{"id":1837,"date":"2018-05-31T09:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T13:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1837"},"modified":"2018-05-30T16:50:20","modified_gmt":"2018-05-30T20:50:20","slug":"in-her-own-words-kathrine-switzer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1837","title":{"rendered":"In Her Own Words: Kathrine Switzer"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Man Behind the Marathon Woman<\/em><\/h1>\n

By Katie\u00a0MacIntyre<\/em><\/p>\n

In 1967, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon. Since then, she\u2019s run 39 marathons. Kathrine has also been recognized as a sports and social advocate, author and Emmy award-winning television commentator. <\/em><\/p>\n

For this month\u2019s Man Edition, local fellow runner and marketing professional Katie MacIntyre chatted with Kathrine about the Marathon Woman\u2019s husband and No. 1 supporter, Roger Robinson.<\/em><\/p>\n

Katie: You have a life companion in your husband, Roger Robinson. How did you meet?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: We\u2019ve been married 30 years and I feel like I met him yesterday. He is the great love of my life. We met on the speaking stage of the Canberra Marathon in Australia. I spoke first, thinking I was a good speaker. But when Roger spoke next, I was overwhelmed with his delivery, wit, wickedness, charm and insight. I did not fall in love at first sight; I fell in love at first voice. He was pretty smitten, too.<\/p>\n

Katie: Finishing the 1967 Boston Marathon \u2014 despite the hostility and aggression you faced from the race director \u2014 was only one of many remarkable things you\u2019ve accomplished. How has Roger been a part of your success?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: Roger has been instrumental in my success because he helped me understand it in both philosophical and historic terms.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s helped me see work \u2014 even work I loved \u2014 not as a dutiful grind, but as a significant building block, a privilege. He helped me mature and be more patient.<\/p>\n

And he\u2019s helped me enormously with my running. No longer was it, \u201cI have to go run!\u201d It was, \u201cThe run is the best part of the day.\u201d Seeing him return to running after being in incredible pain and having a knee replacement was the inspiration I needed for taking on Boston 50 years later. I figured nothing is impossible.<\/p>\n

Roger was the one who kicked me in the butt to write my autobiography, \u201cMarathon Woman.\u201d I\u2019d already written \u201cRunning and Walking for Women Over 40,\u201d but was dithering over doing another. When I would get upset at people telling my history incorrectly, Roger reminded me that if I didn\u2019t tell my story myself, it would\u00a0continue to get discombobulated. When I got stuck, he\u2019d calmly say, \u201cJust tell the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roger\u2019s clarity and simplicity at approaching a problem are awesome and important to me. He focuses on the issue and just gets on and does it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Katie: You and Roger travel the world together and have been part of some pretty remarkable events around the globe.<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: This is a timely statement! Roger recently launched his latest book, last book, \u201cWhen Running Made History.\u201d It is about this very subject.<\/p>\n

For the past 70 years, he has \u2014 and later, he and I have \u2014 been at running events that mark important moments in history, portend a future or evoke an era. For instance, we were together at the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013.<\/p>\n

To share some of these moments with him has been truly a blessing. Not only could we get a shared grip on the situation, but we were able to analyze and cope with it, and put it in perspective \u2014 all in the context of running, a shared love.<\/p>\n

All couples should take a moment to realize the time or situation they are in, talk it out and find the shared joy or share the burden. It makes for great strength and a sense of trust.<\/p>\n

Katie: Can you share some secrets of your relationship?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: At the beginning, we understood we\u2019ve both been married before, Roger had grown children and we were already older. So, the\u00a0most important thing was we made a vow not to drag old grievances and prejudices into our new relationship. Even young couples should do this. Dump the past! Get on with life together.<\/p>\n

Next, we had a big challenge; we had lives, homes, careers and even \u201cfame\u201d in two different countries. But since we love each other for our individual accomplishments, we decided it was unfair for one person to give up their country and career entirely for the other. So, we decided to live in both countries, which was a huge undertaking and required sacrifice from each of us.<\/p>\n

