Violet Stewart Louisa Piercy (24 December 1889[1] – 11 April 1972) was an English long-distance runner who is recognized by the International Association of Athletics Federations as having set the first women's world best in the marathon on 3 October 1926 with a time of 3:40:22.

[2] [nb 1] Piercy was reported to have run unofficially[5] and her mark was set on the Polytechnic Marathon course between Windsor and London.

[1] In 1928, she again attempted the London marathon race but stopped after twenty miles due to excessive heat,[11] with a time of 3 hours 31 minutes.

[1] In March 1935, she became established as "one of the first known female endurance runners in Britain", according to The New York Times, after her public five-mile run from Highgate to the Monument in the centre of London marking the starting location of the Great Fire of London, including the 311 stairs to the top of the Monument, which she completed in 43 minutes and 2 seconds.

[1] According to the IAAF, Piercy's 1926 time stood for 37 years until Merry Lepper's 3:37:07 performance at the Western Hemisphere Marathon on 16 December 1963.