Celebrating Ten Years of Running: I am in competition with no one!

After completing 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons, I decided to take a break from endurance running, heal and recover from the 3 years of training for a half marathon and focus on running the distance of a 5K. I wanted to see what I could do to increase speed rather than endurance. In my mind's eye I see it all coming together with speed and endurance but for now I am focusing on seeing what this body can do with speed.

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog about being at a new starting line. I'm feeling momentum in my health and wellness journey.

The first step in my recovery from the 3 consecutive half marathons was to heal a hip/back/groin issue. Weekly chiropractic treatments, cross training and strength training, stretching, rolling out with a massage stick and visualization have helped my body's healing process.

I've been extremely patient with my recovery process. It's a miracle that, given my history of childhood paralytic polio and trauma, and the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome 11 years ago that I run and am able to maintain a 5 day a week training regimen! I get a flood of emails for races and have declined all but one: The 5th Annual Middlemiss Big Heart 5K. I signed up as a walker but given my last two outings, I could have signed up as a runner.

On Saturday Tom and I did an out and back route from Carson Beach out to U Mass Boston. It was a hot and humid day. I tend to wilt in the heat and have difficulty pushing myself. We took frequent water stops, enjoyed the magnificent views and I ran one of my fastest times since last year ... a pace of 17'47"/mile, a tremendous feat for me as I wrote about in a recent blog post.



This morning we set the alarm for 6:00am given the searing heat and humidity that has been hovering over Boston. We meditated and did our core work. We have intensified our core work and strength training. Lots of water, a banana and off we went on Day 3/5 on my 5 day a week training cycle. There was a lot of shade and a downhill that I took advantage of. When we got to the Bridge before we crossed over to the Reservoir, I took a quick water break. My first mile was a 17'50" but that included a slow warm up as we went out the door.

Once we got on the Reservoir path I picked up my pace. I stopped at our halfway point for a water stop. We had to take a detour since part of the Reservoir was closed off this morning. We decided to go up a steep hill to Chestnut Hill Avenue and loop around the Reservoir on Beacon Street. When we stopped for a quick water stop at mile 2, our time was 17'05". I felt so proud of how well I was doing on the run. Chestnut Hill Avenue is a downhill which I know helped my pace for the last 1.1 miles. I clocked it at 16'32" with an overall pace of 17'05".



With the detour we had an opportunity to do a cool down before we got home.

Success breeds success! I knew that I could and would improve my pace once my hip/back/groin healed. Having a stronger core and building muscle strength contributes to running a faster pace with greater ease.

My endorphins were kicking after our run. I can see in my mind's eye that I can get back to running 5K races and enjoying every mile of the journey. It's great to not have any pressure to achieve any particular goals right now. After all...I am in competition with no one...I just want to be my health and fitness best ... I just aim to improve ... that's me and I'm free.

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

My healing journey is going to be featured in David R. Hamilton's soon to be released book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body." It's available for pre-order 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):

Celebrating Ten Years of Running: That Was Fun!

I am at a point in my recovery from the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma where runs and workouts are fun! It still boggles my mind that I can say fitness is fun for me considering how I struggled for years going through life with a body that had been so battered and bruised. Taking a break from an endurance event after 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons is a God send and a smart move to give me time to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Yesterday morning was warm but running early in the day gave Tom and me the chance to beat the heat that was predicted for later in the day. I'm running now for my physical, spiritual and emotional health and wellness but also for FUN!

It was a beautiful morning and other runners and walkers shared the path with us. I did a nice and easy first mile and then opened it up for the 2nd mile. It turned out that I had a negative 50" split between mile 1 and 2. Tom checks in with me to make sure I am being mindful with my pace and I reassured him that I was running from the inside out. We made sure to hydrate and pause between miles 2 and 3 drinking in the morning view of the Reservoir with the skyline of the City of Boston in the background.

We sweat and we felt joy together relishing how, despite what I was told 11 years ago, that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, that here I was having fun on an early morning run. I always appreciate and am grateful for the miracle of healing in my life.

It was a blessed and glorious way to begin a new day and a new week.


I was working out using the bike and the Arc Trainer as part of my weekly training schedule. It became drudgery especially with the warmer weather returning to New England. I'm doing two pool workouts a week and I am having so much fun in the water while challenging myself during a one hour workout. It is comprised of exercises I learned in Aquatics Therapy at Spaulding Rehab and good old swimming using different strokes and a kick board.

