In 1967, K. Switzer entered the Boston Marathon.

K stood for Kathrine. At that time, women were not allowed to compete in marathons. When race director, Jock Semple learned she was a woman, he tried to pull her off the course, but with help from her fellow runners, she was able to finish.

Kathrine Switzer was the first woman who officially registered in the Boston Marathon. With her book, Marathon Woman, she tells the story of how she started running and became one of the greatest marathon runners of her time.

Switzer, 63, recently ran her first marathon in 34 years. She participated in the Mototapu Icebreaker Marathon in the South Island of New Zealand. It is recognized as of the most difficult races in the world with many river crossings and mountainous terrain. She completed the course in five hours and 38 minutes. Most women 50 and over finished in over six hours. Switzer won her age group by more than 33 minutes.

"I can't wipe the grin off my face and to tell you the truth this feels almost as good as seeing a book you've been writing for years finally published," Switzer wrote her blog

I had the opportunity to interview Switzer about her experience running this adventure race and why she did it after nearly four decades of not running.

What made you to decide in competing for this adventure race?

Switzer: New Zealand is paradise, God's gift and most of the beauty cannot been seen unless you hike or climb into it. It is pretty untouched, pristine and there is not much of that left in the world, at least in somewhat accessible and relatively civilized places. New Zealand is also my second home so I wanted to experience one of the things the country does best which is creating Eco and adventures experiences. You need to be fit to really appreciate New Zealand, and I'm not getting any younger. That is very hard to fathom. I keep thinking I can run forever and do hard stuff forever. But it has only been since my late 50s and I realize I am really slowing down that I can see there might be a time when something like this will not be possible. So I don't want to miss it.

Were there any doubt or regrets going into the race?

Switzer: Plenty!!!!! I had severe doubt early in my training about being able to be on my feet as long as the event would require.

I had to learn to take gels and electrolyte fluids not just to run fast as in the past but to be able to stay on my feet for hours and hours. I try to live my life having no regrets. I try to do things so I don't look back and wish, and anytime I've ever done or said something I regret, I feel awful about it for a long time. So I would say I went into this with my eyes open, but I do have a slight regret that it took so much time to train for it. Really, the long run day was an all day commitment for the most part. And I kept thinking of all the writing I could and should be doing. On the other hand, it was great learning experience and provided me with great book material for later.

Did you train on your own? Who inspired you to keep up with the long hours of being out there training?

Switzer: I trained almost entirely on my own, and I am very self-motivated. I don't really like to run or train with people much as I keep thinking I am holding them up. I like to slow down or stop and stretch when I want to and not necessarily when they want to. But toward the end of a four or five hour run, I was very happy indeed to see my husband if he was out on a bike. He actually inspired me a lot, because he is such a great runner and now he can't run because his knee is shot. He would just love to run this kind of race and would have been spectacular at it, but alas could not, so I felt I owed it to him to get out there and train and not complain and do the best I could for both of us. That inspired me a lot.

What was the most challenging part of the course? Any dangers like wildlife, terrain?

Switzer: There are no wild animals in New Zealand to speak of, but it is the environment and weather change that is dangerous, so we had to carry a pack with emergency gear and wool hat, gloves, tights, jacket, etc. Indeed, it snowed the night before and this was the height of summer. The biggest challenge was the streams, 29 crossings. My feet were numb with cold the entire race that turned out also to be a good thing-but it was very disconcerting. I was sure I would have blisters from the sand and grit in my shoes and socks, but I didn't. Amazing. But what killed me was trying to run out of the streams, as each exit was at least a slight uphill and my feet were extremely heavy as my shoes were full of water.

What life lessons could you apply from this race into other areas of your life?

Switzer: It is never too late to get fit again. It is never too late to discover something about your own body. It is eternally fascinating to explore new territory. It is important to take risk and challenge yourself always, to try not to be afraid of things. Also, there is new technology: learn to embrace it and try to make your life easier. Always remember when you do something difficult that you probably can do anything you set your mind to and work for. Also, training on dirt (even rock and shale) is better on your body than all those hours on the road. I've learned to bring more nature into my life in all respects.

What is next for you? Would you recommend this race to others?

Switzer: Absolutely I'd recommend this race to anyone willing to train for it. But I'd recommend any off-road running experience to people. It is wonderful to get into the wild. My next big race is going to be the Athens Classic Marathon, run from Marathon to Athens.

How did you feel at the end?

Switzer: A lot better than I expected. I had absolutely no soreness the next day and I certainly did not need to sit in an ice bath when I finished as my calves and feet were already numb from the glacier streams. I was surprising emotional for a few seconds, just the sense of wow, I did it and although I loved my fitness, I really didn't want to do any training for quite a while. I wanted to catch up on other fun things I'd missed!

Richmond resident Christine Blanchette is an avid runner who has competed in a number of high-profile events including the Boston Marathon. She would be happy to answer your running questions by e-mailing her at christineblanchette@hotmail.com.