Thread by @RunYoung50

April 1975, the furthest women are permitted to run in the UK is 6k. Pressure for change is building...as this letter to @AthleticsWeekly shows...
#SportsHistory #MarathonHistory

The change came in "on a trial basis" in October 1975 when the English women's governing body for road racing permitted women to run longer distances depending on their age - 21+ for the marathon.
#WomensRunningHistory

These were the rules for distances girls and women in England were permitted to race prior to October 1975 at cross country & road races
16+ - minimum distance 4km, max 6k
#WomensRunningHistory

The new "trial" rules for women's long distance races in England from Oct 1975. They were set by Women's Cross Country & Race Walking Assoc with delegated authority from WAAA. I found out today @CadburyRL that the Assoc was put out that most people assumed WAAA set these rules

Lots more about the history of the women's marathon on my blog runyoung50.co.uk/category/the-w…

A timeline of women's track events at the Olympic Games
1928 - first track events for women
200m added 1948
800m added 1960 (had been run once in 1928)
1500m added 1972
3000m & marathon 1984
10000m 1988
5000m 1996
3000m steeplechase 2008
runyoung50.co.uk/olympics-timel…