Runners
(up to Marathon)
This section highlights the groundbreaking achievements of women in running — from mile records to marathon milestones. Here you’ll find notable runners’ records (up to the marathon distance of 26.2 miles), along with remarkable firsts and world-breaking performances that continue to inspire future generations.
-
First woman to run a marathon recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), finishing in — Violet Piercy (UK), 3:40:22 — 1926
-
First woman to break the mile in under 5 minutes — Diane Leather (England), 4:59.23 — 29 May 1954
-
First woman to officially run a marathon (Boston Marathon) — Kathrine Switzer (Germany) — 1967
-
First woman to run a sub-2:30 marathon — Grete Waitz (Norway), New York City Marathon, 2:27:33 — 1979
-
First American woman to run sub-4:20 mile — Mary Decker (USA), 4:17.55 — 1980
-
First women’s Olympic Marathon held — Joan Benoit (USA) wins, Los Angeles Games, 2:24:52 — 1984
-
Oldest woman to win European 10,000 m gold medal — Jo Pavey (UK), age 40 — 12 August 2014
-
First blind female to complete a marathon on each continent — Sinead Kane (Ireland) — 23-30 January 2017
World Marathon Records
The IAAF recognises two separate women’s marathon records:
-
Men and Women: Brigid Kosgei (Kenya), 2:14:04, Chicago Marathon — 13 October 2019
-
Women-Only: Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia), 2:15:50, London Marathon — 27 April 2025
You can listen to Paula Radcliffe on the TGP - Former fastest female marathoner of all time, and has held the Women’s World Marathon Record of 2:15:25 at the London Marathon for 16 years (2003–2019).
Run-Striking Feats
-
Most marathons run on consecutive days — Fay Cunningham & Emma Petrie (UK), 106 marathons in 106 days
-
Greatest distance run on a treadmill in 12 hours (female) — Sinead Kane (Ireland), 130.50 km (81.09 mi) — 26 February 2018
-
Greatest distance run on a treadmill in 24 hours (female) — Edit Bérces (Hungary), 247.2 km (153.6 mi) — 8-9 March 2004
-
777 World Marathon Challenge (7 marathons, 7 continents, 7 days)
-
First woman to complete the challenge — Rebecca Pizzi (USA) — 2016
-
First woman to complete the challenge twice — Rebecca Pizzi (USA) — 2018
-
Fastest woman — Susannah Gill (UK) — 2019
-
Website: worldmarathonchallenge.com
-
-
First person & first woman to run Wales Coast Path — Arry Berresford Webb (UK) — 2012
-
Oldest woman to run LEJOG (Land’s End to John O’Groats) — Rosie Swale Pope (Switzerland) — 25 December 2020
Running Specific Podcasts
Women’s Running Podcast — Listen here


























































































































