DOWNLOAD a PDF of THE ENTIRE ARTICLE - Kathrine Switzer

fitness,” says Juli Benson, the Air ForceAcademy men’s and women’s cross countryhead coach. “Even if you just watchthe nightly news, more often than not,there is a segment on health care. Withall the available research and resources,I think [the importance of living andhealthy life] is a little more in your facenow.”But good health isn’t enough to bedriving running’s second coming. Peoplerun and do races because it’s fun and social.In a time when most Americans livein overdrive, running provides women arespite to their day, a time when it’s OK torelax and have fun with their girlfriends.“It’s a social thing,” says Nike Women’sMarathon participant Mona Matheus, 51,of San Diego. “In our community we runearly, early in the morning before work,3Three of the biggestand it’s mostly women running out therenames in running, Samuelson,Flanagan andbecause that’s the only way you can doGoucher cheered runnerson at the finishit all. If you want to exercise, be a momline of the 2012 Nikeand have a career, you’ve got to be doneWomen’s Marathon.running in time to make lunches and getto work.”Crossing the finish line, I smile andthrow my hands up for the cameras, happy to add another notchto my half-marathon belt. I wait for my best friend to cross thefinish line, and when she does, firefighters give us our Tiffanynecklaces and we pause for a picture. Our smiles of joy, accomplishmentand camaraderie are bigger than when we began, andI remember all over again why I and so many other women lovethis sport.“WE RUN EARLY, EARLYIN THE MORNINGBEFORE WORK BECAUSETHAT’S THE ONLY WAYYOU CAN DO IT ALL.”Courtesy of Nike Just for Her,Founded in 2009, WOMEN’S RUNNING is the only womenspecificrunning magazine in the U.S. The go-to source forfitness-minded females is expanding to 10 issues in 2013. Formore on where to find the magazine or its digital edition, go towww.womensrunning.com. The WOMEN’S HALF MARATHON SERIES(www.womenshalf.competitor.com) will visit five cities in 2013.competitor.com 51