Countdown to Hyannis: Through the Eyes of Gratitude

 

 

In February of 2007 (wow 19 years ago now) my journey in the wake of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome began with the poem, 'Running the Race'. So much gratitude filled my heart despite, by all appearances to the contrary, there was not much to be grateful for! It foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon as I focused on winning a 10K race in my mind's eye. As we head toward Hyannis Marathon Weekend Race Week, it seems only fitting to revisit gratitude, where my journey began, as this week's theme for counting down to Hyannis.

Taper time is an opportunity to heal up all the niggles going into race week feeling ready, steady and strong. During this training cycle and taper time, I discovered new mantras. As I trained for Hyannis, I took a deeper dive into healing trauma and polio symptoms. When my physical body is taxed and when there is emotional stress, tremors tend to worsen. I came up with the mantra "steady as she goes" combining that with conscious movement. Conscious movement is a phrase I discovered in Norm Doidge's book, "The Brain's Way of Healing." It's a way to harness the power of neuroplasticity to heal neurological symptoms. After two 4 milers and a 2 miler within one week in bitter cold weather, I experienced a very tight IT band. I brought out my foam roller, paired it with the mantra of relief, release, relax, and conscious movement to avoid tightening up around the tightness.

My relationship with my body has become more intimate. With the goal of the 10K, it motivated me to take my healing to a new level and to love and care for myself in deeper and more meaningful ways.
My relationship with Tom has grown and our love deepened as we get ready to celebrate 49 years since we met and 48 years of marriage. It's amazing what all those early mornings, miles on the road and weathering every type of weather will do to deepen a relationship.

We were so grateful for warmer temperatures and no wind on Saturday morning feeling the energy of so many runners out training for Boston. With Saturday's miles, our training cycle on the Road to the Hyannis 10K is in the books. Tom and I did an easy 2 miler celebrating our 48th Valentines Day together. We are grateful for our beautiful life together. We are grateful for how we navigated incredible challenges through the years together and grateful for the many blessings now in our lives.

When I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006, told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged, Tom said it was a no-brainer that I should leave behind my award-winning social work career. I had an almost 3 figure salary with full benefits. My heart overflows with gratitude for his unending support. We've had amazing adventures during these past 20 years as I found my way to a healing path and the sport of running. I am so excited for our next adventure in Hyannis.

"Love is a Four Letter Word," one of my favorite poems, popped up as a FB memory for Valentines Day. I wrote Love is a Four Letter Word early on in my healing journey. I am deeply grateful for discovering the gift of poetry in my soul.

Tom and I, along with several of our friends on social media, have been following the Walk for Peace. The monks and their journey have expanded our spiritual awareness. I am tapping into the meaning of my own journey as I trained for Hyannis. I could not rest on my laurels but needed to take on at least one more challenge of a live race for myself and posterity.

We had our final before breakfast strength training workout on Monday morning. It's been an amazing 8 months of consistency, discipline and perseverance as we trained not only for race day but to age strong. It feels strange yet wonderful to not be checking the weather to plan out training runs. It was too early to check race day weather on Monday. During our work out and at breakfast, Tom and I expressed our sense of accomplishment and gratitude for this training cycle and all our minds and bodies have been able to achieve. I reminded us of the importance of speaking positive words into our life every morning especially as we count down to race weekend.

March 1st will be our victory lap. It will be a time to celebrate us. As I've shared in previous posts, March 2nd is Tom's 74th birthday and the 49th anniversary of when we met on a blind date! March 4th is our 48th wedding anniversary. This year marks 20 years since 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. Every day is a celebration of life that will be punctuated by Race Weekend. 

Tuesday was the first day we had no run scheduled. Since it's been a minute since I've gone through taper time, I did a bit of research to remind myself of the phenomenon of Taper Madness and indulged in Taper time Tuesday musings. Taper madness is described as a temporary, common phenomenon among endurance athletes experiencing high anxiety, restlessness, self-doubt, and "phantom pains" during the reduced training (taper) phase before a race. It stems from reduced endorphins, accumulated fatigue, and the psychological shift from high-volume training to rest. It is best managed by trusting the 
training, reducing mileage, staying active with light movement, and avoiding the urge to over train. 

