826 Boston hosts .826-mile marathon to support youth literacy programs

826 Boston is hosting its annual Half Half Half Half Half Marathon on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at Jamaica Pond.

The Half Half Half Half Half Marathon is an (almost) 0.826-mile, family-friendly race at Jamaica Pond that aims to raise funds for 826 Boston's writing, tutoring, and publishing programs offered free to more than 3,500 Boston students and families.

A tradition that started in 2017, this race—which the organization affectionately calls “Boston’s greatest shortest race”—gets its name from a simple math formula. The 0.826-mile length is calculated when the length of a full marathon is divided in half five times over.

Last year, the marathon raised more than $22,000 and attracted more than 100 runners, including Boston City Councilor Benjamin J. Weber. “826 Boston is doing a great job and they’re focusing on literacy, which is something I’ve also been trying to focus on,” he said in a Boston Globe article covering the event.

All funds raised during the event go to support 826 Boston’s programming, which includes after-school tutoring, creative writing workshops, six Writers’ Rooms in various Boston Public Schools, the Young Authors Book Project, and more. These programs are offered free to K-12 students throughout Boston. Last school year, 826 Boston worked with 3,712 unique students, provided a total of 23,401 program hours, and published 37 books that featured 711 student authors.

The marathon is a family-friendly, pet-friendly, and wheelchair-accessible race. Registration for this event will kick off at 5:30 PM at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse, with the race beginning at 6:00 PM. Standard registration is $25 and the “Tote-tally Premium Registration,” which includes an 826 Boston student-authored book and branded tote, is $40. Students aged 18 and under get to participate for free. Registrants are encouraged to sign up either as individuals or as teams. The event will also include games, prizes, and chances to learn more about 826 Boston!

This event is sponsored by BookBub, Tres Gatos, Brookline Booksmith, Amy Light of the Muncey Group, Trillium Brewing, Ellen & Janis Real Estate Team, Digital Dental Studio by Anna Vishart, and Papercuts Bookshop.

To register for the Half Half Half Half Half Marathon, visit 826 Boston’s website at 826boston.org/half.

Every year, 826 Boston supports more than 3,500 students in Boston and publishes more than 700 young authors. 826 Boston believes that great leaps in learning can happen with individualized attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to a student’s success. In 2022, The Boston Globe recognized 826 Boston’s model for its importance in overcoming pandemic learning loss, naming our strategies of high-dosage tutoring and individualized attention as key to getting students back on track.

The 826 model was developed in 2002 by best-selling author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari who were looking for a way to support overburdened teachers and connect talented working adults with students from kindergarten through high school.

826 Boston is one of nine 826 chapters nationwide. While 826 Boston is an independent organization, it draws on the national network for professional development support, program evaluation, and connection to national resources.

About 826 Boston
Founded in 2007, 826 Boston is a nonprofit writing, tutoring, and publishing organization where students in grades K-12 and beyond can share their stories, amplify their voices, and develop as leaders in school and in life. Learn more at 826Boston.org.