All of that changed, when on April 15, 2017 Race Director Anthony Raynor stopped by Booth 2828 at the Boston Marathon Expo to give me an invitational entry to Bermuda Race Weekend.
I needed to get my head wrapped around the fact that I was going to run my 3rd Half Marathon is as many years. 2017 was a challenging Half Marathon for me due in part to road conditions with a lot of cars passing us by and a groove at the side of the road that I had to use to avoid passing cars, my being overdressed for the weather and I put pressure on myself to finish in under 4 hours. I went out way too fast, my head was not in the right space and I'd been under a lot of stress with a situation in my life I was finally able to liberate myself from last July.
We had lost touch with Ruth Anne for a time as she went through her journey with severe depression and PTSD. I'm sure that was preying on me as well.
After numerous hospitalizations and med trials, Ruth Anne returned to live with us. We knew that we couldn't leave Ruth Anne home alone while we went off to Bermuda. I felt Divine Intervention when, one night at dinner, I suggested we all train and run Bermuda together. After all we had run the 2009 Boston Marathon as Team McManus. It was time for a repeat!
Eight months of training and taper time and last Thursday morning we boarded Delta Flight 561 for Bermuda.
We decided to use Boston Carriage, a limousine service to begin our Bermuda Marathon Weekend adventure. There was synchronicity with the limo driver as he shared with us his previous career as a massage therapist...what are the chances...and what it takes to have a successful massage therapy practice. He got injured and so is a driver and has other endeavors he pursues as well. It was a delightful and affirming ride to the airport.
We arrived a half hour ahead of schedule, quickly made it through customs and our transportation to the Fairmount Southampton Princess was waiting for us .... and so was Anthony Raynor to welcome us to Bermuda. To make us feel more at home he offered to import some snow. We left about a foot of snow on the ground in Boston.
We rode to the hotel with the people from Ashworth Awards. We had met at Blue Diamond Athletic Displays Inc. Booth 2828 at last year's Expo.
Our room was ready upon our arrival at the Fairmount Southampton Princess Hotel. We had a fabulous lunch at Jasmine eating outside overlooking the pool:
I dined on Fried Snapper. Ruth Anne had the Market Salad with quinoa, dates, Bermuda Mushrooms and Truffle Vinaigrette. Tom had Bermuda Fish Chowder. He was full from all the snacks he had on the plane. When the Flight Attendant heard we were going to run the Half Marathon, she piled on the snacks. I decided that I was going to savor and experience wonderful food rather than feel restricted as I had last year. What a blessing to be out of the City of Hamilton and to have expansive views of the turquoise blue water and pink sand.
After lunch we went to the beach. Tom took this picture of Ruth Anne and me:
If you would have told me a year ago that I'd be walking with my daughter on the beach at the Fairmount Southampton Princess, I would have told you that you were crazy. Yet there we were, reunited in Bermuda enjoying the warm sunshine, the sounds and scents that one only finds in Bermuda with hearts overflowing with gratitude.
We went back to the room, took our showers and changed our clothes as we headed into Hamilton for the kickoff reception at Bacardi's and to have a very very special dinner.
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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