Overview

• She died June 8 in Brookhaven, New York, of respiratory failure after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
• In April 1972 she won the first official women’s division of the Boston Marathon in 3:10:26 after earlier runs as an unofficial entrant.
• In October 1972 she and five other women staged a sit-down protest at the New York City Marathon start to challenge the AAU’s separate-start rule, leading to its repeal.
• Beginning in 1967, Kuscsik completed over 80 marathons, set the American 50-mile record in 1977 and won the Empire State Building Run-Up three consecutive times.
• She was inducted into the Long Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1999 and served on AAU and USA Track and Field committees to shape women’s race regulations.