How women runners debunked myths about the sport and made running their own

June 22, 2024

Myths about women in sport date back at least to the dawn of the Olympics 2,800 years ago, when women weren’t allowed to compete. These myths “remain hard to shake,” according to sports journalist Maggie Mertens. For instance, it wasn’t until 1972 that women were allowed to run in the Boston Marathon — it was considered too long and grueling for them physiologically.

In her new book, Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women (released June 18), Mertens explores misconceptions about female athletes — and how through running, women have disproved these myths. NPR