Women were afraid and they would never even imagine running a marathon in 1967.

If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon.

Life is for participating, not for spectating.

I always say that talent and capability is everywhere, all it needs is opportunity.

Five years after Boston 1967, I went to the Munich Olympics. I realized that major sponsorship could help me create the opportunity. I wrote a big proposal to Avon cosmetics on how creating a global series of women's races could lead to getting women in the Olympic marathon. People thought I was smoking poppy at the time. The longest event in the Olympic Games was 800m.

Talent is everywhere, it only needs the opportunity.

When I finished the Boston race in 1967, there were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to become a better athlete because my first marathon was 4:20. In those days, that was considered a jogging time and I knew people were going to tease me. But I was more fascinated with what women could do if they only had the chance.