Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially register and run the Boston Marathon and author of Marathon Woman—along with noted writer Roger Robinson, author of When Running Made History—will speak and sign books at Rough Draft Bar & Books in Kingston on Monday, July 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.
For Hudson Valley residents, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Switzer and Robinson, at Switzer’s first and only local appearance after announcing this month that her bestselling memoir, Marathon Woman, has been optioned for a major feature-length film.
This event will be live broadcast by Dan Reinhard and Sporttalk on Radio Kingston 1490 AM and 107.9 FM, and online at radiokingston.org. Please arrive early—especially if you’d like to purchase food or drink at the bar—as the talk will begin promptly at 7 pm!
Copies of Marathon Woman will be for sale at the event, along with Robinson’s When Running Made History, an exciting new book that redefines the contribution of running to modern society, via vivid eye-witness stories from the last 70 years, from the Olympics to New York’s own Mohonk Preserve. Outside magazine’s Amby Burfoot called it “the best running book of all time.”
Robinson and Switzer will speak briefly to attendees, answer audience questions, and spend time meeting fans and signing books. Food and drink will be available for purchase, and Rough Draft will donate a percentage of the day’s sales to the Mohonk Preserve, home to many favorite local running routes.
Seats and standing room for this event will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but those who wish to pre-order a book can do so at roughdraftny.com/preorder (beginning on Monday, June 17) to be guaranteed admission. Books will also be for sale at the event, while supplies last.
Switzer and Robinson are a dynamic husband and wife team who have been residents of New Paltz since 2005. They compete locally and speak globally, at the Boston and New York marathons and many other events internationally. Robinson coaches in New Paltz on a daily basis, and races when his knees permit. This is a special chance for the Hudson Valley’s running community to hear and meet these celebrities in their own backyard.
In 1967, five years before the Boston Marathon allowed women to compete, Switzer registered under a gender-neutral name and ran the course on race day. Officials tried to wrestle her off the course when she was discovered, but she finished and became the first woman to officially complete the race. Switzer won the New York Marathon in 1974 and placed second in Boston the following year.
Robinson was the world's leading Masters runner throughout the 1980s, setting course records at the Boston, New York, and Vancouver marathons. More recently, he has won his age-group several times at the Dutchess County Classic, and at U.S. 5K and 10K championships.