Merry Cushing

I was interested in running when I was in high school and ran track but there was only one meet each season.  I ran on the four by 440 relay team. 

 

There was no organized running when I was at college so it seemed like my competitive running days were over. 

 

Friends introduced me to x-country running after I had graduated from college, was married and had three children.   I loved it, but the x-country season was short and I spent most of it getting into shape.  Realizing I needed to be in shape for x-country skiing when the season started, I took up “jogging” on the off season.  A friend then told me about Tom Dederian and Charlotte Lettis’s All Comers Track meets in the summer at the red rubber track at UMass.  I decided to come and entered the mile for “slow runners”.   This was so much fun, I wanted to train and come back week after week to try to improve my time.  I was hooked. 

 

After the summer All Comers Meets, Tom asked me if I wanted to join the x-country team being formed for women runners, Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club.  I was shocked that I was invited to join but was also thrilled and of course I said, “Yes”.  Tom also introduced me to road races and the rest is history. 

 

The Boston Marathon became my dream and I did qualify, but did not have to run a full marathon to qualify at that time.  Women were only allowed to compete officially in the Boston Marathon in 1972.  Although I received wonderful support from my husband and ever suffering family, other runners, and Tom and Charlotte, there was negativity from some spectators and others who yelled, “Women belong in the kitchen or women belong in the bedroom, etc.” 

 

I ran my first Boston Marathon in 1973 but did not get a fast enough time to qualify for the next year (3:36:06, 8th woman), so I needed to requalify to run again. I ran Boston 4 times in total.

 

I was not a fast runner, but I loved marathons because I had a lot of endurance.   I competed in many marathons and other road races, but my best race was in the Boston Marathon in 1975 with a 5th place in the women’s division and a time of 2:56:57.