Against All Odds-Forever the Optimist!

 

How does one find strength, resilience and determination against all odds? I've never had it easy. At the age of 5, I contracted paralytic polio in one of the last polio epidemics. My mom was addicted to prescription pain medication; my father was alcoholic and my maternal grandmother was mentally ill. My father ended his life a month before I was heading off to Boston University to begin my freshman year. I felt a powerful spiritual presence as I lay paralyzed from the polio virus and knew that no matter the challenge, I'd be able to make it through. 

 

Has it been easy? Of course not but it's these very challenges throughout my life that has made me the woman I am today overflowing with gratitude, joy, an appreciation for this precious life I live and tickled with delight that, instead of being in a wheelchair as was predicted for me in December of 2006, I am on the Road to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K with my sights set on the half marathon distance for next year.

 

Tom and I wrapped up another week in our training cycle this morning with rain and fog. We've been blessed with incredible weather these past several weeks, albeit some sweat fests with heat and humidity loving glorious sunrises on our early morning runs. This morning, Tom and I focused on the beauty of the mist and fog, the cleansing rain, the scent of the sweet clean air noticing how the leaves are beginning to change color. Our hearts overflowed with gratitude for our time together unplugged out in nature feeling deep appreciation for our good health. 

 

Tom had to work last Saturday. Rather than change the days of our training schedule, we decided to make it a reduced mileage week and do a 5K. It was a fabulous 5K with summer still hanging in there. As we kicked off a new week of training, I reflected on how what I am doing is against all odds; how from the time I was 5, I was going against all odds.

 

In gym class, where I was always the last pick and given the nickname "Easy Out Alper" (my maiden name), the outfield moved in as they always did during kick ball when I came to the plate. On this particular day, I somehow connected with the ball but since no one was in the outfield to play it, I hit a home run! Against all odds, I competed in the end of summer Olympics at Badger Day Camp thanks to my amazing swimming counselor Joe Stetz. He helped me believe I could defy the odds of childhood paralytic polio and proudly take my place on the podium. He taught me that it didn't matter that there were only 2 other competitors. I had the courage to compete in the butterfly stroke under his guidance. 

 

My heart overflowed with gratitude seeing these spectacular scenes in nature, as I reflected on how debilitated I was in 2006 barely able to climb the stairs in my house having difficulty swallowing and breathing, to the unbridled joy I feel being out in nature and training for the 10K distance again. Forever the optimist, I am focused on two things. Enjoying the journey to the starting line and seeing Tom and I cross that finish line as we had in 2016. 

 

  

Talk about against all odds. In December of 2014, I had a very serious left knee injury. My left leg was more severely affected by the polio virus. The MRI indicated that I would need a total knee replacement in a few years. The gastroc muscle was atrophied from polio and there was a whole host of other issues in the joint. I should stop running or cap my distance at a 5K. I was blessed to meet a chiropractor/healer who believed in the power of the mind/body connection and introduced me to the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. Together we built on the healing I'd already done after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. We revamped my strength training program. Dr. Ryan incorporated chiropractic care into my training plan. He was also a certified personal trainer! I went on to run the Bermuda Half Marathon in January 2016 followed by the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K in February of 2016. I ran the Bermuda Half Marathon in 2017 and 2018.

 

Sunday was our rest and recovery day. We got to be in the room where it happened seeing "Hamilton" on the big screen. It was everything and more than we could have imagined.

 

Monday morning the alarm went off at 6:00am to start a new day, a new week and the last week of summer. It will be one of the last days of being treated to a spectacular sunrise:

The light on the trees with their fading green leaves was a clear signal that Fall is on its way. But you know what? I am really excited for the change in seasons this year. There's still a lot of time to enjoy runs without layers of clothing and being on firm ground. I am thrilled and excited that the training cycle through the winter months will culminate with my goal race in Hyannis and seeing what this body can do as I go for the distance of the half marathon again next year.

