Celebrating Ten Years of Running: A Gratitude Run

I connected with a woman who is in the beginning of her journey with Post-Polio Syndrome. She heard my interview with David Hamilton, Ph.D. on Hay House Radio UK as I shared how I've been able to heal from the effects of paralytic polio and severe childhood trauma harnessing the power of my mind through visualization. We've been chatting on Facebook messenger. She takes me back to those early days of my journey with Post-Polio Syndrome as I faced a rather grim and uncertain future and how challenging even the simplest of tasks were for me. She reminded me of the chronic fatigue I experienced. She tells me how much hope and inspiration I give her.

While I have never ever taken anything I can do for granted, especially running, and I live my life with an attitude of gratitude, this morning I felt gratitude overflow in every fiber of my Being. I miss running with Tom who is recovering from a knee injury, but these times of solitude help me to reflect and appreciate how blessed I am to be able to run and all that I have been able to co-create as I heal my life.

When the alarm went off and Tom mentioned that he needed one more rest day before getting back out on the roads with me, I could have easily decided to drop him off at work and then go on my run. But I was feeling really psyched to get out on an early morning run. There was a feeling deep in my soul that urged me on.

Twelve years ago in December I was told I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Four years ago in December I was told I should stop running (and that I probably should have never started running as a survivor of paralytic polio) and prepare for a total knee replacement.

Tom did core work with me and sent me off on my run letting me know that he should be back on the roads with me in no time!

I loved the solitude at the Reservoir and kept saying thank you to the Universe for the gift of running in my life.

During my second lap, I heard footsteps behind me. Since it was early in the day, I wanted to be aware of my surroundings and turned around.

"Excuse me. Do you know the distance around this Reservoir?"

"It's .9 of a mile," I answered.

"That's a pretty good pace you're keeping there. I'm having a hard time keeping up."

I beamed inside. I've been working hard at improving my time and here was someone who was having a hard time keeping up with me. We chatted until we got to the entrance of the Reservoir where we parted ways but not before I had a chance to share my story with him.

"It's absolutely amazing what we can do once we put our minds to it," he said.

I captured the beauty of the morning even though it was cloudy and gray:


and Tom took my "selfie" when I got home:


"You look like you had a spectacular run," Tom said to me as I smelled toast and coffee and saw the table set for breakfast.

I checked my pace and splits. After a warm up on the first mile, I did speed work that got my pace into the 16's again. I had a -1.11 split between mile 1 and 2. I felt accomplished and satisfied with my run but the greatest feeling I experienced on this Monday morning run was gratitude for healing, for the gift of running in my life and the joy to be alive!

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: On Turtles and The View From the Back of the Pack

On Saturday's 5K run around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, we paused to take this picture of turtles on the rock:


Seeing the turtles gave me pause to research the turtle as an animal totem:

The turtle is a symbol of longevity, endurance, persistence, and the continuation of life (sometimes against incredible odds). The turtle is a sacred figure in Native American symbolism as it represents Mother Earth.

The turtle symbolism is characterized by the association with the Earth and earth symbols of groundedness and patience:

Symbol of the world, of the Earth
Ability to stay grounded, even in moments of disturbances and chaos
Slowing down, pacing yourself
Determination, persistence
Emotional strength and understanding
Ancient wisdom

The turtle is also linked to the spirit of the water and the fluid nature of emotions.

And gave me pause to reflect on how some of my most special moments in running came because I was a back of the pack runner.

I almost DNF'ed my first 5 mile race; the Marathon Sports 5 miler. It was hot and humid and an evening race in the early days of my recovery from the effects of paralytic polio and childhood trauma. I wanted to quit but Tom wouldn't let me. There was no one else that we could see in front of us or behind us except for the sweep vehicle. At the time I didn't even know what a sweep vehicle was because it was only my 2nd road race in July 2008. When we arrived at the finish, the air horn was blowing and we were celebrated as though we had broken the finisher's tape!

Running in the back of the pack in Bermuda in 2016 gave me a wonderful view of the two leaders in the Marathon battling it out since it was an out and back loop.

I've met some of the most amazing people in the back of the pack where I've discovered "everyone has a story."

I'm not always a back of the pack runner. It depends on the field, how I am feeling on any particular day and what my race goals are for the day.

Right now, I'm with the turtle on the roads and in life while I take a break from racing while I continue to heal and recover from 3 Bermuda Half Marathons in as many years.

This morning Tom and I had a spectacular morning run despite the chill in the air and headwind. The Reservoir on Route 9 is blooming. My heart opens with the opening of the buds overflowing with gratitude that I can celebrate 11 years of healing from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma AND celebrate ten years of running. I did a negative split between miles 1 and 2 and ran strong coming up the hill. I am tuning my body to shorter distances now feeling ecstatic that I overcame my challenges ready to greet and embrace new goals.



It's my pace and my race and slow and steady wins the race!

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):