Given the stiff headwinds, the locked bathrooms, and the fact I forgot our post run bananas, we were about to abort the mission for yesterday's run on Wollaston Beach. But Spirit whispered through the wind.
Tom and I agreed to just do it!
It was a magical and mystical run.
We had not been to Wollaston Beach for a training run in quite a long time. We trained along Wollaston Beach and into Marina Bay for long runs on the road to the 2009 Boston Marathon.
I took my first very tentative steps along Wollaston Beach shortly after I began working with a personal trainer after being discharged from Spaulding Rehab's Outpatient Clinic following the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. I was winded after only a short distance. I was wobbly on my legs like a foal.
The Thoroughbred from: "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life"
A dark horse
dark past
finishing last
ready to quit
battered and bruised
a foal fouled
yet Spirit unbroken
a thoroughbred deep inside
despite appearances
all she needed was a chance
someone to believe in her
a horse whisperer
in the mist
amidst fog and foliage
she runs
breaking free
transformed
into the champion she was always meant to be.
The sidewalk and sea wall ahead of us were wet. We were curious as to how that happened since it wasn't raining!
It was high tide and the seas were churning from the tropical storms and hurricanes out in the Atlantic. The mighty waves hit the sea wall and splashed over it. The sun peeked out through the clouds and warmed us up as the salty sea spray kept us cool.
Seeing and smelling the briny air while we confronted the headwinds unleashed a sense of unbridled joy in facing the challenge of the elements.
We had been running in hot and humid temperatures or rain. The cooler temperatures were invigorating.
I had a sense of expansiveness and connection to all that is. My problems washed out with the waves out at sea and as the waves crashed up against the sea wall.
I kept an even pace consistently hitting that sub-18 minute/mile. A part of me felt frustrated that I am not back to my 15/16 minute/mile pace that I ran before training for 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons but then I remembered where I was many years ago when I could barely walk along Wollaston Beach never mind run for 3.11 miles!
We experienced a runner's high after experiencing the beautiful views of Boston, running up a very steep hill and experiencing the vastness of Mother Nature.
After 3.11 miles, we were debating about where Tom should finish his 8 miles as he is training for the Bermuda Half Marathon.
I suggested we go to Carson Beach where the bathrooms would still be available and where the wind might be less intense. It's a very short ride from Wollaston to Carson Beach. The sun came out. The winds died down and Tom ran the remainder of his 5 miles to deposit in the Bank of Bermuda while I sat on the beach reading Billy Mills book, "Lessons of a Lakota."
When Tom returned from his 10 minute/mile run, I snapped these photos:
The second photo is Tom chasing a seagull.
I am thrilled that I ran 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons and am focusing on the 5K distance and speed, especially when I take a look back and remember where I once was in my health and wellness journey.
I now have total faith in how far I can go ... with patience, persistence and finding exquisite joy in the journey!
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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