Anni Pede-Erdkamp
Encyclopedia
Anni Pede-Erdkamp is a former West German
long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations
as having set a world best in the marathon
on September 16, 1967 with a time of 3:07:27 in Waldniel
, West Germany
.
Pede and Monika Boers were asked by Ernst van Aaken
, an early proponent of women's running, to participate in a race organized by his running club. According to German sports historian Karl Lennartz, journalists skeptical of 13-year-old Maureen Wilton
's recent world best in Toronto, Canada asked van Aaken if women and teenagers were capable of such a performance. Mocked and derided for claiming that faster times were indeed possible, van Aaken chose Pede, a middle-distance runner and mother of two, and Boers, a 19-year-old from the Netherlands
, to prove himself correct. Although the German Athletic Association (Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband) did not yet officially permit women to run, race officials did allow the two women to start 30 meters behind the men. Pede's mark was good enough for third overall and Boers finished in 3:19:36.3.
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
as having set a world best in the marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
on September 16, 1967 with a time of 3:07:27 in Waldniel
Schwalmtal, North Rhine-Westphalia
Schwalmtal is a municipality in the district of Viersen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is named after the river Schwalm, which flows through the area. Schwalmtal is situated approx. 12 km west of Mönchengladbach....
, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
Pede and Monika Boers were asked by Ernst van Aaken
Ernst van Aaken
Ernst van Aaken was a German sports physician and athletics trainer.Van Aaken became known as the "Running Doctor" and the founder of the training method called the Waldnieler Dauerlauf . He is generally recognized as the founder of the long slow distance method of endurance training...
, an early proponent of women's running, to participate in a race organized by his running club. According to German sports historian Karl Lennartz, journalists skeptical of 13-year-old Maureen Wilton
Maureen Wilton
Maureen "Moe" Wilton is a former Canadian long-distance runner who is well recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set a world best in the marathon on May 6, 1967 with a time of 3:15:23 in Toronto, Canada...
's recent world best in Toronto, Canada asked van Aaken if women and teenagers were capable of such a performance. Mocked and derided for claiming that faster times were indeed possible, van Aaken chose Pede, a middle-distance runner and mother of two, and Boers, a 19-year-old from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, to prove himself correct. Although the German Athletic Association (Deutscher Leichtathletik-Verband) did not yet officially permit women to run, race officials did allow the two women to start 30 meters behind the men. Pede's mark was good enough for third overall and Boers finished in 3:19:36.3.