L'eggs Mini-Marathon
Encyclopedia
The L'eggs Mini-Marathon was a series of women only 10 kilometer (10K) road races held in the 1970s and 1980s, sponsored by the L'eggs hosiery company. The race grew from a small single event in 1972 into a national series with the sponsorship. The circuit consisted of three preliminary races, situated around the United States
, in Dallas, Texas
, Chicago, Illinois and San Diego, California
leading to a big, nationally televised final race in New York City
's Central Park
, conducted by the New York Road Runners
. Tens of thousands of women participated in the series which allowed them to rub shoulders most of the female running elite of the time, such as Grete Waitz
, Rosa Mota
and Priscilla Welch
.
Women's only road races were virtually unheard of at that point in time. The event capitalized on three phenomenon of that era: Feminism
, Title IX
, and the Running boom of the 1970s
. Many women, who had not previously thought of themselves as athletes achieved a feeling of self-empowerment by learning how to run, participating and completing the race. They felt comforted in the festive environment surrounded by other women of varying abilities. There was a unity in accomplishing this together with other women. For some, like Gerry Davidson
and Gail Waesche Kislevitz, it was the only race they ran.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in Dallas, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Chicago, Illinois and San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
leading to a big, nationally televised final race in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, conducted by the New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners
New York Road Runners , founded in 1958 with 47 members, has grown into the foremost running organization, with a membership of 40,000. NYRR conducts more than 100 events each year, including races, classes, clinics, and lectures...
. Tens of thousands of women participated in the series which allowed them to rub shoulders most of the female running elite of the time, such as Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz
Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history...
, Rosa Mota
Rosa Mota
Rosa Maria Correia dos Santos Mota, GCIH, GCM is a Portuguese former marathon runner, one of her country's foremost athletes. She is also considered to have been one of the best marathon runners of the 20th century....
and Priscilla Welch
Priscilla Welch
Priscilla June Welch is a British retired marathon runner. She had a most unlikely career in international athletics, having been a smoker of a pack a day until she began running competitively at age 35. An officer in the British Army, Welch met her husband Dave while serving in Norway...
.
Women's only road races were virtually unheard of at that point in time. The event capitalized on three phenomenon of that era: Feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, Title IX
Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a United States law, enacted on June 23, 1972, that amended Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 2002 it was renamed the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, in honor of its principal author Congresswoman Mink, but is most...
, and the Running boom of the 1970s
Running boom of the 1970s
At the 1972 Summer Olympics, American long distance runner Frank Shorter won the 1972 Olympic Marathon. He was the third American to win the Olympic marathon, but the first event since 1908. The victory was covered by ABC, including dramatic coverage of the finish, when a German imposter ran into...
. Many women, who had not previously thought of themselves as athletes achieved a feeling of self-empowerment by learning how to run, participating and completing the race. They felt comforted in the festive environment surrounded by other women of varying abilities. There was a unity in accomplishing this together with other women. For some, like Gerry Davidson
Gerry Davidson
Gerry Davidson was an American long distance runner from Fallbrook, California. She is the current world record holder in the W85 Mile run...
and Gail Waesche Kislevitz, it was the only race they ran.
Results
| Year | Name | Nationality | Time | Entrants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Jacqueline Dixon | 37:01.7 | 78 | |
| 1973 | Katherine Schrader | 36:48.7 | 103 | |
| 1974 | Doreen Ennis | 35:45.6 | 157 | |
| 1975 | Charlotte Lettis | 35:56.6 | 304 | |
| 1976 | Julie Shea | 35:04.8 | 492 | |
| 1977 | Peg Neppel | 34:115.3 | 2,277 | |
| 1978 | Martha White | 33:29.7 | 4,346 | |
| 1979 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
31:15.4 | 5,807 | |
| 1980 | Grete Waitz Grete Waitz Grete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history... |
30:59.8 (World Record) | 5,417 |
Alumni
- Margaret GroosMargaret GroosMargaret Keyes Groos is a retired female long-distance runner from the United States. She set her personal best in the marathon on May 1, 1988, winning the Pittsburgh Marathon...
- Ingrid KristiansenIngrid KristiansenIngrid Kristiansen née Christensen , was one of the best female long distance runners in the second half of the 1980s. She finished in fourth place in the first women's Olympic marathon race, at the 1984 Summer Olympics.-Career:Kristiansen started her career quite unremarkably, running 2:30 - 2:40...
- Lisa MartinLisa MartinLisa Frances Martin is a retired female long-distance runner from Australia.At the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul the 28-year-old won a silver medal in marathon, only 13 seconds behind Portuguese running star Rosa Mota. Other achievements include gold medals in marathon at the 1986 and 1990...
- Rosa MotaRosa MotaRosa Maria Correia dos Santos Mota, GCIH, GCM is a Portuguese former marathon runner, one of her country's foremost athletes. She is also considered to have been one of the best marathon runners of the 20th century....
- Joan Benoit Samuelson
- Mary Decker Slaney
- Priscilla WelchPriscilla WelchPriscilla June Welch is a British retired marathon runner. She had a most unlikely career in international athletics, having been a smoker of a pack a day until she began running competitively at age 35. An officer in the British Army, Welch met her husband Dave while serving in Norway...