Apr

In space, no one can hear you scream…in frustration.

When sexism kept women running in place, some women broke barriers to join the race.

Sidedoor 9.4 Space Marathon

Graphic for Sidedoor 9.4, an astronaut running across the surface of the globe

Until the 1970s, women were barred from competing in U.S. marathons because of the belief that the “violent movements” would wreak havoc on their reproductive systems, “thus defeating a woman’s true purpose in life, i.e., the bringing forth of strong children.” Through a series of steps, stumbles —and one epic tackle— running pioneers such as Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb and Kathrine Switzer blazed the trail for the women marathoners who followed, including Sunita Williams — the first person to run the Boston Marathon IN SPACE!

Newspaper headline — Left: Front page of the Record American announces Bobbi Gibb’s historic Boston Maraton run with the headline, “Hub Bride First Gal to Run Marathon,” April 1966. Right: After completing the race, Gibb is congratulated by Massachusetts Governor John A. Volpe. Photographs courtesy of Bobbi Gibb

Three photos showing Switzer being pushed by a male runner — *Kathrine Switzer running the Boston Marathon. Photo credit: Boston Herald/261 Fearless.*

Guests

Sunita Williams, astronaut
Jennifer Levasseur, curator, Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Peter Sagal, marathoner; host of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!
Bobbi Gibb, first woman to run the Boston Marathon
Kathrine Switzer, first women to officially run the Boston Marathon

Exercise devices used by astronauts in flight — Left: The Exer-Genie inflight exerciser was used by Apollo 11 astronauts to help with muscle tone and retention. Right: Skylab astronauts used a stationary bicycle without wheels (ergometer) identical to this one in the 1970s to measure their heart rate, breathing, and work level while they exercised. Photos courtesy of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum

Listen Now

Links and Extras

Bobbi Gibb is not only a passionate runner and advocate, she’s also a researcher, attorney, author, and artist! Learn more about Gibb’s background and explore her paintings and sculptures.
Read Kathrine Switzer’s firsthand account of the events surrounding her 1967 Boston Marathon run in an excerpt from her memoir, Marathon Woman.
Dig deeper into the history of women running the Boston Marathon and the build up to a women’s marathon in the Olympic games in an excerpt from the book Olympic Marathon by Charlie Lovett.
How did the unassuming Exer-Genie become a central component of in-flight fitness regimes? Hear more about its role in the Apollo missions from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Want more stories of weightless workouts? See historic photos of astronauts keeping active and check out modern gains in zero-gravity fitness from Smithsonian magazine.
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum recently reopened eight fully reimagined galleries, including Destination Moon. Tour the exhibition and collections highlights.
Uncover more brazen stories of women athletes, scientists, and changemakers online with the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.