Breakthrough on Heartbreak Hill

There was a chilly start to the day yesterday. Temperatures were supposed to go into the 50's. Tom and Ruth Anne are training for RunTheBluegrass and needed to do 5 miles on hills according to Kara Goucher's Half Marathon 10 Week Training Plan. I'm recovering from our triumphant Bermuda Half Marathon run. I couldn't get a fix on what I needed to do. Should I go solo and run around the Reservoir or should I do my 5K on the hills? My hip/back/groin are still healing but I know that the body achieves what the mind believes! If I told my body we'd be fine going out on the hills, we'd be fine.

As the day quickly warmed up, I decided to join them on Heartbreak Hill.

There is always magic on Heartbreak Hill. I've written blogs about Heartbreak Hill in my old blog Healing, Hope and Possibility and in this blog.

Yesterday held magic for me in my solo 5K run.

Many runners were out training for the Boston Marathon. What a joy to smile and say hi asking if they were training for Boston. It didn't matter that I was walking at a pace slower than they were running. When you're out on Heartbreak Hill, everyone has a beautiful connection.

Tom and Ruth Anne took off at their own pace. It was the first time in my running career that I did not feel left behind. I loved and thanked my body for going 3 Half Marathons in as many years. I embraced the solitude and time to be alone with my new playlist, "The 12 Minute Mile" and the Divine. I loved feeling the tailwind as I walked up the hills and dancing with the Universe coming down the hills with a strong headwind. It was the Divine's way of inviting me to meet a situation head on from my past that was still causing me physical and emotional pain and suffering. I got in touch with powerful feelings and surrendered them to the Divine asking for healing. I felt waves of love and gratitude wash through me.

I reflected on how blessed I am to feel healthy and whole recovering from the rigors of half marathon training. What a blessing to be back on Heartbreak Hill feeling the sunshine and anticipating Springtime in Boston. I flashed back to when we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon. I reflected on the miracles of healing that have happened throughout my life and especially these past 11 years after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease.

As Tom and Ruth Anne finished their run, calling out my name and having crushed their training run with a 12 minute/mile pace we took a selfie as Team McManus:


Even though I am not going to be running RunTheBlueGrass Half Marathon with them this year, we are and will always be Team McManus sharing adventures together and experiencing the power of transformation through running.

Tom and Ruth Anne had an incredible run together. Ruth Anne had a sparkle and was filled with energy and excitement. Father-daughter time is always a sacred time especially being out in the glorious sunshine on a late January day in Boston feeling the magic that is Heartbreak Hill.

My breakthrough on Heartbreak Hill continues to fill my heart with love and gratitude pulling me out of the past into my beautiful present where everything is healed.

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):

Countdown to Bermuda: Happy Winter Warriors on Heartbreak Hill

It was 17 degrees when we woke up this morning. Should we go outside or head to the gym? We said that we were not going to risk an injury by heading out in the cold especially if there was black ice. I saw that our friends went for an early morning run on Facebook. We vacillated back and forth. Just as Ruth Anne and I said we should go the gym, a runner ran by. The sun was rising higher in the sky and we decided we'd go for it.

We learned we needed extra layers during our 11 mile training run.



We took our time getting ready with a nutritious breakfast, meditation and a prayer for the run.

Ruth Anne captured this photo of me while I stretched and put this caption on it for Facebook friends:
#winterwarriormom 3 cheers for Mom for bracing the cold! Like and send messages if you agree!


She suggested it would give us a boost while we were out on our training run. She was right!

We knew we wanted to make this training run count by going to Heartbreak Hill. We ended up improvising the route by going from Newton Center following the Boston Marathon route to Washington Square in Brookline and then coming back to our car.

The last time we ran Heartbreak Hill together was on April 20, 2009.

It was an emotional run to be together with Ruth Anne again on Heartbreak Hill. We talked about our fond memories of our training runs on Heartbreak Hill - from the first time we incorporated Heartbreak Hill into a training run as I wrote about in my blog. We recalled with fondness finding the Helen Keller quarter.

Boston Marathon training season has begun.

