Reflections on Boston Marathon Weekend 2018 - I LOVE THIS SPORT! Part I

...and I'd add watch a marathon in the worst conditions in 30 years on Boston Marathon Monday 2018.

There were a few Marathon weekend firsts for Team McManus. It was the first time we spent 3 days working at the Expo with Blue Diamond Athletic Displays. What a glorious time we had meeting and inspiring runners and helping them with their selection of a medal display. It was also the first time we watched the coverage of the marathon on TV rather than be spectators along Beacon Street. The weather conditions were harsh and we knew that we could send our energy to the runners from the safety and warmth of our own home.

I was so blessed that Ken and Nell invited us to lend a hand as members of their Sales Team (although their products sell themselves) and to share my inspirational journey on the road to the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. Photo credit: Nell Posmer


Tom dropped me off at the Seaport Hotel Cafe where signs directed the runners and the excitement in the air was electric:


I arrived before the Expo opened on Friday. I was about to text Nell when a lovely woman at the Information Booth asked if she could help me. She gave me my badge and a map. Proudly wearing my Exhibitor Badge I found my way to Booth #758 while vendors quickly put the finishing touches on their Booth displays. It was my first behind the scenes look at the Boston Marathon Expo before it opened to the public. What a thrill and how wonderful to see Nell again as she put the finishing touches on their display:


Booth #758 was the hub of activity for runner reunions, hanging out with elite runners and the forging of new friendships.

A longtime Blue Diamond Athletic Displays customer, Pam, posted this on Facebook, ""The tradition continues.....I always visit Ken & Nell! Come visit Blue Diamond Athletic Displays at the Expo!"


Running and especially the Boston Marathon brings runners together from around the world. Calvin is from Hong Kong and we inspired each other with our running journeys! He was inspired to purchase a copy of my book, 'Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance.' He told me that he would write a review in Chinese and English to share my journey with others. He started running 3 years ago and is a remarkable marathoner with grit and determination.


Running greats Amby Burfoot, Deena Kastor, Jacqueline Hansen (who wrote the Foreword for Going the Distance), Sarah Mae Berman and Jack Fultz stopped by Booth #758. Deena and Amby signed a medal display that Meb, Ryan and Sarah Hall, Frank Shorter, Dick Beardsley and Kara Goucher had signed before them. We pulled in Caitlin Doherty, President of L Street Running Club to be in the photo with Amby:


This year I was blessed to connect with The Joseph Middlemiss Foundation. Everyone I met through the Foundation embodies Joseph Middlemiss' legacy of kindness, love and joy for life. They had a team of 15 runners running Boston this year and every one of them made it to the finish line running with all their heart.

I met Laurie Miamis at the Book Launch of "Dream Big". She came by and purchased a medal display:


Another member of Team Big Heart, Jennifer Sprague stopped by and treated herself to a Boston Strong medal display:


We found each other on Facebook and as I always like to say, nothing makes friends faster than being a part of the running community!

Several other members of Team Big Heart stopped by who I had known from Facebook and had donated to their fund raising pages.

Amidst familiar faces, we met and greeted runners who were intrigued and fascinated with the medal displays that Ken and Nell create. One runner in particular said to Tom on Saturday as he held a medal display to draw attention to our booth, "Now I'd really be impressed if you told me you make those." "We do," Tom said and introduced him to Ken and Nell. He is going to order his display on line since Blue Diamond Athletic Displays ships around the world to 50 states and 6 of the 7 continents!

Throughout the weekend friends came by to visit!

Tony Rich who is a coach and longtime Blue Diamond customer stopped by to say hello and asked us how our running was going! Here he is in the Boston Marathon program ad for Blue Diamond:


"Thank you for being a fan," Maureen Jones from Rochester Minnesota came by with her brother Matt who was going for the podium in his age group. We met after the 2014 Boston Marathon and you can read the incredible start to our friendship by following this link


Trish Trout wasn't running Boston this year but ran the 5K. We became friends after the Bermuda Half Marathon in 2016. She embraced my journey and wrote a review of Going the Distance on Amazon. It's such a warm and wonderful feeling to welcome friends back to Boston with open arms and open heart:


Jane Marshall, former Mrs. Massachusetts and I met when we were both interviewed on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women show. We hadn't seen each other in years but stayed in touch on Facebook. I am humbled by how she told me I inspired to take on the Boston Marathon and run for Wideko Childrens Services who help children struggling with mental health issues. When she saw that I was going to be at the Expo, she made a concerted effort to see me. What a joyful and emotional reunion we shared:


Annette Emerson and I met during One Boston Day in 2015. What a thrill to see her again along with her guide, Kristina Rynes Petitjean. Annette and Kristina found each other shortly after the tragic events of 4/15/13 and helped each other through those confusing and dark hours. Out of darkness emerges light, love and friendships to last a lifetime.



