Celebrating Ten Years of Running: It's a Sign!

As I am editing, "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953," I am in awe of how signs and synchronicity appeared throughout my journey.

When I decided to take a leap of faith from my award winning career as a VA social worker to a poet and writer, I got "random" emails letting me know about the Newburyport Literary Festival. I found myself standing next to New York Times Bestselling authors who were delighted to give me tips on writing and publishing my first book of poetry, "New World Greetings: Inspirational poetry and Musings for a New World." Waiting to get a (non-alcoholic) drink at the bar, the person who interviewed NY Times Bestselling author Peter Guralnick at one of the seminars stood in front of me. I was compelled to share my story with him. "Oh you're channeling from the Divine," he said nonchalantly and offered to buy me a drink.

We found money while we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon:
But every once in awhile, a little nagging voice asks, “How are we ever going to raise $9,000? How am I ever going to run 26.2 miles?”

And then, God answers in strange and delightful ways.

I had errands to run at Cleveland Circle; a turning point on the Boston Marathon course. After going through the hills in Newton and passing through Boston College, runners turn onto Chestnut Hill Avenue. Once runners get to Cleveland Circle, it is a straight shot to Kenmore Square with just a few small hills along the way. It's only 4 miles to the finish line from Cleveland Circle. Those little inner critics were chatting away. I dismissed them. My passport was no longer valid to travel to the land of negativity. I walked along Beacon Street to Boloco to get take out lunch.

“Excuse me. Do you have any spare change?”

I handed him a dollar bill.

After coming out of Boloco I noticed that the man who asked for the dollar had gone. I looked down 'for some reason' and on the ledge of the Citibank there was change spread out. I picked it up. I knew it was for me.

It was hot from being out in the sunshine. When I got home I counted it. There were 5 quarters, 14 pennies, 3 nickels and 2 dimes. Five quarters is $1.25; 26.2 by adding the 1 and the 5 and scrambling the numbers a bit. We were scheduled to run 14 miles, 15 miles and then eventually 20 miles for our long runs. God was letting me know we have everything we need to go the distance in miles and for our fundraising!

We found a Helen Keller quarter stuck in the mud in a crack between the asphalt on Heartbreak Hill during another training run.

I found a nickel and a penny on our last long run while training for Boston. It was six cents inviting me to trust my 6th sense and that I would be able to meet (and actually exceeded) my fundraising goal and go the distance on 4/20/2009.

Speaking of signs ….

Bernie Siegel, MD, one of the pioneers in mind/body medicine, and a dear friend since the 1980’s, sent me an email telling me to look for the penny. It would be from him and God telling me everything was all right. I found a penny in Wellesley. I told Janine this story as we were walking from the finish line back to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. At just that moment she looked down and there was another penny. I added it to the 27 cents and the six cents that I carried with me in the back pocket of my capris.

Perhaps one of my favorite stories happened at the 2016 Hyannis Marathon Weekend Race Expo. One of my friends texted me from the Race Expo saying she was so excited that my table was across from hers at the Expo. The 2015 race weekend had been cancelled and I had not thought about having a table at the 2016 Expo since I was going to run the 10K. Not one to miss an opportunity to share my inspirational journey with others, I threw some things together for my table and at the last minute grabbed my Bermuda Half Marathon medal:

“It’s a sign!” a group of runners exclaimed as they walked by my table at the Hyannis Race Expo.

They picked up my medal from the Bermuda Half Marathon.

“We were just talking about how we have to run Bermuda. We are putting it on our bucket list.”

The Mystic Runners from Wakefield, Massachusetts were deeply moved by my inspirational journey. In that moment of synchronicity, we became fast friends.

In January when we returned for our 3rd consecutive Bermuda Half Marathon, this happened:
No alarms were set for Friday morning and it felt wonderful to sleep in and awaken to a Bermudaful day.

We opened the door to our balcony to see palm trees and hear Bermuda bird songs. We went to Windows on the Sound restaurant for breakfast where floor to ceiling windows overlook the ocean. I wanted to stick to my pre-race fueling plan breakfast of oatmeal, banana, juice and toast. We brought our own packets of oatmeal and the breakfast buffet supplied the rest. However, I could not resist the melt in your mouth poppy seed muffins. After all, I was on vacation and you only live once! We read the Royal Gazette while savoring our breakfast. I placed my spoon down on the table and paused from looking at the newspaper. I reminisced with Tom about our dear friend Herb. With a jolt, I was drawn to look outside. I noticed the contrast of the sun and the mist coming off of the ocean. It was as though time stood still. My gaze was drawn to look up. There was a rainbow! I cried tears of joy and gratitude.

