Our Cape Cod Runcation - Part I

It happens every time we drive over the Bourne Bridge. Stress and tension melt away and we know we are transported to our happy place.



So much of what we were experiencing last year at this time had resolved and Tom and I were feeling incredibly grateful for the abundance, peace, happiness and health now manifesting in our lives.

Our first stop was the Expo:


once again presented by Marathon Sports:


After Tom picked up his bib and bag, we went to see our friends at Janji. Please take a few moments and check out their website. Their motto is Run For Another. It's a tradition that we buy something "Janji" whenever we see them at an Expo to support the incredible work they are doing. I opted for a new hat this year.

Do you have any idea how amazing it was to share with Mike, creator of Janji that I am back on the roads and up to 9 miles training for the Bermuda Half Marathon? Mike knows my journey and he was overjoyed to share in my return to the roads.

While we were talking our dear friend, Colin Peddie, Owner of Marathon Sports came over to say hello. We have been part of the Marathon Sports family since 2008 and Colin agrees that we are all running family. I told him that I am working now and back on the roads training for the Bermuda Half. It was one of those magical conversations that you just know was orchestrated by the Divine. I am so excited to see where that moment leads both of us in our passion for what we do!

It was time for pre race/pre support crew fueling and we went back to La Cucina Sul Mare.

Tom and I indulged in savoring these two dishes which we couldn't finish because of the portion sizes:



We had impeccable service and even got to meet the co owner Mark on our way out. He is literally chief cook and bottle washer as our waitress Patricia explained to us.

We decided to unwind with a West Wing episode and chose, "Noel" which I wrote about in my recent post, "Compassionate Presence."

A perfect ending to the day and was a great way to unwind in anticipation of race day....

To be continued....

Olde Cape Cod - Part II - Then and Now

The alarm went off at 5:00 am on Saturday. We got dressed and headed out for a pre-race breakfast at Mary Ellen's. They are so amazing. Just like in 2011, they let Tom bring his special pre-race cereal mix providing him with a bowl and milk. I enjoyed scrambled eggs and toast with OJ. Unlike 2011, I was dressed in running clothes. In 2011, we drove to the starting line making sure that I was dressed warmly and had a chair available to spectate. I remember I spent the time writing in my journal. In 2011, I missed Tom crossing the finish line because I was distracted and not living in the present moment. Before we left for the start I checked email and Facebook. To what did my wondrous eyes appear but a book review of Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility by my fellow L Street member, Alma McDermott, also known as Mrs. Mac. Unlike 2011 when I had stopped racing, I am running the Boston Volvo Village 5K for MS on Thanksgiving. I received several emails that donations were made to my fundraising page.

It's a mile from the Falmouth Inn to the starting line. We did about a 15:30 minute pace as a warm up for Tom and so I could get my run in. I walked around with Tom as he geared up for his race and took photos:



I was moved to see a Boston Strong t-shirt and snapped this photo thinking I was taking a random photo but more about that in tomorrow's post so stay tuned!



Cannon time - yes only on olde Cape Cod would they use a cannon to signal the start of the race and they were off. I ran back to the hotel, ditched some items we didn't need and headed back to the finish line. I found the perfect spot where I would be able to see Tom and my friend Jess as they came down the chute and then turned the corner to receive their medals.

Tom was nursing a calf injury and was expecting to run about a 10 minute mile. I was surprised to see him come in at a 2:06:19 just a couple of minutes shy of his BAA half PR two weeks ago! He cooled down and left me at the finish line to see if I could catch Jess coming in. We looked at each other and I knew it was her only her bib said Scarlett which confused me. We hugged and high-fived with beautiful photos to capture the joy at the finish line. She told me that she had officially transferred the bib of her friend who was injured but she still had to wear the bib with Scarlett's name on it. Jess waited for me at the finish line of the Tufts 10K and gave me that extra boost that carried me to my PR.



