Kathrine Switzer, who in 1967 became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon – wearing bib number 261 – and is the founder of the global non-profit 261 Fearless, will be in Arlington this Friday to run with the 261 Fearless Club DC Metro/VA.
The short, easy run will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington. It is free and open to the public; all are invited.
“I’m thrilled to take the mission and legacy that Kathrine Switzer built over the last 52 years and continue to create opportunities for women to connect through running in our local communities,” said Rosy Spraker, co-director of the DC Metro/VA club, who lives in Lorton. “We hope to continue to build strong, fearless women through our 261 Club and unite these women with like-minded women locally and throughout the world.”
Spraker will be among 53 participants – including 17 from the Metro DC area – representing 261 Fearless in the Marine Corps Marathon, 10K or 50K. A dozen are members of either the Arlington or Lorton branch of 261 Fearless Club DC Metro/VA. Both welcome new members to the social, non-competitive run club, and no experience is necessary. The Lorton club meets from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Sundays in Newington Heights Park, 8590 Heller Road, while the Arlington club meets at noon on Sundays at the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Iwo Jima Memorial Park.
261 Fearless, a global non-profit organization, uses running as a vehicle to empower and unite women through local running clubs, education programs, communication platforms, and social running events. Breaking down the barriers of geography, 261 Fearless aims to create a global community for women runners of all abilities to support, encourage, and inspire each other toward a positive sense of self and fearlessness. The growing organization has more than 50 clubs on five continents.
“We aren’t about speed,” said Edith Zuschmann, CEO of 261 Fearless. “We’re about need: the need for all women to feel empowered through discovery of their own inner strength.”
For more information, visit 261Fearless.org or find the DC Metro/VA club @261FearlessClubDCMetro on Facebook and Instagram.