The first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon is inspiring others to carry the same fearlessness that changed history. 

One local organization is sparking change and advocacy in women to run for their rights.

“I met Katherine Switzer, who was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, in 1972,” coach Lori Fox said. “I met her at Niagara Falls International, half for women, and she started telling me about this organization. It's for women only through empowering women, through running. And I thought, ‘OK, this is something.’”

Switzer made history in 1967 by running in the Boston Marathon. At the time, the race was considered a male-only event.

“In that moment, she found her moment of fearlessness,” Fox said. “She knew if she got off the course, then it would be true that women were not physically or mentally able to run such a distance.”

During the competition, a race director attempted to pull Switzer from the race. Her boyfriend bounced the official off the course, allowing Switzer to go on to finish. The photo of the incident became one of Time-Life’s “100 Photographs That Changed the World.” It featured Switzer wearing bib number 261.

“That was Catherine’s bib number when she was running,” Fox said. “The logo has a little rip in the corner where her bib came loose.”

Switzer’s fearless experience turned into a fearless community, creating 261 Fearless organizations to inspire women around the world to not only be an active runner, but an active member for others.

“I am a child of the 70s, and when I was in high school, they did not have girl's sports,” Fox said. “They had cheerleading and dodgeball. There was no basketball or football or lacrosse or field hockey. And she just spoke to me. There's a long way to go for women in sports. So she touched a nerve. It really resonated with me.”

The Rochester organization is inspiring members and its coaches to experience their own 261 moment.

“Being a coach really for me was a 261 moment,” coach Janet McCarten said. “Even though I had an incredible amount of support, I have never taken on that type of a leadership position. I feel proud to be a 261 coach. I feel proud to work with the women I work with and also joy.”

261 Fearless continues to not only inspire, but educate those on the topics that were once taboo, using what was once considered a weakness to build strength and community for female runners.

“261’s ongoing education that coaches get and then bring to their members,” Fox said. “We have everything from finding the right running bras because when Kathleen was running, she put together stockings to make a good running bra because they didn't have running bras for women back then. Women uniting their voices to truly let everyone know what's really happening with women's bodies and that we're capable.”

Coaches hope more women push through their fear like Switzer, and see what Fearlessness 261 has to offer.

“That fearless moment that she experienced, I think we all have moments in our lives where we say, I can, I'm just going to do it. I'm going to push forward,” McCarten said. “I hope that people take that feeling of maybe it’s fear, maybe it's uncomfortable, but I'm going to push myself. And I know I can do it.”