This event, held in Abilene, TX, was one of the most important--if not the most important--in the history of U.S. women's running.
For one thing, there had been no major women's 800 held in the U.S. since 1928--32 years earlier. For another, many of the women runners in Abilene continued running for years to come, making major contributions to women's distance running, up to and including the marathon.
In other words, Abilene set the stage and opened the curtains to the future of women's running.
See "Main Story" for a 7000-word account of the Abilene 800 that features mainly Billee Pat Daniels Connolly (winner), Doris Severtsen Heritage Brown (third), and Judy Shapiro Ikenberry (fifth).
Follow the links above to learn more about the other remarkable women who ran in the Abilene 800. My thanks to all of them for the interviews and other contributions that led to this website.
Special thanks to my Connecticut neighbor, Julia Chase-Brand, who competed in Abilene, encouraged this project, cheer-leaded, and added important details from her own research. She and her 2015 article in Marathon and Beyond (see "Julia Chase" page) first pointed out to me how pivotal the Abilene race was for American women's distance running.
See "Main Story" for a 7000-word account of the Abilene 800 that features mainly Billee Pat Daniels Connolly (winner), Doris Severtsen Heritage Brown (third), and Judy Shapiro Ikenberry (fifth).
Follow the links above to learn more about the other remarkable women who ran in the Abilene 800. My thanks to all of them for the interviews and other contributions that led to this website.
Special thanks to my Connecticut neighbor, Julia Chase-Brand, who competed in Abilene, encouraged this project, cheer-leaded, and added important details from her own research. She and her 2015 article in Marathon and Beyond (see "Julia Chase" page) first pointed out to me how pivotal the Abilene race was for American women's distance running.
