Newly divorced and facing an empty nest at home, Mattapan resident Angel Babbitt, 44, asked herself what’s next. The answer, she decided, is to run.

A marathon is on the horizon for her this weekend, as she is a member of the Pioneers Run Crew, a Dorchester-based group hosting its third annual alternative to the legendary Boston Marathon – “26.TRUE” – the number a nod very close to the mileage of the typical long-distance race. The race, set for this Saturday, April 15, at 8 a.m. at Malcolm X Park in Roxbury, is open to all.

The Boston Marathon, which was first run in 1897 and is the world’s oldest annual competition, has competitive qualification requirements, including a minimum time, runner caps, and a fundraising pledge. 26.TRUE was launched as an option for those who don’t meet those requirements or want to run with and meet people in their neighborhoods.

“Running has just been healing; like the universe connected me because I hadn’t heard of the Pioneers until 2021,” Babbitt said.

By their own description, the Pioneers are a running team with a goal to equalize the importance of speed and skill with creating a “diverse and welcoming community” where running isn’t everything, but a part of the experience.

While roughly two miles of the Boston Marathon runs through Boston proper, with most of the miles covered in seven contiguous towns to the west, the Pioneers provide a 15-week session where people across various experience levels are welcome to train for 26.TRUE, and its marathon courses are entirely through city neighborhoods including Dorchester, Mattapan, and South Boston. It begins and ends at Malcolm X Park.

“There are goals that are subtly there for you to reach out and grab, if that’s what you want,” Babbitt said. “And then there’s the vibes if you’re just here to show up and be in a community, and they’re both equally weighted.”

Blair Wang joined the Pioneers after she moved back to Boston from Chicago in 2020 and felt dissatisfied with other local running groups. “I think [they] were focused on running and drinking beers, which is great and happy for them,” Wang said. “But for me, I was looking for more than that.”

Steven Smith, managing partner at Delta Physical Therapy in Lower Mills, discovered the Pioneers after one of his patients invited him to come watch a 5K race in 2021. He is now sponsoring a crew for the upcoming race. Delta Physical Therapy, located at 1100 Washington St., serves as a snack and warming station during training and hosts injury prevention clinics. It also provides a rest stop for Saturday’s 26.TRUE.

“If anybody in the run crew feels not great, I tell them ‘All right, just come in, we’ll see what’s going on,’” Smith said “It’s just being accessible for everybody, that’s what it’s about.”

Puma will serve as one of 14 race sponsors. Pioneer captain Brock Soreff sees that as a sign of growth for the outfit. “Just seeing how excited brands are about the idea, it’s cool,” Soreff said. “But then to see the buy-in that they have; financially, yes, we need the money to put it on, but from shared values, it’s like recognizing that this is a need.”

Wang expressed how the community aspect of Pioneers is what keeps her coming back.

“This is not just about running 26.2 miles, it is about the community and the people that I get to train with, and the people that get to celebrate with me, and then also people that understand how big of a deal that is,” she said.

As Pioneers gathered at Delta PT last month for an early morning run, easy laughter and conversation was in the air. “When people come to Pioneers, our first questions are never about running,” Soreff said. “We’re like, ‘Oh, who are you? or, ‘I love that neighborhood in the city.’ And then you’re just talking about their job or kids or whatever, and the next thing you know, you’ve gone five miles in your life story.”

For Babbitt, the Pioneers have paved the way for a forward step into a new chapter of her life. “I think what I’m noticing is that it’s never too late to reset and restart,” Babbitt said. “And the crew gives you that sort of encouragement.”