Runners raise 6K for Central families
Published on June 1st, 2005
Neither the ups and downs of Heartbreak Hill, nor the blistering heat could keep one trio of Stoneham runners from reaching its lofty goal this past Marathon Day.
On April 18, after months of training, the threesome of Bill Donlon, Mike Gill and Steve Rolli crossed the finish line of the 109th running of the Boston Marathon, raising money every step of the way for two local families in the need.
"We did it," Gill told the Independent. "It was awesome."
From the sound of the gun in Hopkinton to the sight of cheering family members at the Prudential's finish line, 26 miles and 385 yards later, the three took on a challenge of running Boston and found out what there are made of. In a span of 4 hours and 50 minutes, they managed to fight off aches, pains, dehydration, and mental exhaustion, and raised $6,000 for Stoneham's Eustace and Schores families.
The Eustace's and Schores' lives were disrupted on October 1, after a horrific accident took place at dismissal time at Central School, severely injuring the Eustace children, David and Nicole, along with Linda Schores and her son, Jonathan.
With tragedy hitting so close to home, Donlon, Gill and Rolli set out to do what they could to help out the families. They laced up their running shoes and turned their recreational runs into intense training sessions and prepped themselves for the Boston Marathon. Throughout the winter and early spring, they spread the word and received tremendous response from the family, co-workers and the Stoneham community who pledged money to their cause.
The runners' quest to help others translated into helping each other along the way. Their pact was to stay together through the race and that's what they did. When one or another seemed to be struggling under the unseasonable temperatures, the other two stayed positive, and the three cold weather runners pulled each other along.
"We were pretty sure we did enough training," Rolli said, but Marathon day's high temperatures were something the threesome wasn't use to. Since early November, they bore bone-chilling cold and dodged snowbanks as they set off to prepare for their mission. The first of the day's challenges on April 18 proved to be the sunshine and summer like weather that greeted each as he awoke.
"We didn't train for the heat," Rolli added, but none lost sight of his real goal that day.
The fact that each of the three men had picked up his children from school hundreds of times in years past, was not lost on any of them.
"It could have happened to any one of us," Rolli said before running the marathon. "All of our kids went to Central School."
"Seeing so many people contribute from so many areas...goes to show you that people can relate," Donlon said. It has been that support that made the marathon experience so enjoyable, the three agreed.
"We'd like to thank everyone for their support and donations. The three of us are just very grateful," Donlon said.
For Gill and Donlon, running this year's marathon was a first and both marveled at the support from the crowd the entire distance.
"For 26 miles, people are yelling at you," Gill said. "What a great time."
Rolli ran Boston about 20 years ago and was glad to see that the crowds along the way were just as supportive and amazing as he remembered.
"The crowds are phenomenal. It's a great social event and a great athletic event."
The three continue to run recreationally and treasure their marathon experience. Would they do it again? None seemed eager to be the first to line up for next year's race but none ruled it out, either, particularly if it meant helping others. While their miles of intense training prepared them well physically, the real motivation that sustained them was the benefit to the Eustace and Schores families.
"That's what got us through," said Gill. "If someone had to raise money for something, that could convince me."
"I haven't become a marathon runner," Donlon clarified. "It's a good feeling to see people who are so generous and supportive. If the time comes to do it (again), I'd consider it."
Perhaps one of the greatest testaments to their journey is that fact that Rolli, who turned 50 this year, felt better after running this time than he did upon finishing 20 years ago.
"There is a real sense of accomplishment. This was a good cause."
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