SAN ANTONIO – The number 261 is not just any number; it's part of marathon history for one runner who pioneered the way for women in marathons.
"Fifty years ago, a long time ago, I was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon," Kathrine Switzer said.
Switzer will join hundreds of runners in the Alamo City this weekend, but it's what happened at the Boston Marathon in 1967 that started the women's running revolution.
"I pinned on No. 261. A mile into the race, an official was so angry that a woman was in a man’s-only race, he ran down the street and attacked me and tried to push me out of the race," Switzer said.
Switzer survived the attack and eventually finished. Since then, she's inspired women across the country to join her at the finish line.
"My life was changed, and consequently millions of women's lives were changed," Switzer said.
Switzer will run the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon 5K Saturday and the half-marathon Sunday. She said her goal is to continue empowering women — an idea that seems to be working, since 65 percent of runners this weekend are women.