This Week in Training: Zest and Enthusiasm

Several years ago, I was given the nickname, "The Empress of Enthusiasm." My zest and enthusiasm for life began to wane as I experienced a progression of debilitating symptoms that was diagnosed as Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. But in February of 2007, as I discovered the gift of poetry in my heart and soul, the spark was lit as my pen became my divining rod for healing. This week's theme in our training for Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K is Zest and Enthusiasm. It was -6 degrees when we woke up on Saturday, so we waited for the day to "warm up." When all was said and done, it was 4 fabulous freezing fun-filled miles in 11 degrees with beautiful sunshine and blue sky. The first few minutes of the run were very challenging for me as my body worked hard to acclimate to the bitter cold headwind. I embraced the challenge and knew I would find my rhythm. I felt the anticipation of toeing the starting line in Hyannis and being a part of my favorite weekend happening in 4 weeks.

I am so grateful we had our training plan front loaded with 5, 6 and even one 7.2 mile runs knowing how New England winters can quickly turn harsh. Beacon Street was filled with those training for Boston. Tedy's Team was setting up a water stop. They told us that their Team got a later start and were cutting their miles short given the condition of the roads and sidewalks. Tom and I were swept up in the energy of another training cycle for the Boston Marathon and gave a lot of cheers and high-fives. While we had to wait for the light to change in Cleveland Circle, we did a line dance to stay warm. Dodging cars, runners, navigating over snow packed sidewalks and feeling grateful for stretches of dry ground made for a joy filled run. I loved feeling the contrast of sweating at the end of the run with the frosty air.

On Monday, Tom and I got in another before breakfast rigorous strength training session as our training cycle is winding down. We have a little less than a month to go until we head to Hyannis to enjoy our favorite race weekend of all time! During this training cycle, I've been reflecting on this incredible journey since December 2006 when I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. Given all the lemons that life threw my way, nobody would have judged me for wanting to take the diagnosis sitting down. But in February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance as I often did throughout my challenges.

I was astounded when the poem, "Running the Race" flowed out of me followed by an anthology of poems that inspired me to heal mind, body and soul. I ran my first Half Marathon race at the 2009 Hyannis Marathon Weekend on the Road to Boston. It was my introduction to running greats Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter, and the amazing running community. I am forever grateful to Paul Collyer for welcoming me and all abilities to Hyannis as he continues to do to this day!

On Tuesday's run, it felt like 36 degrees -- yes please and thank you. I love it when the feels like is warmer than the actual temperature. Tom and I had a great runchie. What a difference from a week ago when we couldn't even get out to do a run and "cross trained" with snow removal. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sun was deliciously warm.

At this point in our training cycle, we are harnessing the power of our imagination to visualize race day; especially coming into the finisher's chute after a fabulous time out on the course. We are savoring the anticipation of race weekend while feeling gratitude flow from our hearts in the gift of present moments. Every day is a celebration of life, especially when the polar vortex temporarily released its icy grip, celebrating healing and aging strong.

When the weather forecast called for a chance of snow and the coldest temperatures of the season this weekend, I asked Tom if we could swap out our usual 2-3 mile easy run on Thursdays for our 4 mile run planned for Saturday. His boss is so amazing, supportive and encouraging and told Tom it would be no problem.

We simulated race day. We started at around 10:15 - gun time in Hyannis is 10:00am, wearing the shoes we plan to wear on race day. We did our fueling and hydration plan noting how we would fuel for the last 2 miles. There was a strong headwind when we started out. Tom teased me and asked why we swapped days - to avoid the cold? But once the wind died down, we soaked in the warm sunshine. We ran the same route we had on Saturday without needing to dodge cars and runners. Knowing where the turnaround would be gave us a mental boost as did the 'warmer temperatures'. It was 26 degrees as compared to 11 degrees on Saturday. It was a solid 4 miles fueled by gratitude as we age strong, by joy, being together unplugged and celebrating the gift of my healing.

Tom had to stop to check his Slack before the hill leading up from the Reservoir since he was on call. When I have to stand still in the cold, my right knee has a tendency to lock for a moment before I continue moving BUT on Thursday's run, I used conscious movement harnessing the power of the mind/body connection. I visualized smooth mechanics in my right knee releasing the trauma it had endured when I was a child. I also let go of memories of having been in a cast from hip to ankle on my right leg when I was 11 to treat a torn meniscus. It was caused by overuse after polio. I did a happy dance in my heart with Tom when I let him know the freedom I felt in my leg after 3.2 miles.

