Going the Distance: A "Not so Chance" Meeting at the Gym

On Tuesday I was feeling a little bit in a funk. My heart overflowed with joy and gratitude that things are finally coming together for Ruth Anne's treatment plan and miraculous recovery from severe depression and PTSD these past three years. But a part of me missed my old routine and my old health club even though that old routine and the old health club no longer served me.

I struggled with which one of the Boston Sports Clubs I would go to. The one at Fenway didn't seem appealing to me at the moment. "Oh but I have to go to Blick Art to pick up a canvas for Ruth Anne (who is painting at her community-based recovery program) and that's right next door so I have to go to Fenway. Okay then could I at least please have a parking space right across the street?" I asked the Universe.

I gave thanks for my parking space and went into Blick Art. I spotted an entire aisle of canvas and decided to ask for help. The salesperson gave me a lecture about the different types of canvas they stocked and their different uses. I chose what I thought would be appropriate, paid for it and grabbed my gym bag out of the car.

When I got to the Club, I was still a little bit in my own haze but the front desk person, Charles offered me my towels and welcomed me warmly to the Club. There was a sign for a contest to win a personal training session if you could guess how many Superbowls the New England Patriots went to. I asked Charles if I could google it. "Sure, go ahead," he said to me. The internet was very s-l-o-w. I am usually in no rush when I work out on Tuesdays but I had to pick up Tom to go to a dentist appointment by 12:15.

I decided to let go of time and just go with the flow. I found the answer to how many Superbowls the Patriots went to and shared it with Charles, filled out my slip and was about to go on my way.

"Would you be interested in working with a personal trainer?" Charles asked.

I stopped and turned around. "Yes I sure would. Right now I'm training for my third Bermuda Half Marathon but after the Half I want to work with a trainer..." I went on to tell him my story about my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.

A woman walked into the Club and headed to the elevator as I was telling Charles my story. I wrapped up my conversation with him and thanked her for holding the elevator...

"Did you serve in the military?" she asked as we were exiting the elevator.

"No, why? I worked at the VA for almost 20 years but never served."

"Oh I thought I heard you say something about being in the military."

I told her my story as we walked toward the locker room.

Her eyes filled with tears and she told me that she really needed to hear my story. She was feeling in a funk and told me she knows she has so much to be grateful for and nothing really to complain about but she was feeling sorry for herself earlier in the day!

She went on to tell me that her mom had been sexually abused, was homeless living in a car in Washington, DC and was addicted to cocaine. She turned her life around, got married and had two beautiful daughters. As part of her recovery, she began doing triathlons. She is an Ironman and continues to compete. Elizabeth was the woman who I was meant to meet through the delays earlier in the day. She is 6' tall, stunning and teaches power lifting because she wants women to feel empowered and strong; not be afraid of being muscular.

I told her that I was meant to meet her today and briefly told her about my having to leave the health club I used to go to as well as the massage therapist I had worked with at the time. "You get nostalgic - we all do about what we leave behind but isn't it amazing how the Universe works?" she suggested.

She went on to tell me that the client services manager of the Club has MS! She refuses to listen to what the doctors are telling her although she is suffering with the symptoms but fights through them. I gave her my card and she said she would let Carolyn know about me. "You two have got to meet," she said.

We hugged and then hugged again each knowing that this was a not so chance meeting at Boston Sports Club. She wished me the best workout ever!

As I did my workout I reflected on how everything had to align in order for me to be in that very spot at that very moment when Elizabeth arrived at the Club. Had I made any other choices such as getting the canvas after my workout, not taking time to enter the contest or not taking the time to talk with Charles, Elizabeth and my path would not have crossed that day.

I let go of time and I went with the flow...I did not have time to have lunch after my workout before I had to pick up Tom as I had originally planned but I felt a full heart overflowing with love and gratitude having feasted on a most magical connection in that not so chance meeting at the gym.

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):

Run Bermuda! Run Happy! On Signs, Synchronicity and Magic

Since Ruth Anne has joined us to train for the Bermuda Half Marathon in January there have been signs, synchronicity and magic!