The best thing is \u2014 and this is a tip to all people who have to make big accommodations for another person \u2014 if you look at it carefully, usually there is no loss, but, in fact, a big gain. We live in two beautiful countries with families in each and have twice as many friends and unique opportunities. These gains are bigger than the losses.<\/p>\n

Katie: What is your favorite quality about Roger and why?<\/p>\n

Kathrine: His phenomenal sense of equality and fairness. His mother always said he should have been a judge, and she is right. Roger sees the balance in everything. He has a lot of self-esteem, but never imposes his ego.<\/p>\n

He supports my activities, but not at the expense of his own. Often, I travel alone, as Roger prefers to use his valuable time not at my events where I don\u2019t really need him, but to do his own important writing, speaking and training on his own terms.<\/p>\n

We discuss schedules and plan our time together. Roger mostly arranges our social things. He knows I\u2019m a workaholic and makes sure we keep up with friends. I\u2019d probably lose a lot of friends if it weren\u2019t for him.<\/p>\n

Most importantly, we feel the best support for each other is that we regard each other\u2019s lives and achievements to be of equal value.<\/p>\n

Katie: Any advice for couples looking to strengthen their relationship? What are some things you and Roger do to stay connected?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: We make time for each other \u2014 and always take time to be affectionate. We will often schedule time together and even put it in the calendar: date night, run together, important talk at breakfast. When together, we almost always sit down and share meals. We also make sure no matter where we are in the world, we communicate at least once a day \u2014 often several times a day \u2014 and, very importantly, by voice, not just email or text.<\/p>\n

One of the most important things to try to achieve: there must be a sense of fairness and equality in a relationship. We know this is not easy, as individuals have strong personalities and pre-conceived notions about who does what or acts how. This needs to be hammered out and, in many relationships, may not be achievable.<\/p>\n

At our wedding, Roger asked a friend to do a reading from Chaucer\u2019s Franklin\u2019s Tale. The words written in 1390 apply just as much today: \u201cWhen there is mastery [dominance] in a relationship, love flies away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katie: In closing, is there advice you would tell younger Kathrine and younger Roger?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: Forget all the petty little stuff and make love the only contest in your marriage: who can love each other the most.<\/p>\n

Katie: Anything else you\u2019d like to share?<\/h4>\n

Kathrine: Put on your sneakers and start jogging. It will not only make you healthy, it will give you solutions to everything. SWM <\/em><\/p>\n

