Just For The Health of It - I Can Do It!

When I woke up yesterday morning I was feeling out of sorts. I realized that it was quite a week with Ruth Anne's hospitalization for an acute episode of depression and the weeks that led up to it where she needed more support and guidance. I wanted to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep. My body seemed to absorb the emotional shock of it all and the last thing I wanted to do was to get my strength training workout on.

I could have listened to my body but I know how powerful the mind is in health, wellness and well being. I couldn't give in to those feelings of exhaustion and physical pain. I knew they would pass if I did not give them more energy and attention. I got still and began the day as Tom and I always do - with a meditation. I began to feel a little better although still sore and stiff. I stretched and used my massage stick.

I knew that I needed to just keep moving forward. Out came our home gym equipment:


along with my training journal to track our core work and strength training routine.

By the time I finished our workout, I was ready to enjoy a nutritious breakfast and felt energized to start my day.

I went through my journal and old blog to pull out content for my new book, "The Adventures of Runnergirl1953."

I let the creative juices flow through me and the Divine to inspire how I am going to put the book together.

Tom works from home on Wednesdays. It was a treat to be able to have his lunch hour together and share an afternoon smoothie.

I don't have any events on the race calendar. I'm looking at the Michael Aselton 5K in May on Cape Cod which was the race that reunited Team McManus as we began our training for the Bermuda Half Marathon.

My training now is just for the health of it. I'm excited to focus on speed rather than endurance for now and I also bask in the accomplishment of having run 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons! Bear in mind that I did so despite having been told in December of 2014 that I needed to stop running or cap my distance if I continued to run and that I'd need a total knee replacement in a few years.

I feel that it's a new starting line in my training as I recover from training for 3 half marathons in as many years and move forward in my journey to heal the effects from childhood paralytic polio and trauma with renewed fervor and passion even if some days are more difficult than others to fire up the motivation.

As I have with every challenge I have ever faced in my life, I know that I must and can do it!

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 us at Booth 758 during Boston Marathon Weekend.

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):

The Rest Was Still Unwritten....The Adventures of Runnergirl1953

I didn't know Abraham Lincoln was the one who said, "The best way to predict your future is to create it." I thought it was some new age philosopher. What a wise man he was....

It's a philosophy that I have worked hard to live by ever since I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome eleven years ago. I wasn't going to take the diagnosis sitting down. At first I was afraid - very afraid and then I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The answers came through what I came to call my divining rod for healing - my pen - in the form of inspirational poetry; poetry that inspired mind, body and soul to heal through the power of visualization and imagination. I was creating my future - a future very different than the ones the doctors predicted for me.

After writing "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance," my family and friends encouraged me to write another book about my healing odyssey.

The theme of the book came to me during a run - no surprise there - with the prompting of Tom and Ruth Anne.

I'm now getting into the writing of the book. It's like putting together a quilt. I have all these beautiful patches of different stories and adventures that I will weave together into a beautiful tapestry.

At the time we gave birth to the book idea, the rest was still unwritten. I was in the middle of training for the Bermuda Half Marathon 2018. We were at 8 miles on our training runs. We had yet to run through a range of weather conditions and conditions related to Ruth Anne's recovery from severe depression. I also developed tightness in my right hip/groin/back area that eventually led to a painful muscle strain in my right hip/buttocks. I had to work through a lot of mental barriers and fears to get me to the starting line and I am so happy that I did not let my fears prevail.

The story that was written was more wonderful than I had imagined and even though the struggle was great, the triumph was even sweeter!


I'm taking a break from endurance running but of course I continue to create my future. I look forward to building strength while I recover from the Bermuda Half Marathon and experiencing different adventures of how I can move and be in my body.

But for now ... I've got a new book to put together and it's going to be a labor of love and joy!

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 us at Booth 758 during Boston Marathon Weekend.

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):

It's All About the Journey

Taking on back to back half marathons was a very ambitious goal for Tom and Ruth Anne. Since we had the base mileage from running the Bermuda Half Marathon, they decided to take on the RunTheBluegrass Half Marathon and work on their pace. My next goal was to recover from three consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons and train #justforthehealthofit and find harmony and healing in my training.

Tom and Ruth Anne had a rigorous Half Marathon training program to be sure that they met the time requirement for the cutoff for the Half Marathon at RunTheBluegrass.

