Celebrating My Race-iversary! The Corrib Pub Run

Thank goodness for Facebook memories that remind us of special occasions in our lives that otherwise might get past us! Today marks the 9 year anniversary of my first road race ever! I had laced up my first pair of running shoes in March of 2008 after declaring that I, Mary McManus, a woman who had been recently diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease was going to train for and run the 2009 Boston Marathon. Marathon Sports in Brookline's very own Spencer Aston, aka the running guru fitted me for my first pair of running shoes.

From "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":

“What are you in now?” Spencer Aston asked me when I walked into Marathon Sports in March of 2008.

“Well, truth be told, I’m in ‘polio shoes.’ I borrowed these running shoes from my daughter. Let me give you the twitter version of my story.”

I told Spencer about my history of paralytic polio, my ‘remarkable recovery’ as was Spaulding’s tag line when I was a patient and how I was planning to run the Boston Marathon. He took so much time and care doing a gait assessment and working with me to find the perfect running shoes. We figured out that I needed an insert at my heel to ensure comfort.

I was up to 40 minutes of continuous running when Race Day 6/1/2008 dawned. I had no idea what to expect from the race or my body. I only knew that running felt so right for me even though it was a struggle and I had a very long way to go before I'd be Boston Marathon ready.

Here I am before the race:


This was my first experience with learning what the running community is all about. Strangers become fast friends as introductions are made and stories exchanged. People that I met for the first time were so excited for me and with me about my journey.

I smile and marvel at what a novice I was at the time. All I knew was that I was going to put one foot in front of the other and not stop until I crossed the finish line.

I was swept up by the support from the crowds. How amazing to go from having memories of being a survivor of paralytic polio, lugging a heavy leg brace, trying to keep up with my classmates, teased and taunted with the nickname "Easy Out Alper" (my maiden name) to experiencing the outpouring of cheers not jeers from the spectators along the route. Tom yelled out to the crowd that I was a survivor of paralytic polio and this was my first race. The high-fives and way to go's took my breath away.

It was a sense of freedom I had never known before in my life. Given the heat of the day we had the option to run through the sprinklers that spectators made for us with their garden hoses. It was a challenging course for me with the big uphill near the finish line but my personal trainer had started me on hill training early since after all, I was going to run the Boston Marathon!

Here I am after the race:


There was no bling. I wouldn't receive my first race medal until after I conquered my first Half Marathon race in Hyannis in February of 2009. But it didn't matter because I came out of a wheelchair and a leg brace having been told that I "had" Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease and should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair.

Despite the usual ups and downs that are part of every runner's journey, I continue to run long, strong and healthy!

And to quote Forrest Gump on this, my race-iversary:


Medal display created by Blue Diamond Athletic Displays.

To going the distance with strength and courage!
~Mary

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):

My Running Chronicles: #tbt My First 5 Mile Road Race - A Defining Moment

July 2008 - the Marathon Sports Annual 5 Mile Road Race. No time like the present to get acclimated to road racing. My first road race was in June 2008, the Corrib Pub Road Race. It was a 5K distance and the neighborhood came out in droves to cheer, to offer water and to hose us down. Tom, my husband, my life and running partner would shout out to the people cheering us on that I was a survivor of paralytic polio and this was my first road race ever. The time didn't matter. I was out there doing something I'd never done before and I was training for the 2009 Boston Marathon. I hadn't run for more than 40 minutes continuously so I had to walk for part of the race. There were still many people finishing with us and I felt triumphant finishing my first road race:



By July, we had become members of the Marathon Sports family. I was fitted for my first pair of running shoes at Marathon Sports in February and they were enthralled with my journey.

The atmosphere was quite different from the Corrib Pub and it was a very fast field. Everyone took off and Tom had to convince me that it was okay; that we were just going to run our race. There were a few back of the packers but there were no spectators and we had no idea where we were or where we were going. Talk about trust and faith.

From Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility:

Our first 5 mile race was the Marathon Sports 5 miler. It was a hot, steamy evening in July. We got lost on the way to the race. Tempers were running as hot as the thermometer because I was so anxious about running my first five mile race. My energy tended to wane by the evening as I was continuing to deal with the late effects of paralytic polio. We finally arrived and walked around trying to enjoy the pre race festivities. As everyone took their place at the start, I could see that this was a serious, competitive running crowd; quite a contrast to my first race ever, the Corrib Pub Run 5K in June.

Runners went out fast and Tom, Ruth Anne and I were in the back of the pack with a few other people. Even they took off and I told Ruth Anne to go out ahead of us. I experienced my first (of many) marathon training meltdowns. I cried as I shared with Tom all the memories of having kids take off and leave me behind that were bubbling to the surface. I was sweating and tired and hot. I couldn’t tell where my tears ended and sweat began. I told Tom I had no business training for the Boston Marathon. Tom was wonderful and he told me that I couldn’t quit. We would make it through this race and we would make it through every training run. He believed in me when I did not believe in myself. I did know, however, that if I didn’t finish that race, I would never make it to the starting line of the Boston Marathon. Alison gave me water and a high five out on the course. She was worried about me in the heat and wanted to make sure I was okay.

Despite finishing dead last, members of the Marathon Sports family who knew the story of Team McManus, had air horns and a truck on the field honking and blowing and cheering us on to the finish. Ruth Anne circled back around to bring us into the finish line. She was there at the finish line to give me a hug and celebrate my first 5 mile road race ever. I knew training for Boston was not going to be easy, but I knew I had what it was going to take to make it happen.

The Marathon Sports 5 Miler was a defining moment for me early on in my running career. I learned about how the running community celebrates the last runner as though they were the one to break the finisher's tape and how wonderful it feels to be celebrated for going beyond limits. I realized that I had to leave the past behind and could not carry the taunting and teasing voices from the past with me in my head. I learned that I was stronger than I thought I was and there is always something left in the tank especially when the journey is fueled by love, support and kindness.

I'm moving forward and carrying that defining moment in my heart on the road to the 2016 Newport Marathon along with the beautiful friendships that have blessed my life during these past 7 years. I'm excited to experience the thrill of racing again on July 3rd at the Finish at the 50 5K at Gillette Stadium and eager to begin building miles after the race. The joy is in the journey even when you don't have any idea where you are or how you are going to make it to the finish line.



BE BLESSED! JOURNEY WELL! TO ALL GOOD THINGS.....

I chronicle the first 7 years of my healing journey after being diagnosed with post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease as a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and 9 years of childhood domestic violence in Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility.


In Journey Well, the journey continues in the wake of my nephew's suicide on 3/4/11 and the events of 4/15/13. Through my journey of healing and transformation, we learn that no matter what life circumstances happen to us, we can always find a way to journey well.


50% of book proceeds from all of my books, available on Amazon are donated to the Massachusetts Resiliency Center to support 4/15/13 Boston Strong survivors and their families.

I am working on my new book, Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems which brings together my best poems of the last 8 years and will include my latest poems as I continue to feel the heal and move forward in my life.