It's hard to believe that as recently as 1967, women were not allowed to run in the Boston Marathon.

But as with most efforts at breaking down baffling barriers, it takes a brave person to do away with old fashioned tradition.

That's exactly what Kathrine Switzer did when she became the first woman to enter and complete the race.

But as iconic photos from that day graphically reveal, she had to put up with a huge amount of opposition as a race official tried to remove her from the race physically.

Tonight, Switzer spoke to Off The Ball about that experience and shared many anecdotes from a difficult period which proved important in ultimately allowing women to compete.