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):

Run Bermuda! Run Happy! Feeling Accomplished

The Bermuda Marathon Weekend website tells me it's 114 days until Race Weekend. The countdown doesn't really begin until we hit 100 days but I am feeling the excitement of training for Bermuda Half Marathon III.

Having a goal to train for a Half Marathon is what I am using to motivate me to achieve my health and fitness best leaving the effects of paralytic polio and trauma in the rearview mirror of my life. Last year, running my second CONSECUTIVE Bermuda Half Marathon was THE goal for me. This year I am savoring each and every accomplishment along the way.



On Saturday we conquered 9 miles! I reflected on why running a half is a whole big deal for me feeling so grateful for the healing that has happened in my life.

Team McManus did core work early Sunday morning and then we headed to Martha's Vineyard for a wonderful day trip. It's so vital to keep a balance during training. We walked 4.5 miles and enjoyed a change of pace on our cross training day.

Given the uncertain forecast, we decided to get our run on Monday morning. What an awesome way to start the week.

I'd been having this nagging feeling that I wished I could run faster. A year ago I wrote a blog about how harnessing the power of Imagination was a powerful tool in my healing journey. I cast fear aside and decided to run from the inside out seeing just what this body could do. It was a Magical Monday morning run.

Boston Sports Club offered an all access pass to use at any of their Clubs. I've been wanting to go to the Wellesley Club and check out their facilities. Talk about going outside of my comfort zone! I'm not one to put on Siri and Google Maps and just go but I did. The Club is spacious and had my Cybex Arc Trainer and Bike just waiting for me! Despite having pushed my pace on Monday, I continued to see what my body wanted to do on Tuesday's cross training day. Last week I had done 5.7 miles on the Arc Trainer and Bike during my 50 minute cardio workout. This week -- 6.2 miles! Tom and Ruth Anne had gone out for their early morning tempo run for 5 miles at a 12 minute/mile pace.

This morning we woke up at 6:30am, did our meditation and once again did our circuit of strength training in our home gym.


We encouraged and cheered each other on as we brought the sweat, grit and determination to our workout.

We high fived each other as we completed Day 5/5 on the road to Bermuda.

We celebrated another week of training and how accomplished we feel for the miles, the pace, the strength and endurance we experienced this week.

It's time for two days of rest and recovery for me; Tom and Ruth Anne will do an easy shake out run on Friday.

I'm tired and I'm sore - exactly how I would expect to feel after 5 days of training.

Yet I am also feeling incredibly accomplished celebrating all the milestones and successes achieved this week on the road to Bermuda Half Marathon III.

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: When Someone Believes in Us!

I've been so blessed to have earth angels come into my life to help me believe in myself and my ability to achieve great things.

Three years after contracting paralytic polio, I was sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my father and maternal grandmother. After two epic camp failures, my physiatrist, Dr. Eugene Moskowitz who was in charge of my recovery from polio suggested to my parents that they send me to Badger Sports Camp, a camp that emphasized swimming as part of its daily activities. He knew that swimming would be just what I needed to help with my confidence and to build strength in muscles compromised by the polio virus. Of course I could not tell them what was going on but we worked together to coax muscles and nerves back to health.

You can read about my triumphant competition in the Butterfly Olympics at the end of summer camp by following this link.

Joe Stetz who gave up his Olympic dream to become a physician and helped me to become a competitor is pictured below on the far left:


His support and encouragement instilled in me that I could overcome obstacles and challenges and know what it means to be a competitor and a winner.

I mention another earth angel in that blog - Ryan J. Means, DC who I met in March of 2015 after a serious knee injury in December of 2014. I'd almost given up on my running and almost gave up on going the distance in my healing journey. Just a little over 10 years ago, I left my award winning career as a VA social worker to heal the effects of paralytic polio and trauma that manifested as Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western medicine standards.

Dr. Ryan turned me onto the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza and reminded me of my body's tremendous capacity to heal. He took exquisite care of me using the very best that chiropractic has to offer and combined that with his passion for movement, health and wellness. While he worked on me and with me, he'd tell me stories about clients he was helping through his work to improve their quality of life. He told me about his boot camp classes and how one day he expected to see me in his class. On his website he had the quote from Thomas Edison. In his heart and through his hands he reminded me that I would and could completely heal!

We've had great fun co-creating this miracle of healing that included healing that knee injury and growing a new gastroc muscle.



Even though he left for China in August of 2015 (and we're pictured above during our lunch together before he left) we stay in close touch.

Every Monday when I do my strength training workout as part of my training for a threepeat on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend, he is right here with me. He prescribed strength training exercises, exercises to help with balance, strengthen my gastroc and strengthen the muscles vital for running and injury prevention.