 

Three weeks from today we head to Hyannis for race weekend. We'll top off the tank of the training cycle with a 2 miler on Saturday and two 5K's for the next two Saturdays. 

I hope to see many of you at the Expo where I'll be sharing my incredibly inspiring journey as a most unlikely runner. My zest for life now as a 72 year old and enthusiasm for what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary is infectious.  Here is the link to register and to the event website  Bill Rodgers returns as the special guest for Race Weekend. 

 

See you in Hyannis!

 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** 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.

My Trilogy of Transformation chronicles my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards to a woman transformed through the sport of running. Take a journey into a world of healing, hope and possibilities with my 7 books, available on Amazon. My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner: Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club and Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reading for Every Runner. You will be inspired by my strength, courage, resilience, determination and overcoming the inevitable setbacks that come with a journey to health and wellness. 

 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.

 

Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

 

 

 

 

This Week in Training: Magic and Mystery

 

This week's theme for training on the Road to Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K is magic and mystery. I was thinking back to how bold it was of me to declare in February of 2008 that my next health and fitness goal with my personal trainer was to run the 2009 Boston Marathon. I was still wearing a toe-up leg brace and had never run a day in my life. In December of 2006, I was given the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome and was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. What a magnificent mystery that, in February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance vowing to not take the diagnosis sitting down. The poem, "Running the Race" flowed out of me foreshadowing my 2009 Boston Marathon run! An anthology of poems followed harnessing the power of the mind/body connection inspiring healing in the wake of childhood paralytic polio and trauma. While there is a plethora of research showing the power of the mind/body connection, the science that explains the phenomena doesn't negate the magic and mystery.

My cutoff for doing a training run outside is feels like 6 degrees. Saturday's temperatures were in the feels like -13 degrees. Fortunately, Tom and I planned ahead and got in Saturday's run on Thursday. We rolled out the mats, got out our strength training equipment and workout sheet, and cranked up the playlist. We mixed up the order of the workout and discovered that it made it a lot more challenging. Since our race is only 5 weeks away, we will keep the same order of the workout. After we recover from the race and this training cycle, we will mix it up! We incorporated more stretching and spontaneous dance movement into the workout celebrating our health and wellness at 73 and 72 years old.

I am celebrating 20 years of healing feeling so much joy and gratitude in this training cycle. After being given the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome and told that I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged, I asked for Divine Guidance. I discovered the power and magic of writing poetry that ultimately led me to the sport of running. I discovered the magic in believing in myself to exceed all expectations after the Post-Polio Syndrome diagnosis. In February of 2008, I set the goal of running the 2009 Boston Marathon despite never having run a day in my life and still being in a toe-up leg brace. Being a part of the running community and the sport of running has been a magical part of my life! 

I've been blessed to experience so many magical moments since becoming a part of the running community.  One of my favorite memories popped up as a Facebook memory when I was at the Bill Rodgers 5K with Phil Lipof in August of 2014. On 1/24/2021, Phil Lipof posted this on social media:

"I met an amazingly inspirational woman in August of 2014 at the Zero Prostate cancer walk/run in Newton Mass. I emceed the event with marathon icon Bill Rodgers. I don’t want to tell you the whole story here because she has just written a book about it - but Mary McManus’s journey from a wheelchair to the finish line at the Boston marathon is a story everyone should hear. How childhood polio, suicide and determination collide at the intersection of inspiration and awesome! Here is a picture of us from that day and the cover of her book (in which she talks about our meeting that day). Getting her signed copy made me smile and remember how spectacular year she is. The book is called 'The adventures of runnergirl 1953.'"

On Monday, while Tom dug us out from the two feet of snow compliments of Winter storm Fern, I did a 45 minute strength training workout. I worked out with intention focusing on preparation for race day on 3/1. We've had an amazing training cycle with having to substitute only two strength training days for running days. Fingers crossed we are able to get out this week for our regularly scheduled runs now that snowmageddon has moved out. We are so incredibly grateful we have electricity, heat and hot water and a battery operated snow blower.

Tuesday was a different kind of training day. The roads were icy and the snow banks too high to make it safe for us to go on a run. As Tom continued to dig us out, my job was to work on removing snow from the car; a wonderful upper body workout that included side stepping around the car and keeping my balance. 

