IWD 2025

International Women's Day this year falls on the same day as Original Marathon VIII. As London's newest, oldest marathon, we wanted to celebrate the female marathon runners who were trailblazers.

The marathon is an Olympic Games creation, created for the first ever Olympic Games, back in 1896 in Athens. The idea was to create an event that linked the ancient Games to the Modern Games. Although there was no long distance event in Ancient Greece, but the story/myth of Phidippides (the messenger who ran to bring back news of the Persian fleet's defeat at the Battle of Marathon) was well known. And so a long distance event (marathon) was created.

The Olympic Marathon event was popular from the outset, as people amazed at the endurance of its athletes. However, it wasn't until 88 years later that women were finally permitted to compete at the Olympics!

Prior to the LA 1984 Olympic Games, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to have run the Boston Marathon in 1967. The Boston Marathon is the longest running marathon in the world, having been created as a legacy event in 1897 following the inaugural Games. The Race Director assaulted Switzer and attempted to remove her from the race (mid race), but was thwarted by her trainer and boyfriend, and she went on to complete the race.

The IOC demanded that before permitting the women's marathon into their schedule they needed to be convinced that there was enough international talent in the sport. In 1978 Switzer set up a series of women's only marathons called the Avon International Marathon (sponsored by the cosmetic company Avon). One of these events was held in London in 1980 and so became the first ever marathon in central London - a year before the first ever London Marathon!

The Original Marathon route - the first ever 26.2 mile marathon has only been run on 7 previous occasions prior to 2025. Only one of those event permitted women to compete. The first running of this famous route was in 1908 at the Olympic Games. Subsequent events included the Polytechnic Marathons in 1933, 34, 35, 36 and 37. The most recent running (Original Marathon VII in 2024) had 18 female finishers.

Original Marathon VIII has 57 female entrants - all of whom, if they finish the run, will be in the first 100 women ever to complete this famous route.

So, thank you to Kathrine Switzer, the elite runners in the Avon International Marathon series and to the Olympians of 1984 - you were the trailblazers.