Whenever I get nervous about training for a threepeat of the Bermuda Half Marathon in January of 2018, I remember Joe Stetz and Dr. Ryan.

When someone believes in us, we can go the distance and achieve whatever goal it is we set our minds to.

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):

Celebrating Ten Years of Healing: Celebrating Success and Lifestyle Changes

Dr. Michael Rocha of the New Bedford Wellness Initiative posted on Facebook that the Southern New England Heart Walk was celebrating lifestyle changes.

After I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and left my 20 year award winning social work at the VA to heal my life, I made some radical lifestyle changes. Because of the one-two punch of contracting paralytic polio and then enduring 9 years of unrelenting violence against my mind, body and soul, I had disregarded my body. I learned to survive through dissociation but what a high price I paid in neglecting my body.

I cut out caffeine because I noticed it interfered with my ability to unwind and reset myself, a hallmark symptom of trauma. I also eliminated red meat, refined sugars and ginger ale and added a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. Sparkling water with lemon became my drink of choice at meals and a cup of mint decaffeinated tea replaced my coffee.

I was a stranger to exercise and athletics. I hired a personal trainer to help me get moving...and get moving she did as she coached and coaxed Team McManus off of the couch and onto the roads to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon.



It was so incredibly challenging to ride the waves of positive momentum followed by injuries and setbacks....until....

I met my hero healer Dr. Ryan J. Means, a healer chiropractor who has become a lifelong friend! He took exquisite care of me in his Cambridge office until he moved to China. Now he practices long distance healing with me and, whenever he comes to the States gives me a boost of his powerful healing hands and heart. He believed in me and my body's natural capacity to heal reminding me to set goals not limits. He gave me books to read, a prescription for strength training and so much love.

There are days when I am sore and tired and want to quit. The phantom pains as I have come to call them from paralytic polio and trauma sometimes get quite intense and I ask myself why am I putting myself through this?

I remember the comments that were made on an article in The Brookline Tab about how I was inspiring others:

DEAR MARY I'M SO PROUD OF YOU AND WISH YOU THE BEST OF THE BEST AT EVERY GOAL YOU ARE A GREAT WOMAN, I'M THINKING ABOUT MY LIFE IS A POST POLIO PERSON AND WISH I CAN DO THE SAME YOU DOING NOW
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
RAUL CORNEJO

Hello Mary, i stumbled onto your story.
I had polio when i was 14 months old; 27 years after, i still struggle with the physical and 'mostly' the emotional trials that accompany polio.
I'm a doctor,so daily i encounter people with a variety of challenging conditions and i constantly draw strength from how different people embrance their unique situations.
I am particularly inspired by your unrelenting spirit, 50 years on!
I just got back from taking a long walk.
I was thinking about my life in general and saying to myself, are you just going to give in to polio without a fight?
I decided that i'll start running in the evenings to strengthen my calfs and increase my muscle bulk. During my walk, i also dealt with some emotional issues... but i digress.
I got home and got on the internet to see if there where any researched exercise routines benefical to polio survivors, i wanted to be sure running was safe.
I got a lot of info, the unianimous advice was, don't over exert yourself, complete with the medical explanations why overexertion could be harmful.
I know running may be a stretch for me, i don't know how beneficial it will be, but i know that miracles still do happen.
Polio will not hinder me anymore. I am definately gonna give it a shot.
I'll come back here to let you know my improvement.
I am very inspired by your determination and i thank you for sharing your story.
God bless you.

Hi Mary. I was listening to the radio the other night and I heard your interview. I don't know if you remember me but you took care of my husband George Murray while at the VA hospital as well as saving my life on a daily basis back then. You were truly my angel. I am so happy to have an opportunity to thank you for all you did for me back then and I have often wondered about how you were and then I heard you quite by accident as I still get up really early but the radio was on and I immediately recognized your voice. Do I think you will run this marathon, absolutely. You will do it. I am sorry you have gone through these health problems but you sound wonderful. I am going to get your book and I know I will love it. God bless you and I know he does.
Love

Maureen Murray

If you'd met Mary last year and then again today, you will be pleasantly surprised by the changes in her. She positively radiates with energy and good cheer. If exercise is how she's made the changes then I definitely want to start moving more too. It would be nice to have a follow-up after she has run her marathon.
Beth Blutt

I think it is awesome that she has been able to rebuild her strength a second time. I am encouraged now to continue exercising myself and continue to accomplish as much as I can in my golden years instead of settling for couch potato status.
Linda DuPre



I have a new goal in running my THIRD CONSECUTIVE Bermuda Half Marathon in January of 2018. Whenever I feel tired, sore or in pain, I give myself a kick in the butt to maintain my 5 days a week workout regimen reflecting on where I was and how horrible I felt 10 years ago.



