Why women's races matter
runnersweb
Standing on the starting line of the L'Eggs Mini Marathon in 1979, I
was overwhelmed by the electricity of thousands of women runners. It
was so thrilling, so impressive. During the race, I could only marvel
at the athletes ahead of and around me. More amazing, however, was
watching the almost endless stream of women finishing behind me. My
aunt, finishing some 20 minutes later, had difficulty even finding room
to run. It was a pivotal event in our lives.
Women-only races offer a special atmosphere for athletes of all levels.
For the front-runners, it is a chance to see their competition. Racing
tactics change dramatically when there are no men: no one to dictate
pace, to block the wind, to obscure the race unfolding. It's a rare
challenge one that many competitive women eagerly seek. As a reward,
women, for once, get center stage and the biggest prizes.
Certainly for all women, the camaraderie and support of a women-only
race adds so much to the atmosphere. Often the profits from the race
are given to women's causes, like breast cancer research or
scholarships for women runners, which tends to draw out even the most
casual runners. The Portland Race for the Cure, for example, drew
18,000 women last year. Nancy Hautala of Seattle notes that when she
has invited other women to a race they are more apt to participate if
it's an all-women event.
More...from the Runner's Web at:
http://www.runnersweb.com/running/news/rw_news_20060228_Women_Only.html