Kim Merritt
Encyclopedia
Kim Merritt is a former American
long-distance runner who competed in the marathon
. Her career coincided with the development of women's running in the United States and she was at the forefront of distance running in the mid-1970s.
She won the 1975 New York City Marathon
and in 1976 she took the women's titles at both the Boston
and Honolulu Marathon
s. Her personal best time of 2:37:57, set at the 1977 Oregon Track Club Marathon, was an American record
for the distance and made her the fourth best runner worldwide that year. Merritt also won numerous shorter races on the national circuit, including the Falmouth Road Race
, Crim 10 mile run and Gate River Run
. She ceased competing around 1980, although she made an unsuccessful attempt at the 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials.
championship in 1973, going on to place fifth at the nationals. During her time there she received AIAW
honours in track and field
and cross country, as well as earning Academic All-America
honours for her studies as a student-athlete.
Merritt took the inaugural honours at the Quad-City Times Bix 7 Mile in July 1975 and then won the Charleston Distance Run
the following month – she returned to both competitions in 1976 and retained her titles. The twenty-year-old Merritt made her major marathon
debut in September 1975 at the New York City Marathon
and defeated Michiko Gorman to win the race in a time of 2:46:15 hours. This also made her that year's national champion over the distance and ranked her as the fourth fastest woman in the world in 1975.
She ran in three marathons the following year, starting with a win at the Boston Marathon
in April. Running in her first race abroad, she took second place at the Waldniel Women's Marathon in West Germany
behind Christa Vahlensieck
. Her third and final run over the distance in 1976 came at the 1976 Honolulu Marathon
in December, which she won in a personal record time of 2:44:44. This was the fastest run by an American woman that year.
Merritt broke the American record
for the distance at the 1977 NIKE
/Oregon Track Club Marathon in Eugene, Oregon
, winning the women's race with a time of 2:37:57. She returned to the New York Marathon but finished as the runner-up, beaten to the finish by Michiko Gorman.
Merritt entered and won a number of road races in 1977: she won the seven-mile Falmouth Road Race
, the Crim 10 mile run, the Virgina Ten Miler, She also took consecutive wins at the Bellin Run
10K from 1977–79. She was the inaugural winner of the Gate River Run
15K in 1978 and won the second edition of the Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic held that same year.
The 1978 season was her busiest in terms of marathons: she opened her year at the Boston Marathon, just missing the podium with a fourth place finish, and ran at the inaugural Cleveland Marathon
the following month, where she finished second after Jacqueline Hansen
. Her next race over the 26 miles and 385 yards distance came at the Oregon Track Club race and she finished sixth while the winner Julie Brown
set the fastest time of the year. Merritt's final run of the year came at a race on home turf in New Glarus, Wisconsin
, which she won in 2:53:53.
Her final year of competition at the top level was in 1979. She ran at the Boston Marathon and came in sixth place, although she was ten minutes behind the women's winner Joan Samuelson. The Avon Waldniel Marathon in September was a more successful outing, as she was the runner-up to England's Joyce Smith
and completed the distance in 2:39:43 – the second fastest of her career. Merritt later married and had children, leading to the end of her running career. She made a brief return at the USA Olympic Marathon Trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but her run of 2:43:31 was only enough for 53rd place.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
long-distance runner who competed in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
. Her career coincided with the development of women's running in the United States and she was at the forefront of distance running in the mid-1970s.
She won the 1975 New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
and in 1976 she took the women's titles at both the Boston
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
and Honolulu Marathon
Honolulu Marathon
The Honolulu Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons. It takes place annually in Honolulu, Hawaii on the second Sunday in December. - History :...
s. Her personal best time of 2:37:57, set at the 1977 Oregon Track Club Marathon, was an American record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
for the distance and made her the fourth best runner worldwide that year. Merritt also won numerous shorter races on the national circuit, including the Falmouth Road Race
Falmouth Road Race
The Falmouth Road Race is an annual 7-mile road race on Cape Cod from Woods Hole, a village in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, to Falmouth Heights.-History:...
, Crim 10 mile run and Gate River Run
Gate River Run
The Gate River Run , formerly known as the Jacksonville River Run, is an annual 15 kilometer road race in Jacksonville, Florida that attracts both competitive and recreational runners. It has been the US National Championship 15K since 1994 and in 2007 became the largest 15K race in the country...
. She ceased competing around 1980, although she made an unsuccessful attempt at the 1984 Olympic Marathon Trials.
Career
She attended the University of Wisconsin–Parkside and won the state cross countryCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
championship in 1973, going on to place fifth at the nationals. During her time there she received AIAW
Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women
The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships. It evolved out of the Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics for Women . The association was one of the biggest...
honours in track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
and cross country, as well as earning Academic All-America
Academic All-America
Academic All-America program is a student-athlete recognition program...
honours for her studies as a student-athlete.