There was a confluence of factors that precipitated Ruth Anne's recent hospitalization for severe depression. But Ruth Anne shared with us that one of the things she really missed was our Saturday morning runs getting ready for Bermuda. We also had unknowingly put way too much pressure on her with the training for RunTheBluegrass.

We were so focused on Tom and Ruth Anne's pace and the destination of the RunTheBluegrass race that we forgot all about the journey!

Last Saturday as I joined Tom and Ruth Anne for the first part of their run, a 5K at my pace right now, I introduced the idea of ditching the Half Marathon for the 7 miler. They would still get to experience a beautiful race through horse country and we would enjoy the weekend with our Bermuda buddy, Denise and her family, but there would be no timing deadline and it would ease the stress of training for another half marathon.

They even realized we could do "just a 5K" on Saturday and they could run the errands without stress or pressure.

Reunited and it felt so good - especially after Ruth Anne's hospitalization earlier in the week:


When we got home, we changed the registration from the Half Marathon to the 7 miler with ease.

It is a miracle that I continue to run and maintain a health and wellness routine after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome 11 years ago and that I continue to soldier on in my journey healing the effects of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma. It's a miracle that Ruth Anne has the fortitude, strength and courage to go the distance in her journey healing severe depression and the wounds of trauma. We are blessed and grateful that we are able to do all we are able to do; that we are blessed with so much abundance and are reclaiming our lives and our mental, physical and spiritual well being. Somehow 6 miles of a race course pale in comparison to all we have already overcome and the way we run the marathon of our lives.



While I know there are many wonderful quotes about life happening outside of your comfort zone and it's where the magic happens and always setting greater and greater goals to challenge oneself, sometimes it's just as important to take a step back and remember that it's all about the journey of this miracle called life!

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 us at Booth 758 during Boston Marathon Weekend.

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):

Life is a Marathon - I'm Grateful I'm An Endurance Runner

"Life is hard. That's why we run," Bill Rodgers has said to me on several occasions.

That is the truth! He went on to say that when the going gets tough on the roads and we know we can endure, then we can take that into our lives.

I am deeply grateful that I am an endurance runner for that has held me in great stead when it comes to the challenges in life. Being an endurance runner has taught me patience, strength, taking things mile by mile and being in the present moment, knowing that when I feel as though I cannot take another step, there is always enough in the tank to keep me going and, if I need to pause, I can always catch a second wind.

I have been joined on a marathon of healing from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma by our daughter Ruth Anne who is in the marathon of her life healing from severe depression. Three years ago she crossed the starting line of a journey to reclaim her mental health and sense of well being. Severe depression precipitated by trauma reared its head. Her life came to a screeching halt much as mine had 11 years ago after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome.

Last week, Ruth Anne experienced an acute episode of depression necessitating a brief inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

The thing about running and life is you never know when something may catch you unaware. The thing about running and life is we are blessed with resilience able to overcome and move forward feeling stronger than we ever have before. It's incredible to experience that second wind after you feel as though there's no way you can go any further in the race.

It seemed as though things were falling apart again but with intensive inpatient therapy, an outpouring of love and support from our village and an increase in medication plus Ruth Anne's fiery warrior Spirit, she is putting the pieces of her life back together in a more meaningful and profound way than before things fell apart.

When my life fell apart 11 years ago after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I had no idea that I'd be living the healthy, vibrant, abundant life that I am blessed to live today.

It's been a lot of trial and error, twists and turns in the roads for each of us but life is a marathon, not a sprint and I am blessed to have a warrior daughter, who, like myself, goes the distance!

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 us at Booth 758 during Boston Marathon Weekend.

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):

Bermuda Marathon Weekend: Which Place Changed Your Life?

I rarely do the Nametests on Facebook but thought I'd see what the response was when asked the question, "Which Place Changed Your Life?"



Of course it was Bermuda Marathon Weekend!

It was the miracle of training for and completing 3 Half Marathons in as many years for me and it was all the moments of miracles that led up to Team McManus' triumphant run around Bermuda.

When we were first reunited as Team McManus in May of 2017 after Ruth Anne's multiple hospitalizations to treat severe depression and PTSD with as many med trials, adverse reactions to meds and programs that were not a good fit, we had trouble finding our rhythm on the roads and in our lives. Ruth Anne had been on her own for 3 years struggling to find her way and Tom and I were empty nesters. We were all determined to experience success as Team McManus.