Unlike 2011, I was able to stand at the finish line standing for three hours and then we walked the mile back to the hotel.

While at the finish line, the announcer encouraged us to enjoy the Falmouth businesses. He told us to head over to the Quarterdeck to see Tommy Leonard. For those of you not familiar with Tommy Leonard, he is the founder of the Falmouth Road Race and was an integral part of the Boston running scene as he welcomed the heroes of the Boston Marathon into the Eliot Lounge. When we walked into the Quarterdeck, there was an elderly man sweeping the entrance. He said, "Come in. Come in. The water's fine." I thought it was Tommy Leonard but couldn't imagine him sweeping out the entry way to the restaurant. After we were seated I asked the hostess when Tommy Leonard would be there imagining this larger than life person having a special appearance time. She said, "That was him when you came in." Tom and I were in awe. The hostess told us that he spends his days working at the Quarterdeck helping out with different jobs. He has his meals there and 'holds court' as he talks about running then and now. After we had a delicious lunch we went over to where he was holding court. He used to run around the Cleveland Circle Reservoir and the Boston College Campus. He smiled somewhat sheepishly when we talked about reading about him in Bill Rodgers' book, "Marathon Man". He was deeply interested in us and what we ran, where we run and I shared my story with him. He is also a veteran who has no complaints about the care he gets at the VA these days. He told us to come back on Sunday; that he would look for a copy of his memoir to give to us so that he could autograph it.

I love how Facebook keeps us connected. Our dear friends Team Dilo as we call them, told us that they were going to be on Main Street for the Halloween Parade and would we be able to meet up? I met Marcie and Paul in person for the first time at the 2011 Cape Cod Half Marathon. Marcie did a cartwheel at the finish line. They are such special friends who we met through running and even though I lost touch with them during my running hiatus, we quickly reconnected after April 15, 2013 and our friendship has grown that much closer. Marcie asked if it would be possible to bring the kids over for a swim and then we could have dessert at her parents' house. We shared precious moments with this precious family:



What a difference between how I felt and what I was able to do from 2011 to now. Friendships grow stronger. My relationship with Tom is stronger. I am stronger in mind, body and Spirit. I am whole. I am healing. As Tom said as we packed on Friday, ""This will be like old times only totally different." Truth.

Join me tomorrow for Olde Cape Cod - Part III - Stories from the Finish Line.



Knowing the challenges first hand of living with a neuromuscular condition, on Thanksgiving, I will be running the Boston Volvo 5K Village Road Race to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society New England Chapter. When we unlock the key to one neuromuscular condition, we can unlock the door to many. You can donate to my run on my fund raising page.

The first 7 years of my healing odyssey are chronicled in Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility available on Amazon. I donate 50% of royalty payments to The One Fund Boston to help survivors and their families who were affected by the tragic events of 4/15/13.



I'm working on my 2nd book, "Journey Well," due out later this year:

A New Olde Cape Cod Part I

"This will be like old times only totally different," Tom said to me as we were packing for our long weekend in Falmouth. We have a long history with Falmouth both before kids and with kids. This weekend marks a new chapter of Team McManus after kids. Next Saturday our daughter moves into her own apartment. This weekend has been a time of nostalgia, magic and wonder for us.

Before we left for the Cape, I asked Tom if we could get the page numbers on my manuscript for Journey Well. I am eager to get a proof and see what changes might need to be made before we go to press. We uploaded the manuscript and it's the first time that we were able to nail the formatting and layout on the first try. The proof will arrive next Wednesday and we get out the red pen to ensure a wonderful finished product before going to press.

As we drove by the rotary for the National Cemetery at Bourne, Tom said, "Hi Herb. Hi Jack and Danny." I chimed in "Hi Helen's parents." Herb was a family friend who was a volunteer I supervised at the VA. Jack and Danny, Tom's uncles who are buried at Bourne.

