St. Louis Partnership for Girls

Can't run at 13; Olympic qualifier at 16

Anne Audain as a 13-year-old with foot casts.

Anne Audain had reconstructive surgery on both feet at age 13. Three years later, she qualified to run for her native New Zealand in the Munich Olympic Games.

She went on to set a world record in the 5,000 meters. In 1982, she entered 12 races, won all 12 and set records in each. She also has won more road races than any male or female distance runner in the world.

Ms. Audain was in St. Louis last month to urge local women and girls not to let any obstacles hold them back. She used anecdotes from her life to illustrate how to use sports to develop your qualities of leadership, perseverance and excellence.

She spoke at the first public event by the St. Louis Partnership for Girls. That's a new organization seeking to help girls and women gain independence and confidence through participation in community activities.

Winning 3,000 meters at 1982 Commonwealth Games

Ms. Audain started her talk by recounting her own humble beginnings. Her 15-year-old unwed mother put her up for adoption immediately after birth. She also was born with abnormalities in both feet.

"The big toes on both feet stuck out and I couldn't walk correctly. I wasn't able to wear regular shoes," she said.

Her doctors delayed trying to fix her feet until her bones were stronger. It wasn't until she was 13 and entering high school that she had the corrective operation.

She acknowledged the doctors' decision was correct. But, it meant she was teased by lower grade classmates and was unable to play sports.

It meant she was wearing two full-foot casts on her first day of high school. "And my mother had bought a too-large school uniform so it would last all four years," she added.

"A year after the operation, I joined an athletic club," she said.

Her running ability developed quickly. At age 16, she qualified for the New Zealand Olympic team. But, she wasn't included in the team because of budget restrictions.

"But, it may have been just as well because that was the Munich Olympics where terrorists killed the Israeli team members. One of the most famous pictures of the terrorists was taken by a New Zealander from their team balcony right across from the Israeli team quarters," she said.

In all, she qualified for four Olympics but didn't medal.

Her greatest achievements came after she began training with former Olympian John Davis. "He completely changed my practice routine, stressing longer distances," she said.

Her most consistent success came in races at longer distances. Her world record was in the 5,000 meters.

Along the way, she became a point person in the shift from amateur to professional in women's athletics. In those days, if a performer accepted prize money in a race, she was banned from all future amateur races.

"During those times, male athletics were paid under the table for appearances but women athletes got nothing," she said.

Ms. Audain said she became one of the banned athletes in 1981 when she finished 3rd in a 10K road race and accepted the $10,000 prize. She also became the first woman runner to get an endorsement contract with Nike, which paid her $400 a month and "all the shoes and clothing I wanted for free."

But, her automatic ban from competition cut down her racing opportunities.

"But, my coach urged me to keep practicing. He wanted me to set a goal of setting a world's record in the 5,000 meters," she said. She achieved that and other goals with her banner year in 1982.

(For more about Ms. Audain's career, visit www.anneaudain.com.)

Ms. Audain retired from competitive racing when she was 36.

But, she didn't lose her drive or ambition to change women's lives through sports.

By this time, she was a U.S. citizen and living in Boise, Idaho, where she trained.

She was the founder in 1993 of the Idaho Women's Fitness Celebration. "We purposely didn't call it a race. We wanted women of all ages and sizes to get more active," she said.

The celebration included a 5K run/walk. "We called it a three mile walk with a party at the end," she said.

Anne Audain

"The first year, we had 2,400 participants and I think there were only 13 real runners," she said. Last year, the event drew 15,000 participants.

Ms. Audain's appearance in St. Louis coincided with the 21st National Girls and Women in Sports Day, 2007.

If you would like to volunteer for the new St. Louis Partnership for Girls and Women in Sports, call the St. Louis Marathon at (314) 727-0800.