Liz Faria is starting her first-ever marathon along with the final wave. But it was a random coincidence in Beverly a few weeks ago may have been the universe’s way of telling her she chose the right time.

The 46-year-old social worker and mother of three pre-teens said she had long had the idea in the back of her head “as a bucket list thing.” She’d tried a couple of half marathons way back, but hadn’t run much in at least 15 years.

Last year, she applied and was accepted as a charity runner for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. This Boston Marathon coincides with the 10-year anniversary of her mother’s death from cancer.

She found the physical demands of training incredibly intense.

“I’ve done lots of crazy stuff, but this is so much harder than anything I’ve ever done,” she said.

But she credits a Beverly author’s book for helping her make it to the starting line: “50 Ways to F*** Up a Marathon!” by Alan Yen. And just a few weeks ago, she found herself shoulder to shoulder with him.

“The day of my biggest run, the 20-miler, we went to see ‘Clue’ that night at the Cabot Theater. And I was sitting next to the author,” Faria said. “He’s not a celebrity. So it was cool. I recognized him. And I’m like, ‘Dude, I’ve been following this guy!’”

Faria is hoping to finish the marathon in four-and-a-half to five hours. She’s raised more than $18,000.