It is incredibly hard for me to believe that exactly one year ago today, I couldn't finish the Miss Santa Holiday 5K because of a serious left knee injury. I waffled back and forth for two weeks about whether or not it was time for me to hang up my running shoes. I walked with a cane, went for an MRI, met with the physiatrist I had worked with at Spaulding Rehab's International Rehab Center for Polio, saw a physical therapist for two sessions and then took matters into my own hands. Or better said, the Universe catapulted me back onto my healing path by first sending Dr. Ryan J. Means, a chiropractor to me. We had a brief yet incredibly powerful journey together before he left to follow his bliss and go to China to practice. He reminded me about the truths I knew all along about the body's tremendous capacity to heal and allowed healing energy to flow through him to release my body's healing powers. We read Dr. Joe Dispenza's, "You Are the Placebo" together. He gave me cross training and strength training exercises and infused me with confidence that I could and would get back on the roads again.
My plan was to start training in April but decided to get out in March and begin my (I've lost count of how many) running comeback. It was so challenging and I was afraid but I knew deep down inside of me that I could not and would not quit until I worked my way back to the half marathon distance. Given what the MRI looked like, my history of paralytic polio and childhood domestic violence that took a toll on me mind, body and soul, the odds were stacked against me. I had a lot of people around me at the time who were nay sayers about my running comeback including the physiatrist, physical therapist, the Aquatics Therapy at Spaulding Rehab and the massage therapist I was working with at the time. I fired all of them.
And into my life came Dr. Ryan J. Means -- a true healer and chiropractor, now a dear friend!
Today Team McManus ran the longest distance together since we ran the Boston Marathon in 2009. We were blessed by beautiful weather that is most unusual for December 12th. Temperatures were in the 50's, the sun was warm and there was absolutely no wind! We talked about Bermuda and it was easy to be transported there given today's weather conditions. I could feel the excitement and goosebumps.
We had no specific route planned. We drove our car to the Cleveland Circle Reservoir so we could have our water stop provisions handy and knew we were going to go around the big reservoir, go down Beacon Street and go from the big reservoir to the Route 9 Reservoir. We allowed Spirit to move us. The miles seemed to fly by.
Here's Team McManus after our Bermudaful run today:
The miracle is not that I am going to finish the Bermuda Half Marathon in just 36 days -- the miracle is that I had the courage to start over again right from square one, build my base, work hard in cross training and strength training and arrive in this moment! 11.5 miles in the Bank of Bermuda - I know I am ready!
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