I do miss our early morning before breakfast runs but was so grateful we were able to get in a runchie on Thursday. It was bitter cold when we started with a wind chill. My face hurt, but my gratitude at being able to get out and get in the miles kept me warm. I was grateful to the people in our Town who plowed out at night and salted the roads. We couldn't get to our usual running route at the Reservoir and going down Beacon Street, so we spontaneously took a left on the road before the bridge that leads to the Reservoir. We got to incorporate lots of hills and were treated to warm sunshine!

Tom and I reflected on what I'd been told when I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. It was presumed that because I had contracted paralytic polio as a child that I had osteoporosis, and, if I fell on the ice presuming my balance wasn't good, I would end up with a hip fracture. I should only go out with a cane and an ice gripper going from my home to the car.

As I felt invigorated and exhilarated by the sunshine, cold air and being steady on my feet confidently navigating snow, slush and ice with ease, I only knew that getting out in Winter is vital for health and well-being. When we weren't able to get out for a run for a week, I noticed a downshift in my physical and mental well-being that was quickly reversed during and after Thursday's run.

One of my favorite poems is "Courage" that was inspired by our training runs around Jamaica Pond on the road to the 2009 Boston Marathon.

With Thursday's miles, we gratefully and joyfully wrapped up another week of training on the Road to Hyannis.  It wasn't your typical training week given the weather but we did the best we could given Mother Nature's blast of Winter. We are so delighted we uploaded the front end of our training cycle with long runs confident we have a solid base for race day.

I'm so excited that 4 weeks from today, we head to my favorite race weekend in my happy place on Cape Cod. Come see me at the Expo where I'll be inspiring runners with my incredible journey and have my books for sale. The Marathon and 10K are almost sold out. The Half Marathon is a great race to prep for the Boston Marathon. Registration fees go up 2/1. Register today by following this link. Be sure to make your reservations at the Host Hotel, The Cape Cod Irish Village at the Emerald Resort and Conference Center. They are almost sold out for race weekend!

See you in Hyannis! 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** 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.

My Trilogy of Transformation chronicles my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards to a woman transformed through the sport of running. Take a journey into a world of healing, hope and possibilities with my 7 books, available on Amazon. My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner: Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club and Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reading for Every Runner. You will be inspired by my strength, courage, resilience, determination and overcoming the inevitable setbacks that come with a journey to health and wellness. 

 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.

 

Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

 

This Week in Training: Difficult Roads - Beautiful Destinations

 

At the age of 5 1/2, I encountered the difficult road of contracting paralytic polio. I was blessed with a gifted physical therapist, Miss Holly and a physiatrist, Dr. Eugene Moskowitz who specialized in treating the after effects of polio. My childhood and adolescence was fraught with challenges beyond recovering from polio but there were always earth angels at the ready to support and encourage me.

At the age of 53, at the height of my award-winning social work career at the Boston VA Outpatient Clinic, I was diagnosed with 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. I was just 3 years shy of when I was eligible to retire and had my retirement plans all in place...or so I thought. My destiny was waiting for me as a most unlikely runner, poet, author and motivational speaker.

Saturday morning 7am:
Me: {still in bed after meditation} Tom can you check the weather please?
Tom: Sure. It says it's snowing and will be stopping in 45 minutes.
Me: Oh well. That's okay. I remember when it snowed a few times when we ran Hyannis.
Tom: Let me look out the window and see how everything looks....It's not snowing! There's no snow on the ground.

And so began the day for our fantastic 5 miler to start another week of training on the Road to Hyannis. 

We did a 2 1/2 mile out and back route from our house breathing in the clean crisp air and savoring the sights of nature. Tom and I agreed that these times unplugged out in Nature are a sanity saver these days. With all that is going on in our country and the world, and a stress-filled week for Tom at work, running is the gift that keeps on giving for physical and emotional well-being.

It's a gift that I am deeply grateful for knowing that if I would have succumbed to the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome 20 years ago, my life would look drastically different today. I'm not even sure if I would have been alive today given Western Medicine's view that Post-Polio Syndrome is a progressive neuromuscular disease. Jean Baker Miller,MD with whom I worked as a social worker at Charles River Hospital, suffered for years with debilitating symptoms and died from complications of Post-Polio Syndrome.  