We received an email today from the Race Director of the Bermuda Marathon Weekend in response to an email query I sent him about hotels for the weekend. He sent me a lovely reply (as Bermudians do) and said that he would send a discount code for registration. I told him that I would not be running this year; that I am taking that well earned hiatus from endurance running but said who knows...maybe I'll be back for 2020! It would be epic to celebrate my 65th birthday by running in Bermuda again.

For right now,I want to continue to heal and recover, build strength and feel wonderful in my body. Weekly chiropractic treatments with Dr. Lizzie help me to put everything back where it belongs and release the past. I take healing intervals using daily afternoon meditations for 45 minutes to an hour with Dr. Joe Dispenza or Dr. Bernie Siegel And at the end of a run or a workout I want to be able to say - that was fun!

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 ****

Celebrating Ten Years of Running: It's Counterintuitive

During the winter of 2014 we had serious ice dams with water flooding our home from the ceiling. We had a roofer come who came to rescue us with a very fair price cleaning the snow off of the roof and explaining to us what we needed to do to prevent ice dams in the future. I will always remember his quote, "It's counterintuitive to the laws of physics."

Although the physiatrist, PT's and OT's I met after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards told me that if I used it I would lose it, I knew deep inside of me that I needed to use it - all of it - or I would lose it and any quality of life I hoped for. I understand the science they used to make the determination that anyone with a progressive neuromuscular disease needed to "preserve" the functioning they had. Eleven years ago the concepts of neuroplasticity and regeneration of nerve cells was fairly new.

It was counterintuitive to move when I was in so much pain and suffered from chronic fatigue.

Once I got started with a consistent health and wellness regimen, I gained momentum in healing the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma.

But I still have my days when the alarm clock goes off that I don't want to move.

I made a promise to myself early on in my healing odyssey that I was going to experience pain whether or not I got moving and worked out. I decided that I would rather hurt on the side of health and wellness than experience the pain that comes with disuse and atrophy. Allison Lamarre-Poole was an earth angel sent to me shortly after my diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. She did not subscribe to the philosophy of "If you use it you will lose it" and gave me confidence and guidance to begin healing the breach in my mind/body connection. At my last session with her I told her that I would never go back to where I was when I first started working with her.

As I continue to use new muscles living as active and vibrant a life as I possibly can, engaging in new exercises and new activities, I develop pain and soreness.

Yesterday was one of those days when I felt sore and tired. It was counterintuitive to bring out my home gym equipment and get into a 40 minute strength training workout. Yet once I did, the blood was flowing, the energy moving and I must tell you that breakfast always tastes better after a workout.

I am learning to trust my body's wondrous and vast capacity to heal after overdoing it or pushing myself during a run. I used to live in fear of my body but now I play in that wonderful space of being outside my comfort zone yet inside the injury zone.

It's counterintuitive ('to the law of physics') that I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon, healed my left knee after being told I'd need a total knee replacement in a few years after a serious knee injury in December of 2014, grew a new gastroc muscle that had atrophied in the wake of paralytic polio and that I am not in a wheelchair, needing a sleep apnea machine and a shower chair and the list goes on and on, as the doctors and therapists predicted in January of 2007 at my Team Meeting at the Post-Polio Clinic.

It's a miracle of healing that I have been blessed to co-create with the Divine Intelligence within and around me.

Even though there are times when I feel tired and in pain and it's counterintuitive that moving will help me feel better, once I get moving the pain recedes in the background and I move forward in my health and wellness journey!



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 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):

Celebrating Ten Years of Running: Momentum

Shortly after crossing the finish line of the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon, I coined the phrase "Just for the health of it." I focused on cross training on the bike building up speed and endurance and went for a leisurely 5K outdoors when the weather was good enough to get outdoors.

As the weather improved, I couldn't spend another day in the gym on the bike and Tom and I did twice a week 5K's. We returned to the joy of getting up early on a Monday morning, doing core work and heading out the door to experience the glorious return of Spring to New England.

On Saturday the forecast called for rain. We were going to postpone our run until Sunday and run Sunday and Tuesday but running in the rain is so good for the mind, body and soul. We packed our ponchos in our runner backpack and went around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir incorporating a couple of hills along the way. The run began and end with rain showers.


Wee did what runners do, we don't wait for the weather to be perfect before going out on a run.



