Boston Marathon 2015 Runner Profile: Sally Reiley, Marblehead Mother of Five

Name: Sally Reiley

Story: I am running the Boston Marathon this year for my second time. My name is Sally Reiley, I live in Marblehead, and am 55 years old (and the mother of five kids, now 19, 21, 23, 25, and 27 years old). I am running to raise money for eye research at Mass Eye and Ear. Here is my fundraising link.

To date I have raised more than $16,000, but my goal is to raise more! Last year was my first ever marathon, and I ran for Mass Eye and Ear then as well. I succeeded in raising over $34,000 for MEEI! I am proud to be a trustee at MEEI, and my family has had a long history with Schepens Eye Research Institute and now Mass Eye and Ear. Several members of my family suffered retinal detachments, only to have their vision saved by innovative doctors at MEEI. I want to help the clinician-scientists there continue their cutting-edge research so that one day (soon!) we can end some of these blinding eye diseases.

Last year I ran with bib #31156 and started way back in wave 4, corral 5 (to put it in perspective, by the time I started Shalane Flanagan was almost at the finish line!). I finished in 3:34:30, so I qualified for an entry this year (qualifying time at my age is 4:10, so I had a 36-minute cushion). This year my bib is #18506, and I am up in wave 3, corral 3. Last year the marathon was an amazing experience — inspiring, energizing, rejuvenating, buoyant. There is nothing like running 26.2 miles with enthusiastic crowds yelling your name and cheering you on the entire way!

I have always enjoyed running, and many of you have seen me often over the years running through Marblehead, over the causeway and around the Neck, but running a marathon was NOT on my bucket list. The events at the finish line in 2013 changed that. I decided that day that I would try to find a way to be a part of the Boston Marathon in 2014, and join all the other runners in proving that the Boston Marathon cannot be taken from us, and no terrorists can hold us down.

Boston Strong! I have never been more proud of my adopted (I am originally from Minnesota) city than on Marathon Day last year!