Roberta Gibb was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. That was back in 1966 at *** time when the most prestigious race in the nation was for men only. I hid in some bushes and I could see the men. Uh, preparing, I heard, I heard the gun go off and then when the man started coming by where I was hiding, I kind of eased into the middle of them. And started running and I hoped that my legs would remember how to run because I had been cramped on *** Greyhound bus for 4 days. The men who ran alongside Gibbs swore she had completed the 26 mile course. The Boston Athletic Association reserved judgment. Still, there was quite *** to do at the finish line. Well, I feel *** lot of love for these people. No, my my running meant something to them. I was very touched. And Governor Wolpe came down. He was from Winchester and I was from Winchester. He came down and shook my hand, and I, I was just really touched. Others were shocked because seeing Roberta Gibb run that race would be like going to Fenway Park today to find *** woman playing shortstop for the Red Sox. 15 years ago, most people felt women weren't physically capable to run 26 miles, but Roberta Gibb proved that women could and would run the marathon. With these marathoners, I'm Anne McGrath.
RETRO FIND: Woman’s historic run forever changed the Boston Marathon
Denied entry into the Boston Marathon, Bobbi Gibb hid in the bushes at the starting line and ran anyway.
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Updated: 3:54 PM CDT Mar 14, 2025
Women were not allowed to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1966, but that did not stop Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb.Gibb trained for two years in preparation for the 26.2-mile race. After being told women were not physically capable of completing the race, she hopped on a bus from San Diego to her parents' house in Winchester, Massachusetts. She arrived the day before the race.She hid in bushes near the starting line on April 19, 1966, and slipped into the crowd of male runners. Gibb finished the race in 3:21:40.The reporter said some people were shocked to see a woman in the race, that it would be like going to Fenway Park and finding a woman playing shortstop for the Red Sox. Gibb said others were very supportive of her. “I felt a lot of love for these people. My running means something to them. I was very touched.”Watch the video above for more about Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the full Boston Marathon.If you liked this story, here are a few more amazing stories from our archives:
Women were not allowed to officially run in 1966, but that did not stop Roberta “Bobbi” Gibb.
Gibb trained for two years in preparation for the 26.2-mile race. After being told women were not physically capable of completing the race, she hopped on a bus from San Diego to her parents' house in Winchester, Massachusetts. She arrived the day before the race.
She hid in bushes near the starting line on April 19, 1966, and slipped into the crowd of male runners.
Gibb finished the race in 3:21:40.
The reporter said some people were shocked to see a woman in the race, that it would be like going to Fenway Park and finding a woman playing shortstop for the Red Sox.
Gibb said others were very supportive of her. “I felt a lot of love for these people. My running means something to them. I was very touched.”
Watch the video above for more about Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the full Boston Marathon.
If you liked this story, here are a few more amazing stories from our archives:
