Astonishing! Fabulous Four Miles and a Revised Training Plan

 

My training plan on the road to the Bermuda Triangle Challenge Bermuda 10K was filled with great aspirations; a monthly training run on Heartbreak Hill, fartleks, tempo runs, and hill repeats. After our 3.5 mile training run on Heartbreak Hill, my left calf was a bit sore. Soreness is to be expected when taking on a new challenge. I felt so fantastic after my 'mile time trial' on Thursday, I felt that I was going to set and achieve a goal of a 20:00 minute mile for the Bermuda 10K and finish in a little over two hours. Just remember that for someone who was supposed to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair, I run pretty fast!

On Friday I wasn't able to take a full rest day due to chores that needed to be done. I was also internalizing stress of a challenging situation happening in our lives. As I know all too well, it's not the situation but how we respond to it that is important. I did a lot of stretching and meditation to prepare for my first 4 miles in several years.

We got up early on Saturday to beat the heat of the day. We stopped to take photos:

I put the phone back in my water belt. As we resumed the run, Ruth Anne asked me if I turned on music. We thought maybe it was from another runner but there was no runner near us. We listened closely and my phone was playing the song, "Astonishing" from Little Women sung by Tony Award Winner Sutton Foster. We stopped to chat with a neighbor and the music kept getting louder until it finally turned off. When I took my phone out, Ruth Anne said she had to take a screen shot of it:

As we went on our way, I could feel my calf muscle tighten. I want to take a moment and note that to feel my calf muscle tighten is a miracle. After a serious knee injury in December of 2014, the MRI indicated, among other things that my gastroc atrophied as a result of the initial polio virus. The physiatrist asserted there was nothing that could be done about it and that's what contributed to the knee injury. But I was blessed to find my way to a chiropractor who believed in the body's tremendous capacity to heal. Using KT tape, chiropractic and harnessing the power of the mind/body connection, we grew a new gastroc muscle! 

About two miles into the run, I experienced a muscle spasm in my calf. I had to stop several times to stretch, hydrate and remind myself of the body's tremendous capacity to heal. Tom and Ruth Anne were extremely patient with me as I needed to take frequent stops to manage the pain and the spasm. My goal was to push and get through those 4 miles. I was able to maintain a 22:12 minute/mile pace as I focused on the scenery around me, the blessing of training for Bermuda, opening up my body rather than contracting into the pain and repeating the mantra, "The power that made the body heals the body."

“Every run may not be good but there is something good in every run.” ~Anonymou

I had an epiphany during a hot shower after the run. The Universe was sending me a message that I am Astonishing whatever time is on the clock. I have a fantastic base of training and have no need to push myself allowing the fears and feelings from the past to dominate my training. Team McManus had a meeting about revamping our training plan. Tom asserted that because we have hills all around us, my body is gaining fitness through the added miles and the consistency of my training. I will incorporate hills into my mid-week runs but there is no need to push myself to achieve a certain goal other than to have fun, stay healthy and cross that finish line with a smile!

As I re-read Deena Kastor's book, {Deena Kastor is the Ambassador and Guest Speaker for Bermuda Race Weekend} "Let Your Mind Run" I am finding nuggets of wisdom that fuel my journey. Taking on the Bermuda 10K is enough of a challenge for me without adding in extra challenges along the way.  

Last night this phrase jumped off the page, "...get to the point where negativity bubbles and I had to be more resilient, more creative,more optimistic and more grateful to emerge stronger from it." I can go right up to the edge that helps me to grow without placing myself at risk for injury. I am listening to my body, making adjustments as needed and trust that I have everything it takes right now inside of me to go the distance! Deena's quote captures what happened to me during those fabulous four miles that tested my mettle and helped me to reach an awareness of how astonishing I am to have overcome the challenges of childhood paralytic polio and trauma; that at the age of 70 after a setback in my health and wellness journey I am taking on the challenge of the 10K distance on the Bermuda hills! 

 
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

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