There was always one constant and an anchor for whatever was happening in Ruth Anne's road to recovery and my continued healing from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma: our dedication and commitment to training for the Bermuda Half Marathon!

We trained in heat and humidity and freezing cold. We learned that quitting was not part of who we are despite bone chilling 17 degree temperatures which felt like I don't even want to know how cold. We ran in the rain and the snow. Every Saturday morning without exception we set the alarm, did our core work, had our breakfast, packed up the running backpacks and off we went to get in our miles.

The left knee that the doctor predicted would need a total knee replacement by now after an MRI in January 2015, was fine throughout the rigors of training. Bone spurs, torn cartilage, degenerative changes, a fatty lipoma, and no gastroc muscle were all reversed through meditation, visualization, journaling and exercises prescribed by my chiropractor/healer, Dr. Ryan J. Means or Dr. Ryan as he likes to be called to build strength and grow a new gastroc muscle. Dr. Ryan introduced me to the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza that built on the work of Dr. Bernie Siegel for me that I'd been familiar with for years. Dr. Ryan inspired me to take my healing journey to a new level! He left for China to follow his own destiny but we continue to stay in touch. Whenever he visits the States we get together and he reminds me of the power of the body to heal.

I did develop a right hip/groin/back "issue" that was attended to by my chiropractor with whom I started working with in July and ongoing meditation, ice flushes in the shower, warm Epsom Salt baths and a "visit" from the physiatrist I had when I was recovering from paralytic polio as a child. I remembered how he would have me stretch my back to prevent scoliosis and after feeling his presence in the shower one morning, imagined how I felt with him encouraging my body to heal through his kind words, his touch and his encouraging words.

Once we finished our last long run, 12 miles, simulating race day, I knew that I could go the distance for a threepeat.

Returning to Bermuda with Ruth Anne was magical. The last time we had been on the Island together, I was using a wheelchair at the airport and sporting a toe up leg brace using a cane to gingerly walk from our hotel nor far from the center of Hamilton and back. I cried when we walked down the stairs on the tarmac and there was a wheelchair waiting for another passenger.

There were signs and magic everywhere on the Island.

The first evening we had dinner with Denise and Lanette at The Pickled Onion:


and of course were able to find Denise and Lanette pre-race:


Ruth Anne and I walked the beach together:


We had a sign that God and our dearly departed friend Herb Simmons who introduced us to Bermuda in the late 90's were watching over us at our first breakfast at Windows on the Sound:


Despite many fears leading up to race day about being able to trust my body, and the pain in my right hip/back/groin I knew that I could not give into them. Part of me felt that everybody would have understood if I would have chosen to not start the race BUT how could I miss out on all the fun that I worked so hard to achieve?

When we landed in Bermuda, Ruth Anne was moved to say out loud, "I made it! I'm not in the hospital!" We went through several "close calls" as we navigated outpatient mental health care but having her eye on the prize - getting to Bermuda to run the Half Marathon was potent medicine.

Ruth Anne, Tom and I discovered our strength, our will, our determination, our faith and above all else the power of our Love to train for and cross the finish line of the Bermuda Half Marathon 2018.

The Bermuda Half Marathon changed our life as did every step of every mile that got us to the starting line, through 13.1 miles and to crossing the finish line.





To your health and well being
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):

Bermuda Marathon Weekend: Welcome Home and a Time to Recover

We woke up to a Bermudaful sunny morning on Tuesday and headed down for an early breakfast to catch the final warm rays before heading back to winter in Boston. Keavin cooked with tlc preparing our last breakfast of our magical time on the Island. When he came out to give us a hug goodbye I noticed he was limping. He is going to have a partial hip replacement. We talked about healing and unbeknownst to me, he had already heard about my journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma.

There's a band that plays at the Fairmont and Keavin is working on becoming their manager. As we walked through the lobby, Tom noticed them. I was off doing something else and Tom and Ruth Anne got inspired to tell them about my journey. He asked them if they could dedicate a song to me during their set on Friday evening. I didn't know why Tom kept asking me to not get into my comfy sweats and to go down to the Lobby. I was so exhausted from our full day on Thursday that I told him I needed to rest. Keavin totally understood my need for rest and said that they'll get me next time. Just another example of the magic that happens in Bermuda. We hugged and Keavin suggested that Tom and Ruth Anne go back home (oh how I wish you could hear that being said in a Bermudian accent) and I could stay on the Island.