Katie MacIntyre is a marketing professional who lives in Auburn with her spouse, Bryan, and two young sons, Peter and Ennis. In 2017, she ran the Boston Marathon with Kathrine and her non-profit team, 261 Fearless, celebrating the 50th anniversary of that 1967 run. Interview has been edited for length and style.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Man Behind the Marathon Woman By Katie\u00a0MacIntyre In 1967, Kathrine Switzer became the first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon. Since then, she\u2019s run 39 marathons. Kathrine has also been recognized as a sports and social advocate, author and Emmy award-winning television commentator. For this month\u2019s Man Edition, local fellow runner…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[620,626,627,262,619],"class_list":["post-1837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-june-2018","tag-kathrine-switzer","tag-katie-macintyre","tag-syracuse-woman-magazine","tag-the-man-edition"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/NYCMHallofFame20142-1.jpg?fit=2896%2C1944&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":958,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=958","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":0},"title":"Energetic Language","author":"Staff","date":"July 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Words of Wisdom By Susie\u00a0Ippolito Local content creator, writer and editor Susie Ippolito attended the WISE Women\u2019s Business Center\u2019s annual Symposium this spring, and was inspired by the language of the event and keynote speaker, Kathrine Switzer. Susie reconnected with Kathrine after the event to bring us some tips and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/ana-gil-taylor-photography_Wise_symposium_2017-2163.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/ana-gil-taylor-photography_Wise_symposium_2017-2163.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/ana-gil-taylor-photography_Wise_symposium_2017-2163.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/ana-gil-taylor-photography_Wise_symposium_2017-2163.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/ana-gil-taylor-photography_Wise_symposium_2017-2163.jpg?fit=1200%2C802&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3458,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3458","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":1},"title":"Inspire – Penny Noll: On a mission to run a marathon in every state","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"January 9, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Kate Hill Longtime Cazenovia Children's House (CCH) director Penny Noll is well on her way to accomplishing her goal of running a marathon in every state in the country by 2025. On Oct. 2, 2022, Noll took first place in her category at the 41st Annual Guthrie Wineglass Marathon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Inspire"","block_context":{"text":"Inspire","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=1143"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/runner-1-colorjpg-scaled.jpg?fit=797%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/runner-1-colorjpg-scaled.jpg?fit=797%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/runner-1-colorjpg-scaled.jpg?fit=797%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/runner-1-colorjpg-scaled.jpg?fit=797%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1835,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1835","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":2},"title":"Understanding Investment","author":"Staff","date":"May 31, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Making Sound Financial Decisions By Mary Ann Pierce\u00a0 I recently met with a group to talk about investment basics. This group was a mix of people of all ages, from different backgrounds and varying professions. Every single person appeared to be confident and competent. We had a lively discussion. Relevant\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/syracuse-women-magazine-logo-jan-17-1-e1485623317278.jpg?fit=889%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/syracuse-women-magazine-logo-jan-17-1-e1485623317278.jpg?fit=889%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/syracuse-women-magazine-logo-jan-17-1-e1485623317278.jpg?fit=889%2C400&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/syracuse-women-magazine-logo-jan-17-1-e1485623317278.jpg?fit=889%2C400&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2764,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2764","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":3},"title":"INSPIRE: Katie Flaherty: From Shame to Shine","author":"Staff","date":"December 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Becca Taurisano Photos by Maureen Tricase\/Capture Your Moments \u00a0 Katie Flaherty wants to remove the stigma around women\u2019s sexual health and, through her organization, Shine with Courage, she hopes to do just that. \u00a0 A survivor of trauma in her childhood, Flaherty became passionate about sexual health issues and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fullsizeoutput_21087.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fullsizeoutput_21087.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fullsizeoutput_21087.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/fullsizeoutput_21087.jpeg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1899,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1899","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":4},"title":"Learning to Run","author":"Staff","date":"June 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"From 5Ks to Half-Marathons Have you ever wanted to learn something new, but were a little too nervous? Sometimes those first few steps are the most difficult. Patricia Kawryga wasn\u2019t a runner. That all changed when a friend encouraged her to join a training program and run a 5K race.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Patricia-Kawrga-running-after-60-0001-RT.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Patricia-Kawrga-running-after-60-0001-RT.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Patricia-Kawrga-running-after-60-0001-RT.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Patricia-Kawrga-running-after-60-0001-RT.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Patricia-Kawrga-running-after-60-0001-RT.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3270,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3270","url_meta":{"origin":1837,"position":5},"title":"Inspire: Marygrace Fronk – Keeping fit while helping others","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"August 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Norah Machia Marygrace Fronk discovered many years ago that half-marathons (13.1 miles in distance) are not just for runners. They are also for walkers of any age. At age 70, Fronk has completed 38 of them, and she is still going strong. She walked in her first half-marathon in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Inspire"","block_context":{"text":"Inspire","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=1143"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marygrace-Fronk-without-glasses-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1190&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marygrace-Fronk-without-glasses-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1190&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marygrace-Fronk-without-glasses-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1190&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marygrace-Fronk-without-glasses-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1190&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Marygrace-Fronk-without-glasses-2-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C1190&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1837"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1840,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837\/revisions\/1840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}