 

In February of 2007 I got still and asked for Divine Guidance after having been given that devastating diagnosis and grim prognosis. I tapped into my imagination visualizing a future very different than the one Western Medicine predicted for me. I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul that fired up the power of the mind/body connection. I made the shift from feeling like a victim of my past to rekindling the optimist within me knowing somewhere deep inside me that, against all odds, I would not only survive but thrive in the wake of polio and trauma. 

 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

I was recently the guest on The Optimism Institute Blue Sky Podcast. 
"Mary McManus has never had it easy. As a kindergartner, she was a victim of polio just a short time before the vaccine was introduced. She also faced trauma in her home life but somehow managed to persevere and overcome these and still more obstacles throughout her life. Today, Mary is an inspiring author, poet, motivational speaker, and finisher of the Boston Marathon." Here is the link to the Episode Website. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube.

 

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Amazon.  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Amazon Author Page for book descriptions and rave reviews.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

It's All So Possible!

 

I could fill a blog with motivational quotes about possibilities but then I wouldn't have any space to share this week in our training cycle on the Road to the 45th Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K. But first, let me ask you a question. Did you know the runner within me was born in my imagination? In December of 2006 I was given the once devastating diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome,  a progressive neuromuscular disease. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged possibly needing a feeding tube. I was also told that I should leave my award-winning social work career; the stress and strain of my work would accelerate the worsening of symptoms.

In February of 2007, knowing I was at a crossroads in my life, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. I prayed as I so often had when facing other challenges in my life, drawing from the spiritual strength I experienced when I contracted paralytic polio. I had an out of body experience and felt the presence of my guardian angel. I chose to return to my body with the promise from this Being that no matter what happened, I'd make it through. As I sat at my dining room table with printouts spread out from the 'new age' but really ancient wisdom, the poem "Running the Race" flowed out of me. It foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run! Poetry flowed out of me as though a spigot had been turned on in my soul. My pen became my divining rod for healing. My imagination stoked the flames of the power of the mind/body connection. 

Saturday was an unexpected hot and humid day. Temperature when we finished, despite what we thought was an early start, was 84 degrees with 71% humidity. There was a sea breeze in Southie with some shade, but everyone running on Saturday was melting with sweat. I knew this was going to be my longest run of 5.5 miles in this training cycle and longest run since 5/4 of last year when I ran the Gone for a Run Virtual 10K. I've had to move the line of my thinking from limitations to expansive possibilities; that I can and will go the distance of a 10K and then a half marathon next year. I allowed the expansiveness of the ocean to fuel my mental toughness. 

I love this quote from Paula Radcliffe:

 I was fully present in the mile we were in leaning into the discomfort of the weather conditions. I am savoring every moment of this training cycle. I was grateful I remembered to bring pretzels in my fuel belt and to pack an extra Gu waffle 'just in case.'  

We ran by a table with trophies on it. I had to pause for a moment. "Did I win?" I asked of no one in particular. Tom asked what was going on. "It's our annual horseshoe tournament," was the reply. Tom turned to me and said, "Only in Southie." On our way back, we could see that this group was very serious about their horseshoes. They had trophies for first, second and third place! Wow! 

As we passed two women with bouquets of helium balloons I asked, "Where's the party? Are we invited?" They ignored us but two women walking their dogs laughed with me.

In the midst of pouring sweat, needing to adjust our pace and stopping at the newly renovated Curley Center to make a pit stop and fill up our water, I felt this surge of gratitude flow through me. We paused for a moment in the air conditioned comfort of the Curley Center knowing that no matter what, we were going to finish our 5.5 miles. I realized how I beat the odds of having to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!

Here are scenes from Saturday's fabulously fantastic 5.5 miler in challenging weather conditions:

You can see how hazy it was despite having turned the page on the calendar to September. During my recovery, I used the visualization of having Normatec boots on my legs along with the mantra, "My body recovers with ease." Tom and I took a long afternoon nap in our air conditioned room. I felt sore and satisfied. 

