Boston 10K for Women
DateColumbus Day
LocationBoston, Massachusetts, United States
Event typeRoad
Distance10 kilometer (6.2 mi)
Established1977
Official siteboston10kforwomen.com

The Boston 10K for Women, Presented by REI, formerly known as the Reebok Boston 10K for Women, Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women and the Bonne Bell Mini Marathon, is a major 10 kilometer (6.2 mi) road running race held annually in Boston on Columbus Day. It is popular as both an elite world-class competition and a women's running event promoting health and fitness. Each year, the race draws thousands of participants and nearly 20,000 spectators.

History

For many years, the race has doubled as the USA Women's 10 km Championship (USA Track & Field).[1] It has attracted many of the world's top distance runners, including Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson and Olympian Molly Huddle, who each won four times, and Olympic bronze medalist Lynn Jennings, a six-time winner.

Begun in 1977 as the Bonne Bell Mini Marathon, Tufts Health Plan became title sponsor in 1985[2] and supported the race for 33 years. In 2018, Reebok took up the sponsorship of the race, and in 2021, REI became the presenting sponsor of the event.[3] For several years it was the largest women-only 10K in the US, most recently in 2013.[4]

In the 2018 race, Emily Sisson's time does not count as a course record as an off-course public safety issue caused the race course to be adjusted after it had begun, and was approximately 300 meters short.[5]

In 2020 the in-person race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and became a virtual event in which more than 2,000 participants registered and ran around the world.[6]

When the race resumed in 2021, now presented by REI, Weini Kelati set a new course record and American record with a time of 31:18.[7]

Course

The race course[8] starts on Beacon Street near the Boston Common, crosses the Charles River via the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge into Cambridge near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, forms a loop along the river on Memorial Drive, and crosses back over the bridge and into Boston down brownstone-lined Commonwealth Avenue. The finish line on Charles Street returns the runners to the Boston Common for celebration.

Runners

The race has become a Boston tradition and there are at least 10 women who have run the race every year since its inception in 1977.

Winners

Nine women who have run every race since 1977 at the Reebok store in October 2019.
Molly Huddle and Iveen Chepkemoi at the halfway point of the Reebok Boston 10K for Women in October 2019.
YearWinnerTime
2022  Erica Kemp (USA) 32:14
2021  Weini Kelati (USA) 31:18[7]
2019 Molly Huddle (USA)31:50[9]
2018 Emily Sisson (USA)30:39[10]
2017 Lauren Paquette (USA)33:30
2016 Emily Sisson (USA)31:47
2015 Molly Huddle (USA)32:16[11]
2014 Jordan Hasay (USA)31:38.9
2013 Sentayehu Ejigu (ETH)31:32.9
2012 Hellen Jemutai (KEN)32:29.8
2011 Janet Cherobon-Bawcom (USA)32:46.4
2010 Molly Huddle (USA)31:59.9
2009 Molly Huddle (USA)32:06.6
2008 Molly Huddle (USA)32:51.2
2007 Deena Kastor (USA)32:01.0
2006 Katie McGregor (USA)32:37.5
2005 Katie McGregor (USA)32:25.2
2004 Marie Davenport (IRL)32:47.4
2003 Elva Dryer (USA)32:33.3
2002 Marla Runyan (USA)31:45.4
2001 Colleen deReuck (USA)32:11
2000 Catherine Ndereba (KEN)32:46
1999 Libbie Hickman (USA)32:49
1998 Libbie Hickman (USA)31:57
1997 Gladys Ondeyo (KEN)32:46
1996 Gladys Ondeyo (KEN)32:47
1995 Collette Murphy (USA)32:30
1994 Elana Meyer (RSA)31:39
1993 Lynn Jennings (USA)32:02
1992 Lynn Jennings (USA)32:22
1991 Lynn Jennings (USA)32:12
1990 Lynn Jennings (USA)32:39
1989 Lynn Jennings (USA)31:57
1988 Anne Hannam (NZL)31:38
1987 Nancy Tinari (CAN)32:22
1986 Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)31:40
1985 Joan Benoit Samuelson (USA)31:49
1984 Betty Jo Geiger (USA)31:51
1983 Joan Benoit Samuelson (USA)31:36
1982 Anne Audain (NZL)31:42
1981 Jan Merrill (USA)32:04
1980 Patti Catalano (USA)32:24
1979 Margaret Groos (USA)32:47
1978 Joan Benoit Samuelson (USA)33:15
1977 Lynn Jennings (USA)34:31

References

  1. "Tufts Health Plan 10 km Boston MA/USA". Association of Road Racing Statistic. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. Singelai, Neil (16 October 1985). "Tufts 10 Takes Over for 'Bonne' This Fall". The Boston Globe.
  3. "Reebok Signs On As Title Sponsor of Boston 10K For Women". www.nerunner.com. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  4. "Largest Races, Women-Only". runningusa.org. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  5. Granite State Race Services (2018-10-08). "Reebok Boston 10K for Women (formerly Tufts 10K for Women) 2018". Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  6. "Boston 10K for Women cancelled, will be run virtually in 2020". MyBestRuns.com 1. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  7. 1 2 "Weini Kelati sets American record at Boston 10K for Women - The Boston Globe". BostonGlobe.com. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  8. "The Course | Reebok Boston 10K for Women". Reebok Boston 10K for Women. Retrieved 2018-08-02.
  9. Shulman, Dan (2019-10-14). "Molly Huddle wins Reebok 10K for Women". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  10. McLoone, Dan (2018-10-08). "Emily Sisson a repeat winner in Reebok Boston 10K". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  11. "USATF.TV - Events - USATF Women's 10 km Championship - Official Website".
List of winners
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