Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Sylvia Ruegger

One of the HUGH bonuses of working with The Running Room is the people that you get to meet. Tonight we are so fortunate to have Sylvia Ruegger come to speak with us!

In the spring of 1984, Silvia Ruegger ran her first-ever marathon. She chose a favorite race for marathon newbies: the flat, fast course of the National Capital Marathon in Ottawa. However, unlike the rest of the first-timers who toed the line that spring morning, Silvia didn't just celebrate crossing the finish line- she celebrated getting there first, winning the women's race, qualifying for the Olympic team, and posting the fastest marathon debut by a woman, ever (2:30:37). So how did she top that? Well she set a new Canadian women's record (2:29:09) in the 1984 summer Olympics - the first games to hold a women's marathon. Not to be happy with that Silvia ran another Canadian record in Houston less that six months after the Olympics with a record to this day still stands (2:28:36).

I am really excited to hear her story and to meet such an extraordinary person. Tonight is going to be REALLY special!

3 comments:

Susan Knights said...

Love the fact that when I googled Sylvia Ruegger your blog came up third on the list.
I have probably tun a few events with you near me as our times for Sporting Life 10, Oasis 10, Women's 5 and Sociatbank are very similar.
Good luck at Scotia 5K this weekend (I am doing the half again)

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chrisholloway said...

I am leading a running room marathon clinic and wanted to get Sylvia Ruegger to come talk to our group, but can't contact her. Do you have any contact info?