In celebration of Meb Keflezighi’s 10 year anniversary of his 2014 Boston Marathon victory, we will be featuring a Celebration of Meb, highlighting and sharing an aspect of Meb’s life on and off the track and roads leading up to the 2024 Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15. We are thankful to both Meb and Hawi (Meb’s brother and agent) for their partnership on this feature.
Meb’s 26 competitive marathons have been well documented. But there are two additional marathons that can be added to his list: the two he ran for charity.
In 2018, Meb ran the Boston and New York City Marathons after officially retiring from competitive running, for Team MR8 (the Martin Richard Foundation) in Boston and the New York Road Runners’ Team for Kids in New York.
Meb will run his third marathon for charity at this year’s Boston Marathon. He will be running in support of the MEB Foundation.
The Martin Richard Foundation
from the Martin Richard Foundation website
The Martin Richard Foundation works to advance the values of inclusion, kindness, justice and peace. We invest in community programs that broaden horizons for young people and encourage them to celebrate diversity and engage in positive civic action.
On April 15, 2013, eight year old Martin Richard was one of three people killed while hundreds of others were injured when two bombs exploded near the Boston Marathon finish line. A photo of Martin holding a handmade sign spread across the Internet in the weeks that followed; the sign read “No More Hurting People, Peace.” Martin’s earnest commitment to peace became the impetus for the Martin Richard Foundation, founded by parents Denise and Bill in January 2014.
Since 2014, the Foundation has worked to advance Martin’s values of sportsmanship, inclusion, kindness and peace by investing in programs that encourage young people to celebrate diversity and engage as community leaders.
Team for Kids
Team for Kids is NYRR’s charity running team, made up of a committed group of adult runners from around the world who add meaning to their miles by raising funds for NYRR’s Youth and Community Services programs while training for major endurance events. These funds go to free youth running and fitness programs for kids who would otherwise have little or no access to regular physical activity. Team for Kids Ambassadors are a group of notable and professional runners who embody NYRR’s mission to help and inspire people through running. Through participation in NYRR youth and community events, including visits with Rising New York Road Runners programs—NYRR’s enhanced free youth fitness program—free shoe distribution/donation events with youth runners across New York City at the NYRR RUNCENTER featuring the NB Run Hub, participating in special events and initiatives, and running and training as a representative of Team for Kids. Team for Kids Ambassadors are making a positive impact on the next generation of runners.
The funds they raise provide free fitness programs and events to nearly 250,000 children nationally each year, including 125,000 in New York City’s five boroughs.