We got all of our luggage together when we returned to the room and headed to the pool. I was working very hard to relax and not stress about the small window of time we had to get to the airport as scheduled by the hotel shuttle. I turned it all over to the Universe. As we waited for others to arrive to get the shuttle, the shuttle driver suggested we relax and get a little more time in the sun which is what we did. I tried to not look at the clock on the dashboard as we wound through the beautiful Bermuda countryside.

Our flight was leaving early but I stayed calm, cool and collected as we breezed through Customs and security. I'm used to having a lot of time to relax at the airport but I was happy to have that extra sunshine time before we left. We had just enough time to have a quick bite of lunch and.... to see Erik at the airport!

He was wearing his bling and took a photo of us wearing ours:


"And what team is this?" the flight attendant asked as we sat in our seats 13 D, E, F on the return flight to Boston.

We said in unison, "Team McManus!"

"What sport is this?" he asked.

"We ran the Bermuda Half Marathon," we replied.

"That's very impressive," he commented.

As the second flight attendant prepared the cabin for take off she looked at our medals. "I don't know what you won but congratulations!"

As they were bringing beverage service through the cabin, we were offered complimentary beer and wine. We told them we didn't drink so they gave us extra snacks and a full can of our non alcoholic beverage of choice.

When we got settled in at home, I posted this photo on Facebook #homesweethome #weranbermuda #teammcnanus #missionaccomplished:


Welcome home and congratulations poured in!

On Wednesday I saw my chiropractor. We shared in the joy of my accomplishment and brought relief to my body that was tired, sore and very tight. At the end of the session she said, "That should bring you some relief!" She suggested that I take it easy and only do a gentle walk until my body recovers from the rigors of training and running a 3rd half marathon in as many years. I will spare you the details of what we discovered was happening in my body and am only focusing on the healing and recovery.

I took Thursday and Friday as rest days.

Tom and Ruth Anne began their training on Saturday for RunTheBluegrass happening on 3/31. While they ran around Jamaica Pond, I did a slow walking meditation. The fresh cold air with the backdrop of the beauty of Jamaica Pond in winter was the perfect setting for me to reflect on where I'd been in my journey and what's next. It was a glorious time for me to connect to the Divine doing a walking meditation. Despite the headwind and cold air, I felt a deep connection to the Divine. I have often felt angry and frustrated that I can't just go out on a run but today I felt such peace and love for my body and my life while walking as my future self....feeling how it will feel to run a 12 minute mile knowing I already can and so grateful that tears streamed down my face. I knew that my muscle strain and everything that got thrown out of alignment during training and running the half marathon is healed. I felt with every step I took there was more and more distance between me now in the present moment and the me that had embodied having once been paralyzed and brutalized by family members. It was truly Divine! My back that had been going into spasms completely relaxed and I felt such joy and happiness.

Even though I am not training for another event right now, we are still Team McManus and took this selfie:


I am doing 5 days of training with core work, strength training, cardio and cross training with a gentle walk as Tom and Ruth Anne do their training runs until my hip/back/groin issue resolve. I feel better and better with each passing day. I have my heart and mind set on attaining my goal of a 12 minute mile for a 5K and am figuring out what else I want to do with my health and fitness regimen. I know the Universe will help me figure that out.

Tom and Ruth Anne are following Kara Goucher's 10 week training plan to get ready for their Half Marathon.

This morning while I did a cardio workout for 6 miles on the bike, they did fartleks on the treadmill and around the track at our gym.

It was a beautiful way to begin the day.


Having completed my 3rd Bermuda Half marathon is as many years was a miracle and having Team McManus reunited with Ruth Anne was another miracle.

Every finish line is a starting line. We are now at the starting line of a new race. I'm so excited to experience this next leg on our journey.

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):

Bermuda Marathon Weekend: Double Digits and Crossing the Finish Line!

When you're running a Half Marathon, there is something wonderful when you hit the double digit mile marker.

Ruth Anne took this photo and posted on Facebook, "Mile 10 wish her luck! 🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀#marymcmanus #bermuda #irish"


I could feel the energy of everyone cheering us on!

