Cramming for a bar exam in five days, Daniel Tapia received a late night email that caused him to lose his train of thought and channel his emotions briefly in another direction.

Moonlighting as a world-class distance ace, Tapia was informed Tuesday that he had been chosen to represent the United States in the marathon at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships in Moscow.

"I wasn't expecting it,'' said Tapia, whose time of 2:14.30 at the Boston Marathon in April gave him an Olympic A qualifying standard. "Right now I'm on a mental high. I'm honored. But I've got to step up my training.''

Tapia, who will take his California bar exam next Tuesday to try and become a lawyer, had been training for a marathon in Amsterdam in October.

"It usually takes me 10 to 12 weeks to get ready for a marathon,'' Tapia said. "I have to be careful with my training in the next to 20 to 25 days. I don't have much time to train specifically.''

Yet, Tapia wasn't about to turn down an invitation to represent the U.S. after being informed he was one of three runners chosen.

"I can't pass this up,'' said Tapia, a former North County and Hartnell College runner. "Ideally, I would have liked an extra five weeks to prepare. I might not be sharp right now. But I can do a lot to benefit myself in four weeks."