"Are you running Boston?" I asked one runner who was obviously doing hill repeats.

"You are brave running in shorts," Tom shouted to another runner. "It sure does help going downhill and having the tailwind," he said with a smile.

We saw Marathon jackets and smiles for miles despite the freezing temperatures.

The sun shining on Heartbreak Hill with no wind quickly warms things up and our memories of training and 2009 Boston Marathon race day warmed our hearts and souls ... as did the anticipation of 70 degree temperatures during Bermuda Marathon Weekend.

We powered through the uphills and the headwind and felt relief on the downhills allowing the tailwind to push us along.

Ruth Anne was talking about having a reunion with our 2009 Spaulding Race for Rehab Team and our beloved Coach Domenick D'Amico. We were at a street crossing and the driver was waiting for us to cross. Without a light and unless someone is a runner, that is an unlikely occurrence even along the Boston Marathon route. We crossed the street and the driver honked and pointed at us. Tom went running over... It was one of our teammates from Spaulding! I love synchronicity. We got a boost of energy after seeing him.

We marveled at how Ruth Anne had just been talking about a reunion and how we improvised our route to go down Comm. Ave. instead of staying on Heartbreak Hill!

Ruth Anne suggested we take a selfie halfway through our run to capture more moments of our taper time for Bermuda.


Back up and over Heartbreak Hill in reverse - a route we'd run so many times during our training for Boston.

As we "came into the finish" we joined hands as we will in Bermuda in just 28 days imagining our triumphant Bermuda Half Marathon finish.



We were overjoyed that our streak of getting outdoors EVERY SATURDAY since May for our training runs for Bermuda continued.

Three more Saturday runs of 6 miles, 4 miles and 3 miles to go.

Team McManus was happy winter warriors on Heartbreak Hill as Boston trains to run again and we are in full on taper mode feeling incredibly satisfied and ready for 1/14/18.

To going the distance with strength and courage
From my heart to yours,
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):

Countdown to Boston: Heartbreak Hill

In January of 2009 we went to Puerto Rico for 5 days to get out of the bitter cold and train in warmer weather. On the flight back from Puerto Rico, our daughter was conversing with the people who she was seated next to. It was a full flight and for some reason we did not have 3 seats together. She was bemoaning the fact (and rightfully so) that she was going to have to do an 18 miler the next day and was not looking forward to it after being spoiled by running in the warm weather.

She was having this conversation with Johnny Kelley's nephew and his wife!

She told them my Boston Marathon story. We exchanged information and Dottie sent us a handwritten letter along with a poster signed by Johnny Kelley which we had framed. Dottie and Tommy said that Johnny would be watching over us on Heartbreak Hill. Was he ever!



Our Blue Diamond Athletic Medal Display adorns the space under Johnny Kelley's iconic photo!

From "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance":

The first time we ran Heartbreak Hill was on January 24, 2009.

When we arrived, {at Marathon Sports} Domenick {our coach} was there along with some other runners. Team McManus was a wee bit nervous not knowing what to expect or what was going to happen today. Domenick was deep in thought about what route we should run today, "Have you run outdoors? Have you done hills" and with a yes answer to both those questions he sent us down Beacon Street to Newton Wellesley Hospital, over to Wellesley, up Concord Rd, over to Route 30 via the Marriott, down Route 30 through Heartbreak Hill, through BC to go around the Reservoir and then back to Marathon Sports for a total of 17.5 miles....

God smiled with sunshine and the wind at our backs when we got to Heartbreak Hill and She told me you are going to run the Marathon and finish the course - you deserve all the joy and triumph and courage and celebration that saying Yes to me is bringing you. And you are going to touch so many people's hearts and lives with this journey - you are blessed and you are going to bless the lives of others.

It was a magical day and I feel so incredibly blessed to be on this wild adventure.

Today Tom and I decided to get our 5 mile run in on Heartbreak Hill. I can't even begin to describe the energy and excitement out on the hills today. One runner said, "Thank you for the smile." We'd give the "hi" sign and smile and everyone was asking each other, "You running?" We didn't even need to finish our sentences.