We reconnected with a few members of the Sea and Surf Anglers Club of Boston, the fishing club that fished in International Goodwill Tournaments in Bermuda. Herb Simmons, one of my veterans introduced us to that beautiful magical Island of Bermuda.

We've been finding money as we had when we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon.

We experienced magic and signs on last Saturday's training run.

And something magical has happened within me....

As part of Ruth Anne's healing, we listen to Dr. Joe Dispenza's Rest and Renew meditation every night ....

My beloved friend, healer and chiropractor, Dr. Ryan, who now lives and practices in China, who I saw shortly after a serious knee injury in December of 2014, turned me onto Dr. Joe's work. His book, "You Are the Placebo" fired up the rewiring of my neural net; a process I began through writing poetry shortly after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards in December of 2006.

While I am grateful for the work I did while partnering with Jeffrey Spratt, a muscular therapist, I realized that it was time to leave both the business and therapeutic relationship with Jeffrey as I wrote about in my blog, "Run Bermuda! Run Happy! Training for a Threepeat: Changing Things Up a Bit."

One of the things that kept me bound to that relationship was a lack of confidence in my ability to train and continue to heal harnessing the power of Divine Intelligence within me. But with signs, synchronicity and magic to lead the way I know that I have everything I need to train on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend and am open to the magic and wonder of the Universe.

I have the page from Dr. Joe's book that Dr. Ryan sent to me on my refrigerator before I received my copy of the book:


On Dr. Joe's website he has the motto, "Change from the inside out!" I have read and devoured Dr. Candace Pert's book, "Everything you need to know to feel Go(o)d" and will continue to harness the power of the Divine and the alchemy that's created by our thoughts and intentions.

This morning one of my runner friends posted this on Facebook:



The other day I saw this quote on Facebook:


It takes incredible courage to trust in the mystery, to trust in my ability to continue to heal from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma, to change course when something is no longer serving me and to pay attention to the signs and synchronicity along the way. That my friends is where the magic happens!

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):

My Running Chronicles: There is magic in my running shoes!

The alarm went off on Tuesday morning. Tom and I set the meditation timer for 20 minutes. I could feel the heat and humidity in mind and body. I had a wonderful meditation setting my intentions for the day, feeling the love and peace in our home and reminding myself that everything is rewired; everything is healed. A part of me wanted to go back to sleep for another hour or two at least but it was time to get up and greet the day.

The heat made our plank challenging this morning and I'd also done a kick ass workout in the pool at WaveHealth yesterday. I wanted to cave literally and figuratively but instead I used my breath knowing that I am going the distance and nothing can stop me now. 2:20 plank done.

We decided to go downstairs where it was cooler to do our 50 crunches and 10 weighted clams.

Hydration, a piece of toast and a banana; don the running clothes and lace up the running shoes and out the door we go.

I suggested to Tom that we take a different route that would give us more shade. It would also give us more hills but that was the trade off.

It would have been easy to have taken an easy 3 miles and not done speed work given the heat and humidity but something was fired up inside of me and I wanted to do what we planned to do for our training run. During my meditation I practiced my mantra: I run unencumbered. I run swift. I run a 12:00 minute mile. I told Tom after we ended our meditation that I wanted to do a 14:00 minute mile today.

Tom looked at me and said, "You run unencumbered. You run swift. You run a 14:00 minute mile."

I felt the magic in my running shoes to sweep away any doubts in my ability to run and run swift.

First mile had a downhill and then a fairly long uphill. We took a water break at mile 1 with a split of 15:38.

We totally improvised our route as we went along going into the back roads near the Brookline Country Club; a beautiful scenic shaded route with rolling hills and beautiful flowers. I pushed my pace and ran a 15:11 second mile although I sprinted at the end and Tom caught a glimpse on my Nike+ of a 12:14 pace.

We stopped at mile 2 for another water stop. Sweat was pouring off of me and I noticed something quite remarkable.

When I run in the heat, my body used to overheat fairly quickly and I'd feel this heat behind my face through my forehead. The thermostat had been tampered with by the polio virus. But today, even though it was easily one of the hotter and more humid days we ran in, instead of feeling that overheating sensation, I poured sweat. My thermostat is fixed!!!



