--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I finished the Boston race in 1967…" description: "\"When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to become a better athlete because my first marathon was 4:20. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/kathrine-switzer-19573_athlete_when-i-finished-the-boston-race-in-1967_3126553.jpg" --- # When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two… ![“When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to become a better athlete because my first marathon was 4:20. In those days, that was considered a jogging time and I knew people were going to tease me. But I was more fascinated with what women could do if…” quote by Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/kathrine-switzer-19573_athlete_when-i-finished-the-boston-race-in-1967_3126553.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/kathrine-switzer-19573_athlete_when-i-finished-the-boston-race-in-1967_3126553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d8/kathrine-switzer-19573_athlete_when-i-finished-the-boston-race-in-1967_3126553.jpg) > “When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to become a better athlete because my first marathon was 4:20. In those days, that was considered a jogging time and I knew people were going to tease me. But I was more fascinated with what women could do if they only had the chance.” [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After a modest marathon time, the author was driven by curiosity about women's potential, showing a shift from personal performance to broader social inquiry. **In simple terms:** Curiosity about women's abilities sparked new goals. Key Takeaway Investigate and support women's opportunities. Themes gender equity athletics personal growth Mood motivated hopeful Type inspirational social. When to use this quote - coaching - community organizing - policy advocacy - education programs Key Concepts sociology sports history Questions to Reflect On - What can you do to expand opportunities for women? - How does personal experience fuel advocacy? A Different Perspective Societal barriers may still restrict women's chances despite interest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston/) [Boston Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boston-race-5222786/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Considered Jogging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-jogging-5512270/) [Fascinated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascinated/) [Finished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Jogging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jogging/) [Jogging Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jogging-time-5512271/) [Marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marathon/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Tease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tease/) [Tease me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tease-me/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-things/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) ## Related quotes > [I forgave Jock Semple his action on Boston race just around the time I got to Heartbreak Hill. I had 24 miles to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/i-forgave-jock-semple-his-action-on-boston-race-just-around-the-time/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [My friends tease me about the fact that if someone seems bad or shady or like they have a secret, I find them incredibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/my-friends-tease-me-about-the-fact-that-if-someone-seems-bad-or-shady-2/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [My brother always teases me about my forehead: 'I could eat off it!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ricci/my-brother-always-teases-me-about-my-forehead-i-could-eat-off-it/) [Christina Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-ricci/) > [I notice that most of the men who tease me about my hair, don't have any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holland-taylor/i-notice-that-most-of-the-men-who-tease-me-about-my-hair-don-t-have/) [Holland Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holland-taylor/) > [My friends tease me because I don't like clutter. 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"I come and go as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/do-not-leave-me-hide-in-my-heart-like-a-secret-wind-around-my-head/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I'm childish and silly. Most people tease me because I'm a bit daft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/i-m-childish-and-silly-most-people-tease-me-because-i-m-a-bit-daft/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) ## More by Kathrine Switzer > [If you feel positive, you have a sense of hope. If you have hope, you can have courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/if-you-feel-positive-you-have-a-sense-of-hope-if-you-have-hope-you/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [Five years after Boston 1967, I went to the Munich Olympics. I realized that major sponsorship could help me create the opportunity. 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We were afraid we'd get big legs, grow mustaches, not get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/when-i-was-first-running-marathons-we-were-sailing-on-a-flat-earth-we/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [Women were afraid and they would never even imagine running a marathon in 1967.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/women-were-afraid-and-they-would-never-even-imagine-running-a/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [I organized this global series of races. The data from those races, along with the tremendous amount of lobbying and meetings with federations, convinced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathrine-switzer/i-organized-this-global-series-of-races-the-data-from-those-races/) [Kathrine Switzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathrine-switzer/) > [I don't have any kids of my own, quite by choice. There are two reasons for that. 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