Reading that phantom pains are random, temporary aches or muscle twitches that seem to appear when training drops, is caused by tissue repair and heightened awareness brought me great comfort.
Vivid and strange dreams can be a symptom of taper madness. On Monday night, I dreamed that I ran the Boston Marathon again. Instead of a medal, I was given a flimsy piece of paper to put around my neck. But that dream ties into the need for me to stay focused on ALL of my previous race successes and all of the successful training runs we had. There was only one training run during this training cycle when I hit the wall and I was able to power through. 

My mind has traveled to my one and ONLY DNF that was in Bermuda at the 10K in 2024. Rather than feel the grip of fear this could happen again, I am comparing that training cycle with time leading up to race day and this training cycle. My meditations are focused on healing and allowing taper time to work its magic. I know from sports psychology and the power of visualization that I can use my imagination to anticipate the joy of a wonder filled race weekend and race day,  or remember what happened in Bermuda. The only reason I am revisiting what happened in Bermuda is to experience the contrast between that training cycle and events leading up to race day with this training cycle. This training cycle has been infused with joy and gratitude. Treating ourselves to a brunch or lunch after every long run to relish our time on the roads and savoring a well-earned refueling meal was a game changer on the Road to Hyannis. If my thoughts briefly wander to negative what-if's, I quickly replace them with, "Aah but what is the very best that could happen." I looked through the photos from Hyannis in 2016 and felt a flutter of butterflies anticipating the excitement of race weekend. 

I love the tips for managing taper madness:
Trust the Process: Believe that the reduced workload is allowing your body to fully recover and build strength.
Stay Active (But Light): Avoid complete inactivity; instead, keep up light movement, such as short, easy runs.
Manage Energy: Use the extra time for sleep, stretching, and organizing gear.
Avoid Over-Checking: Do not obsess over the weather forecast or obsessively analyze old training data.

On Thursday, Tom and I went for an easy walk around the neighborhood to soak up the sunshine and continue our mental preparation for Hyannis. I reminded myself that phantom pains and tightness are temporary and just passing through; that we are going to have an epic race day. I am checking the weather so that we make sure we pack all the proper gear we will need. I'm so glad we purchased ponchos early on in our training as right now the forecast calls for rain. I've been doing a lot of stretching, foam rolling and taking longer time for afternoon meditations that sometimes drifts into a nap. I am reminding myself that this is my body's way to recover and prepare for race day. I continue to thank my body for all it has given me during this training cycle. I continue to express my deepest gratitude to Tom for being with me side by side and stride by stride on the roads and in our life together.

Through the eyes of gratitude everything is a miracle. This journey of healing and transformation and the gift of this training cycle has been an incredible miracle in my life that I appreciate from the depths of my heart and soul.

I hope to see many of you at the Expo where I'll be sharing my incredibly inspiring journey as a most unlikely runner and will have my books for sale.  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.

 

It's Taper Time: Hopes and Dreams!

The proverbial hay is in the barn. It's now taper time as Tom and I get ready to head to Hyannis Marathon Weekend in just two weeks! This past week I've been reflecting on the theme of hopes and dreams. When I first took a leap of faith, leaving behind my award-winning social work career to heal my life after the life changing diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I imagined a life where I shared my inspirational poetry and my life's journey of having overcome challenges since I was only 5 and a half years old. I didn't realize at first, that the poem, "Running the Race" had foreshadowed the dream of my running the 2009 Boston Marathon! The runner within me was born in my imagination.

 

I've dared to dream time and time again during these past 20 years with my most recent dream of returning to run the Hyannis 10K; a race I last ran in 2016. It's time for mental training and pumping myself up with inspirational quotes, reminding myself of the improbable dreams I've already achieved and the resounding success of this training cycle.

