Her family posted an obituary with a funeral home in West Palm Beach, Florida announcing that she died on July 8 following a 10-year fight with cancer. The obituary is under the name Rosie Vivas, a name she used later in life.
Ruiz crossed Boston Marathon finish line in record time
Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the prestigious Boston Marathon in 1980 in course-record time of 2:31:56. She was fresh off of finishing the New York Marathon — her first marathon — in less than three hours. Her finish in New York qualified her for the Boston Marathon.
According to the Washington Post, New York Marathon officials disqualified her finish there after determining that she rode the subway for 16 miles of the course after she injured her ankle. That was four days after the Boston Marathon.
Ruiz crossed Boston Marathon finish line in record time
Ruiz was the first woman to cross the finish line at the prestigious Boston Marathon in 1980 in course-record time of 2:31:56. She was fresh off of finishing the New York Marathon — her first marathon — in less than three hours. Her finish in New York qualified her for the Boston Marathon.
According to the Washington Post, New York Marathon officials disqualified her finish there after determining that she rode the subway for 16 miles of the course after she injured her ankle. That was four days after the Boston Marathon.