Tom and I reminisced about our training runs on Heartbreak Hill and the magic of April 20, 2009 when our personal trainer met us at the top of Heartbreak Hill to run with us into the finish line. She was amazing and would not cross the finish line with us but told us that it was our moment - not hers.

At Cleveland Circle, coming down Boylston Street and crossing the finish line:


There's always magic and wonder on Heartbreak Hill. We still feel Johnny Kelley's presence smiling down on us.

I am so excited for next weekend when I welcome friends back to Boston and feel all the awe and wonder that is uniquely the Boston Marathon. But today we ran 5 miles on the Hills in Newton and experienced the anticipation of counting down to the 2017 Boston Marathon.


To your health and wellness!
~Mary

Going the Distance: A Winter Run on Heartbreak Hill - Courage & Confidence!

I am so grateful for my gym, Wave Health and Fitness, but yesterday I could not bear to do another treadmill run, especially with the forecast for another dumping of snow on Boston by tomorrow. It snowed again Friday evening. Where to go where we could get in a safe run with 19 degrees? We know that historically the carriage road on Heartbreak Hill is usually pretty clear. I'm focusing on building strength right now, not miles so instead of the 4 miles we plan for Saturdays, Team McManus decided to get in a good 5K.

Let me take you back for a moment to what winter had been like for this survivor of paralytic polio followed by 9 years of unrelenting family violence. Because I had no confidence in my body and, because of the messages I received from the medical community after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome 10 years ago, I hated winter. At one point, Tom and I had entertained the idea of retiring to Florida which would have been a death wish for both of us. Neverthless, we persevered. I was told I had osteoporosis and a slip on the ice could mean a fractured hip. "Use an ice gripper on your cane. Make sure your boots have good grip. Limit your exposure to the cold." I experienced cold intolerance because my thermostat was broken and my body could not adapt to changes in temperature. You can read all about it in my recent book, "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance" available on Amazon.

Training for the 2009 Boston Marathon certainly gave me a huge boost of confidence in what I was able to do in winter. During my training I wrote this poem included in "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life":

Courage

The fear of ice and snow and slush embedded in my soul
a training run in winter - the path to Being whole.
A winter scene - Jamaica Pond - a feast for eyes' delight
to witness nature's splendor and behold this glorious sight.

A leaf - a tiny dancer - skating free without a sound
God's breath directs her movements as She guides her twirling 'round.
Families of ducks decide to walk or take a dip
a comedy of errors into icy water slip.

Branches now bejeweled though bare bend with loving Grace
sparkling diamonds' anchor water's surface hold in place.
God's hand a glove of glistening snow hugs rocks along the wall
their heads peek out reminding me I'm answering God's call.

A scene I'd never witness if I let my fear take hold
courage triumphed, steppin' out with footsteps sure and bold.
Knowing that the pain subsides and Spirit can prevail
the Marathon is beckoning - through those miles I shall sail.

These past ten years have been a journey with as many ups and downs as Heartbreak Hill but since meeting a healer chiropractor, Dr. Ryan J. Means, I have been experiencing a fire in my soul and a surge of confidence and courage that I choose to tap into and experience every chance I get.

It was a challenging run with slush and snow at times but I felt sure footed and confident. There were so many runners on Heartbreak Hill training for Boston. Tom and I were wearing our Boston Marathon Jackets. There was a sense of Oneness in purpose and passion and of course that craziness that you have to have when you're a runner in winter in New England.



Today was day 2/5 of my training cycle. I decided I would get my pool workout in. I must admit I felt the toll that yesterday's run had taken and the toll that this damp, bone chilling takes on everyone but I stuck to my plan.

The warm water is a wonderful place to get in a great workout. I continue to challenge myself and remember how I am transformed, transcending the once devastating effects that polio and violence had taken on me mind, body and soul.