In the distance we saw the portapotties and decided to make one more stop before getting to the finish line.

Marathoners passed us by and we cheered each other on. "Good job!" "You too!"

Tom and I compared how I was feeling this year with last year when I struggled with every step I took from mile 10 to the finish line.

"You okay? You need any water?" I asked a runner who was stopped just beyond mile 10.

"No I just wish I felt better."

He wasn't sure if he was going to make it to the finish line.

As Tom and Ruth Anne dropped behind me, I walked with him for a little while.

"Let me give you some inspiration. What's your name?"

"Joe."

"I'm Mary - from Boston. Where are you from?"

"New York"

I went on to tell him my story of how I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome 11 years ago and went on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon; how 3 years ago my left knee blew out and I was told to stop running and I was just 3 miles shy of finishing my 3rd Bermuda Half Marathon in as many years.

He was enthralled with my journey.

"Okay that's just what I needed," he said and he took off running again. "You might see me again before the finish line."

We didn't!

Ruth Anne took this photo of Tom and me at Mile 11:


We kept our steady pace and paid no attention to the time on the clock. We knew we were going to finish, finish strong and finish before the last marathoner crossed the finish line. We estimated coming in at about 5 hours.

Shortly after mile 11 I heard the cheers of a volunteer from last year who got me through those last few miles with his inspirational speech. "The race is not for those who are swift. The race is for those who endure. You are a winner. Now go win your race!" He remembered me and we joked how this year I was in much better shape than I was last year. He reminded me of where he was on the course last year when he saw me. We stopped and enjoyed a few moments together as he sent us on our way.



Last year there was no water stop after mile 12 but this year there was a spread along with ice. I took the ice and rubbed my hip and knees and thanked them for being out there this year. They were members of the Mid Atlantic Athletic Club. We thanked them for being out there. "You don't have far to go now," they said.

A little beyond mile 12, a family stood on their lawn offering us pumpkin bread. We hesitated and said no thank you. As if she knew exactly what we needed, she brought out the pumpkin bread in a basket, handed us a napkin and gave us each a slice of pumpkin bread. I didn't know it was exactly what I needed until it melted in my mouth. I didn't want to have another luna bar at mile 12 and this was the perfect fueling to get us through that final mile .1.

As we turned the corner and Ruth Anne saw the Hamilton Princess Hotel she commented, "Aah a sign of civilization!"

There was a detour sign and a huge hill. As our friend Denise said, "If I would have had to go up that hill, I would have died!" It took a moment for us to remember that it was the next hill we go up and down before heading into the finish. As we approached the next street Susan (who seemed to be everywhere during race weekend) said "Up the hill and around the cones. Sorry". We were fine with that knowing that we were coming into the finish line of our journey that began on 4/15/17 with an invitational entry from race director Anthony Raynor. We had no idea what that journey would be about and felt so blessed to be coming into the finish line healthy, happy and achieving our goals of having fun and finishing the race!

"You win the Team Family Award," someone who was standing with Susan shouted out to us. I thought she was a volunteer...

"Did you hear that?" I asked. "She said that we deserve the Team Family Award. We sure do!"

When we got to the bottom of Bermudiana Road, Tom snapped this photo of Ruth Anne and myself:


Three years of so much pain and suffering not sure where the road would lead for Ruth Anne, Tom and me -- how incredibly sweet that it led to the finish line of the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon!

We ran it into the finish line!

We are at the 4:56 mark on the video:


After we crossed the finish line Denise was there to greet us and took this photo:


Our official finish photos:


And a photo of Champion Ruth Anne:


We sat down on a bench, talked about her race and sent out some love to Lanette who was still out on the course finishing her full Bermuda Triangle Challenge.

We had reservations at the Pickled Onion but I knew I couldn't make it up the stairs to the restaurant. I left nothing on the roads. We knew we needed something light to eat and had decided to pick up a sandwich and chips at Wicketts back at the hotel. (Their chicken salad is to die for!) Ruth Anne knew she wanted sushi.

Denise suggested that we go on our way and get a cab back to our hotel and we'd check in later.

I didn't know how I was going to walk back to the Hamilton Princess hotel to get a cab but I didn't have to. Cabs appeared out of nowhere at the corner of Front Street and we had a delightful ride back to the Fairmont Southampton Princess where we were greeted like royalty.

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):