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):

For the Health of It!

It feels strange to not be training for another endurance event or recovering from an injury or a "relapse" of Post-Polio Syndrome yet here I am. Three half marathons in as many years in Bermuda after being told I needed a total knee replacement and should stop running.


While I have hip, groin and back pain that needs time to recover, I feel wonderful.

I'm embarking on a new phase of my health and wellness journey in the wake of childhood paralytic polio and childhood trauma. I'm focusing on building strength and getting ready to experience new ways of moving in my body.

Tom and Ruth Anne are training for RunTheBluegrass. I am delighted and thrilled to cheer them on. On Saturday, we started out at Jamaica Pond. I was going to do a 5K at a very easy pace and they were going to get in their 6 miles with a tempo run. We thought the path would be clear and could manage the cold. After a half mile, with Tom and Ruth Anne going in the opposite direction, my phone rang. Tom told me it was too icy on their side of the path and we needed to abort the mission. I was so grateful because I needed two pairs of gloves and two pairs of pants if I were going to be able to get through the run although I did tell myself that I could think greater than my circumstances and get through it. We all laughed in the car when I said that I was going to do it and think greater than my circumstances because Ruth Anne predicted that's what I was going to say.

We got to the gym. I decided to push myself on the bike to do 6 miles in under 40 minutes:


While I was on the bike, I took this photo of Team McManus training on the treadmill:


They decided to get onto the track after 3 miles. I used that time to do a cool down on the track, stretch out and cheer them on (as well as be the official team photographer):


As I walked around the track I spied with my little eye the rowing machine. I saw the chin up bar and all sorts of incredible equipment that I've never used before. I felt a stirring in my soul that I want to reach out and experience it all! I want to go to classes - spinning, water aerobics, Zumba and anything else Spirit moves me to do.

Of course I'm going to keep on running! I do need some time to recover from Bermuda and my body will know when it's right for me to go out for twice a week runs and begin to work on speed. There's so much joy and freedom in being able to plan my work outs based on the weather and how my body is feeling. I am disciplined with a 5 day training cycle but have a lot of freedom within those 5 days to choose my workouts.

Yesterday was a cross training day for Tom and Ruth Anne. Tom and I swam while Ruth Anne did rowing.

Tom and Ruth Anne did speed work with their treadmill runs. Thank goodness Tom has a treadmill at work!


This morning I did strength training in my home gym.


While focusing on training for endurance events, I maintained my level of strength training. Now, I am able to use more intention, focus and purpose working toward my new goals of balance, strength, feeling ease, freedom and flexibility in my body and then working on speed in my running.

I remember when I couldn't do 12 reps without stopping using 5 pound weights with arm raises. Now I can do them without stopping! I love feeling the muscle fatigue and soreness and how I can take myself to the edge (and sometimes over the edge) knowing that every day in every way I continue to heal and get stronger and stronger leaving the effects of paralytic polio and trauma in the rear view mirror!

While I may not be training for any specific event right now, I am training for the health of 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):

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):

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):