Celebrating Ten Years of Running: It's a Sign!

As I am editing, "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953," I am in awe of how signs and synchronicity appeared throughout my journey.

When I decided to take a leap of faith from my award winning career as a VA social worker to a poet and writer, I got "random" emails letting me know about the Newburyport Literary Festival. I found myself standing next to New York Times Bestselling authors who were delighted to give me tips on writing and publishing my first book of poetry, "New World Greetings: Inspirational poetry and Musings for a New World." Waiting to get a (non-alcoholic) drink at the bar, the person who interviewed NY Times Bestselling author Peter Guralnick at one of the seminars stood in front of me. I was compelled to share my story with him. "Oh you're channeling from the Divine," he said nonchalantly and offered to buy me a drink.

We found money while we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon:
But every once in awhile, a little nagging voice asks, “How are we ever going to raise $9,000? How am I ever going to run 26.2 miles?”

And then, God answers in strange and delightful ways.

I had errands to run at Cleveland Circle; a turning point on the Boston Marathon course. After going through the hills in Newton and passing through Boston College, runners turn onto Chestnut Hill Avenue. Once runners get to Cleveland Circle, it is a straight shot to Kenmore Square with just a few small hills along the way. It's only 4 miles to the finish line from Cleveland Circle. Those little inner critics were chatting away. I dismissed them. My passport was no longer valid to travel to the land of negativity. I walked along Beacon Street to Boloco to get take out lunch.

“Excuse me. Do you have any spare change?”

I handed him a dollar bill.

After coming out of Boloco I noticed that the man who asked for the dollar had gone. I looked down 'for some reason' and on the ledge of the Citibank there was change spread out. I picked it up. I knew it was for me.

It was hot from being out in the sunshine. When I got home I counted it. There were 5 quarters, 14 pennies, 3 nickels and 2 dimes. Five quarters is $1.25; 26.2 by adding the 1 and the 5 and scrambling the numbers a bit. We were scheduled to run 14 miles, 15 miles and then eventually 20 miles for our long runs. God was letting me know we have everything we need to go the distance in miles and for our fundraising!

We found a Helen Keller quarter stuck in the mud in a crack between the asphalt on Heartbreak Hill during another training run.

I found a nickel and a penny on our last long run while training for Boston. It was six cents inviting me to trust my 6th sense and that I would be able to meet (and actually exceeded) my fundraising goal and go the distance on 4/20/2009.

Speaking of signs ….

Bernie Siegel, MD, one of the pioneers in mind/body medicine, and a dear friend since the 1980’s, sent me an email telling me to look for the penny. It would be from him and God telling me everything was all right. I found a penny in Wellesley. I told Janine this story as we were walking from the finish line back to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. At just that moment she looked down and there was another penny. I added it to the 27 cents and the six cents that I carried with me in the back pocket of my capris.

Perhaps one of my favorite stories happened at the 2016 Hyannis Marathon Weekend Race Expo. One of my friends texted me from the Race Expo saying she was so excited that my table was across from hers at the Expo. The 2015 race weekend had been cancelled and I had not thought about having a table at the 2016 Expo since I was going to run the 10K. Not one to miss an opportunity to share my inspirational journey with others, I threw some things together for my table and at the last minute grabbed my Bermuda Half Marathon medal:

“It’s a sign!” a group of runners exclaimed as they walked by my table at the Hyannis Race Expo.

They picked up my medal from the Bermuda Half Marathon.

“We were just talking about how we have to run Bermuda. We are putting it on our bucket list.”

The Mystic Runners from Wakefield, Massachusetts were deeply moved by my inspirational journey. In that moment of synchronicity, we became fast friends.

In January when we returned for our 3rd consecutive Bermuda Half Marathon, this happened:
No alarms were set for Friday morning and it felt wonderful to sleep in and awaken to a Bermudaful day.

We opened the door to our balcony to see palm trees and hear Bermuda bird songs. We went to Windows on the Sound restaurant for breakfast where floor to ceiling windows overlook the ocean. I wanted to stick to my pre-race fueling plan breakfast of oatmeal, banana, juice and toast. We brought our own packets of oatmeal and the breakfast buffet supplied the rest. However, I could not resist the melt in your mouth poppy seed muffins. After all, I was on vacation and you only live once! We read the Royal Gazette while savoring our breakfast. I placed my spoon down on the table and paused from looking at the newspaper. I reminisced with Tom about our dear friend Herb. With a jolt, I was drawn to look outside. I noticed the contrast of the sun and the mist coming off of the ocean. It was as though time stood still. My gaze was drawn to look up. There was a rainbow! I cried tears of joy and gratitude.

“Are you okay?” the woman at the next table asked us.