I felt strong, confident and unstoppable feeling the heal in every fiber of my being.

Our 3rd mile began with a downhill and I took every advantage of it knowing that we had a huge uphill to finish our run.

I couldn't talk while we ran; a sure sign that I was leaving nothing on the roads yesterday morning.

I dug deep. I knew that every step I took was bringing me one step closer to resounding success in the Bermuda Half Marathon in January. We took one quick water stop before surging up the hill to our finish.

My pace - 14:18 - a negative 53' split!

My plank was shaky. I was tired and it was hot and humid. Yet once I laced up my running shoes, I felt the magic. And I felt the power of the mantra, "I AM the Placebo," from the works of Dr. Joe Dispenza.

And I felt the total love and intention from my partner in life and on the roads as he ran and sweated with me side by side and stride by stride to achieve an overall pace of 15:07 today with hills, heat and humidity.



The Thoroughbred

A dark horse
dark past
finishing last
ready to quit
battered and bruised
a foal fouled
yet Spirit unbroken
a thoroughbred deep inside
despite appearances
all she needed was a chance
someone to believe in her
a horse whisperer
in the mist
amidst fog and foliage
she runs
breaking free
transformed
into the champion she was always meant to be.



I chronicle the first 7 years of my healing journey after being diagnosed with post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease as a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and 9 years of childhood domestic violence in Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility.


"Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems," my latest collection of inspirational poetry is now available soon on Amazon

We've Got Magic To Do

There is a wonderful song from Pippin, Magic to Do


It was indeed magic that brought Franc Karpo and me together last Wednesday for a lunch at Sweetgreen in Chestnut Hill.

Franc is a runner and the business partner of my friend Reno Stirrat. Franc and I met on line through Reno after I did a blog featuring their Long Distance Training Tips.com.

Franc lives in Scotland but travels to Boston twice a year to entertain and inspire using magic. He posted on Facebook that he was visiting Boston for the month of March. We agreed that we should meet and abracadabra there we were.

We talked about running and recovering from injuries and running and Reno and mutual friends and running and then I got curious about Franc the magician and entertainer. He shared his back story with me -- from his website:


My first memory of an interest in magic was reading the biography of Harry Houdini at the Boys Club in my home town in Worcester, Massachusetts. I was only 7 or 8 years old at the time.

A couple of years later, with my paper route money, I started buying all the jokes and gags from the local joke store....

It wasn't until my teen years that I actually got hooked on magic. I devoured every book on magic tricks I could get my hands on at the Worcester, MA Public Library. I still have fond memories of running home from school, locking myself into my room and practicing my magic in front of the mirror. (This was in the 70's before magic video's and DVDs.)

Because I was such an extremely shy kid, I didn't show anyone the magic I could do for a couple of years. Magic was actually a great way for me to 'come out my shell.' This is one of the reason's why we, (along with Bonaparte - my fellow magician and business partner) have developed a Magic Workshop for kids that teaches them simple magic tricks that will boost their self confidence and self esteem.

In my late teens is when I actually had the nerve to get in front of an audience. (If you knew me as a kid, You would NEVER guess that I would turn out to be an entertainer. Now you can't shut me up. .:)I can still remember my first paid gig. I got a whopping $50 for a kids magic show for a first grade class! The coolest part about it was the teacher mailed me a folder of drawings from my show from all her kids. It was amazing!

At this time I started to get a bit more serious about my passion. I graduated from a local magic school: Steve Dacri's School of Magic. Steve is one of the most in demand corporate magicians in the world today, who performs regularly in Las Vegas.

While I was working on my act, I still had no clue how to market myself or run a business. I was performing magic professionally part time and working as a bartender to make ends meet. I was entertaining mostly at kids birthday parties and restaurants.

I did this from 1985 to 1994. In 1994 I decided to take a shot at being a full time magician. And I haven't looked back since. I switched my focus from learning new magic to marketing my business. (I spend 90% of my time in sales/marketing/admin... doing the magic show is a reward!)

I put together several different themed shows for preschools and day care centers and was building a nice business just from that.

Working in the schools lead to booking more birthday parties.

