Racine Sun

Kim Merritt was born on May 22, 1955, in Racine, Wisconsin. She grew up in the city and developed a strong passion for running. After attending the University of Wisconsin–Parkside, where she excelled in cross-country and track, Merritt made a significant mark in the world of long-distance running. She won the 1975 New York City Marathon and later claimed victory in the Boston and Honolulu Marathons in 1976. Merritt set an American record in 1977 with a time of 2:37:57 at the Nike OTC Marathon. Her success on the national road race circuit continued with victories at events such as the Falmouth Road Race and the Crim 10 Mile Run. Merritt retired from professional running in 1980 but made an attempt at the 1984 Olympic Trials. Her achievements were pivotal in the development of women’s distance running in the U.S., and she remains an important figure in the sports history of Racine.