Merry Lepper
Merry Lepper (born circa 1940 to 1943) is a former American long-distance runner from California who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on December 16, 1963 with a time of 3:37:07 at the Western Hemisphere Marathon in Culver City, California.[1][2][nb 1]
In the early 1960s, Lepper trained with Lyn Carman (also from California)[nb 2]and the pair began to run unofficially in road races.[5] At the 1963 Western Hemisphere Marathon, the two women hid along the sidelines then joined the men just after the start.[5] A race official attempted to remove them from the course and Carman reportedly yelled, "I have the right to use public streets for running!"[5][6] The women were timed by a sympathetic AAU official, and Carman eventually dropped out around the 20 mile mark.[5][nb 3]
Notes
- ^ According to the Association of Road Racing Statisticians, the course for the Western Hemisphere Marathon was short in 1962 and 1963.[3] The ARRS also notes the date of the race as December 14, 1963.[3][4]
- ^ Carman has been reported as also being in her early 20s, however, data compiled by the Association of Road Racing Statisticians indicates that she would have been 27-years-old.
- ^ Carman would eventually win the Santa Barbara Marathon in 1966, 1969, and 1970[7] and the World Masters Marathon in 1969.[7]
References
- ^ "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (pdf). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. p. 565. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
- ^ Noakes, Tim (2003). The Lore of Running (Fourth ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 675. ISBN 0-87322-959-2.
- ^ a b "Western Hemisphere Marathon". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
The 1962-63 courses are considered to have been short.
- ^ "World Marathon Rankings for 1963". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
- ^ a b c d Kuscsik, Nina (1977), "THE HISTORY OF WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN THE MARATHON *", Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 301 (The Marathon: Physiological, Medical, Epidemiological, and Psychological Studies): 862–876, doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1977.tb38253.x
{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|month=(help) - ^ Anderson, Ruth (1978). The Complete Woman Runner. World Publications.
- ^ a b "Santa Barbara Marathon". Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved May 10, 2010.
