And just like that, my entry into the 2019 123rd annual Boston Marathon is official. To say I’m thrilled is an understatement.

However, today there were a a lot of wonderful, dedicated runners who worked just as hard as I did and received a very different email.

Reading over a friends official denial email was very humbling and stopped me cold. I only qualified with 8 seconds to spare. My 5 minute buffer, which seemed so strong, dropped to a very slim margin.

I don’t know why I had a great race in 2018 and others did not. For now, I’m content to give all the credit exactly where it belongs, and I think the apostle Paul says it best.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me…” 1st Corinthians 15:10