Run Bermuda! Run Happy! A Stirring in my Soul

Another week of training in the books on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend. Three months from today we will in Bermuda! Part of this feels so surreal because Tom and I had resigned ourselves to taking a break from Bermuda this year. I was going to take a longer break before training for another Half Marathon and we were exploring other race destinations. But as so often happens in my life, God stepped in and extended an invitational entry to Bermuda Marathon Weekend from the Race Director himself, Anthony Raynor. To seal the deal and talk about Bermuda Marathon Weekend, he and Clarence 'Stoker' Smith (who wooed us and won us over at the 2016 Finish at the 50 5K) came by for lunch this summer while they were in town:


The weeks are flying be and we (Team McManus) find ourselves in the rhythm of success as we set our sights on the finish line of the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon.

Saturday we repeat one more double digit run - 10 miles - and then very slowly build mileage by .5 mile every other week until we reach 12.5 miles on December 16th. Then we go into taper mode. So far we have been blessed by the weather gods. This Saturday's forecast has changed from rain to cloudy and 71. We've learned to not change our long run day based on the weather because we need to mentally be ready for whatever the day brings; although I am imagining a perfect running weather day for Bermuda Marathon III.

I am continuing to focus on mental preparation along with the physical preparation of a five day a week training cycle. I remind myself that the normal sensations of training for 13.1 can be somewhat magnified for me given my history of paralytic polio and trauma but I also remind myself that I am healthy, whole and strong fully capable of going the distance.



I made a very significant change in my life back in July. As a follow up to this change and keeping everything aligned in my life, I cleaned out photos and disconnected from FB friends that were a part of my old role. I was making way for the new which is already flowing freely into my life!


Wonderful and wondrous connections are happening and the circle of like minded and like hearted friends is growing with the loving and tender hand of God weaving a wonderful tapestry for us all.

Through Keith Cartwright, who recently interviewed me for his podcast TwoTim47, I met Keri Jacobs on line. She is the co-founder of 22 Too Many. A powerful connection for me given that I worked for almost 20 years as a VA social worker.

22 Too Many is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cares deeply and passionately about our nations military community. Through various events, we seek to serve as a living memorial, reduce the stigma by increasing public knowledge and awareness of PTS, share helpful resources, and provide support and comfort to the grieving families left behind.

It just so happens that she used to live in Bermuda and through a Facebook conversation stream, she shared that she will be running the Bermuda Triangle Challenge in January!

As my village grows and I was culling my Facebook photos, I felt a stirring in my soul!

I was taken back to special moments from Bermuda Marathon Weekends I and II.

The moment we put a name and number to Denise McMillan with whom we've remained friends through Facebook since January 2016:



Tom and I at the start of the race 2017:


A photo from TabFoto of Tom and me out on the course and this lovely photo with our dear friend Thomas Glave who we met in 2016 and who stayed at our Hotel in 2017. He told me how much I inspired him and we ran the beginning of the race together. He will return for his Bermuda Marathon Weekend III:


From Bermuda Marathon I - Tom captured these special moments at Mile 11 and Mile 13; Race Director Anthony Raynor took time out of his busy duties as R.D. to take the finish photo of us that I'd imagined in my mind's eye thousands of times during our training:


I got goosebumps all over again as I happened upon the photo of Jamie-Lee Wright, my angel at mile 12 in Bermuda II, helping me get to the finish, this photo of Tom and me coming into the finish line and our triumphant finisher photo after my brief stint in the medical tent:


My news feed is now being filled with stories of first time marathoners, inspirational journeys on the roads and in life and Keith's podcasts along with his blog and Patreon patrons only videos bring love, light and faith to my world.

Today and tomorrow are rest and recovery days from physical training and the perfect time to continue that all important mental and spiritual preparation as we get ready to toe the starting line on 1/14/18.

Just as I did before I wrote the poem "Running the Race," I feel a stirring in soul; a powerful connection to the Divine within and all around me. I am so excited for all the wonder and magic that continues to unfold in my life as I write these next chapters of my life.


To going the distance with strength and courage
From my heart to yours,
Mary

Be sure to listen to my interview with Keith Cartwright, "From Polio Survivor to Boston Marathon Finisher" by following this link.

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):