Boston: More than just a marathon

Boston, the birthplace of the myth

The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon in the world, established in 1897 , a year after the Athens Olympic Games. It quickly became a benchmark with its unique course and atmosphere.

But for decades, women were forbidden from entering . Their exclusion was justified by absurd medical arguments: too weak, too fragile. Yet, there they were, in the shadows…

The breath of free running and women's combat

It was during these years that Boston entered into legend with the struggle of its pioneering women. In 1966, Bobbi Gibb ran the marathon unofficially because women were still not allowed to register. In 1967, Kathrine Switzer registered under her initials (KV Switzer) and became the first woman "officially" entered… before the race director, Will Clooney , tried to expel her mid-race. The images went viral and remain in the collective consciousness today. We see them every year on International Women's Day, March 8th, across all social media platforms. It's the benchmark.

Archives of Spiridon magazine, December 1972:

"Impossible for a woman!" he replied. The challenge was on.

Five months later, I felt ready for the Boston Marathon. In fact, I had already run 42 km twice during training. I had been running regularly for a year at that point.
I arrived at the starting line with Arnie and my boyfriend. That year, 1967, it had rained and snowed early in the morning of the race. I was so bundled up that I could easily go unnoticed. I had registered under the name "K. Switzer" and had brought a medical certificate issued by the university. At that time, there was no time limit. So, among about 1,000 runners, no official suspected there was a woman.
But along the way, a reporter in a car spotted "the woman"! Alerted, an official started chasing me, trying to rip off my race number. My coach came to my rescue, the official persisted, my boyfriend pushed him away, the guy fell… and the reporter photographed the whole scene. I finished the race in 4 hours and 20 minutes, leaving about 300 runners behind. I was very, very tired.

… but so happy!

This photographed moment went viral. It became a symbol. Boston, despite itself, became a scene of resistance. And it was also during this time that the Spiridon movement, founded by Noël Tamini and Yves Jeannotat, took up the fight for inclusion and the freedom to run. The marathon then became the stage for a global transformation of sport: freer, more egalitarian, more inclusive.

Today: the soul of the modern marathon

The Boston Marathon is now much more than a race: it's an institution, a Holy Grail . Selective (you enter by time), demanding (with the famous Heartbreak Hill climb), but carrying strong values.
It embodies self-improvement, the legacy of pioneers, and regained equality. Today, it welcomes thousands of women, veterans, and disabled runners, and remains deeply marked by its history — particularly since the tragic attack of 2013, to which the whole world responded with a massive message of solidarity: Boston Strong.

Each year, this marathon forges a link between tradition and modernity. And in every stride, you find the Spiridon spirit: running to live free.