Heading into the 30th Anniversary Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women 2006...

...A Q&A with Dusty Rhodes, Founder of the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women andPresident/Founder of Conventures, Inc.

How was the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women conceived?

While sitting on a park bench in NYC with Jess Bell, the owner of Bonne Bell cosmetics, I pitched the idea of a women-only road race in Boston. In 1977 the idea materialized into the Bonne Belle Mini Marathon, which was one of a series of twelve races across the country.

The expected entry was 200; 2,231 women showed up and we knew this was a watershed moment in women's sports.
Tufts Health Plantook over sponsorship in 1985 and the race become known as the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women. With that sponsorship, Tufts Health Plan's commitment to the event created this celebration of health and fitness thousands have come to love.

The Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women is also significant because it was the first event Conventures, Inc. produced. Now in 2006, the race is 30 years old and Conventures is New England's largest integrated special event, marketing and communications firm.

What made you want to create an event like this?

At the time, I recognized that there wasn't anything like this for women in Boston. No one was addressing this huge audience that was so hungry to celebrate their strength and power as a unique community unified by a love of sport.

In the past 30 years we have come so far. Our culture has evolved because of events like this that let women feel empowered by athletics and become committed to their mental and physical well-being through running.

The Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women appeals both to a field of elite runners as well as the average woman. Each year thousands of non-competitive athletes use the Tufts Health Plan 10K for Women as a goal. They set out on a plan to get healthy and start running, jogging or walking and the Race is culmination of that training. It's something they use to get back in shape after a baby, or get motivated again after years with little to no exercise.