I'm temporarily on the DL list for running races but I am getting my shorter distance mojo back during my twice weekly runs. On Saturday's run with Tom, I ran my fastest pace since December! It was hot and humid but I still felt the need to get the most out of my run that I could - physically, emotionally and spiritually. We took notice of the beautiful Spring happening in New England this year. The baby geese are now adolescent geese and growing so fast. They still have their fuzz on them. The water table was high from the rain we had. The sun played hide and seek and there were dark clouds on the horizon. We brought our ponchos just in case but it was 78 degrees with a "feels like" 80 degrees so we were not concerned with getting wet. We ran down our street to get in that extra distance before going twice around the Route 9 Reservoir. You know what I love about running? Well so many many things but I adore the friendliness of runners. We were stopped at the red light on Route 9 and two people out on their run said, "How's it going?" We joked and said, "You don't have to worry about the rain. We have our ponchos so you know it won't rain now!" They laughed and we each went on our way. Running breaks down barriers and also causes one to break a sweat!
After Saturday's run I felt amazing.
Tom asked me how I felt about not running the Corrib Pub Classic 5K this year especially since it's my 10 year anniversary of when I started running.
I told him I felt blessed and grateful. I wanted him to go out and have the best time.
The heat and humidity broke overnight and there was glorious sunshine with cool temperatures.
We arrived early to ensure a good parking space as we had 10 years ago. We parked in almost the exact same spot. This is my after I ran my very first 5K photo which we did not re-enact since the car definitely aged since that photo.
We did take a photo in front of the Corrib Pub Restaurant:
We watched the kids' race and cheered them on before Tom picked up his bib. We walked around the festive atmosphere:
Tom treated himself to a 25th Anniversary race shirt that brought him a lot of good luck on his run. Here he is at the start:
We both felt emotional as we reflected on the start of our running journey as Team McManus, all that we'd been through prior to the start of my running career and the incredible adventures we shared as runners during these past ten years. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, I faced a grim and uncertain future. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair; to quit my award winning career as a VA social worker (3 years shy of retirement) and that the diagnosis was classified as a progressive neuromuscular disorder. Tom thanked me for having the courage to not take the diagnosis sitting down and for being vigilant about my health and wellness since 2007.
While I had a twinge of wanting to run the Corrib 5K Classic on the 10th anniversary of my very first road race, I knew that 1) I always love being support crew for Tom and seeing what he can do out on the roads at his own pace and 2) I go all out when I participate in a race and instinctively know that my body needs more time to recover from those 3 Bermuda Half Marathons in as many years.
I gave Tom a high five and cheered the runners as they made their way through the neighborhoods of West Roxbury. Before Tom took off, he asked me what time I wanted to see on the clock when he returned. I told him 27:00 minutes.
The lead male runners came in and the first female runner and then runners began racing toward the finish. When I watch a race, I feel my mirror neurons fire up. Did you know that cheering on others can actually make you a better runner? Follow this link for a great read about the dynamics of being a spectator.
I kept scanning the pack at the top of the hill and had my camera ready to capture Tom coming into the finish.
There was a woman to the left of me who kept moving farther out in front of me and blocked my view. I figured I'd capture Tom as he came running into the finish only he was going so fast with his head down that all I could do was yell, "Tom!"
As I ran ahead to meet him after he got his water, he told me he needed to take a moment to sit down and catch his breath.
He left nothing out on the roads.
Since I couldn't get a finish photo, I took a photo of his Garmin:
He saw the clock at 27:49 but knew it took him a while to cross the starting mat.
He finished 13/58 in his Age Group and 448/1997 in the field. His official time was 26:43!
Tom and I don't eat red meat but it's a tradition to enjoy our once a year hamburger at the Corrib 5K Classic Road Race. and As we walked around the field, I asked Tom to recap his race for me. I remembered how I felt on 6/1/2008 after running my first 5K on the road to the 2009 Boston Marathon. Even though I didn't run yesterday, I felt blessed and grateful for the memories made in these past 10 years of running, the joy of being a spectator and being able to continue to run twice a week, and for all my body can do and gives me with every work out.
On Wednesday we will be celebrating National Running Day and what a special celebration to mark 10 years of running and still going strong....
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):
No comments:
Post a Comment