Going the Distance: "Messing up people's credibility"

When the Race Director for Bermuda Marathon Weekend, Anthony Raynor came to our house for lunch, after presenting him with a copy of my book, "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance"



he said, "You sure are messing up people's credibility!"

Yes I sure am!



Ten years ago I was told that by now I would be in a wheelchair, probably needing a feeding tube, experiencing chronic pain and fatigue, needing a sleep apnea machine and being on a continuous downhill course for the rest of my life. I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards. Yikes! My future looked grim to say the least.

I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The answers to my prayers came in the form of poetry in the cadence of Dr. Seuss. Why Dr. Seuss you might ask? Because while recovering from paralytic polio, my physical therapist, Miss Holly read Dr. Seuss to me before every painful physical therapy session and during the excruciating sessions that involved hot woolen blankets and painful coaxing of muscles back to life, would have me recite lines from Dr. Seuss back to her in tandem.

I messed up their credibility when I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon!



In December of 2014, "they said" I would not run again and that I would need a total knee replacement. I messed with their credibility thanks to the help of an amazing healer chiropractor, Dr. Ryan who turned me onto the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza, prescribed a wonderful strength training routine that I use today and ignited my power of belief to go the distance.

I'm now training for a threepeat of the Bermuda Half Marathon and I must say that I'm feeling strong and inspired to go the distance once again harnessing the power of my mind, taking effective action by training 5 days a week and partnering with Dr. Lizzie Sobel of Wholesome Healing Chiropractic. She heard Dr. Joe at a continuing education lecture and is also familiar with the work of Dr. Candace Pert.



There are two great runners who messed with people's credibility who inspire me to go the distance:

Steve Jones: "Never give up! Never surrender!


I was blessed to meet Steve Jones on a few occasions and he is part of Bermuda Marathon Weekend!

And Billy Mills:


I'm enjoying messing up people's credibility and going the distance healing the effects of paralytic polio and trauma, defying the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome ... because ...



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):

Going the Distance: Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

Today's Facebook feed was filled with the theme of never giving up.

My dear friend and elite runner Reno's post popped up in my news feed:


It's so easy to return to negative thoughts and old habits of thinking and being. I woke up this morning feeling tired, tight and sore. Well it's no wonder! Family stress, juggling work and caregiver needs and maintaining a rigorous training schedule do add up. But oh how amazing that I am the caregiver rather than needing to be cared for having left the diagnosis of post polio syndrome in the dust.

I reminded myself that I am strong, healthy, whole. My left leg is factory new despite sometimes sensations to the contrary.

I practiced my affirmations and opened my heart to gratitude.

Tomorrow Team McManus toes the starting line of the Narrangasset Bay 5K. We did bib pick up today and were blessed to meet Champion Steve Jones and reunite with Champion Geoff Smith:



As I was doing research about Steve Jones, I found this video:



It's been quite the 10 year healing odyssey. I am so grateful and blessed that I did not give up and did not surrender despite many setbacks, working with less than honorable and competent body workers and the trauma of my nephew's suicide and the tragic events of 4/15/13. I shudder to think about all the adventures I would have missed and all the amazing people I never would have had the chance to meet.

It's quite the miracle that I continue to experience positive momentum and once again tomorrow I get to experience the joy of the running community, and running with Champions.

To your health and wellness,
Mary