“Are you okay?” the woman at the next table asked us.

“It’s a sign from a friend of ours who introduced us to Bermuda,” I said without concern for what this total stranger might think of my declaration.

“Oh I totally believe in signs,” she said.

I love how the Universe surprises reminding us that there is something greater than what the eye can see within us and all around us:



I began my healing odyssey from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma twelve years ago next month. I began running in 2008. What a glorious ride it's been with the Universe supporting me with signs and synchronicity every mile along the way.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

My healing journey using the power of visualization is featured in David R. Hamilton's book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body-Anniversary Edition." It's available 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):


***Coming Soon - The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953***
The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953 takes you on Mary McManus’ healing odyssey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, Mary got still and asked for Divine Guidance. She harnessed the power of her mind to heal her body, feverishly writing poetry in which she imagined herself healthy, whole and free from the shackles of her youth. Mary’s quest to heal her life led her to the sport of running that tested her mettle while fueling her journey of transformation from a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members to a woman who embodies faith, grace under fire, courage, determination, endurance and resilience. Running became a way of life for Mary. As you’ll discover in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” nothing, not even a serious knee injury in December of 2014 could stop her on the roads or in her life. Mary’s story is one that will leave you cheering for the underdog and discovering the meaning of different ability as Mary overcame every challenge that life presented to her.

Celebrating Ten Years of Running: Woohoo What a Ride!

One of my friend's posted on Facebook yesterday that she was the oldest one going down the water slide at the resort where she is taking a vacation. Her family was napping. She added that she might have even said, "wheeee" when she went down the slide. She has gone through two years of a journey back to health and wellness after breast cancer.

The story of how we met is fascinating.

Rewind to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend Race Expo 2016. The 2015 Marathon Weekend was cancelled due to an abundance of snow including a snow storm that walloped olde Cape Cod right before the Weekend. I was supposed to have a table at the Expo that year. I was running the 10K in 2016 and had not planned to have a Table at the Expo. One of my friend's posted on Facebook that I had a table across from her. I grabbed a couple of copies of my books that I had on hand along with my Bermuda Half Marathon medal, my Hyannis Half Marathon medal from 2009, my Boston Marathon medal, a photo of me finishing the Boston Marathon:


and my business cards.

"Oh my God. It's a sign!" MaryBeth said.

A group of runners from the Mystic Runners in Wakefield circled my table.

"We were just talking about going to Bermuda to run."

We all bubbled up with excitement as I shared my journey with them.

We became Facebook friends and friends in real life. Michelle our fearless water slide champion was among those with whom I became good friends. She also had a hashtag while she was undergoing surgeries and treatment for breast cancer, #eatacannoli.

Wouldn't it be great if we could live fearlessly and joyfully with reckless abandon without needing a wake up call or having a crisis call us to live life to the fullest?

Yet all that matters is what we do after the wake up call!

My wake up call came in the guise of Post-Polio Syndrome. I was told I "had" a progressive neuromuscular disease in December of 2006. The effects from childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma that resulted in a mind/body disconnection finally caught up with me.

I was at a crossroads in my life. As I had done whenever I faced challenges throughout my life, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The answer came through my diving rod for healing, my pen, in the cadence of Dr. Seuss. My beloved physical therapist, Miss Holly, read Dr. Seuss to me before every painful physical therapy session while I recovered from polio. To distract me from the pain of the treatment, she had me recite whatever book we read that day back to her in tandem.

Running the Race
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
everyone around me filled with nervous fear
despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
the polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.

Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
but with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist, curly hair and a warm, broad smile
it tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends- trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.

Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
for the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.

I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

I was indeed curious about why I was writing about running a race as I sat in a leg brace using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. But there it was - and it foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run!

It's been 10 years of running adventures since I bought my first pair of running shoes in February of 2008.

I've met so many wonderful people along the way and feel so blessed that I am able to continue to work out and run.

The doctors and physical therapists may have told me if I use it, I will lose it based on the notion that I lost neuromuscular connections as a result of the initial polio virus. Through the normal aging process, so they thought, the deterioration would continue at a more rapid rate. But deep down inside I knew that I needed to move. Science has now shown how our bodies have enormous capacity for healing and regeneration.

What an absolute joy to celebrate 10 years of running. I plan to arrive at the end of my life with my body thoroughly used up having enjoyed rather than endured the journey saying woohoo what a ride!

