On Patriots Day, April 20, 2026, over 30,000 professional and everyday runners competed in the 130th annual Boston Marathon. Taking place in many cities around the world, finishing the 26.2-mile long-distance run remains the goal of millions of athletes around the world. But why do marathons matter so much?
Many participants run marathons to raise money dedicated to causes such as charities, research, and health initiatives. But most importantly, marathon events like the Boston Marathon bring together a community of runners and spectators who together celebrate a shared dedication and passion. Concord Academy History teacher and Cross Country Coach Mitch Morris reflected on running as his way of building community.
“Most of my best friends I've met through a shared passion for long-distance running, including in college, while teaching, and in graduate school in Montana,” he recalls. He participated in this year’s Boston Marathon and was surprised to discover how much more connected to the CA community he felt.
He states, “Never in my life have so many people expressed such an interest in my running, or taken such an interest in this passion of mine. It's really warmed my heart, and made me feel like I'm known and appreciated by this community not just for the work I do as a teacher and coach, but for my own personal pursuits as well.” For CA students, watching a teacher take on the challenge of a marathon showed the power of passion and persistence beyond the classroom, creating a deeper bond that helped foster a supportive community.
While we live in an increasingly polarized world where our ability to form connections with each other is often severed by antagonism, marathons offer a space where differences in backgrounds fade, replaced by a mutual respect and celebration for the shared purpose and passion uniting runners and spectators. In a beautiful and rare moment, a city shows up to support its runners. It is a reflection of what community can look like at its best, extending far beyond the marathon itself to the broader world.