Countdown to Bermuda: How Lucky Could We Get?

Sunny and temperatures in the 50's on November 25th in New England. A few moments of headwind but overall it was perfect running weather for our 11.5 mile training run yesterday on the road to Bermuda Half Marathon III How lucky could we get?

Before we went on our run, I set my intention for our run. I found this image and quote that captured my heart and soul:



Team McManus often jokes about belonging to the church of the long run ... and it's true.

Going out on a picture perfect day in New England, unplugged with Tom and Ruth Anne by my side is a treat and a retreat.

We had the route well planned out. We parked at the Cleveland Circle Reservoir. When we arrived, Tom was going to park where we parked two weeks ago for our 11 mile run in the freezing temps. I asked him instead to park on the street where we parked on 12/25/15 when we did our last long run, 12.5 miles for Bermuda Half Marathon I.

Yesterday's run was reminiscent of that last training run on Christmas in 2015 with one very big distinction. Ruth Anne was with us yesterday after 3 years of her struggling with and suffering from severe depression and PTSD. How lucky could we get?

We did 2 loops around the Reservoir and then ran to the "small reservoir" aka Route 9 Reservoir near our house to do 3 loops around. We kept marveling at how warm the sun felt and talked about everything from the amazing Thanksgiving we celebrated this year - the first time in years that we were all together:


to mentally preparing for race weekend to music and current events to how we are going to celebrate Christmas and my birthday this year. How lucky could we get?

We returned to the Reservoir to finish our miles.

As we clicked off the miles, the sun shone brightly and stayed unseasonably warm. How lucky could we get?

Our fueling and hydration plan is set and held us in good stead through the 11.5 miles.

Team McManus is race ready with another 3 training runs to go to top off the tank. I've made my to do list of what we need to do to prepare for our racecation and a list for what we need to pack.

We have come so far since those early tentative training runs finding our rhythm and reconnecting with each other on the roads and in life. As we countdown to Bermuda and count the miles we ran in preparation for our Big Race, we counted our blessings.

How lucky can you get?


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