“The Boston Marathon is for serious athletes. That race is not for me.”
Over the last decade, that line would be my typical response to people inquiring if I had ever run the Boston Marathon, which is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious marathon in the world. The fastest runners on the planet sign up each year. There are tough requirements to be admitted. There is significant training that involves long hours. Athletes need to be well prepared in order to complete the long trek from the start line in Hopkinton, MA, to the finish line on Boylston Street in downtown Boston.
For most of my life, I considered myself in an entirely different (slower) category as a runner. “That race is just not for me.”
Of course, all of this changed when I received the following email in September of 2022:
I was shocked, overwhelmed, and absolutely thrilled at the news! It was an unbelievable honor just to be invited to run in this historic race!
The qualifying time in my age group is 3 hours and 10 minutes. My qualifying time to apply for Boston came from a marathon in Northern Michigan. My time was 3:09:58. That’s right! I qualified by 2 seconds!
Our patron, Saint Francis de Sales, ultimately helped to change my mind about running. DeSales’ optimism and wisdom inspired me to change my thinking. In his writings, he shares an uplifting, encouraging outlook. He once wrote: “Don’t get upset with your imperfections. It’s a great mistake because it leads nowhere – to get angry because you are angry, upset at being upset, depressed because you are depressed, disappointed because you are disappointed. So don’t fool yourself. Simply surrender to the Power of God’s love, which is always greater than our weakness.”
DeSales was effectively saying to me: “Don’t focus on the impossible. Begin by trusting in the Power of God’s love, and that love will take you places well beyond your personal flaws, weaknesses, and limitations.”
And so, I began to change my approach to running. I tried to surrender. To trust. To believe. To be a Salesian optimist in this part of my life.
I also ran. And stretched. I practiced running uphills. And downhills. Sprint workouts and long mileage days were weekly activities, as were easy mileage days.
And when April 17th finally arrived, and I approached that start line alongside some really incredible athletes, I prayed quietly in my heart:
“Thank you, God, for the race that You have invited me to run. Thank you for reminding me that every race is filled with all kinds of athletes. Thank you for Your love which surpasses my limitations.”
And with that, the gun went off. By the grace of God, on the toughest course I’ve encountered in ten years with some less-than-ideal weather conditions, I ran a lifetime personal best of 3:07:51.
This experience was a powerful reminder to surrender to the Power of God’s love because His love is always greater than our weakness.
Live Jesus!
Father Alan Zobler, OSFS
Instructor and Mathematics Chair
St. Francis de Sales High School, Toledo, OH
*Click here to email Father Alan