I've been receiving a lot of emails and Facebook invitations for upcoming races. My body is itching to get out there to be a part of the racing scene again but I know that I need more recovery time to prevent a full blown injury and allow the irritation and inflammation that happened during my Bermuda training to heal.

This morning I felt a shift from "just for the health of it" to I need to have a chat with my body about healing and getting 5K race ready again. This is the first time in 3 years that I am not training for a Half Marathon and I am thrilled to be on this endurance hiatus. During these past 11 years as I healed the effects from childhood paralytic polio and trauma that came in the guise of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease, I have harnessed the power of the mind/body connection to gain momentum on my healing odyssey.

During this morning's run around the Route 9 Reservoir, I felt a fire light up again within me as I thought about all the upcoming races that are happening this Spring and Summer. I will be a spectator for now as I ride that edge of listening to my body yet also working with my body to once again achieve my personal best. It's always a delicate balance! Being able to unplug and go out on a run with Tom is a gift and a miracle that I always deeply appreciate for I know how close I came to losing the gift of mobility 11 years ago.

The apple blossoms, purple wildflowers and baby geese against the backdrop of newly bloomed green leaves on the trees were a feast to delight the senses and tickle the soul.

I was running from the inside out being aware of just how far to push myself. It was the first time I'd hit a sub 18 minute/mile pace since last December. I was overdressed - a common occurrence at this time of year and was grateful to have gotten on a really good sweat! I reminded myself (as I have been reminding myself during my 3 times daily meditations) that I am worthy of healing, that my body recovers with ease from any challenge I present and I run swift, at ease and unencumbered.



I feel a turning point again in my running adventures as I celebrate 10 years of running. I'm getting the itch to get back into racing form and feel momentum as I begin the next decade of my running adventures.


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 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):

Motivation and Momentum: Setting My Own Goals

I'm in uncharted territory in healing the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma. This is the first time in my 11 year healing odyssey that I ran 3 Half Marathons in as many years. After the Boston Marathon in 2009, I crashed and burned. Fortunately my cervical spine doctor was at the ready to help me recover and I had a wonderful physical therapist to help me build core strength and heal cervical spine disease as well as improve overall conditioning. By Summer of 2010 I was back on the roads feeling strong, thoroughly enjoying my participation in my newfound sport of running.

I had a long and winding road of trying out different physical endeavors and different forms of bodywork to encourage my body's healing. I got back on the roads in May of 2013 at the OneRun to help the City of Boston move forward from 4/15/13. I vowed that I would never stop running and always be a part of the running community.

In December of 2014, my left knee blew out and I was blessed to meet Dr. Ryan J. Means, a chiropractor healer who, in addition to inspiring my healing mind, body and soul, introduced me to the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. Dr. Ryan inspired me to set goals not limits and after running the 2016 Bermuda Half Marathon, the 2016 Hyannis 10K, the Bermuda Half Marathon 2017 along with a few 5K races thrown in and the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon, I know it's time to take a break from pushing my body and allow my body time to heal and recover while enjoying health and fitness workouts for "just the health of it."

Yet I can't be complacent about how I work out.

While still recovering from Bermuda I am experiencing discomfort in my back, right hip and groin area. It is counterintuitive to get moving while feeling discomfort and pain yet I know what happens when I don't work out. The pain gets worse and I feel worse in mind, body and soul.

I'm being mindful and doing hard then easy workouts and taking two full rest days/week. I've decided to go for weekly chiropractic care in addition to my home self care regimen. I've taken to setting aside time for an afternoon meditation to facilitate my body's healing.

Since I am not pushing myself to run distance or speed at the moment, I am using the stationary bike at the gym for my cardio workouts and to allow my inner competitor to "see what this body can do" - a favorite phrase of my personal trainer from the 2009 Boston Marathon. I set goals for myself. I experience a baseline and then see what I can do to move beyond it. My first goal was to do 6 miles in under 40 minutes. I did that for two weeks. Last week I decided to do a 45 minute workout on the bike with a 5 minute cool down. I did 7.70 miles. Today I pushed at the end of my work out to see if I could go farther than 7.70 miles and I did!



Yesterday I did an hour work out in the pool incorporating what I learned from Spaulding Rehab's Aquatics Therapy classes to aid in my recovery. Tomorrow I will have an easy pool workout continuing to do my own pool therapy rehab. I am hoping to get out on Tuesday for a very easy 5K - slow and steady - reminding myself that the body achieves what the mind believes but also being mindful of what I have just accomplished.

