The above words are on the letterhead of Atalanta Sports Promotions, Inc., the company Kathrine Switzer founded in 1982. Switzer chose the name "Atalanta" because she found the myth emblematic of her career both as an athlete and as a businesswoman. In both areas-distance running and sports/event marketing, she forged a place for herself and other women in undiscovered areas, or those previously considered male-dominated and often "too tough" for women. Like Atalanta, Switzer believed equality could be achieved without succumbing to male strength or relinquishing female values. "Both sets of traits and values can work well together and foster a very happy and productive equality," Switzer comments. "That is what I hope to achieve in sports, my work and my relationships." (The Myth of Atalanta is an interesting read; be sure to see the new translation by clicking on the Greek myth of Atalanta link above!)

Kathrine Switzer's career is a varied and colorful one. When she was just 20 years old, she first achieved notoriety when she broke the gender barrier when she wore official numbers while running in the male-only Boston Marathon and was attacked by an official for doing so. Instead of being daunted by this experience, Kathrine used it to fuel her drive to go on to run 35 marathons including winning the New Your City Marathon, achieving a world ranking and being named Female Runner of the Decade by Runner's World Magazine.

While still running every day, she then turned her energies to organization and communication and staged over 300 races around the world for women and led the drive to get the women's marathon included in the 1984 Olympic Games. Her events still continue in nine countries, and Runner's World has now named her one of six Running Visionaries of the Century.

In addition to being the President of her own company, Atalanta, where she consults on all aspects of event management, sports promotions, public relations and destination tourism, she is a powerful speaker, an author and also a network sports television commentator. She annually covers the Boston, New York and Los Angeles Marathons, as well as having covered the Olympic, Commonwealth, Goodwill and Asian Games, and hundreds of other track and road races around the world. She won an Emmy for her work in the 1997 LA Marathon.

In her forthcoming book, K.V. Switzer (working title) she weaves a dramatic story of her life, showing again and again how her work and her passions are inseparable. That is how Switzer does business: with vigor, creativity, impact, thoroughness, reliability, dedication, value, quality and on-time delivery.

If you would like to contact Kathrine regarding any business opportunity, please complete the simple request form and she will be back to you shortly.

Atalanta Sports Promotions and Kathrine Switzer personally are available for:

• Consultation on concept, design and execution of special events. Women's running and fitness are particular specialties, but Atalanta has undertaken everything from destination tourism to product launches to weddings.
• Consultation or undertaking of sports marketing programs, promotion and sponsorship
• Consultation or conceptualizing of publicity, public relations and promotional campaigns
• Conduction of daylong or half-day event promotion workshops/ classes
• Personal media counseling
• Spokespersoning and product representation
• Expert sports television commentary for running and track and field events.
• Speaking: motivational, fitness, health, and women's sports history, for corporations, universities, dinners, clubs, and clinics.
• Fitness clinics-hands on how-to fitness clinics for men, women and children of all ages and levels of experience.

Clients include:

• Avon Products, Inc. (Programs in 21 countries)
• Adidas USA, Inc.
• MORE Magazine and the MORE Women's Marathon
• Stonyfield Farms Yoghurt
• RYKA Women's Performance Athletic Footwear
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• The Open Polytechnic School of New Zealand
• The Women's Heart Foundation, Inc.
• The New Zealand Tourism Board
• Lady Footlocker
• Central Fidelity Bank
• Lily of France
• L.A. Gear, Inc.
• Custom Event Marketing, Inc.
• Diadora
• New Zealand Rugby Union
• ErgoMed, Inc.
• The Tea Council
• DHL Associates Public Relations
• Carl Byoir Associates Public Relations
• Bonne Bell, Inc.
• The Raisin Board
• Olympic Airways
• First Trust and Deposit Company, The Key Bank
• The Milk Board
• Simmons College

Major Television Commentaries Include:

• Olympic Games: LA '84, ABC; Seoul '88, Television New Zealand &Asian Broadcasting Union
• Commonwealth Games: Auckland '90; Television New Zealand
• Goodwill Games: Seattle, '90,Turner Broadcasting
• Asian Games: Seoul'86, PBS (World Broadcast, prod. by Nam Jun Pik and hosted by Dick Cavett)
• World Cross Country Championships: Auckland '88, Television New Zealand
• World Cup Track and Field: Canberra '85, ABC
• Bislett Games: Oslo '87-'90, ABC
• US Olympic Trials Track and Field, Indianapolis, '88, ABC
• US Olympic Trials Marathons: Olympia, '84, ABC; New Jersey, '88 ABC, Pittsburgh '88, ABC Network and CBS local
• Boston Marathon (27 consecutive broadcasts), '78 &'79, PBS; '80-'04 WBZ-TV Boston
• New York City Marathon (17 broadcasts) from 1979-2003, for ABC, NBC and New York One
• Pittsburgh Marathon (19 consecutive broadcasts), '85-'92 KDKA (CBS), '93-'03 WPXI (NBC)
• Los Angeles Marathon (14 consecutive broadcasts), '92-'04, KCOP, UPN, KCAL, & NBC4
• Oxygen Media: Avon Global Championship, Milan (2000), & Budapest (2001).
• Twin Cities Marathon, '86-'88,WCCO-TV and ESPN
• Chicago Marathon, '84, CBS Network
• New York Mini Marathon, ABC Network, '85-'91
• Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, ABC Network '85
• Additionally: Hundreds of local races for scores of local television stations and cable outlets

Speaking Availability and Clients

Client list submitted on request.
To hire Kathrine Switzer as a speaker, please contact:

In North America:
The Fischer Ross Group
249 East 48 Street
New York, NY 10017
212-355-5777
frgstaff@frg-speakers.com

In New Zealand, Australia, Asia:
Celebrity Speakers (NZ) Ltd.
Attn. Debbie Tawse, Managing Director
PO Box 99-034
Newmarket
Auckland, New Zealand
(64-9) 373-4177
debbiet@csnz.co.nz
www.celebspeakers.com

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