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.

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

History

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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

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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

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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

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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.
Year Winner Time
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

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  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. ^ a b "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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