by Larry Eder
The Boston 10k for women is one of the most important women’s only events in the country. Founder in 1977, just five years after the first AAU women’s marathon championships and public opinion was mixed on the safety of women running long distances. Just so you know, it was total BS. Women have run for over a century in races. In 1972, the Olympics added 1,500m for women. In 1984, the women’s marathon was added to the schedule.
The Boston 10k for Women has had amazing fields for years and has been the official and unofficial big fall 10k of the US fall season.
Nice to see PUMA coming on board. As the PUMA team told us in recent interviews with their team
PUMA to become the Official Footwear and Apparel Partner of the Boston 10K for Women, presented by REI
Boston-based PUMA pushing the pace in women’s running.
Boston, MA – Conventures, Inc., organizers of the Boston 10K for Women, presented by REI, today proudly introduced PUMA as its official footwear and apparel partner. In further demonstrating its commitment to women’s running, the footwear and apparel company will provide pre-event activations, on-site engagements at Boston Common, and will become the title sponsor of the event’s elite athlete field. The Boston 10K for Women is the longest-running all-women’s sporting event in New England, and, if road races are allowed to be safely held, will return to the roads this October for its 45th running.
PUMA’s support of the Boston 10K for Women, presented by REI will put PUMA’s logo on the race bib number, PUMA footwear on race officials, and the “Elite Field, Powered by PUMA“, will help support visibility for the event’s elite field. The new race partnership is the latest illustration of PUMA’s deep commitment to Boston, to running, and to women, and allows the company to align itself with the largest all-women’s race in New England for multiple years.
“When we recognized the opportunity to partner with such a historic and important race that supports female runners, we could not have been more excited to get involved,” said Erin Longin, Global Director of Running & Training at PUMA. “With PUMA Running we are looking to spark change in the running industry and champion female runners. The event brings out the best in women of all abilities, and it is a shining example of the sisterhood, compassion, and energy that unites us all. It’s a great day, and we can’t wait to be out there.”
“It’s a bounce back year for women’s running, and as runners reunite around the country, the sport needs companies like PUMA to lead, which is exactly what they’re doing,” said Dusty Rhodes, who founded the race in 1977. “A road race is where everyone can line up as equals, compete, have fun, and support each other. It’s a unifying phenomenon, and PUMA recognizes the power of race day.”
Held every year on the second Monday in October, race organizers yielded their traditional race date to accommodate the 125th Boston Marathon, scheduled for Monday, October 11, 2021. The race date for 2021 Boston 10K for Women will be announced shortly, and the event will accommodate as much of an in-person component as it prudently and safely can.
The event features hours of pre-race and post-race athletic and wellness programming to complement the flat and fast 6.2-mile course, where runners cheer for each other along stretches of the Charles River. The course features sweeping views of the Boston skyline, a few twists and turns, and comes to a dramatic finish at Boston Common. In 2020, the event converted to a six-day virtual event, where runners from 40 states and 10 countries took part in the 10K at a time and location of their choosing.
About Boston 10K for Women
Established in 1977 as the Bonne Bell Mini Marathon, the Boston 10K for Women, presented by REI is the longest-running all-women’s sporting event in New England. With thousands of runners and spectators each year, it’s New England’s largest all-women’s road race, and has been organized every year by Conventures, Inc. The race features a flat out-and-back course through Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood and scenic stretches of Memorial Drive in Cambridge. More than 183,000 women have raced in the event since its inception. For more information on the race please visit www.boston10kforwomen.
About Puma
PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For more than 70 years, PUMA has relentlessly pushed sport and culture forward by creating fast products for the world’s fastest athletes. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running and Training, Basketball, Golf, and Motorsports. It collaborates with renowned designers and brands to bring sport influences into street culture and fashion. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and stichd. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs about 16,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany.
