The Mass Half

The Mass Half is a single-distance road race held in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, on April 4, 2027. The half marathon (13.1 miles) starts at 7:00 a.m., and with only one format on the schedule the whole morning is built around that distance rather than split across several fields. It is organized by a local United Way.

A one-distance race has its advantages: the start is simpler, everyone around you is running the same event, and nobody peels off at a split. If it is your first half, give yourself 14 to 16 weeks with a long run each week that reaches 10 or 11 miles, and run the opening three miles slower than you think you should. If you are using it as a spring tune-up, an early-April date sits neatly ahead of a summer goal race.