Kristin Armstrong's quote captures how I felt after Saturday's long run:

Sunday was our rest day to ensure our bodies fully recovered from Saturday's miles and to get ready for a Monday morning run. Tom's work schedule required us to do a runchie which was a delightful change. For those not in the know, a runchie is a run over lunch. Fortunately, the more seasonable temperatures prevailed. At this time of year it is such a challenge to not over or under dress. By mid-run, I peeled off my jacket and was comfortable in my shorts and t-shirt. 

We were blessed with another glorious September day with hints that Autumn is on its way.

 

 

 

 

Just look at those rich blue hues painted by the Master Artist. The Reservoir was a canvas that captured late summer beauty in all her glory. What a gift to have such a great running route from our home.

Tuesday was our strength training day; 45 minutes of a rigorous workout that, 18 years ago would have been impossible for me to do. 

Wednesday was a wonderful rest day. Tom and I cooked Turkey Bacon, spinach and tomato sandwiches for lunch. We always take time after lunch to do what we call a "scrubbing"; we do a guided meditation from Dr. David Hamilton. Wednesdays are when a new episode of The Optimism Institute Blue Sky podcast drops. If you aren't familiar with it, I highly recommend that you subscribe so you don't miss another episode. Bill Burke's guests are uplifting and inspiring as we all work together to meet the moments of these challenging times. I was his guest on Episode 99. Feeding ourselves well mind, body and soul and being diligent about rest days are a vital part of the training plan.

Thursday morning marked the 24th anniversary of 9/11. Tom and I dedicated our miles to all those whose lives were lost and those whose lives were tragically altered on that day 24 years ago. You can read my reflections that I wrote in a blog 11 years ago "A Day of Remembrance-My Hope For Today". My words are as true today as they were then. It was a glorious gift of a morning to wrap up another week of our training cycle.

 

As I looked up and saw the moon, my first thought was that of unity. We are all one under the moon and I said a prayer for healing and unity in our world. I wrote "Under the Moon" during the pandemic. It's included in "Into the Light: Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic." 

Under the Moon

Under the moon
We are all One
under the light of the full moon 
wintry barren branches frame its beauty

She beams inviting us to look up

Divisions must cease
who is right or wrong
transform these wayward passions
Come with compassion 

In darkness and silence Source reigns 
reign in conflicts 
listen closely to heart’s promptings
 
Prompting us to be light

Not right
foolishly clinging 
digging in

Reach out

Building bridges
a time to heal
judgments fade into the fog
truth comes into view

A world made whole and new
Under the full moon
Where we are all One.

My second thought as I gazed for a moment on the setting moon was how impossible it seemed at first blush when humans contemplated going into outer space and having a human walk on the moon. Yet now space travel is common place. What once was only a glimmer in someone's imagination, is now all so possible. Coincidentally, the guest on this week's Blue Sky podcast is a retired NASA Astronaut, Nicole Stott.

What once was a glimmer in my imagination of winning a 10K race despite being in a toe-up leg brace, using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility AND having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair never having run a day in my life has now come into being.

As the words to the song "Impossible" from Cinderella say:

But the world is full of zanies and fools
Who don’t believe in sensible rules
And won’t believe what sensible people say,
And because these daft and dewy- eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes,
Impossible things are happ’ning every day!

 

Going the distance of the 10K and then half marathon again? After Saturday's 5.5 miler I feel in every fiber of my being that it's all so possible! 

 

 In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

I was recently the guest on The Optimism Institute Blue Sky Podcast. 
"Mary McManus has never had it easy. As a kindergartner, she was a victim of polio just a short time before the vaccine was introduced. She also faced trauma in her home life but somehow managed to persevere and overcome these and still more obstacles throughout her life. Today, Mary is an inspiring author, poet, motivational speaker, and finisher of the Boston Marathon." Here is the link to the Episode Website. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube.

 

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Amazon.  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Amazon Author Page for book descriptions and rave reviews.