When we arrived on Friday we went to Mary Ellen's, our go to place across from the Falmouth Inn, for brunch. The waitress asked if Tom wanted home fries. After he said "No. You can keep them." She said, "Gone." She said it with the same inflection as our friend Herb. We both gasped and told the waitress how Herb would have this expression with a hand gesture "Gone" and used the same inflection that she used. We felt Herb's presence blessing our Falmouth vacation. When we went for our swim at the hotel pool, we found a 1984 penny; the year that I received my Masters in Social Work from Boston College.

We drove by the beach and captured the beauty of Olde Cape Cod.



The energy at the Expo was electric.



I won a t-shirt in a Facebook contest on the Cape Cod Marathon Facebook page.



It's tradition for us to buy something from Janji if they are at a race Expo.



We asked what time Landucci's, the restaurant at the Falmouth Inn, opened for dinner where we went for our pre-race dinner when Tom ran in 2011. "They moved to Cotuit about a month ago," the staff person at the Falmouth Inn told us. He gave us some alternative places to eat. We had loved Landucci's and were disappointed that we would have had to drive for about 25 minutes each way to go to their new restaurant. We opted to eat at La Cucina Sul Mare.



The hostess, upon seeing my L Street Jacket, said she is so excited that she is going to move to South Boston in January. She is finishing up her doctorate in physical therapy. She also told us that she is running Boston as a charity runner and was excited but very nervous. I told her my story and she said she had to give me a hug and was now inspired to get out there and train for Boston.

We had wonderful food and impeccable service. There is always something better waiting when we let go of clinging to what is comfortable and familiar.

We came back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep. 5:00 am would come soon enough.....


Knowing the challenges first hand of living with a neuromuscular condition, on Thanksgiving, I will be running the Boston Volvo 5K Village Road Race to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society New England Chapter. When we unlock the key to one neuromuscular condition, we can unlock the door to many. You can donate to my run on my fund raising page.

The first 7 years of my healing odyssey are chronicled in Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility available on Amazon. I donate 50% of royalty payments to The One Fund Boston to help survivors and their families who were affected by the tragic events of 4/15/13.



I'm working on my 2nd book, "Journey Well," due out later this year:

Olde Cape Cod

Tom and I are enjoying ourselves on a much needed and much deserved vacation in Falmouth. He is running the Cape Cod Half Marathon today. It's always an energizing experience for me to be among the running community and to watch a race from the sidelines. After 6 races since June and two PR's, I am delighted to be on the sidelines and be support crew for Tom.

While we are away enjoying Falmouth, one of our most favorite places to play, here are some photos from when Tom ran the Cape Cod Half in 2011:

The beautiful morning sky in Falmouth


The starting line with Tom and Hassan from L Street Running Club. Hassan did the Chowda Challenge running the Half on Saturday and the Full on Sunday. At age 62 he finished 6th overall in the Challenge with a total time of 5:01:52.


Finish line and the finisher's tape waiting for the winner


and the winner Joseph Ekuom with a time of 1:18:31 from High Falls, NY


Tom told me he'd be running about a 9-10 minute mile. He ran an 8:17 pace and I missed him crossing the finish line!

We had an amazing post race dinner at Landucci's at the Falmouth Inn where we will be staying again this year. The mouth watering dipping oil and appetizer:



As Tom said to me as we were packing, "This will be just like old times only totally different." I'm excited about the new memories we will be creating this weekend on Olde Cape Cod.


Knowing the challenges first hand of living with a neuromuscular condition, on Thanksgiving, I will be running the Boston Volvo 5K Village Road Race to raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society New England Chapter. When we unlock the key to one neuromuscular condition, we can unlock the door to many. You can donate to my run on my fund raising page.

The first 7 years of my healing odyssey are chronicled in Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility available on Amazon. I donate 50% of royalty payments to The One Fund Boston to help survivors and their families who were affected by the tragic events of 4/15/13.



I'm working on my 2nd book, "Journey Well," due out later this year: