1978 Avon International Marathon

Women-only marathon August 2023 March 2023 1978 Avon International Marathon March 19, 1978 Marty Cooksey 2:46:16 Atlanta, United States 1979 The 1978 Avon International Marathon was the first edition of the Avon International Marathon, and took place on March 19, 1978, in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. It was a women-only marathon which had been put on to showcase female talent over the distance (26 miles 385 yd), which at the time did not feature for women at the Olympic Games. The race was sponsored by Avon Products, who had covered the traveling expenses for some of the world's best female marathon runners to take part. The race was won by Marty Cooksey of the United States, a relative unknown, in a time of 2:46:16. Background Inception of the Avon International Marathon Although the men's marathon had featured at the Olympic Games since its modern inception in 1896, the women's marathon was not an established event at an international level in the 1970s. Some experts claimed that running the marathon distance, 26 mi 385 yd, was dangerous for women's health.Lovett 1997 125–129 Women began unofficially running in the Boston Marathon in the late 1960s,https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/history History of the Boston Marathon Boston Athletic Association March 22, 2023 and one of the pioneers of the sport was Kathrine Switzer, who ran Boston in 1967. She spent the subsequent years campaigning for the recognition of the women's marathon. In 1972, Boston officially allowed women to participate, and two years later the United States held a women's national marathon championship for the first time.Benyo Henderson 2002 17 As it gained prominence through the early 1970s, there were calls for it to be added to the Olympics, but there remained significant opposition,Lovett 1997 125–129 and the longest distance included for women at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal was 1,500 meters.https://vault.si.com/vault/1978/03/27/70773 Sports Illustrated March 27, 1978 48 14 Ready to run a long way Moore Kenny 24–25 Switzer established the Avon International Marathon in 1978, a women only marathon,Benyo Henderson 2002 16 aiming to both create a pseudo women's marathon world championship, and highlight the growth in women's marathon running. The event was sponsored by Avon Products, and licensed by the Atlanta Track Club.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121432773/1978-avon-international-marathon-preview/ Avon Marathon Facts and Figures The Atlanta Constitution March 19, 1978 6D Newspapers.com Course The race took place in the northern suburbs of Atlanta on a two-lap course which started from the Avon Products building on Cotillion Drive, Chamblee. The route, which was described as hilly and not conducive to record setting, headed north up North Peachtree Road and Tilly Milly Road to Mount Vernon Place before turning west along Mount Vernon Road, reaching Perimeter Center. The course then weaved south and north, along Peachtree–Dunwood Road, Ashford–Dunwood Road and Chamblee–Dunwoody road before returning to the start and finish area.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121432773/1978-avon-international-marathon-preview/ Avon International Marathon Course The Atlanta Constitution March 19, 1978 6D Newspapers.com Runners Switzer had initially hoped for a field of around 500 runners,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121665038/1978-avon-international-marathon-preview/ Avon Run Attracts a Quality Field Mitchell Kent The Atlanta Constitution 14D March 12, 1978 Newspapers.com but it eventually attracted around 200 entrants.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121432773/1978-avon-international-marathon-preview/ Avon Marathon Today: World's Record May Fall Mitchell Kent The Atlanta Constitution 6D March 19, 1978 Newspapers.com In order to ensure a high-quality field Avon, the race sponsor, covered the traveling expenses of the top twenty female marathon runners from around the world.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121737709/1978-avon-international-marathon/ Women Can Go Distance Denman Elliott Asbury Park Press March 11, 1978 B5 Newspapers.com The world record prior to the race was 2:34:47, held by Christa Vahlensieck of West Germany,https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121737908/world-will-watch-atlanta/ World Will Watch Atlanta Martin Dave The Atlanta Constitution 19D March 5, 1978 Newspapers.com who it had been hoped would take part, but she was committed to take part in the 1978 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. The second-fastest woman, Chantal Langlacé also missed the race, as she had an Achilles tendon injury. Nonetheless, fourteen of the fastest twenty-four female marathon runners took part, four of whom had personal bests quicker than 2 hours 40 minutes – Kim Merritt, Manuela Angenvoorth, Jacqueline Hansen and Miki Gorman. Race summary thumb|right|upright|Julie Brown (pictured in 1973) led much of the race, but collapsed before the finish. The race began at 1:00pm (EST). A field of 186 runners started the race, which took place in warm and dry conditions, around 75 F C, possibly peaking to 90 F C.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121864019/1978-avon-international-marathon/ Isle women triumph in marathon Honolulu Advertiser March 20, 1978 C1 Newspapers.com A group of five runners broke away near the beginning of the race; Kim Merritt, Leal-Ann Reinhart, Sarolta Monspart, Manuela Angenvoorth and Julie Brown. Merritt was forced to drop out roughly quarter of the way through the race due to an inflamed Achilles tendon.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121864050/ap-report-1978-avon-international/ Cooksey Wins Women's Marathon AP The Times and Democrat Orangeburg, South Carolina March 20, 1978 7A Newspapers.com At the halfway stage, Brown, who was described by Sports Illustrateds Kenny Moore as "the most controlled of the leaders", took the lead and opened up a gap from the pack. After 15 miles km Marty Cooksey, who had run a more conservative first half, moved into second place, around 200 yards m behind Brown, with Monspart and Angenvoorth behind her. Cooksey gradually closed the gap to Brown over the next 8 miles km and passed her around 3 miles km from the end. Cooksey held on to win the race in 2:46:16, a personal best by over seven minutes. Brown collapsed before the end and had to receive medical attention, leaving Monspart and Angenvoorth to battle for second place; the pair finished just over five minutes behind Cooksey, the former taking second place by thirteen seconds. Cooksey was a surprise winner; at the finish line, one of the race officials said "I don't know anything about her."https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/20/archives/miss-cooksey-foils-marathon-favorites-winning-time-24626-an-olympic.html Miss Cooksey Foils Marathon Favorites The New York Times March 20, 1978 C6 subscription Roads were not closed for the race, and the traffic was heavy in places. Brown was forced off the road at least once because of the amount of traffic, despite attempts by the police on motorcycles to clear the traffic ahead of the runners. The Atlanta Constitution said that "Cars were bumper-to-bumper for miles around the Dunwoody area." This, along with the hilly nature of the course, was provided as part of the reason that the finishing times did not get close the world record.https://www.newspapers.com/clip/121864352/hitting-brick-1978-avon-international/ Hitting 'Brick' ... Marathoner Julie Brown Did Linn Rebecca The Atlanta Constitution March 21, 1978 5D Newspapers.com Results + Top tenhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/121429920/1978-avon-international-marathon-results/ For The Record: Track: Avon Marathon The Atlanta Constitution March 20, 1978 2D Newspapers.com Rank Name Nationality Time Marty Cooksey United States 2:46:16 Sarolta Monspart Hungary 2:51:40 Manuela Angenvoorth West Germany 2:51:53 04 4 Cindy Dalrymple United States 2:52:10 05 5 Gayle Barron United States 2:53:05 06 6 Lauri Pedrinali United States 2:53:11 07 7 Gillian File New Zealand 2:56:07 08 8 Deborah Anderson runner United States 2:56:18 09 9 Marilyn Bevans United States 2:58:26 10 Liane Winter West Germany 2:59:42 References Bibliography Avon Calling Running Encyclopedia Benyo Richard Henderson Joe 2002 Human Kinetics Champaign, Illinois 0-7360-3734-9 Olympic Marathon: A Centennial History of the Games' Most Storied Race Lovett Charles 1997 Praeger Westport, Connecticut 978-0-2759-5771-1 Category:1978 marathons Category:1978 in American sports Category:1978 in sports in Georgia (U.S. state) Avon International Marathon Category:1970s in Atlanta Category:Marathons in the United States Category:Women's marathons Category:Women's sports in Atlanta Category:Track and field competitions in Atlanta