 

 

 

 

Magic, Miracles and Mindfulness In The Miles!

 

Last Saturday, Tom and I opted to sleep in a little later and do an out the door run. We parked at the Cleveland Circle Reservoir using our car for a water stop for our last 5 miler in this part of our training cycle. After once around the Reservoir, we had our water stop and headed down Beacon Street along the Boston Marathon course. I could feel the magic in this training cycle and in my running shoes. Having the goal of a 10K with a stretch goal of another half marathon fuels my feeling of transformation in the wake of polio and trauma. Beacon Street offered rolling hills and plenty of places to stop for a bathroom. The miles were filled with memories of training for the 2009 Boston Marathon. Conquering the hills as we headed back to our car was at once exhilarating and challenging. During this training cycle, I am more focused and determined than I have ever been in recent years. I bring mindfulness to each training run paying exquisite attention to pace, fueling, hydration and effort. My meditation sessions are a sacred time that I prioritize using them for visualization and healing any of the inevitable niggles that accompany a rigorous training cycle. 

 

Our loop around the Reservoir was filled with magical moments that reminded us of the miracles in nature:

Just look at those orbs, brilliant sunshine and sweet turtles that remind us all of this miracle we call life. When we got to our car, I took a few minutes to stretch and hydrate. It made a big difference in my recovery and something I will incorporate into my after run mindfulness practice.

 

We treated ourselves to a healthy yet hefty brunch at Johnny D's in Newton before coming home to take our afternoon rest after a mindful stretching session.

 

Sunday was our rest day; a vital part of any training plan. By Monday morning, we were ready to lace up our running shoes that have magic in them and head out the door. The neighborhood was uncharacteristically quiet as though everyone was sleeping in for the last unofficial day of summer. Even though it was a holiday, we still wanted to get an early start to the day savoring early morning before breakfast runs. The sky was overcast. There was a sense of mystery and magic as we had the Reservoir to ourselves; it was the calm before the rhythm shifted from the lazy days of summer to back to school. I noticed the layers of blue that could only be painted by the Master Artist.

 

As we navigated the hills to and from our home, I felt the benefits of those Beacon Street hills we did on Saturday.

 

Tuesday was our strength training day. A quote from Jillian Michaels inspired the workout:

                                                                                                    With every run and every workout, I remember my WHY. I am celebrating this miracle of healing after having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. I feel joy and gratitude deep in my heart and soul that at 71 years old I crank up my playlist and work out with my bestie of almost 49 years. We have a 45 minute workout and continue to challenge ourselves with reps and increased difficulty.

Wednesdays are for rest and recovery!

 

Today's morning run was the jewel in the crown of this week's training. The magic and majesty of the dawn of a new day filled our hearts with love and gratitude. In contrast to Monday morning, cars were careening down the road. Runners were getting in their before work, drop the kids off or get to class runs. The energy of a new season had arrived. The colors at the Reservoir are slowly transforming from summer to Autumn. 

             

 Tomorrow is a feel good Friday rest day when I get everything ready for Tom and me to take on a 5.5 mile training run on Saturday morning. Each week there are new adventures and learning how to best take care of this magical miraculous body during this training cycle. Magic, miracles and mindfulness are sure to be infused into our runs, strength training workouts and recovery days.

 

 In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my website to learn how poetry, optimism, gratitude and the mind/body connection helped me to transform my life. After having been told in December 2006 that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I went on to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as runnergirl 1953. Be sure to visit the recently updated News and Events Page for links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

I was recently the guest on The Optimism Institute Blue Sky Podcast. 
"Mary McManus has never had it easy. As a kindergartner, she was a victim of polio just a short time before the vaccine was introduced. She also faced trauma in her home life but somehow managed to persevere and overcome these and still more obstacles throughout her life. Today, Mary is an inspiring author, poet, motivational speaker, and finisher of the Boston Marathon." Here is the link to the Episode Website. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and on YouTube.

 

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Amazon.  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Amazon Author Page for book descriptions and rave reviews.