LYNNFIELD — For Ally Milford, the Boston Marathon is far more than a race. It is a marker of survival, a thread that weaves through the most profound chapters of her life, and now, a celebration of coming full circle.
Milford grew up in Salem and later settled in Lynnfield, where she built a life she loved. Like many New Englanders, Boston Marathon Monday was once a spectator’s tradition for her, cheering charity runners after a Red Sox game, admiring the grit and joy of the event from the sidelines.
At the time, running Boston felt like a dream, not a plan.
That changed in 2009, when Milford was diagnosed with stage three blood cancer. Following six months of chemotherapy and an uncertain prognosis, a close friend asked her to think about bucket-list goals, something to look forward to when treatment ended.
Half joking but very sincere, Milford named the Boston Marathon. It became her motivation, a reason to push through recovery and reclaim her strength.
When she finished treatment, she didn’t hesitate. With her friend’s encouragement, Milford began training, and in 2011, she ran the Boston Marathon for the first time.
She has never looked back.
Now preparing for her seventh Boston Marathon and her 27th marathon overall, Milford’s running journey has been marked by resilience.
She was running in the 2013 Boston Marathon when the bombing occurred, when she was just a half mile from the finish line. Like so many runners and spectators, the event forever shaped her relationship with the race and with running itself. She returned in 2014, honoring both the victims and the strength of the city, and later ran Boston again in 2023 on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy.
“I thought that would be my final Boston,” Milford admitted. “But it re-invigorated me. Boston is just an incredible race.”
Running, for Milford, is not about speed. It is about distance and healing. After cancer, she experienced a sense of survivor’s guilt, and running became her therapy, time on the road to process, reflect, and move forward. Often, she wouldn’t even realize how far she had gone until she looked down at her watch.
“I just kept running,” she said. “That’s when I realized: I’m a distance runner.”
Her story is also one of homecoming. After spending six years living in Hawaii, Milford and her husband felt the pull of Massachusetts. In a rare twist of fate, they were able to buy back the very same house they once owned in Lynnfield, returning to Main Street and putting down roots once again.
For this year’s Boston Marathon, Milford is running as part of a Boston Athletic Association charity team — an organization she has partnered with before and wholeheartedly believes in. The BAA supports youth across Massachusetts by providing access to healthcare, sports, and active lifestyles, with a strong focus on underserved and BIPOC communities, such as Dorchester and Roxbury.
As a special education teacher, Milford feels a connection to the mission. She has seen firsthand how access to sports and supportive programs can change a child’s life. Running Boston for this cause, surrounded by the very communities the charity serves, makes the experience especially powerful.
“This year feels like a celebration,” she said. “I’ve been cancer-free for 16 years. I’m back home. I’m teaching here again. It’s about community and connection.”
When asked what advice she offers first-time Boston Marathon runners, Milford keeps it simple: Take it all in.
“You’ve already done the work,” she says. “This race is the celebration lap. The crowds are unmatched, and when you hit the hills, you run with your heart.”
Her message extends beyond the race itself. Running Boston, she believes, is not reserved for elites or lifelong athletes.
“Anyone can do it,” Milford said. “It’s about perseverance and grit, believing that you can.”
To learn more about the the BAA and Milford, visit her fundraising link at https://www.givengain.com/project/allison-raising-funds-for-boston-athletic-association-110482.
