How did I not know about Grete Waitz until now, until her unfortunate death? She was probably one of the best female athletes of modern times.
Grete Waitz did not just win her first marathon, she set a world record. I could end the post here and you should be floored. But I won't leave you in suspense, because this woman achieved much more in her sport. In 1978, Grete won the New York City Marathon in 2:32:30, a time that would have won the men's race in 1970. Although Grete had a successful running career before that remarkable first marathon, she ran it without ever having run more than 16 miles in training. As someone with a couple of marathons under her belt, I am amazed by the talent, endurance, strength, technique and perfect structure necessary to set a world record running 26.2 miles without ever having cracked the dreaded wall at the 20-mile mark.
Grete set yet another record. She remains the only person (man or woman) to have won the NYC Marathon nine times. This extraordinary woman was a pioneer in women's sports. The women's marathon was not added to the Olympics until 1984 (when she finished second), so she won at a time when women's running was not widely accepted.
Today, we remember Grete Waitz, who passed away at age 57 after battling cancer. “I am convinced you can go through a lot more when you are physically fit,” she said. “It is both physical and mental. With [an] athletic background, you think more on the positive side — you can do this.”
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