Long Road to Boston by Bruce W. Tuckman (2008) Paperback

For the others, it may have been a race, but for Brad Townes it was a quest for salvation. He had run all the way from death's door and had lost everything along the way. In the end, he had nothing to lose except the race. You'll find your heart racing along with the protagonist in this compelling story, beautifully told by a veteran runner. The grand daddy of all marathons is the backdrop, with the chapters taking you right through the great race itself: Brookline to Hopkinton, Hayden Rowe Street, Hopkinton to Ashland to Framingham, Framingham to Natick, Natick to Wellesley, Wellesley to Newton Falls, The Newton Hills, Brookline, and finally Boston. Reviewers admit "they couldn't put the book down."