From my heart to yours,
To your health and wellness,
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:


Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


Coming soon *** The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953 ****

Celebrating Ten Years of Running: On Faith and My First Race Medal

When I decided to leave my award winning career as a VA social worker just 3 years shy of when I was eligible for retirement in May of 2007 to heal my life from the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma, it was an act of faith. I couldn't see the whole staircase of what was ahead for me financially, physically (I'd just been diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards), emotionally or spiritually. When the words, "And I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital next year" fell out of my mouth when my personal trainer asked me what my next health and fitness goals were in February of 2008, I had no idea what I was doing. I was following a call.

When we arrived in Hyannis for the Hyannis Marathon Weekend in February of 2009, I felt like a fish out of water. Here I was among all these runners sporting their Boston Marathon jackets, shopping at the Expo and seeming far more knowledgeable than I about running. There were signs and synchronicity that let me know I was right where I was supposed to be instinctively sharing my inspirational story about coming out of a leg brace and a wheelchair to take on the running of the 2009 Boston Marathon.

I was in awe that people were in awe of my story. I didn't know that the running community was not only inclusive but embraced my courage to find my way to the sport of running at the age of 54 years old.

I was embraced by the running community AND running greats Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter.

The races leading up to running the Hyannis Half Marathon did not offer medals so you can well imagine my thrill at receiving a medal after I crossed the finish line of my first half marathon race:


As we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon and committed to our fund raising goal, I had to have the utmost trust and faith that I would succeed. I had no idea where the monies would come from when we first set out on the journey nor did I have any idea how I was going to run 26.2 miles when I'd never run a day in my life before March of 2008.

With patience, perseverance, taking it literally one step and then one mile at a time having the utmost faith in what I was doing, I crossed the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and we raised $10,535 for Spaulding Rehab.


Becoming a part of the running community, meeting running greats and earning my first race medal at the Hyannis Marathon Weekend are some of my fondest memories as I celebrate ten years of running!

From my heart to yours,
To your health and wellness,
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:


Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


Coming soon *** The Adventures of Runnergirl1953 ****

Countdown to Bermuda: Happy Hug a Runner Day!

November 20th is Globally Organized Hug A Runner Day or GO HARD. This is a day for ALL RUNNERS/WALKERS to celebrate their fitness ...

Celebrate their fitness - not their pace or their distance - but their fitness!

As I sit here reflecting on the meaning of Hug a Runner Day in my life, I am in awe that in December of 2006, after undergoing a battery of tests, it was determined that I was suffering from Post-Polio Syndrome. I was told to be prepared to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, adapt our Cape home, quit my award winning almost 20 year career as a VA social worker and to accept the fact that, because I contracted paralytic polio, I was deteriorating at a rapid rate. There was no message of hope or healing or possibility. The Team did not factor in that I was also a survivor of severe childhood trauma that might have been part of the cause of my symptoms. My life force was dwindling and it was the dark night of my soul.

Fortunately, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance.

The answer came in the form of a poem, "Running the Race." Yes you read that right. Running the race even though I had never run a day in my life, was taunted and teased with "Easy Out Alper" in gym class and was sitting in a leg brace, using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. It foreshadowed Team McManus' 2009 Boston Marathon run.





Since becoming a part of the sport of running, I have met incredible people. I've met champions and heroes; those who have won the Boston Marathon, set world records, and those who are everyday champions and heroes for overcoming so much in their lives to make it to the starting line. I have runner friends who have discovered the power of running in their lives and go out and preach from the pulpit of the church of the long run on how running can help with recovery from substance abuse and mental health challenges.

Running is my therapy, my village and my life.



We are a rather crazy lot but only another runner would understand why we get up in the dark, run in rain, cold, wind and snow; run in heat and humidity testing our mettle for the medal and often times testing our mettle to discover our true strength, grit and determination.



With just 52 days to go until Bermuda Marathon Race Weekend, Team McManus is very happy to celebrate Hug a Runner Day!

Running takes me on the most wonderful adventures.

I am so excited to reunite with so many wonderful runner friends in Bermuda and excited for new friends yet to be made.

After Bermuda, we return to what we affectionately call Camp Hyannis. We see our runner friends and running greats once a year during Hyannis Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K weekend.

There are runner friends in real life and those that I know only through social media who I look forward to meeting one day. Runner friends are the best as we follow each other's running adventures, celebrate triumphs and pick each other up when we are facing life's trials and tribulations. We inspire one another to be the best version of ourselves we can be.

I'm sending out this virtual hug to all my runner friends and runners around the Globe.

Happy Hug a Runner Day!

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

Be sure to listen to my interview with Keith Cartwright, "From Polio Survivor to Boston Marathon Finisher" by following this link.

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):

Going the Distance: Flashback Friday to Team McManus' First Half Marathon

A memory popped up in my Facebook News Feed this morning with a link to an article in the Cape Cod Times.

