How Bestsellers Are Like the Boston Marathon

Today is the Boston Marathon, and I’m going to feel a little salty — like I am every year. And it’s not just because the commentators on NBC always say dumb things.

Instead, I’m salty because running that race has been a goal of mine for a while.

Probably a decade. Definitely since I got hooked running the New York City Marathon in 2013.

But the Boston Marathon has always felt out of reach. Or at least, qualifying for it has.

As a solid middle-of-the-pack runner, my absolute best marathon performance was a 4:45:05.

To qualify for Boston, I’d need to be an hour faster than that.

While that’s not impossible, I recognize that I’m OK running the Boston marathon as a fund-racer (someone who gets in through raising money for charity) or maybe even not doing it at all. Partly because my dreams have changed, and partly because I decided that I didn’t need an external signifier — like the bright yellow and blue Boston Marathon logo — to feel worthy.

I’m telling you this because in a lot of ways, qualifying for Boston is similar to landing a bestseller. In both instances, whether you accomplish your goal or not has very little to do with you. I could be the most strategic and dedicated runner and still not qualify.