Merritt took the inaugural honours at the Quad-City Times Bix 7 Mile in July 1975 and then won the Charleston Distance Run
Charleston Distance Run
The Charleston Distance Run is a 15 mile road running event held annually in Charleston, West Virginia. The race starts at the corner of Virginia Street and Civic Center Drive. The course winds through Charleston's South Hills for six miles before crossing back over the South Side Bridge...
the following month – she returned to both competitions in 1976 and retained her titles. The twenty-year-old Merritt made her major marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
debut in September 1975 at the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
and defeated Michiko Gorman to win the race in a time of 2:46:15 hours. This also made her that year's national champion over the distance and ranked her as the fourth fastest woman in the world in 1975.
She ran in three marathons the following year, starting with a win at the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in April. Running in her first race abroad, she took second place at the Waldniel Women's Marathon in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
behind Christa Vahlensieck
Christa Vahlensieck
Christa Vahlensieck is a former German long distance runner and pionier in the marathon for women....
. Her third and final run over the distance in 1976 came at the 1976 Honolulu Marathon
Honolulu Marathon
The Honolulu Marathon is one of the world's largest marathons. It takes place annually in Honolulu, Hawaii on the second Sunday in December. - History :...
in December, which she won in a personal record time of 2:44:44. This was the fastest run by an American woman that year.
Merritt broke the American record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
for the distance at the 1977 NIKE
Nike
Nike may refer to:* Nike , Greek goddess who personifies victory**The Nike of Samothrace, an ancient statue of the goddess Nike* Nike, Inc., major U.S. manufacturer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment...
/Oregon Track Club Marathon in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, winning the women's race with a time of 2:37:57. She returned to the New York Marathon but finished as the runner-up, beaten to the finish by Michiko Gorman.
Merritt entered and won a number of road races in 1977: she won the seven-mile Falmouth Road Race
Falmouth Road Race
The Falmouth Road Race is an annual 7-mile road race on Cape Cod from Woods Hole, a village in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, to Falmouth Heights.-History:...
, the Crim 10 mile run, the Virgina Ten Miler, She also took consecutive wins at the Bellin Run
Bellin Run
The Bellin Run is a 10K race held annually on the east side of Green Bay, Wisconsin, just outside Bellin Memorial Hospital, the race's founding organization. The first Bellin 10K was held on June 12, 1977 and was known as the Bellin Heartwarming Run designed to promote cardiovascular fitness and...
10K from 1977–79. She was the inaugural winner of the Gate River Run
Gate River Run
The Gate River Run , formerly known as the Jacksonville River Run, is an annual 15 kilometer road race in Jacksonville, Florida that attracts both competitive and recreational runners. It has been the US National Championship 15K since 1994 and in 2007 became the largest 15K race in the country...
15K in 1978 and won the second edition of the Ogden Newspapers 20K Classic held that same year.
The 1978 season was her busiest in terms of marathons: she opened her year at the Boston Marathon, just missing the podium with a fourth place finish, and ran at the inaugural Cleveland Marathon
Cleveland Marathon
The Cleveland Marathon is an annual marathon in Cleveland, Ohio. The course begins at the corner of St. Clair and 9th and participants have eight hours in which to finish the race. The first edition was held in 1978. A half marathon , and 10K, including a Corporate Team Challenge, are held...
the following month, where she finished second after Jacqueline Hansen
Jacqueline Hansen
Jacqueline Hansen is a former long-distance runner from the United States who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on two different occasions.Hansen set a world best mark on December 1, 1974 with a 2:43:55 performance...
. Her next race over the 26 miles and 385 yards distance came at the Oregon Track Club race and she finished sixth while the winner Julie Brown
Julie Brown (athlete)
Julie Ann Brown is a former American distance runner who won the World Cross Country Championship in 1975 and represented the United States in the 1984 Summer Olympics in the women's marathon placing 36....
set the fastest time of the year. Merritt's final run of the year came at a race on home turf in New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus, Wisconsin
New Glarus is a village in Green County, Wisconsin, United States at the intersection of Wisconsin Highways 69 and 39. It has a population of 2,304 according to the 2010 census. Since 2000 it has had a population growth of 9.09 percent. The village, as well as the town that surrounds it, was named...
, which she won in 2:53:53.
Her final year of competition at the top level was in 1979. She ran at the Boston Marathon and came in sixth place, although she was ten minutes behind the women's winner Joan Samuelson. The Avon Waldniel Marathon in September was a more successful outing, as she was the runner-up to England's Joyce Smith
Joyce Smith
Joyce Esther Smith is a British former long distance runner.Smith was born in Stoke Newington, London, and began running competitively in the 1950s, at which time the longest distance for women in international competitions was 800 metres. She won the English National Crosscountry Championship in...
and completed the distance in 2:39:43 – the second fastest of her career. Merritt later married and had children, leading to the end of her running career. She made a brief return at the USA Olympic Marathon Trials for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, but her run of 2:43:31 was only enough for 53rd place.