Because Dr. Ryan believed in me, I now have the courage to go the distance on the roads and in my life!


To going 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):


Mary McManus, MSW knew challenges since she was five years old beginning with contracting polio followed by enduring nine years of violence at the hands of family members. Those early challenges prepared her for taking on the challenge of the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease in December 2006 when she was at the height of her award winning career as a social worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Asking for Divine Guidance as she had throughout her trials and tribulations, she discovered the gift of poetry in her soul. Her first poem, “Running the Race,” foreshadowed her 2009 Boston Marathon run. “Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance,” chronicles Mary’s journey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma, as a runner and a woman who refused to quit. Eight years after her diagnosis, she was finally led to two healers, a chiropractor and a muscular therapist, who helped her reclaim her life and go the distance, a woman transformed who embodies the power of endurance.

Countdown to Bermuda: 12.5 on 12-25 on Setting and Achieving Goals

When I saw the weather forecast for December 25th - sunny and high of 60 degrees - it was a no brainer to move our 12.5 miler from Saturday to Friday. Our son and his girlfriend were coming at 1 pm so that meant we had to get up early and get our run on. It was a wonderful opportunity to simulate race day!

On Thursday, we skyped with Clarence "Stoker" Smith and as if I were not excited enough, talking with our Bermudian friend about race weekend got me really well stoked! He said that he will provide us transportation to the hotel if I could please forward the itinerary to him. That's what Bermudian hospitality is all about. We met Clarence at the Finish at the 50 Race Expo and became fast friends.

Thursday was my rest day and mental preparation for the last long run before taper time. I woke up at 3 am and meditated. I fell into a deep sleep before the alarm went off at 6:15. Tom and I meditated together. We did our plank, our crunches and our clams (thank you Dr. Ryan Means) to reinforce our core strength and to give our hip flexors a boost. We had the pre run meal that we will have in Bermuda although on race day we'll need to eat a little earlier because gun time is at 8:00 and we have to be at the starting line no later than 7:50. I wore the capris I plan to wear on race day unless it's warmer than yesterday then I'll be in shorts. I had on long sleeves but could have easily worn a t shirt. It was chilly when we started out but the day quickly warmed up.

Tom and I had no specific route planned. We had a general idea of the loops we wanted to run. I could feel how well trained I was and that I was definitely half marathon ready.

I've been working day in and day out, week in and week out for 6 months. Running, cross training, strength training, weekly massage and most importantly of all, listening to my body has been my recipe for success. As we built the miles, I would lessen the intensity of my pool workouts but continued to increase strength training.

As we ran in the glorious warm December sunshine and the miles flew by I said to Tom he needed to keep pinching me as I realized that I am trained for a half marathon after believing that I might never run again or if I did it would be a 5k but never more than 5 miles after I had run the 2009 Boston Marathon and after a knee injury one year ago this time, I thought that was it.

Here we are after finishing our run:


Running Bermuda was on my bucket list 3 years ago. I had given up but then the spark first ignited with Dr. Ryan was set ablaze when we talked with Anthony, the race director and Clarence at the Finish at the 50 Expo. Did I ever doubt that I would go the distance again? There were moments sure but I learned to trust my body and feel confident and strong. Tom ran by my side, stride for stride and focused on my will and determination rather than the time on the clock.

And what a village!

The running community has embraced my journey and cheered me on every step of the way. One of my dear Facebook friends, Nicole is running her first Marathon in Houston the exact same day I run the Bermuda Half. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. We both start taper time and are counting down the days until we triumphantly cross the finish line of what we set out to do.

We set the goal. We have done the work and now we get ready to run our victory laps on 1/17/2016!

At 62 years old I decided that you're never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. I have made manifest what I set out to do 9 years ago after receiving the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease; to heal my life.

It's not going to be about the time that it takes me to finish it will be about crossing that finish line.

It will be a personal best because I will have achieved what I set out to do!

My Running Chronicles: The Joy of Each Other's Success

When I posted on Facebook that I'd run my first 8.5 miles since 2009 no one asked me what my time was. I thought Tom was going to clock me one when I bemoaned the fact that it was my slowest run to date. He was quick to point out that there was wind, rain and raw weather conditions plus we had done some hills. He told me to let go of the time thing and feel the utter joy in what I had just accomplished. He was right.

There was an outpouring of joy and celebration in response to my Nike+ and blog post that I'd pushed past a limit that the doctors, physical therapists and even my previous massage therapist said would never happen again. It was Dr. Ryan Means, a chiropractor healer who teamed up with my fierce determination and fiery spirit to once again go the distance of a half marathon. My village on Facebook and in real life fuel every mile of this magnificent journey.

