Celebrating Ten Years of Running: On Patience and Endurance

As I am writing "The Adventures of Runnergirl1953" I am reflecting on my running adventures and the adventure of overcoming the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, the effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma.

The turtle totem resurfaced on another run around the Reservoir. I had two turtles as pets when I was growing up. I was fascinated by the rhythm of their movements and found peace and solace in their companionship. There was no internet to google their meaning in my life then but as I discovered when writing, "Celebrating Ten Years of Running: On Turtles and the View from the Back of the Pack,", turtles are:
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

Amidst the chaos of my childhood and adolescence, I pulled into my shell to survive and with determination and persistence became the valedictorian for my high school graduation class.

Throughout my life, and especially during these past 11 years, I have been the turtle exhibiting patience and endurance with every challenge I faced.

What a thrill to cross the finish line of so many races running slow (by comparison) and steady.

I struggled with my pace while training for the Bermuda Half Marathon in 2016 but my running and life partner Tom reminded me "For somebody who is supposed to be in wheelchair, you run pretty fast."

I have learned how to feel comfortable in my own shell running my race at my pace with patience and endurance. I embrace my awesomeness in not taking the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome sitting down. Step by step I moved and continue to move forward in my healing journey leaving the past behind, celebrating ten years of running and excited for what the next decade will bring!

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: Joy to Realize I Could Live Life Anew

Before running there was poetry that fired up my imagination to experience a world beyond Post-Polio Syndrome, the effects of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma. The first poem I wrote in February 2007 was called, "Running the Race."

Here's an excerpt:
Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.

Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
for the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.

I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

My heart was warmed and I was so grateful for the responses to yesterday's blog post, "Celebrating Ten Years of Running: On Turtles and the View From The Back of the Pack." Denise Holbert-McMillan, one of my dear running friends who I met through serendipity in Bermuda 2016, posted this on Facebook:

Love this, Mary. Know who else has joy in limitations? E. I was watching her run after the ball with absolute abandon, slower, but with sheer exuberance. She stops when she has to, lifts her paw a little, sometimes just sits. It used to make me sad for her wondering if this is it. But one day I just realized she was enjoying her favorite activity without a care about what she had before or what may come down the pike. TODAY was what she was working with, just like the rest of us.

along with this photo of her beautiful dog Ellie:



When I was "given" the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease in December of 2006, my life came to a screeching halt. I was told I needed to quit my award winning VA social work career if I wanted to "halt the symptoms where they were" and faced a grim future according to Western Medicine standards.

I refused to take the diagnosis sitting down and, instead of making lemonade, I went out and ran the 2009 Boston Marathon as a mobility impaired runner raising over $10,535 for Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I took the first steps on my healing journey.

I took a leap of faith and left my award winning career to heal my life although at the time I had no idea what that meant.

I felt deep in my soul, that despite the precarious situation I was in at the time, I could find a way to find joy and live life anew. At the time, using a leg brace and a cane for mobility and using a wheelchair at times to get around, I didn't know that I would celebrate 10 years of running. I opened my mind to possibility and my heart to gratitude. No matter what circumstances life may throw our way there is joy to realize we can always find a way to live life anew.

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: 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):