This training cycle has been filled with the kind of joy that comes with challenging oneself experiencing discomfort and pushing limits. 

On Sunday, as my social media news feed filled with photos and videos from Bermuda Triangle Challenge Weekend, I reflected on another difficult road that led to an astonishingly beautiful destination.

In December of 2014, I suffered a serious left knee injury. My left leg was affected more by the polio virus than my right leg. When I went for the MRI, it showed an atrophied gastroc muscle, torn cartilage, degenerative changes from osteoarthritis and changes from when I had reconstructive leg surgery. There were bone spurs and a fatty lipoma. As the physiatrist shared the results with me, he noted there was nothing we could do about the atrophied gastroc muscle, a result of polio. Arthroscopic surgery to repair the torn cartilage was not an option. I should have never started running in the first place as a polio survivor, and should stop running or cap my distance at a 5K. I'd need a total knee replacement in a few years. 

In February of 2015, I was blessed to meet Ryan J. Means, a chiropractor healer who believed, as I did in the body's tremendous capacity to heal. We partnered together using chiropractic, a new strength training regimen and, as I had done after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, harnessed the power of the mind/body connection using visualization.

These photos are from the Bermuda Triangle Challenge Weekend Half Marathon in January of 2016 and the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K in February of 2016. Six weeks from today, Tom McManus and I once again toe the starting line of the 2026 Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K!

Another snowstorm came through the area on Sunday. Tom and I were so grateful that Monday was an indoor workout day and the holiday that commemorates the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. My heart was warmed by how quotes and dedicating our lives to honor his legacy filled my news feed throughout the day. Tom and I started the new day and a new week with a 45 minute rigorous strength training session. I was inspired by this quote:

Before the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006, as I experienced debilitating symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, the limp from polio returned, difficulty swallowing and breathing, my zest and enthusiasm for life began to wane. In February of 2007, I discovered the gift of poetry in my soul. I imagined a future very different than the one Western Medicine predicted for me of expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged, and prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair! I saw life through the lens of the words that were pouring forth from my heart and soul. My pen lit the spark within me that was dimmed but could never be snuffed out.

Black ice lined the street on Tuesday morning. Tom and I opted for a 2nd day of before breakfast strength training. We got ourselves pumped up with our playlist and feeling incredibly excited to return to our favorite race weekend of the year.  This quote from Amby Burfoot was a great reminder that our training is more than the miles and more than crossing that finish line, although we are psyched for the bling!

Training in Winter in Boston for the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K requires flexibility and perseverance. According to weather reports, the polar vertex will arrive on Saturday with feels like temperatures below zero. A major storm is forecast for Sunday. 

Tom and I usually do an easy 2-3 mile shakeout run on Thursday to wrap up our week of training but, given the weather forecast, we decided to do Saturday's 5K today. We were grateful there was only a 5K on the training plan this week so we could fit it into Tom's work day. The day warmed up quickly and we could easily navigate around slush and ice. We did an out and back route down Beacon Street after taking back roads to the Reservoir. It was inspiring to see the grey sky transform into a sky with blue streaks.

I am so grateful for all my body gives me with every run and workout remembering how, in December of 2006 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! Talk about a plot twist; how a difficult road led me to this beautiful destination of the sport of running being out in Nature living life to the full with my bestie. 

That's a wrap on another week of training for Hyannis. We got in solid 5 mile and 5K training runs working around what Mother Nature decided to do with the weather. Strength training is always a great option to complement our running. Taking a bye day is always an option but Tom and I will do whatever we can to stick to our only rest days on Wednesday and Sunday. Five weeks from today, Tom and I pack up and head to Hyannis. I will be at the Expo on Saturday inspiring runners and doing a book signing. Dinner reservations are secured at Colombo's, our favorite Hyannis restaurant, and we have our room reserved at the host hotel, The Cape Cod Irish Village at the Emerald Resort and Conference Center. It's almost go time!

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** 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.

My Trilogy of Transformation chronicles my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards to a woman transformed through the sport of running. Take a journey into a world of healing, hope and possibilities with my 7 books, available on Amazon. My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner: Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club and Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reading for Every Runner. You will be inspired by my strength, courage, resilience, determination and overcoming the inevitable setbacks that come with a journey to health and wellness. 

 

 

 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.

 

Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.

