Countdown to Bermuda: Love Actually Is All Around

And just like that - well not exactly just like that - Team McManus has been training since May for our Bermuda Half Marathon 2018 our last double digit run is in the Bank of Bermuda!

We had another 12 and 12.5 on the training schedule but during Saturday's run and with the weather forecast of cold temperatures with the chance of snow coming our way and with the way Saturday's training run went, we knew that it was the peak of our training.

I had planned out our mileage knowing we'd have the flexibility to go indoors or begin to taper miles as we moved into December with Mother Nature's unpredictable whims.

We initially planned out Saturday's training run as driving to the Cleveland Circle Reservoir, run once around the Rezzie as we like to call it, head down Beacon Street (along the Boston Marathon route) to Coolidge Corner and back, to the "small" Reservoir on Route 9, 3 times around the small Reservoir and back to Cleveland Circle. When I came out of Saturday's morning meditation, I knew that I needed to make it a dress rehearsal for January 14th.

We packed our gear with hydration and fueling as if it were race day. Of course our attire could not be what it was going to be on race day since it was 37 degrees outside. Race day should be in the high 60's and low 70's with a mixture of sun and clouds. We were blessed with a dry day without any wind. There was a mixture of sun and clouds as we headed out for a 5 mile out and back run into Boston.

Tom and Ruth Anne wholeheartedly agreed with me on the change of route as Tom said, "I think we've gone around the Reservoirs one time too many for our long runs."

I was amazed with how easily we negotiated the hills along Beacon Street; especially the last steep hill as we headed into Kenmore Square. We needed a pit stop and decided to go into Hotel Commonwealth. Such a festive atmosphere as the holiday was decked out for the holidays. As Ruth Anne and I waited for Tom to finish his pit stop, Ruth Anne struck up a conversation with the concierge letting him know we were out on a long run and needed a pit stop. I chimed in with how lovely the hotel looked for the holidays. "We're not quite finished yet," the concierge let us know, "but it will be by the time the holidays arrive." It looked finished to me!

We went on our way and took a right on Hereford and left on Boylston reminiscing about our 2009 Boston Marathon run.

Boylston Street was busy with pedestrians so we decided to get back onto Commonwealth Avenue. Ruth Anne and I remembered our 2008 Tufts 10K run that I wrote about in this article, "Running with God."

As we reminisced about previous training runs and races, we were creating new memories on the road to Bermuda. Tom was moved to capture part of our run on video.



We couldn't have scripted it better.

As Tom pointed out, in all of our training runs through the years, we never experienced the kind of spontaneity, joy and love we experienced on Saturday's run. We paced ourselves well and used the hydration and fueling plan we are going to use on January 14th. I can't call it race day because we are not racing the Bermuda Half Marathon. We are going to savor every moment of our victory lap. But I digress...

As we headed back to Cleveland Circle, the clouds moved in and the day got chilly but our Spirits were high. After all, love actually is all around and we were wrapping up our double digit training runs.

I had to make another pit stop (cold weather does that you know) and I thought I could wait until we got to Marathon Sports. As we approached the Holiday Inn on Beacon Street I realized that I wasn't going to make it to Marathon Sports. I'd gone to Rotary Club meetings at the Hotel and remembered that the restrooms were down the stairs off of an entrance on Beacon Street. "Restrooms are for hotel guests only" the sign said as we entered. Tom ran down the stairs and did a quick surveillance. Then, singing the Mission Impossible theme song, gave us the all clear.

While I'm in the ladies room I hear Tom say to Ruth Anne, "Get over here." The two of them start laughing. As I leave the stall the diaper changing table came crashing down out of nowhere. I started laughing so hard I thought I'd have to go to the bathroom again between Tom and Ruth Anne's laughter and the crashing of the diaper changing table. Ruth Anne came in to make sure I was okay and put the changing table back up.

Ruth Anne spotted a tray out of eye shot from Tom with a juice pitcher and cups on it. She poured herself a glass of juice when Tom told her to get back over here. "It takes good," she said and offered a cup to Tom. She said she needed an energy boost and considered it serendipity that it was there. There will be oranges at the water stops in Bermuda so it was indeed serendipity that the tray just happened to be there. As we were leaving Ruth Anne asked me if I wanted a roll? We laughed so hard as we resumed our run.

On the way back to Cleveland Circle we navigated the hills with surprising ease. I stopped only once after a steep hill at mile 8.

We returned to the car to calculate the home stretch of our 12 mile run.

Once around the Rezzie and a short down and back from the car and we'd be done!



We hugged and high fived realizing that 1. Love actually is all around and 2. The official countdown to Bermuda Marathon Weekend is on!

38 days and counting!

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

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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:


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