After my workout, I was blessed to have a chance to talk with Alex Remorenko, one of the instructors at Wave Health. She has been following my journey on Facebook. It was warm and special to experience her support and validation of the work I am doing. She said how she loves the fact that I am incorporating the pool into my training. Her philosophy of teaching group fitness classes is to empower and help her students find confidence in their bodies. I love how her philosophy transcends the all to typical trend of how the body looks and focuses on what is happening inside the person mind, body and soul! When I told her about my strength training routine, I was almost apologetic for the fact that I still use the wall for squats. She was right there with me affirming how that doesn't matter; I am still getting the benefit I need. Her validation and affirmation is powerful fuel for anyone on a health and fitness journey.

Taking those first tentative steps on my healing journey 10 years ago took incredible courage. I defied what the medical community was telling me. I set out to forge my own path. Finding my way to the amazing people at Wave Health and Fitness and to Dr. Ryan has been a total gift of grace; people who accept me and embrace my journey and encourage me to move beyond any perceived limitations with strength and confidence.

Tomorrow - day 3 of 5 will be strength training at home and, in my blog more reflections on these past 10 years!

To your health and wellness,
~Mary

Going the Distance: "Cold is just an adjective!" 11.5 Miles in the Bank of Bermuda!

One of the women I met on Facebook after Bermuda 2016 posted yesterday that "Cold is just an adjective" as she was heading out to do a run in cold temperatures.

That gave me such a boost to psych myself up for today's 11.5 mile run and the longest distance we need to run this year in our Bermuda Half Marathon Training. The weather forecast was for 20 degrees and we really didn't want to look at what it would feel like with the wind chill.....

It's now ten years ago that I was diagnosed with post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease and one of the hallmark symptoms of post polio syndrome is "cold intolerance." My thermostat was affected by the polio virus oh and as a side note, I can't wait until I publish "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance" that chronicles my phenomenal journey including how my thermostat got fixed!



But I digress....

I could not tolerate being out in cold weather; actually any extreme of temperature would wreak havoc on my body. I would shiver in the cold and walking and breathing were a challenge. I had to limit the time I spent outdoors and was terrified of snow and ice. I was warned that if I fell, I was at a very high risk for a fracture. By the way, I had a major fall during training a year ago and a minor fall this year. I'm still in one piece! So I lived my life in fear and winter was something to be endured. Tom and I even considered a move to Florida but realized that would have been a horrible mistake for us.

This morning we did not set the alarm but allowed our bodies to wake up naturally. Yesterday, I organized everything we were going to need today for our run. After a wonderful meditation getting myself ready to run the longest distance I've run since the Bermuda Half Marathon 2016, we put our clothes in the dryer. We did our core work as a warm up, ate breakfast and then put on what I like to call #allthelayers to go out on our run including a layer of vaseline on our faces.

When we first stepped out of the front door, the wind was biting. By the time we got to the base of what I affectionately call "Billy's hill" because it was a part of the Bill Rodgers 5K Run/Walk for Prostate Cancer two years ago, Tom suggested that if the pain were too much, we'd abort the run and head to the gym. I told him that I trash talked on Facebook about running in the cold today and somehow we were going to make it through the run. I must say that that I was a little concerned about frostbite but then I remembered that my body would respond to what my mind believed. The wind died down and the sun was getting warmer and I had sent messages of warmth to my face and hands. I suggested to Tom that we take a break from the cold and head into Peet's Coffee for our water stop. We were going to do an out and back run along Beacon Street to Waban but when we got to Chestnut Street I was inspired to head over to Comm. Ave. and run Heartbreak Hill.

There's always magic on Heartbreak Hill and the sun shines a little brighter there. The wind had died down and the energy of runners out training for Boston 2017 was infectious. I reassured myself and Tom that no I was not going to run another marathon but I did experience wonderful memories of our training on Heartbreak Hill and what it was like to finally run it on Marathon Monday 2009. Tom snapped this pic of me 7 miles into our run out on Heartbreak Hill:


The wind started to pick up again and the air turned colder but we soldiered on.

I needed to make a pit stop. We considered going back to Newton Center via Center Street but the Heartbreak Hill Running Company beckoned to us. "Do you happen to have a bathroom here I can use?" The guy behind the register beamed and said, "We sure do. You guys out on a run? It's right down the stairs and around the horse shoe." I wasn't thrilled about having to go up and down stairs but hey I really needed a pit stop. Tom shared with him that we were going for 11.5 today training for Bermuda.