While I know that my body recovers with ease and I see myself back out on the racing circuit in no time, I do need to honor where I am right now.

I motivate myself and maintain momentum while setting my own goals to go the distance!

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):

Run Bermuda! Run Happy! A Stirring in my Soul

Another week of training in the books on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend. Three months from today we will in Bermuda! Part of this feels so surreal because Tom and I had resigned ourselves to taking a break from Bermuda this year. I was going to take a longer break before training for another Half Marathon and we were exploring other race destinations. But as so often happens in my life, God stepped in and extended an invitational entry to Bermuda Marathon Weekend from the Race Director himself, Anthony Raynor. To seal the deal and talk about Bermuda Marathon Weekend, he and Clarence 'Stoker' Smith (who wooed us and won us over at the 2016 Finish at the 50 5K) came by for lunch this summer while they were in town:


The weeks are flying be and we (Team McManus) find ourselves in the rhythm of success as we set our sights on the finish line of the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon.

Saturday we repeat one more double digit run - 10 miles - and then very slowly build mileage by .5 mile every other week until we reach 12.5 miles on December 16th. Then we go into taper mode. So far we have been blessed by the weather gods. This Saturday's forecast has changed from rain to cloudy and 71. We've learned to not change our long run day based on the weather because we need to mentally be ready for whatever the day brings; although I am imagining a perfect running weather day for Bermuda Marathon III.

I am continuing to focus on mental preparation along with the physical preparation of a five day a week training cycle. I remind myself that the normal sensations of training for 13.1 can be somewhat magnified for me given my history of paralytic polio and trauma but I also remind myself that I am healthy, whole and strong fully capable of going the distance.



I made a very significant change in my life back in July. As a follow up to this change and keeping everything aligned in my life, I cleaned out photos and disconnected from FB friends that were a part of my old role. I was making way for the new which is already flowing freely into my life!


Wonderful and wondrous connections are happening and the circle of like minded and like hearted friends is growing with the loving and tender hand of God weaving a wonderful tapestry for us all.

Through Keith Cartwright, who recently interviewed me for his podcast TwoTim47, I met Keri Jacobs on line. She is the co-founder of 22 Too Many. A powerful connection for me given that I worked for almost 20 years as a VA social worker.

22 Too Many is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that cares deeply and passionately about our nations military community. Through various events, we seek to serve as a living memorial, reduce the stigma by increasing public knowledge and awareness of PTS, share helpful resources, and provide support and comfort to the grieving families left behind.

It just so happens that she used to live in Bermuda and through a Facebook conversation stream, she shared that she will be running the Bermuda Triangle Challenge in January!

As my village grows and I was culling my Facebook photos, I felt a stirring in my soul!

I was taken back to special moments from Bermuda Marathon Weekends I and II.

The moment we put a name and number to Denise McMillan with whom we've remained friends through Facebook since January 2016:



Tom and I at the start of the race 2017:


A photo from TabFoto of Tom and me out on the course and this lovely photo with our dear friend Thomas Glave who we met in 2016 and who stayed at our Hotel in 2017. He told me how much I inspired him and we ran the beginning of the race together. He will return for his Bermuda Marathon Weekend III:


From Bermuda Marathon I - Tom captured these special moments at Mile 11 and Mile 13; Race Director Anthony Raynor took time out of his busy duties as R.D. to take the finish photo of us that I'd imagined in my mind's eye thousands of times during our training:


I got goosebumps all over again as I happened upon the photo of Jamie-Lee Wright, my angel at mile 12 in Bermuda II, helping me get to the finish, this photo of Tom and me coming into the finish line and our triumphant finisher photo after my brief stint in the medical tent:


My news feed is now being filled with stories of first time marathoners, inspirational journeys on the roads and in life and Keith's podcasts along with his blog and Patreon patrons only videos bring love, light and faith to my world.

Today and tomorrow are rest and recovery days from physical training and the perfect time to continue that all important mental and spiritual preparation as we get ready to toe the starting line on 1/14/18.

Just as I did before I wrote the poem "Running the Race," I feel a stirring in soul; a powerful connection to the Divine within and all around me. I am so excited for all the wonder and magic that continues to unfold in my life as I write these next chapters of my life.


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):