our teammates are busy people and aren't always available nor is every casual runner keen on a not so casual pace.
Should I as a runner with more competitive aspirations just give up based on the fact that there are men out there who want to do bodily harm to anyone whose female, and other men who just don't understand what the big deal is of being forced to run on a treadmill?
I hope you can understand why female runners and joggers and walkers would find this as a limitation on their freedoms dictated by any man who wants to cause harm. That's why we need supportive men - not just ones we know, but anyone who doesn't have some ulterior motive - to engage in discussion and also to serve as positive role models for boys and girls and men and women because it's really important for all of us to be able to share the road safely (in more ways than one)!.

[@lockergr]

Heartwarming 💕

[@bazskinner5770]

She's a brilliant woman.

[@michaelalando]

Wow Wow Wow💪💪🙏❤ . Fabulous. Fabulous Bobbi.
"..and the men were very supportive..."

[@paulfhoffman]

What's more, she looked like a million bucks and was a very good runner. The only sad part was that the BAA marathon organizers didn't see that they had a bonanza on their hands.

[@mj-cd9lk]

Women are amazing. As a man and as men we really wouldn’t be who we are today if it weren’t for a woman. They have to fight 1000 times harder than us for things like this. What an absolute inspiration this woman is.

[@marivicpusag3365]

This is for school but it is so awesome

[@peacheatsfruit]

oh hey i know you

[@parkpunk2]

1946 I would have believed. 1966? Crazy!

[@sunbirgill5990]

Honestly she should be more well known than the 1967 Jock Semple incident with Kathy Switzer who ran the following year as first woman to enter. Who also ran much slower than Gibb’s 3:17!

[@houseofjawahir9574]

You are truly amazing.. inspiration for so many

[@kayyywrld1049]

This is for my test for school lol I thank she did a awesome job at doing what she said witch was making men know that women could do as much as men could.(that’s not what I wrote but ya)❤️🤗

[@idiomasconalex]

I need a film about her!!!!

[@StatsCount]

Wow!

[@Mxfld2011]

She’s my great aunt!

[@user-lp4ns5wh2z]

most t beutful girl on planet earth and possible me most driven one. god she is good looking.

[@SkyeAten]

Can't believe how different the world was....

[@michaelfox7856]

So who was the first? Her or Kathrine switzer?

[@enzonicosia7468]

non so l'inglese

[@conway2483]

Mick jagger

[@karthikrao9289]

She jumped in the middle of the race? Now i see, how she was able to complete. Lol

[@nanettenyce4167]

She jumped into the middle of the pack at the beginning of the race, hoping to avoid detection.

[@conway2483]

Mick jagger