The Women's Day Races

About This Event...

The oldest all-women footrace in Western Massachusetts started in 1978 as the Women's Services Center Road Race. The inaugural event included two races - a challenging, hilly, 6.1-Mile course, and an easier 2.2-Mile version. Under the promotion and sponsorship of the Womens' Services Center, the first seven editions of the event moved around the county each year, but always offered the same two race distances. Participation boomed right from the start, and drew over 500 participants five times - making it by far the largest footrace in Berkshire County at the time. The huge amount of interest in the race was a big surprise to the race organizers and those who participated alike. If the first edition of the Women's Race was groundbreaking, the second was Earth-shattering. The 1979 Women's Race, held in Williamstown, MA, was the largest footrace of any type ever held in the county to that point. 560 women and girls participated, ranging from age 3 to 83. The camaraderie among the Berkshire women was potent that day, topped off by with a tie for first-place - the two winners finishing holding hands. In 1985, particpation dropped sharply (down to just over 300), and in 1986 the Womens' Services Center decided not to hold the event. The baton was passed to the Rape Crisis Center of Berkshire County in partnership with Wildwomensports. For the next two years (as in the previous two) the race was held at BCC and drew in the low 300's of runners. In 1988, the Rape Crisis Center/Wildwomensports partnership dropped the race, and it would have ended there. However, in the 10 years of its existence the race had become a beloved Mothers' Day weekend tradition for many Berkshire women. A few of those women, led by Kathy Korte, picked up the pieces last-minute and managed to put on the race. Still at BCC, 167 runners participated in a 2.1-mile version only. The event was a successful fundraiser for various Berkshire Non-Profits. With new momentum, Korte added a 5-mile to the event in 1989, and the race was held at BCC utilizing similar course and format for the next twelve years, drawing around 200 women each year (including dozens of mother/daughter pairs).