As Tom and I started out on our Saturday morning run, I felt flat inside. "Maybe I'll just walk this one and take it easy," was my thought. "No that's just not like me."
As we started out on our run, my heart rate soared and I felt, what Candace Pert calls "The Molecules of Emotion." I knew that my thoughts and emotions were creating uncomfortable sensations in my body.
"I need to talk about something," I said to Tom.
"Absolutely," he said while he encouraged me to take in the breathtaking sights and expansiveness of the ocean.
We debriefed about an extremely stressful situation in our lives. My friend, Michelle, posted a video on Facebook citing how much relief she felt after she was able to name and claim something on a recent run she had. I'm sure that inspired me to go beyond myself and release what I was holding inside. Once I was able to allow those feelings to move up and out, I was able to feel a sense of freedom in mind, body and soul. I wanted to "open it up" and see what my body could do.
It was hot but there was a cooling sea breeze.
Tom glanced over at my pace from time to time and repeatedly said, 'You're crushing it!'
It was a thrill to feel my pace drop and to receive validation for my hard work as I looked at my splits and Nike+ pacing.
One of my health and fitness goals is to work on speed since I am taking a break from endurance running for now. Throughout my ten years of running and this quest to heal from the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma, I have honored every commitment I set toward a goal. After my nephew's death by suicide in March of 2011, I strayed from running and pursued yoga in an effort to heal the searing pain of his death. Even though I felt that yoga teacher training was ultimately not the path for me, I made a commitment to the program and followed through. I learned a lot of soul lessons during that part of my journey.
After 4/15/13, I returned to the roads and to the sport that heals mind, body and soul.
I love the feeling of opening it up and challenging myself riding the waves of endorphins along with the waves of a "good" discomfort. Sweat, high heart rate that was a result of mind/body working together and pushing my pace, nausea and hunger felt wonderful as we wrapped up our 3.11 mile run.
I felt exhilarated and tired and extremely satisfied with myself for getting my pace into numbers I hadn't seen in a very long time since I'd been training for the past 3 years for the Bermuda Half Marathon.
As Tom went off to get in an additional 5 miles on the road to his Bermuda Marathon Weekend 2019, I sat on the beach refueling with a banana and water. I walked into the ocean and admired my sore muscles allowing the cool ocean water to aid in my recovery. I read Billy Mills book, "Lessons of a Lakota" that I won in a contest on Facebook. In it Billy wrote, "Mary...Follow your Dream."
When I was striving for PR's back in 2014, I watched this video:
What a thrill to be able to connect with Billy and his wife Pat on Facebook and receive a magnificent gift.
When Tom returned from his 5 mile run, I marveled with him at how flat I felt when we started out on our run and how content and peaceful I felt after our run.
As we gathered up our belongings after spending time watching the waves go in and out. I reflected on the power of the sea, the vastness of the Universe and the gift of running in my life to transform and transcend a difficult situation happening in my life. That my friends is the power of a good run!
From my heart to yours,
To your health and wellness,
Mary
My healing journey is going to be featured in David R. Hamilton's soon to be released book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body." It's available for pre-order on Amazon.
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:
Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):
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