Bling and celebration abounded and resounded in my Facebook news feed this past weekend.

There was Nicole who decided the night before the race to trade in her 25K distance for a 50K. Her post about it was tucked away in another post and once we all found out about it there was jubilation and celebration. She posted her time but the time on the clock did not matter. We celebrate the joy of each other's success and pushing past limits in grand style.



Kathleen has been a cheerleader of mine celebrating in the joy of my PR last year at the Bill Rodgers 5K. She posted a photo of herself and her husband Tom after completing a half marathon. They are older runners like Team McManus and her Tom race walked his first half marathon ever. Such inspiration! Such joy! And no one asked how long did it take -- we were ecstatic to share in their success!



There were other posts from the Smuttynose Marathon and other Half Marathons as we experience the culmination of training for Fall events and photos of our dear friends Team Stirrat celebrating their place in their AG at a Team Masters 5K race.

Tanya, Mariama and Mike were at the front desk of WaveHealth this morning when I walked in to do my pool workout. They were overjoyed that I'd done my longest run yet. There had been a problem with the pool heater and they apologized for the colder water. I told them it was part of my mental toughness training to go the distance. I also shared with them about the fabulous Facebook news feed from the weekend.

My friend Stephanie (who ran Bermuda in January) arrived at the locker room after I'd finished my work out and asked me how the water was. "Cold," I said but if you swim along the left hand wall, you'll feel the warm water coming in through the jets. She shivered. We both agreed it was an exercise in mental toughness and training our minds as well as our bodies to go beyond immediate experiences and sensations. I showered and was drying my hair when she returned from her workout. We both agreed we were badass for staying committed and dedicated to our training plan despite the cold water in the pool.

"By the way how far did you run this weekend?" Stephanie asked me.

"My longest run so far - 8.5."

We fist pumped.

"And you?"

"12" - my half is coming up on 10/25 down in Rhode Island.

We both smiled and radiated joy as we shared in each other's success moving forward to reach our goals.

Our village is a very special village. We understand each other. We support each other and we know what it takes to dig deep and go the distance whatever the challenge and whatever the goal. The joy we exude for one another's success makes the journey that much sweeter!

My Running Chronicles: Planning for Success

Runners have a saying, "This sh** just got real." That's how I feel about my schedule of upcoming races.

While many couples may kick back and watch TV or a movie after work, Tom and I study course maps and map out our next training run.

Last night we zoomed in on the Bermuda Half Marathon course map:



We wrote out in our training journal the elevation and grade mile by mile. The beginning of the race is a downhill and it's going to be so tempting to go out fast but we are already mentally preparing ourselves for holding back on race day. I know I am going to feel like a filly at the gate standing on Front Street in Hamilton Bermuda just waiting to break free running my first half marathon since 2009 but we are going to be patient and pace ourselves.

The last time I stood on Front Street it was in the winter of 2006/2007. I was sporting black tie shoes with a toe up leg brace, using a cane when I walked and needing a wheelchair as I traveled through the airport:



I'll be standing on Front Street sporting these babies:


Next Saturday we will be running 5 miles. We are going to do an out and back down Beacon Street along part of the Boston Marathon course. We researched the elevation for that part of the Boston Marathon course and it matches the elevation for the Bermuda Half Marathon. The grade of hills may be steeper and there may be more rolling hills than on the Bermuda course so that will hold us in good stead. We are also training for Falmouth in the Fall and need lots of hill training.



We will also use the Spectacle Island run on 9/27th as a great training run for Falmouth in the Fall. It's an over hill over dale kind of course as we hit the dusty trail!

We also tweaked our schedule for workouts and runs. I realized that I was strength training 3 days in a row so we swapped a running day with a strength training day.

I ordered a theraband to increase resistance during clams to strengthen hip flexors and ankle weights to add resistance for straight leg raises in a chair.

Yup this sh** just got real. Six months from today we board that plane to that magical Island where I have many special memories and am excited to create new ones.

We are working out our training plan with diligence, intention and attention to detail. When I trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon, our trainer led us every step of the way because in truth we didn't know what we were doing. We are so blessed to be in the company of elite runners and coaches who can offer us advice and guidance as well as draw from our own experiences figuring out what works and doesn't work along the way. We are indeed planning for success!

Cheers! To life! To success!



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.


Be on the lookout for "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems," available soon on Amazon


I am writing "Going the Distance," chronicling this miraculous phase of my healing journey on the road to the Bermuda Half and the Newport Marathon 2016.