When Kathrine got back from Massachusetts she immediately noticed that she was in many newspapers. But, when she started reading them she was not happy. Since most of them said she had not finished the marathon but really she finished it with a time of 4 hours and 20 minutes. It didn’t matter too much until she saw that New York Times reported wrong. She immediately called and told them she finished.
Courtesy of the book Marathon Woman
Two days after the Boston Marathon Kathrine got a letter from the Amateur Athletic Union expelling her. When she got this letter she was very confused since mail couldn’t even deliver that fast. What made her really upset was that there were no rules saying it was a men only race.
The reasons for her expulsion:
1. She ran a distance of more than one and a half miles, which was the "longest distance allowable for women."
2. She fraudulently entered the race by signing the entry form with her initials.
3. She ran the Boston Marathon with men.
4. She ran the Boston Marathon without a chaperone.
In 1972 women could officially run the Boston Marathon and including Kathrine 7 women ran. There were some extra rules for women though. Women had a seperate starting line and did not compete against the men. They also had to meet the time restriction of 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Courtesy of Runners World
"And so, uh... you ladies are welcome at Boston. But you have to meet the men’s qualifying time!"
~ Jock Semple, April 16, 1972
Courtesy of the book Marathon Woman
In 1977 Kathrine founded Avon International Running Circuit. Which, created running programs in 27 countries for over one million women. This program provides women with the opportunity to do running and fitness events.