I smiled when I walked in their bathroom. I <3 free bathrooms. A newspaper clipping about Prefontaine. Instructions: 1. Sit down. 2. Take a selfie. 3. Post on twitter and Instagram with the hashtag.... 4. Do your business. They really get what runners need in a bathroom.

Between the pit stop and thinking how Bermuda is going to be so much warmer and also feeling incredibly badass that Tom and I were out there training with gusto for the Bermuda Half Marathon we made it through those final miles.

Last year we did a majority of our training runs around the Reservoirs or Jamaica Pond. We did not do a lot of training on asphalt and getting out on the open road.

I have incorporated training on the Arc Trainer and Bike this year and we are challenging ourselves on our training runs. Since Tom is going to be running the Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge which includes a mostly hill 10K, we wanted to be sure to include hills (and more hills I might add) in our training runs.

I am so blessed to have my bff Tom as my life and running partner to take on these challenges and prepare for our 2nd CONSECUTIVE Bermuda Marathon Weekend. Talking about nothing and everything makes the miles fly by.

So there you have it ... two more training runs til taper time. 11.5 MILES IN THE BANK OF BERMUDA. I am Bermuda Half Marathon ready and so grateful we were able to get in a great training run despite the frigid temps. No snow and no ice to contend with so we were able to get in a quality run.

Ten years ago I sat in a leg brace, wearing a wrist splint; was on a semi-soft food diet needing to use a chin tuck to avoid aspirating my food; using a wheelchair at times for mobility and facing a grim future. Today I ran 11.5 miles and ran on Heartbreak Hill from Chestnut Street to Boston College. One month from Monday we fly out of Boston to head to that tropical paradise where I will once again toe the starting line of the Bermuda Half Marathon. It will be even better than last year. I have reclaimed my life in ways that I only imagined in my poetry yet here it all is coming into physical reality.

To your health and wellness,
~Mary

Magic Moments on Heartbreak Hill - We Run Together - There's Only One Boston

Heartbreak Hill is a special place for me. When we were training for Boston we happened to meet Johnny Kelley's nephew on a flight back from Puerto Rico in January. We needed to get out of the frigid 2009 winter for several days and train in a warmer climate. I have a cherished note from Tommy (his nephew) and wife Dottie along with an autographed photo of Johnny that they sent to us saying that he would be watching over us during our training and on Marathon Monday.



It's hanging above our Blue Diamond Medal Display.

The first time we ran Heartbreak Hill was on January 24, 2009.

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

When we arrived, {at Marathon Sports} Domenick {our coach} was there along with some other runners. Team McManus was a wee bit nervous not knowing what to expect or what was going to happen today. Ruth Anne had forgotten her hat in our haste to leave the house, but fortunately there was no shortage of hats at Marathon Sports. Domenick said we could pay when we got back to the store. He was deep in thought about what route we should run today, "Have you run outdoors? Have you done hills" and with a yes answer to both those questions he sent us down Beacon Street to Newton Wellesley Hospital, over to Wellesly, up Concord Rd, over to Route 30 via the Marriott, down Route 30 through Heartbreak Hill, through BC to go around the Reservoir and then back to Marathon Sports for a total of 17.5 miles....

God smiled with sunshine and the wind at our backs when we got to Heartbreak Hill and She told me you are going to run the Marathon and finish the course - you deserve all the joy and triumph and courage and celebration that saying Yes to me is bringing you. And you are going to touch so many people's hearts and lives with this journey - you are blessed and you are going to bless the lives of others.

It was a magical day and I feel so incredibly blessed to be on this wild adventure.