I also started to work corporate events. Some of my clients include: Pfizer, Fidelity Investments, Unisys, Franklin Covey and many others.

My philosophy is simple:

Follow your heart and do what you have passion for.

Franc, wearing a short sleeved shirt said to me, "Here let me show you a couple of tricks."

Right there on the spot I was entertained with dollar bills and European coins. I was thoroughly enthralled because let's face it we all need magic in our lives.

You can experience Franc's magic at an upcoming show at the Amazing Things Art Center in Framingham on March 21. Tickets are $8 for members and $10.00 for non-members. Call the Box Office for Family Rates. For groups or birthday parties, we will provide a space for ice cream, cake and presents before or after the show! You can also book Franc or his fellow magician, Bonaparte (yes that it is his real name) through their website Reserve a Date link.

Visit Franc's websites at:
Corporate Magician Franc Karpo - Amazing Boston Entertainment
Kids Magic
Office Party Magic


Journey well with joy and magic!

"Journey Well" and all of my inspirational books are available on Amazon.

"Journey Well" is a book about resilience, strength, courage and how we are able to journey well no matter what conditions life hands to us. I profile the people who are Boston Stronger and share how 4/15/13 was a wake up call to me to return to my healing path from contracting paralytic polio at age 5 and 9 years of domestic violence as a child and adolescent.

"All you need is faith, trust and a little pixie dust." - Reflections on Grace

In recent posts I touched on the devastating effects of having contracted paralytic polio at the age of 5 and living in a dysfunctional family. While it was incredibly challenging for me, polio opened the portal to a world where I felt the protection and love from the realm of Spirit.

As I share an excerpt from my memoir "Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility," in "Journey Well":

My connection to something greater than myself began at the age of 5 years old:

As I lay on the couch, my mother glared at me smoking a cigarette. I had to go to the bathroom but I knew better than to ask her. I learned that I had to wait until my father or grandfather came home to be toileted. I had a vision. This beautiful Being with a flowing white beard appeared. A hand was extended to me to climb into a well bucket only there was no hand. I climbed into the well bucket even though I lay paralyzed on the couch. I was reeled up to meet this Being and then I returned to my paralyzed body. I knew that somehow I was going to make it through this mess. I saw this Being everywhere I looked. I saw the Being in my storybook. Whether my eyes were open or closed this Being was with me. Guardian Angel? or hallucination from the fever and pain of polio? I cast my vote for Guardian Angel that was there to protect me. Despite the emotional and physical pain, the abject terror I was experiencing, somewhere within me I felt peace and comfort. I regained movement of my right arm and leg but my left arm and leg remained paralyzed. At least I could wiggle around a little on the couch and could hold my books. Here I was with this cold, angry, rejecting woman smoking a cigarette who would not and could not touch me, waiting for my father or grandfather to come home to meet my basic needs. Despite the precarious predicament I was in, I had a sense of safety. This was my first of many experiences of being touched by grace.

Despite or maybe because of everything that happened to me, I trust in a Force far greater than the human part of my Being and a Force that is pure love and light that is in my Being.

It's a miracle that I always held onto hope and possibility and that I believe in the magic, mystery and mysticism that is available to us.

Last week we were blessed to witness that touch of grace and the magic and mysticism in the Universe as we solved the Boston Marathon Medal Mystery. Its timing is not lost on me.

On January 5, 2015, the trial of Tsarnaev is scheduled to begin. There was a wonderful editorial in last week's Globe about a possible outcome that would spare the survivors, the City and the government time and money. In Tsarnaev trial: Let's not relieve the marathon bombings, Nancy Gertner, Michael B. Keating and Martin F. Murphy, three lawyers, pose the question,

Why can’t the Boston Marathon bombing trial be like that?

It takes both sides — the government and the defense — to agree. The defendant has to agree to plead guilty, and the government has to agree to accept a sentence of life imprisonment without parole, like it did with the Unabomber, the Olympic Park bomber, and many others who committed acts of violence in which people were killed and injured.

