More than 43% of the 65,725 entrants accepted for the 2024 TCS London Marathon are females. It is highly improbable that any of them will know that women were prohibited – under Women's Amateur Athletic Association rules – from racing further than 6,000m until October 1975. And it's all but certain that few will have heard of the marathon pioneer Dale Greig, who broke the rules by competing in the Isle of Wight Marathon in 1964!

On Sunday 6 October 2024, the 68th Isle of Wight Marathon – the longest-held marathon in the UK – will be presented by Ryde Harriers, who have been running since 1886. The Harriers are not known for being rule breakers but on 23 May 1964, they allowed the Scottish woman Dale Greig, representing Paisley AC, to run in breach of the competition laws at the time. The WAAA rules at the time also banned women from racing against men in the same race.

The result was an astounding world-best woman's time of 3:27:25, beating the previous best by Mary Lepper (USA, 3:37:07) set in December 1963 by almost 10 minutes. The next time a woman ran the Isle of Wight Marathon – or in any marathon officially in the UK – was in May 1976 when Avril Lewis, of Bromsgrove & Redditch AC, set a course record of 3:21:06.

Ryde Harriers are celebrating the 60th anniversary of Greig's groundbreaking achievement in the 1964 race. This important anniversary is marked with a display by independent sports historian Katie Holmes on the Isle of Wight Marathon, Dale Greig, and the  history of women's marathon running. The display is on show at Love Running in Newport, IOW, and will be at the Race HQ on 6 October.

Advance entries are being taken until Sunday 29 September. Some on-the-day entries may be available (cash only) at the Race HQ, Isle of Wight Community Club, Cowes, PO31 7NP. Taking part and finishing the race is the only way to get your hands on the fabulous medal designed by Sarah Probert to commemorate Dale Greig's achievement (pictured above).

The current course records are 2:28:30 by Ross Skelton (HY Runners) and 2:56:38 by Charlie Metcalfe (Ryde Harriers) – both set in 2020 – and there are £50 bonus awards for any new overall records and £25 for new veterans' records. The current course may be less hilly than the original Ryde route but it still features a hefty 1,149 feet of ascent.

Full race details and entry links are at the Ryde Harriers website here.

Previous results and event reports are at the runABC South race listing here. 

Photo of 2024 race medal courtesy of Ryde Harriers on Facebook