And then on our last long run in early April 2009:
As we were heading out along Beacon Street here in Brookline, Mass., I saw a penny. Those of you who have read my blog know that we have had a lot of signs with finding money while we trained. There were a herd of runners behind us and I knew that if I stopped to pick this penny up, I could get trampled and then where would I be after a year of training and being on the threshold of running the Marathon. So I felt God's Presence and ran on. While on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter stopped in her tracks. Buried in the crack in the sidewalk on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter spotted a quarter - not just any quarter but a quarter dedicated to Helen Keller. Her quotes and life story have always been a major source of inspiration to me and Bernie Siegel, MD (who through the years has been a guiding healing light for me) has quoted her so many times in his talks, books and on his forum. During the last two miles of our training run, we found two more pennies - 27 cents! Not 26 but 27 so God is letting us know that we have what we need to go the distance....

Last March, we decided to return to Heartbreak Hill for a training run.



After the events of 4/15/13, the energy was electric as everyone was training for the 2014 Boston Marathon.
Two young girls ran up to us and said, "Excuse me, can you tell us where Heartbreak Hill is?" We said, "This is it. It began at the corner of Comm. Ave. and Washington St." They giggled with delight that they were on Heartbreak Hill obviously training for their first Boston. "We don't have too far to go do we?" "Where you going?" we asked. They said BC. Our advise was to take it one mile at a time.

I kept saying #weruntogether and giving thumbs up to the runners who passed us. Frowns turned to smiles.



This year's Boston Marathon theme is There's Only One Boston.



And to commemorate April 15, 2013, Mayor Walsh declared that April 15th will be henceforth known as One Boston Day:



Yesterday morning, despite the frigid temps and wind, I knew I had to get my run on and go to Heartbreak Hill. I did my 90 second plank and clam as my chiropractor, Dr. Ryan had suggested, bundled up and drove to Comm. Ave. and Centre Street in Newton. It felt so good to fire up my Nike+ again.

As I am climbing Heartbreak Hill sporting my 2009 Boston Marathon jacket, a runner approaches me from behind.

"Excuse me. Which is Heartbreak Hill?"

I stopped and smiled. "You are on Heartbreak Hill. Technically it's the Newton Hills and Heartbreak Hill is this final hill that goes from Centre St to Hammond Street."

She nodded and I asked her "Where are you from? This is your first Boston I presume."

"I'm here from Tulsa Oklahoma for a conference and decided to run the last 16 miles of the course. Each hill alone doesn't seem too bad but put them all together and this late in the marathon..."

Her voice trailed off.

I felt like an old timer in the best sense of the word knowing that I don't have another marathon in me but can pass on my wisdom and love for Boston and the Boston Marathon.

"The crowds are going to carry you through. It's an amazing experience like nothing else you will ever experience in your life...especially now after 4/15/13. Allow yourself to enjoy every moment of your journey and you've got this."

We smiled and off she went to finish her training run... My face froze into a smile as I finished my two miles on Heartbreak Hill without any knee pain!

While there will always be sadness and a whole host of emotions when I remember 4/15/13, there will also be the joy and the magic that is the Boston Marathon that no one and nothing can take away. Perhaps I cherish and hold my Boston Marathon moments nearer and dearer to my heart because of what happened on 4/15/13 and as long as I am able to run or walk will return to Heartbreak Hill every Spring to experience its magic and majesty.

Journey well!


My latest book, "Journey Well" is now available on Amazon along with all of my inspirational books. 50% of book proceeds are donated to the Massachusetts Resiliency Center, a safe, welcoming space for survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing to heal and stay in touch with one another; a virtual hub for a widely dispersed community whose lives have been impacted by the tragic events of April 15th and the events that followed.

When terror struck the world's oldest and most beloved marathon on April 15, 2013, it was a defining moment in Mary McManus’ life and the lives of all those in Boston and around the world. It was her wake up call to return to the sport and community that have been medicine and a lifeline for her throughout her marathon of healing the late effects of paralytic polio and experiencing 9 years of domestic violence as a child and adolescent. Mary captures the essence of Boston Strong through her experience of the 2014 Boston Marathon and as she profiles the people who are Boston Stronger. Through her blog posts, poems and journal entries woven together with excerpts from her memoir, “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility,” you will experience, through one woman’s journey of transformation and healing, that no matter what happens to us, we can all learn to journey well.