Hear My Story: Kathrine Switzer

In this special Hear My Story episode, we were joined by the incredible Kathrine Switzer—trailblazing athlete, activist, and founder of 261 Fearless. She was the Honorary Race Marshal for Cincinnati’s 2025 Upstander 5K. The Upstander 5k caps the month of June, which is the Cohen Family Upstander month, and we were thrilled to have Kathrine in Cincinnati for the event.

“I knew if I could just take them by the hand and show them that running is fun, it’s easy, it’s cheap, it’s accessible. You feel so empowered, you feel like you can do anything. And then I worked out ways to create that.” — Kathrine Switzer on her passion for bringing running to women around the globe

Switzer made history as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon in 1967, defying barriers and sparking a global movement for women in sports.

She reflects on her journey from that iconic race to empowering women worldwide. She helped lead the charge to get the women’s marathon included in the Olympics, and the event debuted in 1984. Through running, she has led many women to cross their first finish line, including Afghan refugees and those in underserved communities. With warmth and wisdom, Switzer shares what it means to be an upstander—and how every step forward can create lasting change.

Cohen Family Upstander Month is a citywide celebration honoring those who stand up for others and drive change in their communities. Supported by the Cohen Family and presented by Duke Energy, the Mayerson Family Foundation, and Procter & Gamble, the month includes engaging programs that encourage participants of all ages to discover their own upstander potential.

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling. Subscribe here https://www.youtube.com/@holocaustandhumanity

Our gratitude to Margaret & Michael Valentine for their ongoing support of this series.

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