On Saturday evening after two incredibly energizing yet exhausting days at the Expo, Ken, Nell, and Neil took Tom and me out for dinner. We tried to get a table at a restaurant in the Seaport area where this year's Expo was being held (I must admit we did miss the traditional location of the Hynes Convention Center) but everything was noisy and there were long waits. We opted to head out to Brookline and enjoyed a leisurely dinner at one of our favorite places, Golden Temple. They thoroughly enjoyed it and even had leftovers to take back to their hotel.

Tom and I had a leisurely Sunday morning although we were both anxious to get back to the Expo to support Blue Diamond on their last day at the Expo. It was the Anniversary of 4/15/13. Tom and I wore our Boston Strong colors:


We kicked off Sunday morning at the Expo by visiting the Dream Big booth that was staffed with Nancy Wendland Feehrer, who co-authored Dream Big and the Team Captain for Team Big Heart running in the Boston Marathon, Andrea Ketcham Walsh:


along with "Flat Dave" - Dave McGillivray who stands still longer than the real life Dave McGillivray:


They didn't know the back story to my journey and there were hugs and goosebumps all around!

At 2:49pm the Expo hall was hushed for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives and were injured on 4/15/13. Tom Grilk read a powerful and poignant message about remembering the events of the day while honoring the remarkable resilience and strength of our City and its people. Tears flowed and the crowd broke into applause.

Running is the only sport I know of where elite runners and champions in the sport love to share the love of the support with runners of all race distances and all paces. The friendships that are forged with runners who run all paces and all distances are lifetime friendships. It's an international sport with a universal language. There's a runner's code of honor (more on that in Part II) and honoring and respecting everyone's effort out on the roads. We lift each other up when we are down because of challenges on the roads or in our lives; support each other through injuries and celebrate triumphant running comebacks. Running raises money for incredible causes such as the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation, Wideko Childrens Services, The Martin Richard Foundation just to name a few.

I LOVE THIS SPORT and felt so blessed and grateful to be a part of the Boston Marathon 2018 Expo with dear friends and running family.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours,
Mary

Proud to be a part of Friends of Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, Inc.

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):

Where Quality Exceeds Expectations: Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Displays, Inc.

Please note that I received no compensation for writing this blog post! I was inspired to share the story of Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Displays, Inc. and my beautiful friendship with Ken and Nell that began with a contest on Facebook and has grown through the years!



When it comes to shopping for that perfect gift, it feels like everyone is hard to shop for. Especially athletes! They know what they want, and they would go to their running/Tri store and buy it….Now what? Another gift card for their dust collecting gift cards pile?

Thankfully, there are a handful of awesome, unique gifts under Blue Diamond Athletic Displays Products Umbrella. Gifts perfect for Runners and Triathletes. This brag worthy gift items promise to make the athletes in your life feel appreciated and brag about the gift you have given for the rest of their lives.
Shop:
Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, Inc. Where Quality Exceeds Expectations…..

Made in America...family owned....innovation....commitment to quality and customer service and a back story that will give you goosebumps...



Click to enlarge the above photo to read more about Nell's journey as an artist! She was selected to be the official artist at the Inaugural Chicago Rock 'n Roll Marathon in 2009. She was chosen to create a piece that would raise money for the Chicago Cancer Society. Ken who is an engineer had designed a medal display with Nell's artistic input and they brought it to the Race Expo ... thus Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, Inc. was born as the medal display was met with rave reviews! Nell's name in her mother language means blue diamonds and indeed, like her name, she is as precious and rare as a blue diamond.