 

 

This Week in Training: Dancing Through Life!

 
 

Tom and I had 4 fabulous miles last Saturday to start another week of training on the Road to Hyannis. What a joy to have dry ground and no ice or snow to navigate along with moderate temperatures and no wind. The geese flying in formation reminded us to stay connected to a Force greater than ourselves and feel the Creator in all things. We reflected on the events of the past week and opened our hearts with compassion to lives lost while talking about how we retain our optimism. The Optimism Institute founder, Bill Burke, was recently the guest on an episode of SideBar:Optimism in Action podcast. I listened to it on Friday and shared with Tom how I was uplifted and inspired by how Bill answered very difficult questions from the hosts about maintaining our optimism to meet these moments. 

 

 

As I wrote about in a previous blog, "From Atrophy to Astonishing, during one of my early morning meditations, early on in this training cycle, I embodied myself as the young, lithe ballerina in Miss Patricia's ballet class. I experienced the muscle memories from before I contracted polio.

Saturday night, I had a dream about Miss Patricia only we had aged in the dream. She was holding class for a small group of older women. In the dream, I called her Patricia when I asked a question of how many steps we should take before we made a certain dance move. I loved the joy of feeling free in my body and dancing again. When I woke up I felt amazing remembering how happy I was for two years in her ballet class before contracting paralytic polio. 

This week's theme for my training cycle is "Dancing Through Life." I listened to the song from Wicked when I was in the waiting room for my therapy appointments after the diagnosis and 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 made the decision that even if I had to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I would do so dancing through life as happens in the song. Little did I know that in February of 2007, I would discover the healing power of poetry and become a most unlikely runner! 

 

For Monday's strength training session, I was drawn to this quote from Dr. Joe Dispenza. It's my why!

 I love starting a new day and a new week with a before breakfast rigorous strength training workout with Tom. I can't believe that we are in the final 7 weeks of training. There will be so much to celebrate in Hyannis. I'll be celebrating 20 years of healing after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome when 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. Tom will be celebrating his 74th birthday on 3/2. We met on a blind date 49 years ago on his  25th birthday! And on 3/4, we celebrate 48 years of marriage.

 

 On Tuesday morning, we were treated to a cotton candy sky; a sweet reward for getting up at 6am to get in morning miles. The last few weeks have been hard runs with bitter temps, and having to navigate snow, ice and rock salt. Those hard runs help me to appreciate an easy run like this morning. I felt as though I were dancing through the miles as Tom and I breathed deeply savoring these moments unplugged in Nature. We kept expressing how grateful we are for this training cycle celebrating being in our 70's feeling healthy enjoying life.

I remember how 20 years ago I was NOT enjoying life and faced a grim prognosis after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome when 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. 

Cue the fog horn for Thursday morning's mystical miles as we wrapped up another week of training. We found a nickel on our way home that, aside from how finding money is always a sign, a nickel has special significance.

"The Five Pennies" was a 1959 film based on the true story of bandleader Loring "Red" Nichols who leaves his burgeoning musical career with his band, "The Five Pennies" to care for his daughter who contracted polio. If you decide to watch it, be sure to have a box of Kleenex handy. Spoiler alert: Red Nichols daughter recovers from polio and encourages her dad to return to his passion. In the final scenes, Nichols, nervous and terrified of playing in front of an audience again, is disappointed when he sees no other old friends in the audience. He opens the show, and after a few notes, “Won't you come home Bill Bailey?” echoes through the dark. The lights come up, and he is greeted by Louis Armstrong and his friends. Willa, his wife, comes up on stage and tells him she has a surprise for him. Dorothy, his daughter, steps onto the dance floor without her cane and asks her father to dance. Here is the link to watch the emotional ending to the story.

What a beautiful affirmation for this week's theme of "Dancing Through Life" as we wrapped up another week of training on the Road to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K.  Come see me at the Expo! I'll be inspiring runners with my journey as a most unlikely runner and having my books for sale. Here is the link to register.  

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** 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.

My Trilogy of Transformation chronicles my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards to a woman transformed through the sport of running. Take a journey into a world of healing, hope and possibilities with my 7 books, available on Amazon. My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner: Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club and Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reading for Every Runner. You will be inspired by my strength, courage, resilience, determination and overcoming the inevitable setbacks that come with a journey to health and wellness. 

 

 

 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.

 

Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.