Not so long ago, many people believed it was too dangerous for women to run long distances. Doctors warned that running could cause infertility, and race directors kept women from participating in major events like the Boston Marathon. As running became more popular in the 1970s, women began pushing back against these ideas and fighting for their place in the sport. It was during this time that Dusty Rhodes had the idea to bring an all women’s race to Boston.

If this episode has inspired you to lace up your running shoes, registration is open for the 50th annual Boston 10K for Women on Saturday, October 10th, 2026. You can sign up today at boston10kforwomen.com.

This podcast was written and produced by Sydney Sauer. Special thanks to Dusty Rhodes, Maggie Mertens, and Lyn Licciardello for speaking with me, and to the team at Starting Line 1928 for graciously sharing Bobbi Gibb’s oral history. This show is made possible by Conventures and the Boston 10K for Women.

LINKS TO LEARN MORE

https://boston10kforwomen.com/2018/08/race-founder-dusty-rhodes-in-womens-running/

https://boston10kforwomen.com/history/

AUDIO CREDITS

Archival audio:

• Ten O'Six Lotion commercial
• Women's liberation movement news footage

Cherry Blossom Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

When Dusty Rhodes founded the Boston 10K for Women in 1977, then called the Bonne Bell Mini Marathon, it was one of the few races women were allowed to run. Fifty years later, the race continues to bring thousands of women to the starting line, including seven trailblazers who have participated every single year.

Finish Stronger, a podcast series created and hosted by Sydney Sauer, a PhD student in the Harvard University Department of Sociology, tells the story of the race and the women who fought for their place in the sport. The series explores how Dusty and her team at Conventures defied expectations to create a sellout race, shares the stories of its inspirational 50-year runners, and follows the growth of women’s participation in running at both the recreational and elite levels. The series features race director Dusty Rhodes, five time winner Molly Huddle, legacy runner Lyn Licciardello, author Maggie Mertens, and many other pioneering women.

Feeling inspired to run the race? Sign up at boston10kforwomen.com!

Today, millions of women around the world run, and thousands continue to show up at the Boston 10K for Women each year. It's up to us to carry on the legacy of the women who paved the path and ensure that all women and girls have access to the sport. The final episode of Finish Stronger explores how we can each contribute to helping women reach the starting line, and what women’s races like the Boston 10K for Women continue to offer the next generation.

If this episode has inspired you to lace up your running shoes, registration is open for the 50th annual Boston 10K for Women on Saturday, October 10th, 2026! You can sign up today at boston10kforwomen.com.

This podcast was written and produced by Sydney Sauer. Special thanks to all of the guests on this episode: Connie Chung, Sharon Barbano, Kathy Sastavickas, Molly Huddle, Maggie Mertens, Lyn Licciardello, and Dusty Rhodes. Finish Stronger is made possible by Conventures and the Boston 10K for Women.