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Why I’m Running: ‘It’s a miracle I qualified and got accepted to run’
After qualifying for the Boston Marathon, Bill Clark is running as a symbol of perseverance after his father was diagnosed with cancer.
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston. If you’re running the marathon, you can share your story here.
Name: Bill Clark
Age: 49
From: Independence, Ky.
This is my first ever Boston Marathon. I’m so excited and feel like it’s a miracle I qualified and got accepted to run with the narrower field and harder requirements.
I started running five years ago when I was challenged by a friend of mine to do a 5K. Wade Napier is a brain tumor survivor and I’ve been so blessed to witness him finish his first half marathon and full marathon when only years ago they weren’t sure if he could walk normally.
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Running with inspirational friends like Wade caused me to keep striving for a personal record every time [I] ran. Friends started telling me that they believed I could qualify for Boston. I gave it my best shot in November 2019 where I missed qualifying by less than 30 seconds. However, I was determined to qualify in spring of 2020. Then the pandemic hit. I kept my training going and hit qualifying times during unofficial time trials. But I wouldn’t get my chance again until April 2021. I qualified in Carmel, Ind. with an eight minute cushion, just enough to get accepted to run the race.
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My training for the Boston [Marathon], however, has not turned out as I had hoped. I sustained an “overuse” hamstring strain that has slowed me down. And then my dad, Brad, was diagnosed with cancer. Because healthcare is not the greatest where he lives, he has been living with us while getting his treatments. His fight of this disease has seemed to parallel my Boston training. We have hit walls, experienced highs and lows, but we keep going.
I am running the Boston [Marathon] because God has blessed me with the opportunity to do so against all odds. I am running Boston as a symbol of perseverance, the kind it takes to keep going during a pandemic, during a cancer diagnosis, and during any hardship we face. Running has taught me more about faith and life than I have ever dreamed. And I’m ready to learn even more on Oct. 11. My marathon goal is to enjoy the Boston Marathon and finish it. It is the culmination of years of consistent hard work. I can’t wait to run this race with joy, thankful to God for blessing me to get to do it!
Editor’s note: This entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
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