Grete Waitz dies at 57; marathoner was a trailblazer for female distance runners

[RamboLiberal]

Source: LA Times

Norway's Grete Waitz almost gave up on competitive running before her 25th birthday.

Just in time, she found the marathon -- or it found her when charismatic New York City Marathon director Fred Lebow invited Waitz to run his race in 1978.

Over the next decade, in what was something of a second career, Waitz became one for the ages -- as an athlete and catalyst in the development of women's distance running.

Then, for more than two decades after the last of her nine New York marathon wins in 1988, she became a force in promoting children's health and well-being through her sport.

Waitz died Tuesday in Oslo after a six-year fight with cancer. She was 57.



Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-grete-waitz-20110420,0,4622101.story

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RIP Greta Waitz - as a woman thank you for being a pioneer. To think this is another event where the common wisdom at one time was it is too tough for women.

[66 dmhlt]

1. Godspeed. God bless and comfort all who mourn.

[rurallib]

2. RIP. Great person.

[Javaman]

3. oh man, she was as much an inspiration to me as Bill Rogers.

I loved watching her run.

Rest in peace, Grete.

damn the cancer. :(

[doodadem]

4. Oh no........no, no, no...

This woman was one of my heroes back in my running days. I actually ran the Peachtree 10K in Atlanta one year when she won it, and got to see her. Have her book.

Grete was amazing. She, along with Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Ingrid Kristiansen, inspired woman runners everywhere to get out and kick butt.

[Vidar]

5. RIP, Ms. Waitz.