Ruth Anne took this photo and posted on Facebook, "Mile 10 wish her luck! 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀#marymcmanus #bermuda #irish"
I could feel the energy of everyone cheering us on!
In the distance we saw the portapotties and decided to make one more stop before getting to the finish line.
Marathoners passed us by and we cheered each other on. "Good job!" "You too!"
Tom and I compared how I was feeling this year with last year when I struggled with every step I took from mile 10 to the finish line.
"You okay? You need any water?" I asked a runner who was stopped just beyond mile 10.
"No I just wish I felt better."
He wasn't sure if he was going to make it to the finish line.
As Tom and Ruth Anne dropped behind me, I walked with him for a little while.
"Let me give you some inspiration. What's your name?"
"Joe."
"I'm Mary - from Boston. Where are you from?"
"New York"
I went on to tell him my story of how I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome 11 years ago and went on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon; how 3 years ago my left knee blew out and I was told to stop running and I was just 3 miles shy of finishing my 3rd Bermuda Half Marathon in as many years.
He was enthralled with my journey.
"Okay that's just what I needed," he said and he took off running again. "You might see me again before the finish line."
We didn't!
Ruth Anne took this photo of Tom and me at Mile 11:
We kept our steady pace and paid no attention to the time on the clock. We knew we were going to finish, finish strong and finish before the last marathoner crossed the finish line. We estimated coming in at about 5 hours.
Shortly after mile 11 I heard the cheers of a volunteer from last year who got me through those last few miles with his inspirational speech. "The race is not for those who are swift. The race is for those who endure. You are a winner. Now go win your race!" He remembered me and we joked how this year I was in much better shape than I was last year. He reminded me of where he was on the course last year when he saw me. We stopped and enjoyed a few moments together as he sent us on our way.
Last year there was no water stop after mile 12 but this year there was a spread along with ice. I took the ice and rubbed my hip and knees and thanked them for being out there this year. They were members of the Mid Atlantic Athletic Club. We thanked them for being out there. "You don't have far to go now," they said.
A little beyond mile 12, a family stood on their lawn offering us pumpkin bread. We hesitated and said no thank you. As if she knew exactly what we needed, she brought out the pumpkin bread in a basket, handed us a napkin and gave us each a slice of pumpkin bread. I didn't know it was exactly what I needed until it melted in my mouth. I didn't want to have another luna bar at mile 12 and this was the perfect fueling to get us through that final mile .1.
As we turned the corner and Ruth Anne saw the Hamilton Princess Hotel she commented, "Aah a sign of civilization!"
There was a detour sign and a huge hill. As our friend Denise said, "If I would have had to go up that hill, I would have died!" It took a moment for us to remember that it was the next hill we go up and down before heading into the finish. As we approached the next street Susan (who seemed to be everywhere during race weekend) said "Up the hill and around the cones. Sorry". We were fine with that knowing that we were coming into the finish line of our journey that began on 4/15/17 with an invitational entry from race director Anthony Raynor. We had no idea what that journey would be about and felt so blessed to be coming into the finish line healthy, happy and achieving our goals of having fun and finishing the race!
"You win the Team Family Award," someone who was standing with Susan shouted out to us. I thought she was a volunteer...
"Did you hear that?" I asked. "She said that we deserve the Team Family Award. We sure do!"
When we got to the bottom of Bermudiana Road, Tom snapped this photo of Ruth Anne and myself:
Three years of so much pain and suffering not sure where the road would lead for Ruth Anne, Tom and me -- how incredibly sweet that it led to the finish line of the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon!
We ran it into the finish line!
We are at the 4:56 mark on the video:
After we crossed the finish line Denise was there to greet us and took this photo:
Our official finish photos:
And a photo of Champion Ruth Anne:
We sat down on a bench, talked about her race and sent out some love to Lanette who was still out on the course finishing her full Bermuda Triangle Challenge.
We had reservations at the Pickled Onion but I knew I couldn't make it up the stairs to the restaurant. I left nothing on the roads. We knew we needed something light to eat and had decided to pick up a sandwich and chips at Wicketts back at the hotel. (Their chicken salad is to die for!) Ruth Anne knew she wanted sushi.
Denise suggested that we go on our way and get a cab back to our hotel and we'd check in later.
I didn't know how I was going to walk back to the Hamilton Princess hotel to get a cab but I didn't have to. Cabs appeared out of nowhere at the corner of Front Street and we had a delightful ride back to the Fairmont Southampton Princess where we were greeted like royalty.
To be continued....
To going the distance with strength and courage!
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):
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