And that's just the way it's supposed to be as we build miles and count down to Bermuda Marathon Race Weekend 2017. 48 days until Team McManus toes the starting line of the 2017 Bermuda Half Marathon:
but only 46 days until Tom embarks on his Bermuda Triangle Half Marathon. Four medals in four days! The Front St Mile followed by the Bermuda 10K followed by the Half Marathon!
I am going to be 63 in less than a month; Tom turns 65 in March. One might ask the question--why are you doing this?
The first answer that comes to mind is - because we can!
I was so blessed to be out on the course with Tim Price in Bermuda. Um no I was not in the lead with the marathoners; it's a two loop course and one of the benefits of being a back of the pack runner is you get to see the front runners of the marathon.
He shared this wonderful perspective in a recent interview:
When asked, You have a great social media presence, especially on Instagram. If you could accomplish anything via social media what would it be? He answered: Get people to become more active and maintain a healthier lifestyle. I couldn’t care less how far or fast people run, walk, cycle, swim or do anything…as long as they are being active. Most of us are given this freaking amazing gift of a fully functioning body and to see how many people waste it is astonishing. Always think of those people who are physically unable to walk/lift/run/exercise through disabilities (not obesity)…do you think they would waste such an amazing gift? The results of more active lifestyles reach (and improve) most every aspect of our lives.
I've been given the gift of healing and a new lease on life after having been told 10 years ago that I should plan to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair because of the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. I have an obligation to myself and to others to be the best version of myself I can possibly be and to continue to challenge myself.
One of the nudges from the Universe letting me know that it was time for me to leave Spaulding Rehab's Aquatic Therapy Program came when the women in the program asked me why I ran.
The instructors and the women in the classes were challenging me about why I was challenging myself. After my knee injury in December of 2014, everyone told me that it was time to stop running and for about a New York minute I believed it and then I realized that running was in my blood even though I was a late comer to the sport at the age of 53.
Tim was asked, "From your experiences running, what do you believe to be true?"
Tim replied, "People are meant to be active. Our bodies are designed to move and explore the world around us and it is one of the greatest tragedies of modern times that so many people willingly waste it. Also runners, as a collective, are some of the most inviting and supportive people. How many complete strangers have congratulated you after a race? If everyone took this attitude to their every day lives the world would be a much better place."
I'm excited to see Tim and an entire crew of international runners along with our Bermudian friends when we once again return to Bermuda. I am sore to the core and just about everywhere else. Today I got back in the pool to do strength training and more stretching to get everything flowing again. I won't do another run this week after not having solid time for rest and recovery last week with volunteering at the Feaster Five, heading to New York City where we logged 6 and 5 miles respectively and doing our 10.5 miler yesterday. I'll do another cross training in the pool and cross train on the Arc Trainer and Bike.
Next Saturday we will see if we are going to do another 10.5 miler or bump it up to 11 miles. We have a great base and I've been training harder and smarter than I ever have before in my life. At this point in our training, I know I am half marathon ready and we'll see how my body feels to see what distance will make sense.
I feel strong and I embrace the pain and soreness because it's so good for me. Rather than being challenged by those who would assault and abuse me I an challenging myself as I go the distance on the road to the Bermuda Half Marathon loving my life every mile along the way.
To your health and wellness!
~Mary
No comments:
Post a Comment