February 2009 - Team McManus had already run longer than 13.1 miles but the Hyannis Half Marathon would be our first opportunity to be a part of a race at the Half Marathon distance.



I was so nervous about the race! I had the Corrib Pub Run 5K, the Marathon Sports 5 Miler and the Tufts 10K in 2008 but I never raced a half marathon before.

I emailed the Race Director Paul Collyer, told him my story about going from a wheelchair and a leg brace after being diagnosed with Post Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine Standards to the 2009 Boston Marathon. He reassured me that there was no problem with a time requirement since the Half Marathoners and Marathoners start and finish in the same place.

I introduced myself to him at the pre-race pasta dinner and he said what a pleasure it was to meet me. It was, to quote Casablanca, the start of a beautiful friendship!

Ruth Anne had some kind of a stomach bug and didn't join us at the pre-race pasta dinner. She was a doubtful starter but wanted to make the trip with us.

At the pre-race pasta dinner I was in awe to meet Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. I told them my story and they were so incredibly supportive of my undertaking of the 2009 Boston Marathon.



While waiting in line to get our posters signed, I struck up a conversation with another runner who was in awe of my story. In addition to experiencing paralytic polio as a child, I endured 9 years of physical, sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of family members. I shared with him how I discovered the redemptive power of running. He told me that I had to come to his running club to speak! This was the introduction to my beautiful running village and friendships through the years with both the Merrimack Valley Striders and L Street Running Clubs.

When we woke up the next morning Ruth Anne said she was going to run the race! We didn't think to take a selfie (did they even do selfies back in the day?) or any photos along the way. We had a race plan from our personal trainer and our Coach but when the rain turned to freezing rain and sleet we forgot all about hydration and fueling.

By the time we returned to the ballroom I was shivering and a bit hypothermic but it didn't matter. I had my first race medal


and a blessing from a Gold Medal Olympian, Frank Shorter. Despite the thousands of runners in the ballroom, we found each other. He put both of his hands on the sides of my arms as my body shivered. He looked deep into my eyes and said, "I have no doubt that you are going to finish the Boston Marathon." He told me to get some hot soup and hydrate and then shower.

A reporter was next to me and despite feeling queasy and shivering I wanted to give him my story. What a thrill to see my name in print in the Cape Cod Times!

As soon as I got upstairs I hurled while giving thanks for what we had just done.

What an incredible sense of accomplishment!

When we returned to Hyannis the following year, I had Frank and Bill sign my bib:


Tomorrow Team McManus will deposit another 8.5 miles in the Bank of Bermuda on the road to the Bermuda Half Marathon. It will be a thrill to return to Bermuda as Team McManus and run our first half marathon race since Hyannis in 2009!

Go 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):

Run Bermuda! Run Happy! On Strength, Persistence and Goals!

Sometimes it feels as though life is going to crush us but then we have the opportunity to turn around and crush goals!

I thought my life was over after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine Standards in December of 2006.

I got still, asked for Divine Guidance, wrote poetry, and set an incredible goal to run the 2009 Boston Marathon. I had completed outpatient therapy at Spaulding Rehab and hired a personal trainer.

After meeting my goals for the first 6 months of our work together, my personal trainer asked me about my next goals. "I want to be free in my body. I want to be able to walk outside unencumbered. I want to dance again (I was a ballerina before contracting paralytic polio at the age of 5). I want to diversify my workouts .... Janine wrote everything down and had gathered up her things. She had her hand on the door knob and I said, "Wait. I have one more goal."

Did you ever have one of those moments when words fell out of your mouth after rising up from the depths of your soul without going through any thought process whatsoever? Well that's what happened to me as I said, 'And I want to run the Boston Marathon next year for Spaulding Rehab. I hear they have a Race for Rehab team.'

And so it began - my journey from a survivor of paralytic polio and severe childhood trauma to becoming a runner!

I was playing around on Facebook today for #tbt and came up with this array of photos:

Christmas 2007 shortly after I hired my personal trainer:


Boston Marathon 2009:


Team McManus then and now training for Bermuda Marathon Weekend 2018:


And Bermuda Marathon Weekend 2016 and 2017:


At any point along this ten year healing odyssey, I could have given up and nobody would have blamed me!

Instead, I harness the power of my Fiery Spirit and persistence to set bigger and bigger goals!

On Saturday it will be 8 great miles on the road to my threepeat of the Bermuda Half Marathon.

After Bermuda, Team McManus will be heading once again to Camp Hyannis - Hyannis Marathon Weekend! Ruth Anne will be running the Half with her friend and Tom and I will be taking on the 10K.

Strength - persistence and goals - going the distance and garnering more stories for The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953!

Go 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):