From their website:
Meet the Posmers…

At Blue Diamond Athletic Displays INC., we design, engineer, and manufacture High End Athletic Displays. We specialize in combining Artistic Elements with state of the Art Design and Manufacturing Techniques to create a means for all athletes alike to celebrate their athletic journeys and accomplishments.

The best thing co-founders Ken and Nell Posmer did at the outset was to NOT look at the market and other existing products. In doing so, Ken with his 30 years of design and manufacturing experience teamed up with his professional artist wife Nell, and created something truly unique, something truly beautiful.

Their blend of experience and combined skill sets, enable them to create amazing Displays that are Art Quality and become instant conversation pieces wherever they are mounted for the price of a good pair of running shoes.

As endurance athletes, Ken & Nell understand the challenges, amount of effort, sacrifice and dedication their athletes face each and every day. This awareness fuels Blue Diamond’s customer focus to be the very best in the industry.

Although Ken & Nell are as “Mom and Pop” and as “Hands On” as it gets, and proud of it, Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, INC. is diverse in their product offerings. With a plethora of CAD/CAM and Graphics Software to work with, unsurpassed manufacturing horsepower, and a professional artist on staff, Blue Diamond has the ability to handle orders ranging from one special customized Display to high volume for larger events.

Like so many of my friendships these days, I 'met' Ken and Nell and Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Displays, Inc. on Facebook. They had a contest to guess what were the only states where, several years ago, they had not sold any medal displays. I won the contest. Of course now they sell medal displays in every state.

Shortly after receiving my "Loving Life One Mile at a Time," medal display


I was moved to write this testimonial:

Running races, especially marathons, for anyone is no easy feat but for me, as a survivor of paralytic polio, it was a challenge of a lifetime. I was transformed from one who thought of herself as disabled and unable to participate in athletic feats to a champion. It was a moment of redemption and now, thanks to Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, we have a special place in our home where I am reminded of my strength, courage and fortitude and can remember the joy of that special day.

Both my husband and I are later life runners. What a joy to be reminded of the gift of running and our accomplishments in our living room, with such a magnificent piece of work with the Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Display.

After we filled up our first medal display, we purchased this very special display that reminds me every day of where I drew inspiration from when I first started running:


In addition to forging beautiful athletic medal displays, Ken and Nell forge special friendships with their customers.

When Tom and I helped out at their Boston Marathon Expo booth this year, people stopped by just to say hello to Ken and Nell.

They have been champions of my journey and spread the word about my books!

We chatted the other night about the priceless value of having a hand crafted medal display in one's home, a conversation inspired by my recent blog post, "Who's the runner in this family?"

There are so many powerful memories that medals evoke. There's a lot of mettle in the medal. It's an opportunity to relive and celebrate the triumph of conquering a course and remembering all the moments that led up to crossing the finish line.

Visit Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Displays, Inc. website, browse their blog, Ken's Korner, and their incredible array of medal displays. Have an idea for a customized display or have questions? You can use their contact page. Be sure to like and follow their page on Facebook.

You'll love being part of the Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Displays, Inc. family.

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):

Who's the runner in this family?

When you walk into our humble home, the first things to catch your eye are our Blue Diamond Athletic Displays. They hold our precious bling that reminds Team McManus of our running adventures through the years.

Yesterday we had a new dishwasher installed. We always trust our plumbing needs to Boston Standard. When the "regulars" come to our house, they ask if we've run any new races or what's next in our training plan. When we get someone who hasn't been to our house before, they will always ask, "Who's the runner in this family?"

Yesterday was no exception. I love having the opportunity to share my journey. It reminds me of the road I have traveled these past 10 years! I love the responses I receive and how I inspire others with my determination and fiery spirit!

Last night I posted a teaser about this blog on Facebook:
Good evening beautiful friends. I'm working on a blog post for tomorrow but thought I'd give you a teaser....."Who is the runner in the family?" our plumber asked as he installed our new dishwasher today as he spied Nell Posmer's Blue Diamond Athletic Displays, INC., medal displays. "We all are," I replied and went on to share with him my inspirational journey! Our Blue Diamond Athletic Displays are a showcase and a conversation piece! To be continued....

It's easy to forget the miracle of my healing and what I have accomplished until a moment like that happens especially when I have my eye on the next prize - my third consecutive Bermuda Half Marathon!

Yet it is so very important to take a pause and appreciate how far I've come!



