women runners

A biography of Kathrine Switzer, first woman to run the Boston Marathon.

"Because Bobbi Gibb is a girl, she's not allowed to run on her school's track team. But after school, no one can stop her--and she runs to her heart's content. She is told she can't run again when she tries to enter the Boston Marathon in 1966, because women are just not considered capable of running such a long distance. So what does Bobbi do? She bravely sets out to prove the naysayers wrong and show the world just what a girl can do"--Provided by publisher.

Based on a remarkable true story, an unforgettable Somali girl risks her life on the migrant journey to Europe to run in the Olympic Games At eight years of age, Samia lives to run. She shares her dream with her best friend and neighbor, Ali, who appoints himself her "professional coach." Eight-year-old Ali trains her, times her, and pushes her to achieve her goals. For both children, Samia's running is the bright spot in their tumultuous life in Somalia. She is talented, brave, and determined to represent her country in the Olympic Games, just like her hero, the great Somali runner Mo Farah. For the next several years, Samia and Ali train at night in a deserted stadium as war rages and political tensions continue to escalate. Despite the lack of resources, despite the war, and despite all of the restrictions imposed on Somali women, Samia becomes a world-class runner. As a teenager, she is selected to represent her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She finishes last in her heat at the Games, but the sight of the small, skinny woman in modest clothes running in the dust of athletes like Veronica Campbell-Brown brings the Olympic stadium to its feet. Samia sets her sights on the 2012 Games in London. Conditions in Somalia have worsened, and she must make the arduous migrant journey across Africa and the Mediterranean alone. Just like millions of refugees, Samia risks her life for the hope of a better future.

"A group portrait of the female track stars who won gold at the Olympics--in 1928, 1932, and 1936--breaking barriers for female athletes and overcoming personal odds"--Provided by publisher.

When Bobbi Gibb saw the Boston Marathon her mind was set---she had to be part of it. This picture book tells the true story of how she broke the rules in 1966, and through grit and determination, changed the world.

Wima Rudolph became a great American athlete. But do you know what she was like as a child? From battling polio to playing basketball, Wilma was a determined and strong child. This playful story of her childhood will help young readers connect with a historic figure and will inspire them to want to achieve greatness.

"Simple text and photographs present the life of Wilma Rudolph, the first American woman to win three Olympic gold medals"--Provided by publisher.

When Lee DiPietro's husband was diagnosed with cancer, and her son suffered a devastating accident, she found that the lessons she learned as a runner and marathoner, helped her endure her sudden family trials.

Kathrine Switzer tells her personal story of how she became the first woman to register for and enter the all-male Boston Marathon in 1967, the struggles of breaking into male-dominated sports, and the influence she has had on women sports in general.