 

 

On Saturday, Tom and I woke up to a wintry mix and unplowed streets. Mother Nature was letting us know that we needed to do a strength training day in lieu of a shakeout run. We were so happy we did our last long run on Thursday I am hoping that the weather gods hear my plea for better weather as we head towards Race Weekend. We've had an amazing training cycle that's been more than the miles and more than the goal. I've grown and healed in many ways training in a way I had not trained since the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon.

In addition to the wintry mix, I also woke up to a very tight IT band after all the cold weather miles and two long runs in a week. I was grateful for the strength training workout. I broke out my massage roller that I hadn't used in years, used conscious movement to not habituate movement to the discomfort of the tight IT band and reminded myself of the body's tremendous capacity to heal when given the right environment. Tom and I agreed that we are well trained and ready to embrace taper time! We enjoyed almost an hour of stretching, strength training and our "On the Road To" playlist.

 

We continued with our pre-breakfast Monday morning strength training routine. 

 Tom and I feel an incredible sense of accomplishment celebrating an amazing training cycle. We have trained through every kind of weather. These last few weeks have really tested our mettle with the cold, snow and ice. We are proud of every step and every mile we have taken toward our goal. Our strength training session this morning included a lot of stretching and foam rolling but still kept the intensity and joy celebrating aging strong. We worked out with mindfulness and gratitude for all our bodies give us knowing these next few weeks of rest are just what we need to prepare mind and body for an amazing race day experience.

 

It felt a bit strange to have a Tuesday rest day scheduled especially with a beautiful weather day.

This training cycle has flown by. Tom and I were very diligent about rest days during our training cycle and, now that we are in taper time, are even more mindful about rest and recovery. There is always a tendency to "top off the training" or even stick to the previous training schedule. To have the best race day, taking that victory lap for all of our hard-earned work, we are taking extra rest days and tapering our miles. As a recovering Type A personality having overcome the challenges of polio and Post-Polio Syndrome, rest days can be challenging, but the benefits of this taper time far outweigh any additional training. It's also a great time to amp up my mental training, kicking those old beliefs to the curb and savoring the anticipation of race weekend. My mindset is to enjoy having this extra time to take exquisite care of myself with meditation, stretching and foam rolling, reading, listening to podcasts that make me smile and have uplifting content, and spending relaxing time with Tom. I'll also be getting ready for the Expo and Race Weekend. Taper time is touted for its benefits of:

-Re-energize before race day

-Won't see benefits from additional training
-Repair muscle damage
-Avoid fatigue

I look forward to experiencing all of these benefits during the next two weeks. 

 

I did not sleep well Wednesday night despite my best efforts at meditation. Even the most positive and enthusiastic humans get weighed down by events at times.  I felt tired on Thursday morning and debated for a NY minute about whether or not to forego Thursday's easy 2 miler. I did a half hour meditation before Tom and I were going to head out for our runchie reminding myself that the cold fresh air and sunshine would be far more beneficial than curling up in bed. We fueled and hydrated and once more put on our layers. There was a cold headwind that greeted us on our way to the Reservoir. It was exhilarating and invigorating whisking away the heaviness of all that has been going on with recent events. I was delighted that my right leg had loosened up with all of the stretching, foam rolling and rest. It was a beautiful winter's day with bright sunshine and a bluebird sky. The wind died down and I was sweating at the end of our run. I felt cleansed and refreshed.

 

As Tom and I wrap up a week of taper time and get ready to head to Hyannis in two weeks, I leave you with a few more inspirational quotes about hopes and dreams:

 

l am so excited to embrace this time of anticipation {and rest}. My hopes and dreams of once again experiencing the Hyannis Marathon Weekend and running the 10K are about to manifest in just two weeks. I'm ready!

 

I hope to see many of you at the Expo where I'll be sharing my incredibly inspiring journey as a most unlikely runner and will have my books for sale.  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: 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.