My Bermudian runner earth angel, Jamie-Lee Wright saw my Facebook post and said, "Wow! Boston!" with an emoji of an arm making a muscle symbolizing strength.

Yes indeed - wow Boston! I came out of a leg brace after being told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect to be on a steady decline given the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. Instead I foreshadowed my Boston Marathon run with the poem, "Running the Race":
Running the Race
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
everyone around me filled with nervous fear
despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
the polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.

Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
but with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist, curly hair and a warm, broad smile
it tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends- trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.

Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
for the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.

I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

Ten years ago as I contemplated an uncertain future having just left my award winning career as a VA social worker to "heal my life" "Who's the runner in this family?" was a most improbable if not impossible question. Now the answer is - we all are. Team McManus on the road to the Bermuda Half Marathon 2018!

To going 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):

Going the Distance: Running in the Rain - Celebrating Ten Years of Healing

When I was still in a leg brace, using a wheelchair at time for mobility 10 years ago, I had a dream about splashing in the puddles without my leg brace a la Gene Kelly in Singin' in the Rain.

That dream prompted me to write this poem included in my poetry book, "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life"


Come Out and Play
Arms flung open wide dancing in the rain
pure abiding joy to feel alive again
healing tears fall and blend in God’s puddle
no time to sit in a corner and huddle
all the old rules driven by fears
washed away now by God’s loving tears
the imprint dad left no longer remains
rain washes away all of the stains
baptized with love, Truth lights my way
the sun shines through on this rainy day
splashing and laughing my heart opens wide
embracing and flowing I’m one with the tide
God takes my hand release the old way
bathe in my glory come out and play!

In my youth, I never experienced the unbridled joy of splashing in puddles and running in the rain. Contracting paralytic polio at age 5 and then, 3 years later, experiencing unimaginable abuse and torture that went on for 9 years resulted in, what the trauma experts call, tonic immobility. I was stuck in my body unable to heal from paralytic polio and dissociated my mind from my body.

Tom and I saw yesterday's forecast but after being on the treadmill for a good part of the winter, we decided it was important to brave the elements - especially since temps were in the 60's.

It was a gloriously sloppy run around the Reservoir as we dodged mud puddles and experienced the waves of mist, drizzly rain and full on showers. There was magic to seeing the Reservoir poised for Spring, draped in fog and mist and imagining what verdant colors will burst forth once the sun shines again.

Here's our runfie once we were back home after completing 5 miles in the rain.



That's a Blue Diamond Medal Athletic Display in the background - Loving life one mile at a time!

Ten years ago I was told that I should adapt our Cape home, prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and to anticipate that the symptoms of difficulty swallowing, aspirating food, experiencing chronic pain and fatigue, depression and anxiety would only worsen as a result of Post-Polio Syndrome.

It was a wake up call for me to make some serious changes in my life. I took a leap of faith leaving my award winning career as a VA social worker just 3 years shy of retirement on May 25, 2007. For those of you doing the math - yes that was 10 years ago!

There have been peaks and valleys, trials, triumphs and tribulations.

In December of 2014, I experienced a serious left knee injury and was told I needed a total knee replacement, should stop running and really needed to get back to the Post-Polio clinic. The Universe and I had other plans. I found my way to Ryan J. Means, DC, an incredible chiropractor healer who helped me get back on my healing path to go the distance again and turned me onto the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. I reconnected with Bernie Siegel's work again. We joke that I am a slow learner.

Here's to running in the rain celebrating ten years of healing!

Here's to the next 10 years!

To going 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):


Mary McManus, MSW knew challenges since she was five years old beginning with contracting polio followed by enduring nine years of violence at the hands of family members. Those early challenges prepared her for taking on the challenge of the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease in December 2006 when she was at the height of her award winning career as a social worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Asking for Divine Guidance as she had throughout her trials and tribulations, she discovered the gift of poetry in her soul. Her first poem, “Running the Race,” foreshadowed her 2009 Boston Marathon run. “Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance,” chronicles Mary’s journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma, as a runner and a woman who refused to quit. Eight years after her diagnosis, she was finally led to two healers, a chiropractor and a muscular therapist, who helped her reclaim her life and go the distance, a woman transformed who embodies the power of endurance.