This year’s run is scheduled for April 17–19 with proceeds benefitting the Rhody Outpost
Kingston, R.I. – April 7, 2026 – The 4x4x48 run for charity returns to the University of Rhode Island this month for its sixth year in Kingston under new leadership and a new beneficiary.
Launched in 2020 by famed ultramarathon runner, retired U.S. Navy SEAL, and motivational speaker David Goggins, the 4x4x48 is a 48-hour endurance run where participants complete four miles every four hours over a two-day stretch. The challenge went viral, prompting others to host their own version of the race to raise funds for a charity of their choice.
This year’s run, dubbed “48 Miles for the Rhody Outpost,” begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 17 – rain or shine – and concludes the following Sunday, April 19. Participation is free and anyone within the URI community is welcome to register whether they run one leg, two legs, or all 12 over the course of 48 hours. Donations are encouraged and can be submitted online whether donors choose to run or not; all proceeds from this year’s race benefit the Rhody Outpost, URI’s basic needs pantry for students experiencing food insecurity.
After URI alumni Jonah Steinweh-Adler and Nick Powers launched the 4x4x48 at URI in 2021 and hosted it until graduating last year, the 4x4x48 is now in the hands of sophomore Logan Cote, a Goffstown, N.H., native, and junior Andrew Kroczynski of Mahwah, N.J., both avid runners who also participated in last year’s challenge.
Kroczynski, a kinesiology major and leadership studies minor and past president of the URI Climbing Team, came up with the idea of donating proceeds to the Rhody Outpost through his kinesiology studies. The previous 4x4x48s benefitted Doctors Without Borders, a nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian healthcare around the globe.
“I take quite a few nutrition courses and a big staple in all of them is food insecurity on campus,” he said. “With the Outpost providing services for students, this gave us the opportunity to benefit something closer to our community so people can actually see the impact of their donation.”
Similar to past runs, this year’s 4x4x48 begins at Barlow Circle at 6 p.m. on April 17 with each subsequent leg beginning four hours later, including 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. runs on April 18 and 19. Participants can run, walk, or jog at their own pace and recover between legs in the classroom at Hillside Hall. The final leg is 2 p.m. on April 19 and runners who participate in every leg will have completed 48 miles in 48 hours. URI President Marc Parlange, also an avid runner, has competed in the challenge in each of the last three years.
Cote, a physics and mathematics double major at URI, discovered the 4x4x48 last year via social media and decided at the last minute to participate. He ran track at Goffstown High School, specializing in the 800-meter and 4×400- and 4×800-relay runs, and is a member of URI’s club pickleball and track and field teams. Last semester, he participated in URI’s RISE-UP Ideation Studio pitch night, pitching his AI-powered political social hub and voting platform, myRep, designed to promote voter transparency and provide information to young and under-informed voters.
Kroczynski also participated in the challenge for the first time last year through Powers and said both he and Cote were approached by Steinweh-Adler about coordinating the event themselves in 2026. The opportunity to lead this year’s event allowed them to rebrand and focus charitable efforts on benefitting a cause close to URI. Launched in 2012, the Rhody Outpost provides free fresh and non-perishable food and personal care items to students in need and accepts donations year-round both online and through its Amazon wish list.
“We’re excited for this year’s run,” Kroczynski said. “We don’t expect everyone to complete every leg. Some might show up and do just one run on Saturday or Sunday. It’s just nice to see new people join and get involved.”
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Michael Parente, director of communications and marketing in the URI Division of Student Affairs, wrote this news release.