Avenger of the Week | Shalane Flanagan, Marathon Runner

Shalane Flanagan at the 2013 Boston Marathon by Sonia Su [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)

On Sunday, runner and best-selling cookbook author Shalane Flanagan became one of only five American women who have won the NYC Marathon and the first in 40 years. Flanagan, whose mother held the world record in 1970 for running a marathon in just under 2 hours and 50 minutes, has been a runner all her life.

While she certainly deserves kudos for her running achievements, Flanagan is better known in running circles for being the first woman to join the Bowerman Track Club, a prestigious running team in Oregon, and then she pioneered long distance running training programs for women with the coach. She selflessly nurtures upcoming talent, as was demonstrated when, after winning the marathon, she went back to cheer on runners who had yet to finish.

As if winning marathons isn’t enough, @ShalaneFlanagan pioneered a training program just for women. For this, she’s the Avenger of the Week. #genderavenger https://www.genderavenger.com/blog/avenger-of-the-week-shalane-flanagan-marathon-runner