Running Down A Dream: Stories from the Boston Marathon

on Monday. Holliston Patch caught up with two runners with local ties (51-year-old William Maley and , a 27-year-old grad) on Tuesday morning after they completed the 26.2-mile race.

Page Minihan and William Maley are just two of 26,895 runners participating in the 115th Boston Marathon on Monday. Yet their stories speak volumes.

Minihan, a 27-year-old Medford resident and Holliston High graduate, ran the race for Tedy’s Team, which was created by retired New England Patriots legend Tedy Bruschi. The former linebacker had a stroke in 2005, just 10 days after winning his third Super Bowl. Bruschi recovered fully and played another three seasons while forming Tedy's Team, a partnership with the American Stroke Association that works to raise stroke awareness.

“I was running for my father (Joe Minihan), who at the age of 29, suffered a couple major strokes” said Minihan, who finished the Marathon in four hours, six minutes, eight seconds. “I was four (at the time). The strokes left him completely paralyzed on the right side, but he has still led a phenomenal and positive life.

“It came to the point where I had a chance to do it, and I spoke with my family and we all kind of agreed upon it. And then I just got active with Tedy’s team and went from there.”

As for Maley, who at 51 years old was the oldest Holliston runner participating in the marathon, ran for a cause as well.

“I was running because I enjoy the race, and for personal reasons,” said Maley, who finished 3:46:00. “I also ran for a friend who lost a child to SIDS.”

Needless to say, the training process for the marathon isn’t easy, and it took a long time for both Minihan and Maley to get their bodies used to the grueling race.

“It started technically in November,” Minihan said. “Usually, it goes through a progression of hill training, because Boston is a predominantly hilly run, so you have to get your body used to that. Then you build up to longer runs throughout, and I also worked with a trainer for strength training and more agility and flexibility.”

Maley began his training early last December, spending five days per week running.

“It was a brutal winter,” he said. “In the beginning, (my weekly mileage total) was in the mid to high 20s per week, and then it grows through the 30s and into the 40s. Towards the heavier part of my runs, I was running in the low 50s per week.

“It would basically be a real long run on the weekend on Sunday," Maley added. "It would range, at the beginning it was 10 or 11 miles, and then one of my long runs at the end was 21 miles. On the day before, I’d do a pace run, which is basically running the pace that you want in the marathon, and then I’d do my long run a little bit slower on Sunday.”

The hard work paid off for both Minihan and Maley. Though both encountered tough times, they both finished with staisfactory times.

“I ran with a teammate of mine, Jackie Curley, who is phenomenal,” said Minihan. “We ran together for the first 16 miles, which is pretty much past the halfway point. Come mile 17, pretty much after you get onto Commonwealth Avenue in Newton, that’s when the hills started. That’s when I started basically just cramping because of fatigue, and from there I tried to power my way best I could. I didn’t stop, so that’s great.”

Maley found it tough from the beginning, but not because of fatigue.

“Because of where I started, the field is very crowded,” said Maley. “You’re basically trying to just not trip with so many people. For the first mile or two, you’re just beginning to get comfortable and set a pace.

“The middle of the race, around mile 16, is basically downhill," he added. "That gets you through Newton Lower Falls. You’ve got to be careful because people get out of the gate too quickly. If you go out of the gate too quickly, it really kills you towards the end.”

Fortunately, Maley knew what he was doing, having run the marathon once before, which gave him an advantage over first-time runners.

“The end of the race is tough,” said Maley. “You’ve been pushing pretty hard the whole time, and hopefully you’ve saved enough to get you through with a decent time. It’s a journey.”

Once the race is over, both Minihan and Maley walked for several more miles to cool down, per Boston Athletic Association policy.

“They make you walk quite a while,” Minihan said. “You finish, and then you have to walk down Boylston Street to pretty much the TD Garden. I have a lot of support along the way, with family and friends, and then a lot of my really close friends and my boyfriend were at the finish waiting for me.”

“I was sore,” Maley said. “It took me a few minutes to recover. You get really cold walking through the corals because you’ve really burned a lot of energy. The heat blankets are tremendous because they help a lot.”

Maley was especially grateful for the BAA and its volunteers, who were there to help every step of the way.

“I can’t say enough about the BAA and the support staff, the volunteers," he said. "They have the event down to a literal science, they know where to be, what you’re going to need. There are so many wonderful volunteers along the way. It’s just a really well-orchestrated event.”

Naturally, both Minihan and Maley were feeling the effects of the race on Tuesday morning.

“I feel a little sore, definitely sore,” Minihan said. “But (I feel) good, accomplished.”

“My legs were a little sore last night, then they felt better,” Maley said. “Overnight, they got a little sore again. You get up and you move them and they get better. For the next couple days, they’re going to be sore. Overall, compared to where I’ve been and what I’ve done, I’m really happy with it.”

When all was said and done, Minihan and Maley were very pleased with the outcome.

“Considering I’ve never run a marathon, yes,” said Minihan when asked if she was pleased with her performance in the marathon.

“It’s just a wonderful event to participate in,” Maley said. “It makes you feel alive.”

Gethin Coolbaugh is a Sports Reporter for Holliston Patch. He can be reached at 774-279-1995 or at gethin.coolbaugh@yahoo.com. Follow him @GethinCoolbaugh on Twitter.