Mighty Moe : the true story of a thirteen-year-old women's running revolutionary /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Rachel Swaby and Kit Fox present Mighty Moe , the untold true story of runner Maureen Wilton, whose world record-breaking marathon time at age 13 was met first with misogyny and controversy, but ultimately with triumph.

In 1967, a girl known as Mighty Moe broke the women's world marathon record at a small race in Toronto. This was an era when girls and women were discouraged from the sport and the longest track event at the Olympics for women was 25.6 miles shorter than a marathon. Thirteen-year-old Moe's world-beating victory was greeted with chauvinistic disapproval and accusations of cheating--as were many of her achievements in the sport she had excelled at from the age of ten. Within less than two years, the controversy took its toll and Maureen quit running.

Here is the untold story of Mighty Moe's tenacity and triumph in the face of adversity as a young athlete--and of a grown-up Maureen finding her way back to the sport decades later. This inspiring biography for readers and racers of all ages showcases the truly groundbreaking achievements of an unassuming, amazing young athlete.

Mighty Moe includes an introduction by Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially register and run in the Boston Marathon (and Maureen's only fellow female competitor at the 1967 record-setting race), and an afterword by Des Linden, the first-place finisher of the 11,628 women who raced the 2018 Boston Marathon.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The authors here recount the story of Maureen Wilton, the 13-year-old running phenom nicknamed "Mighty Moe" who ran the 26.2-mile distance in 3 hours,15 minutes, and 23 seconds, setting the women's fastest marathon record in 1967. Wilton's historic run was barely celebrated. She was instead greeted with unfounded accusations of cheating and chauvinistic skepticism. Wilton set her record at a time when women weren't supposed to run long distances because it was deemed unladylike and too taxing for women's bodies. It was the same year Kathrine Switzer became the first official female participant to finish the storied Boston Marathon. The authors sprinkle the history of women's running throughout the work, bookending the biography with North American running royalty: Switzer writing the introduction, and Des Linden, the 2018 women's champion of the Boston Marathon, writing the afterword. VERDICT Swaby's airy narration lends a hopeful tone. Wilton's biography is appropriate for all ages, whether you run or not. Wilton deserves to be celebrated for what she did so girls and women today can run whatever distance they want.--Gladys Alcedo, Wallingford, CT

Publishers Weekly Review

This thorough, fascinating biography examines how 20th-century women--and young Maureen Wilton in particular--battled the misconceptions and antagonism surrounding equality for female runners. In 1964, at age 10, Wilton's older brother brought home a running race ribbon, and she knew that she wanted one, too, even though girls were not permitted to run in organized races at that time in Toronto. Undeterred, Wilton's parents found a local running club with an open-minded coach. Soon, Wilton was running in races throughout Canada and the U.S., and she eventually came to hold the world record time in the marathon. Dubbed "Mighty Moe" by the press, Wilton proved the novel notion that female athletes could not only run, but run fast. While Wilton is unquestionably the star of this book, Swaby (Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed the World) and debut author Fox intersperse eye-opening anecdotes of other women runners who faced discrimination and opposition. While the gripping chapters jump around in both chronology and focus, they always circle back to the compelling story of Wilton, who, with the support of her parents and coach, unknowingly revolutionized an entire sport for women. Ages 10--16. (Oct.)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4--8--In May 1967, at a small race in Toronto, 13-year-old Maureen ("Moe") Wilton broke the world record for a woman running a marathon. Yet there was no prize money, no trophy, and no fanfare. No one seemed to notice this incredible feat except Moe's family, friends, and coach. At the time, women were not welcome in marathons. Long-distance races were considered bad for the female body, causing potential damage to the reproductive system. Paralleling Moe's story is that of Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to officially register to run the Boston Marathon. She also competed in the same Toronto race as Moe. She registered with her initials to disguise her gender, and when a race official spotted her along the way and realized Switzer was a woman, he tried to force her off the course. It wasn't until the fall of 1972 that the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) made it official that women could participate in marathons. Even then, they had to start 10 minutes behind the men. Following the thread of Moe's running career, Swaby and Fox relay the history of women athletes and the sport of running. Enhanced with photographs of Moe during her running days and chapter and source notes, the text reads smoothly and has a somewhat conversational tone. VERDICT Facts and statistics are seamlessly integrated in this title that will be especially appealing to sports aficionados and students of women's history. Recommended for all middle grade collections.--Katherine Koenig, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Booklist Review

In 1964, 10-year-old Maureen Wilton joined a track club in Ontario. At that time, club rules restricted runners based on age and gender, but her coach had progressive ideas about training girls, who supported and encouraged each other. Maureen, small for her age but strong and determined, won many races. In 1967, she ran a marathon along with 28 men and Kathrine Switzer. Maureen set a new women's world record for the event. Later chapters involve the girl's disillusion and her decision to quit the sport, as well as her return to running after several decades. Vintage photos illustrate the text. Extensively researched through personal interviews as well as audio, video, and print sources, the book transports readers to an era of discrimination against women in organized sports and illustrates its effects on one girl's life. The introduction by Switzer, a legend in American marathon history and a runner in Wilton's record-setting race, provides an unusually close perspective on Wilton as a trailblazer in women's sports. This involving story is well worth reading.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

A story lost to history illuminates the unique way sports support feminism.In 1967, the longest distance women could run in the Olympics was 800 meters. Doctors feared running long distances would destroy women's reproductive organs; sports officials thought running was unladylike and set age limitations and capped distances females could run. But for Maureen Wilton, a white girl, running was how she felt most like herself and how she found her people. After three years of training, Maureen ran a marathonand set a world recordat the age of 13. In her hometown of Toronto and beyond, Maureen became known as Mighty Moe, seen as part of the future of women's competitive running. But with the growing pressure and the crumbling of her running community, Maureen stopped running. Shifting storylines sidetrack Maureen's life to explain running techniques and history and explore how sports were another front in the battle for equality, which unfortunately undercuts the power of Maureen's story and her eventual return to running. For when Maureen began running again in 2003, she rediscovered the community she had lostthe community that has seen people run races for fun and more women completing races than men.A story about what running really is: competing with other runners and not against them. (Biography. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Rachel Swaby and Kit Fox produced the Runner's World podcast "Human Race," where Little Mo's story was first told. Rachel is the author of Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science--and the World, as well as its young readers version, Trailblazers: 33 Women in Science Who Changed the World , and Kit is a magazine editor.