Another week of training is in the books on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend.
What a week it has been!
On Day 1, we miscalculated the mileage for our long run. Tom was quite adamant about the fact that since we were ahead of our mileage from last year's training schedule that we repeat 8.5 miles on Saturday. Ruth Anne and I were totally on board with that. However we had an epic do the math failure and ended up doing almost 9 miles!
I surprised myself with my reaction. I didn't get angry or frustrated nor did Team McManus have a meltdown as we've been known to do on long runs. Even though my body was tired and I would have much preferred to end the run at 8.5 miles, I surprised myself with my ability to turn off my mind and run with my heart.
From the Foreword of Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance by Jacqueline Hansen:
You will not encounter a more positive person than Mary, despite all the challenges she has endured in life.
Try to imagine what it must have been like to be diagnosed with paralytic polio as a child. Try to imagine suffering child abuse at the hands of those very family members who are charged with your upbringing. Try to imagine them together. It’s unbearable to think about. Then imagine surviving the unthinkable, and in adulthood being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome. This is a story that needs to be told. This is a story of challenge, of resiliency, and a story of heart, tremendous heart.
I am fond of using the word “heart.” When coaching young athletes, which I have done my entire adult life, I often tell them to “run with heart.” As I explain to them, I can coach them on skills, on running form, on race strategy, on everything to do with their running, except I cannot create “heart.” This is something that only they can produce from within. I go on to say that “you have to want this (running or racing) more than I do – more than I want it for you.” “Always run with heart.” I am here to tell you that Mary McManus always runs with all her heart.
I was blessed to meet Jacqi at the 2016 Hyannis Marathon Weekend. She came out on the course to greet me as I ran the 10K. She gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, "Run with all your heart."
On Day 2, we cross trained at Boston Sports Club. In the past I would have backed off from my cross training in the pool. I surprised myself the morning after.
I surprised myself to realize that it's not just about putting in the miles, it's now about going the distance on my health and wellness journey. Training for a threepeat of the Bermuda Half Marathon is the goal that I'm using to inspire me to train 5 days a week!
On Monday morning, I surprised myself with how much energy and determination I had for our Monday Morning workout! Team McManus had a great rhythm with how we did our circuit of strength training. We are becoming efficient and motivated and inspired with each workout we accomplish.
On Tuesday mornings, Ruth Anne and Tom do a 5 miler at their own pace working on their pace. They have their sights set on the Hartford Marathon in 2018. It's my day to cross train with the Arc Trainer and Bike at the gym. I really surprised myself as, rather than maintain my pace on the equipment matching Tom and Ruth Anne's 5 and a little more miles, I put in a sweaty 5.6 miles getting my heart rate up to 130-140!
Yesterday was day 5/5 for Team McManus and we run together doing a tempo run twice around the small Reservoir near where we live and then down the street on which we live. Given the previous 4 days of intense training I surprised myself with a -1.01 split between mile 1 and mile 2. I felt so much joy running free and discovering that yes, indeed, even when training for a half marathon, fartleks can be fun!
It's easy to still hear the voices of the naysayers who predicted my future after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease and then proclaimed the end of my running career in December of 2014 after a serious knee injury. It's easy for me to talk myself out of testing the limits of what I can do being afraid of an injury or my body breaking down again.
I've learned through this incredible journey of the past 10+ years that when I run with God and when I run and train with heart, all things are possible.
It's now two days of rest and recovery relishing what I've accomplished, how I surprised myself and getting ready to begin the training cycle all over again on Saturday.
Hmmmm I wonder what surprises are in store for next week!
Go the distance with strength and courage,
Mary
Be sure to visit my website by following this link.
My books are available on Amazon.
Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life
Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:
And my latest and greatest book - Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):
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