This community’s response to the Marathon attacks set an example of courage and unity for the nation and the world. Now we’re reaching the last chapter. That chapter doesn’t have to be one of bitterness, division, and re-traumatization. This is our city, as David Ortiz said in the first Red Sox game after the bombing, and what happens over the next several months will have a deep and abiding impact on all of us. Wouldn’t it be better if the Justice Department and Tsarnaev’s defense attorneys got past the legal technicalities and found common ground? Let’s write a last chapter that guarantees just punishment for Tsarnaev while putting the victims and the community at the center of the legal system’s concerns.

It is my fervent prayer, hope, intention that we are able to experience the writing of the final chapter in a way that would truly honor the memories of those whose lives were lost, and help the survivors to heal.

But no matter what happens, I know that all we need to make it through is faith, trust, a little pixie dust, a whole lot of grace and each other.

Journey well!


"Journey Well" available on Amazon, is a book about resilience, strength, courage and how we are able to journey well no matter what conditions life hands to us. I profile the people who are Boston Stronger and share how 4/15/13 was a wake up call to me to return to my healing path from contracting paralytic polio at age 5 and 9 years of domestic violence as a child and adolescent. I am thrilled that Sollievo Massage and Bodywork is hosting the Book Release Party for "Journey Well" on January 10th from 5:30-7:30pm.





50% of book proceeds are donated to AccesSportAmerica where people of all ages and abilities achieve higher function and fitness through high challenge sports and training.

Gingerbread Houses and Gumdrops - On Love, Magical Moments and Healing

"I'm going to be in Quincy at Ginger Betty's on Dec. 1st. I know you're on the South Shore. You want to meet up there and then decide where to go?" I messaged my friend Maureen Lamie.

"How do you know Ginger Betty?" Maureen messaged me back. "We went to the same high school. I used to go in there all the time when I lived in Quincy."

"I'll tell you when we meet up," I told Maureen....

and so an afternoon of love, magical moments and healing happened.

The delicious smell greeted us as soon as we opened the door. We felt a sense of childlike wonder as we were surrounded by gingerbread houses, gumdrop samples, Christmas music playing in the background and a feeling of being home.



My breath often catches when I am in a moment that was brought about by synchronicity. You can read about how I met Ginger Betty in my October post, "Ginger Betty Brings Sweetness and a Message of Peace to Life."

Ginger Betty gave us each a cookie .. her famous Gingerbetty Gingersnap cookies ... true to her motto, "Share cookies...make friends."



Maureen and I did not have a plan for the afternoon. We knew only that we wanted to spend time together. Surrounded by the warmth of Ginger Betty's we knew we didn't need to go anywhere else. We pulled up a stool and the conversation flowed with ease, joy, love and laughter, passion and purpose. Running and healing in the wake of April 15, 2013 was a theme.

Ginger Betty was wearing her MR8 hat. She continues to allow the creative process to flow to find ways to raise money for the Martin Richard Foundation.

The subject of my book signing came up and Ginger Betty said that she would love to do something for the event and plans to come. She took out her order book, wrote down the date and asked me to send her a copy of the book cover so she could get her creative juices flowing. I was surrounded by love and excitement for "Journey Well." I told Maureen that she is in the book and how moved I was to meet her at the Book Release Party for my memoir in May. She said that she remembered when she walked through the door I said to her, "I knew it was you." We hadn't met in person before May.

We discovered connections and coincidences as we lived, laughed and loved in the moment taking in the magic and wonder of what was happening. Soon the shop filled with after school children and mothers, and shoppers getting ready for Christmas. Pure love, joy and delight is the energy that fills Ginger Betty's Bakery. By the way, if you know of anyone looking for part-time seasonal work please send them Betty's way! Maureen and I thought about it and what a happy place it would be to work. We could run off the calories after work on Wollaston Beach.

Life is sweet you know. It's not always easy but the Universe has this way of making everything perfect. Three women who are resilient and strong; who live with open and tender hearts were blessed to share an afternoon of love, magical moments and healing.


My Book Release Party for Journey Well is on January 10, 2015 from 5:30-7:30pm at Sollievo Massage and Bodywork. 50% of my book proceeds are being donated to AccesSportAmerica where their mission is to help people of all ages and abilities experience higher function and fitness for people living with challenges through high challenge sports and training.