“It’s a sign from a friend of ours who introduced us to Bermuda,” I said without concern for what this total stranger might think of my declaration.

“Oh I totally believe in signs,” she said.

I love how the Universe surprises reminding us that there is something greater than what the eye can see within us and all around us:



I began my healing odyssey from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma twelve years ago next month. I began running in 2008. What a glorious ride it's been with the Universe supporting me with signs and synchronicity every mile along the way.

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.

A Tapestry of Love: Running with Big Hearts

From Scott Middlemiss: Today marks five years since my beautiful boy and best friend has been gone. Five years since I last talked with him, laughed with him, sang a Beatles sing with him, hugged him. I can’t believe he has been gone almost as long as he was alive.

I am forever grateful for the time I did have with him. He taught me so much about love, how to smile through pain, and how to live life to its fullest. He reminded us all to make every day a “best day ever!” I am forever grateful for all he did for me, to make me a better person. And, I am so fortunate to have the memories in this video. I love you, Joe, and miss you more and more every day.

From Andrea Ketcham Walsh: Joseph Scott Middlemiss, you will forever be in our hearts!!! We love you to the moon and back! I promise to forever work hard on your foundation with the most amazing board of directors to spread your message. You may not be with us physically but you are most definitely wrapping your arms around us from heaven and guiding us to do the best work we can to honor you. I hope we make you proud. I love you, Joey❤️❤️

Joseph Scott Middlemiss was only 6 years old when he died as a result of pediatric cardiomyopathy and co-existing other conditions that compromised his physical body but those physical challenges could not touch his Spirit. Below is a sample of what people posted on Facebook on Saturday and Sunday to remember Joey and to share how he touched our lives.

Your legacy of kindness has forever changed our community - and beyond. We are all so blessed to have known you - and to have your amazing parents, sister and brother carrying on your mission of love. You will never be forgotten.

I cannot believe it has been 5 years... what an impact this little guy has had on so many during and after his 6 earthly years. We can’t see Joseph, but he sure is everywhere, continuing to inspire others to choose kind and spread love.

Today would be a great day to perform a little act of kindness in Joseph’s name.

I’ve never had the fortunate opportunity to meet you Joe, yet you have had a tremendously positive and significant impact on my life, along with countless others. I am grateful every day to know your family. They exude courage and strength, love and kindness, beyond imaginary belief. We are all better humans for knowing your brother Jack and your sister Grace. We are all better humans for knowing your parents Kate and Scott. We are all better humans for knowing you and/or knowing your legacy. Thank you for being an incredibly awesome human and impacting this world more in 6 years than most people do in decades. Thank you for inspiring us all to be greater.
Pay it forward...always....
My first 3.33 of my 8 mile run was dedicated for you Joe, along with your brave and inspiring siblings Jack and Grace. ❤️❤️❤️

Scott Middlemiss was my third grade teacher and one of the most inspirational people I have ever seen. I still remember him showing us Joes ultrasound pictures in class and the shear joy on his face as he did so. The amount of love and kindness this man and his wife have put into the world after such a tragic event is truly and utterly amazing. To anyone who reads this to please take a second and look at what this man has accomplished because I am blown away by it all.

Tom and I knew of the Middlemiss Family when we attended the Runner's World Classic Weekend managed by Dave and DMSE Sports. We followed them on Facebook but it wasn't until Joey orchestrated a meeting in Bermuda at the starting line of the Bermuda Half Marathon this year that we became involved in this community woven together by a tapestry of love.

Linda and Brad Gilbreth were wearing their Team Big Heart race shirts. We struck up a conversation and took these photos for them:


Here are the Gilbreths coming into the finish line at the Superhero 5K:


We've been attending their events, forging beautiful friendships with members of Team Big Heart and been blessed to be encircled in this community where all you need is love (and a pair of running shoes)!

On Saturday, a community of big hearted adults and children of all ages gathered to run The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation's 5th Annual Superhero 5K.

From Dave McGillivray, Race Director and dear friend of the Middlemiss Family:
It was an honor and privilege to help manage the 5th Middlemiss Big Heart 5K race and Celebrity Mile today in Dracut, MA. No better family than the Middlemiss Family and their entire JMBHF team. Thanks to all the local celebrities who were kind and gracious enough to participate in the Celebrity Mile. I owe each and every one of them a debt of gratitude. And, lastly, thanks to my special pal, Jack Middlemiss, for surprising me by re-gifting my World Marathon Challenge medals back to me after I gave them all to him back in March. But here is the secret, the race director of the WMC (Richard Donovan) heard that I gave my medals to Jack so he sent me another set. Here they are in my drawer as I always felt there would be a special home for this set someday, too. Well, here is our little secret everyone...I’m going to now give this second set back to Jack – just don’t tell him!!! His challenge was 1,000 times more inspiring and courageous than mine and he deserves these more than I do. He is a heart warrior, something very soon I want to be known as, too. And, to add to the excitement for me, my 12-year-old son, Luke, finished 15th OVERALL!
During the National Anthem with Scott and Superhero Jack - The Incredibles:


The Celebrity Mile celebrities:


Returning Dave's medals:


Gracie and Jack with the top 3 ladies finishers:


The start/finish line:


Zoe Mayotte is a heart warrior who met the Middlemiss Family through their shared journey at Boston Childrens Hospital. Team Zoe was crowned the champion of the biggest superteam last year and this year Zoe's mom, Karen was determined to keep that title! Tom and I joined Team Zoe and recruited runner friends to join us.


She ran the quarter mile kids fun run:


Although Tom and I were unable to attend the race in person, we did a virtual 5K in our neighborhood:


Karen and Marie sent us our Team Zoe t shirts that arrived right after we finished our run:


Our dear running friends Kathleen & Tom joined Team Zoe. Kathleen is a heart warrior and a retired teacher. She marveled at the event including music performed out on the course by a very talented young man. Our inspirational friend Larry Gamst also joined Team Zoe and took 3rd in his Age Group declaring he'd be back again next year.


Just 3 months ago, Larry had a heart attack and had 5 stents put in!

The members of Team Big Heart touched Tom's and my heart when we told them that we couldn't attend on Saturday. The past two weeks with our daughter who suffers from severe mental illness drained us. We knew we did not have the energy to participate in the festivities even though we would have been surrounded by love once we arrived. Instead, we received an outpouring of love and prayers for our journey. I was moved to tears when Jennifer sent this photo saying that "I made sure you'd be there."


Kate said, "This is beyond beautiful!!! Exactly what the empty heart emblem was designed for!"

Jennifer had a joy filled day at the 5K as did so many! Her son ran in the kids fun run and her nephew ran in the 5K supporting her little guy in his race:


She even captured this special moment with "her girl" Bobbi Gibb, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon!


Kate shared this picture of a superhero who ran the race in 2016 and on Saturday. Miracles and love were all around:


Here's a great photo of the Incredibles with Michael, a member of Team Big Heart:


Two superheroes - Jack Fultz winner of the Run for the Hoses Boston Marathon and Jack are captured in this All You Need is Love moment:


Joy, love and community:



Scott shared this moment from last year's 5K as part of the commemoration of Joseph's passing:
September 23, 2017

So, today has been a day filled with mixed emotions. But, we continue to be blessed by the love and support of so many beautiful and wonderful people who continue to love Joseph and help us share his legacy of love and kindness. So, thank you all.

I have been looking through all the amazing pictures. And, this one just jumped out at me. I have gone back to look at it multiple times. There is so much inspiration, kindness, and beauty in this picture.

The other day, we asked our friend Rachel {who lives with cerebral palsy} to design a race that she wanted to participate in, to finish. This was her special race. And, she did such an amazing job and made the turn for the finish line with a big smile on her face and as strong as ever. This is Rachel crossing the finish line of HER race. And, it was amazing...topped off by the incredible Dick Hoyt presenting Rachel with a special "Superhero" medal.

This alone is amazing and beautiful. But, it is not the whole story that this picture tells. There is another runner in the picture. #378. His name is Danforth Sullivan. He was coming in to finish the 5K first overall at some ridiculously fast pace. No doubt he was going to finish under 18 minutes, something I cannot even fully comprehend. He was finishing up strong and then came upon Rachel finishing her race. So he stopped, slowed down, and let her finish, have her moment, losing valuable seconds to his own personal finish. And, where some may have been upset or tried to finish ahead of Rachel, he slowed down to cheer her on. And finished with a smile...celebrating this special moment.

I didn't know that this happened until I saw the picture. Come to find out that Danforth is a member of Team Zoe, the biggest super team. Thank you, Danforth Sullivan, for being a special part of this amazing moment. Joseph was definitely smiling down at this exact moment. I can feel it.


As people were sharing photos from Saturday's race, races from past years and sentiments about Joseph and the Middlemiss family, I was in awe of the connections made through one little boy and the 6 years he spent physically in this world. From his NICU nurse to his teachers to people connected to Scott and Kate and the ripples of connections made through Team Big Heart and their Foundation, the thread that connects us all is love ... because in Truth all you need is love love is all you need to meet any challenge that life presents to us.

After a weekend of love, superheroes, running with big hearts, kindness and miracles, Joseph lit up the evening sky for us all to see:


We will always remember you Joseph Scott Middlemiss and your legacy of love, laughter and making every day the best day ever!

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):