Motivation, Momentum and Pushing Beyond Limits

During these past 16 years, after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I pushed past limits time and time again. I am so excited to be training for the 2024 Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K. Every training run and every strength training session takes me one step closer to the starting line and I am feeling the joy in the journey despite the heartache of Ruth Anne's ongoing hospitalization. 

Ruth Anne is the one who encouraged me to set the goal of a new challenge. After she and Tom did the 2020 Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K, she said I could totally do it. But then there was COVID and I had a setback in 2021/2022. In 2023, we toyed with the idea of going back to Bermuda for Race Weekend with me as spectator. There were no direct flights from Boston. In April, Ruth Anne was inspired to check for flights for 2024 for Race Weekend. I waffled back and forth about whether or not I would and could do the 10K. Once signed up for it, I was all in. There were some rough training runs at the start and initially I was very anxious about whether or not I could go the distance again and do it under 2 and a half hours.

I had to adjust the training schedule that was too ambitious at first and find a way to give my body time to adapt to the training. I poured over Deena Kastor's book, "Let Your Mind Run".  

I incorporated many of her suggestions into the mental and physical aspects of my training. She is the guest speaker and Ambassador for Bermuda Triangle Challenge Weekend!

I was starting to have a 'niggle' in my right knee. During a recent Q & A in Dr. David Hamilton's Personal Development Club, we talked about how we can harness the power of the imagination in the mind/body connection to heal. He shared his personal experiences of tennis injuries. He shared how frequent short spurts of repetition of visualizing injury into wellness promotes neuroplasticity. Whenever I focused on the pain in my right knee, I used an image of releasing inflammation and injecting a cushion into the joint. It worked! I continue to have loving conversations with my body expressing gratitude for all it allows me to do. Ruth Anne recommended the book, "The Brain's Way of Healing" by Norman Doidge. Reading about neuroplasticity especially stories of healing with people diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease using conscious movement (which is what I instinctively started using after an adverse reaction to the COVID vaccine) has boosted my healing of my neuromuscular system harnessing the power of the mind/body connection.

We dedicate our miles to Ruth Anne until she joins us again on the road to her Half Marathon #3 in her Trilogy of Half Marathons for Victory Programs.

I am motivated by honoring Ruth Anne and all she is enduring right now in her ultramarathon of healing from a recent PANS flair. You can read more about her journey by following this link. Early on in my running career, as one who was overcoming a progressive neuromuscular disease, I felt motivated to run for those who were unable to. I know and trust that Ruth Anne will be back on the roads stronger and better than ever, but until she is, I am motivated to be the best I can be as we train for the Bermuda 10K.

I am amazed that in spite of or maybe because of the stress of Ruth Anne's hospitalization, there is a momentum to training. It's a constant in my life and gives me an anchor and a sense of purpose to share my powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities as once again I push past my own limits coming back from a major setback in 2021/2022.

I look forward to setting the alarm for 5:45am during the week and see what magnificent majesty the Divine has ready for us to start a new day. We are savoring these end of summer sunrises. This morning we were greeted with another magnificent magical and mystical morning from the Divine:

 

Garmin told me I had my fastest mile and I pushed my pace on the hills coming back from the Reservoir. The air was cool and crisp. What courage and bravery it takes to see beyond appearances as we haven't had contact with Ruth Anne or the treatment team since we had a meeting a week ago Monday. It's so easy to get caught up in the negativity and what if's given how Ruth Anne presents when her brain is inflamed secondary to a response to infection. This morning my heart opened and overflowed with gratitude and optimism. I realized feeling anger and frustration at the treatment team and the missteps of this hospitalization serves no purpose at this time. I felt forgiveness for the treatment team knowing how awful they must feel since Ruth Anne was ready for discharge and then wasn't after they discontinued the antibiotic, and how distressed the hospital must feel that they missed treating her with antibiotics after she was found to have an infection in the ER and treated her with only one dose of IV antibiotics. I also forgave them for challenging me and presuming that there was something Tom and I were doing that created a toxic living environment for her. I said a prayer that all is well and moving in the right direction; that they are being guided by angels and Divine Intelligence and Ruth Anne's confusion clears as they treat the inflammation and look for possible med interactions that could be exacerbating her symptoms.

Despite initially having been challenged by the treatment team about her diagnosis and my role in Ruth Anne's neuropsychiatric symptoms, I realized that I must hold onto the truth that she has a medical condition that causes neuropsychiatric symptoms. Given my own trauma history, I was drawn into feelings from the past. Fear and worry took hold. The love and support of my friends on line and in person and receiving messages from them and the Universe have sustained and uplifted me during this very challenging time. 

 

In the past, the stress of what is happening with Ruth Anne would have manifested in a resurgence of symptoms from Post-Polio Syndrome. Instead, my motivation in training for the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K is creating its own momentum.

Seeing beyond appearances is what faith is all about and mine is strengthened by the dawn of a new day and the beauty of a sunrise. Just as I pushed past my once perceived limits time and time again, I know that my energy, motivation and momentum is sending out ripples to Ruth Anne and her treatment team to create a positive outcome of healing and an epic come back for Team McManus.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.  Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience! 

Be sure to download and subscribe to the AdaptX podcast. Here's the link to my wonderful conversation with host Brendan Aylward sharing my journey of transformation and healing in the wake of polio, post polio syndrome and trauma.

 

 

Running on Hope

During the 2020 pandemic, I used writing poetry and keeping a journal to help me navigate those times of dire uncertainty. I published "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays from the 2020 Pandemic," followed by "Into the Light: Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic." Running was also a constant companion, source of strength, comfort, joy maintaining a sense of health and well-being. We planted a flower garden for the first time in 25 years and rekindled our love for growing vegetables. I love the title poem as it speaks to faith and trusting in the invisible:

I was looking for quotes about hope to post an update on social media before Saturday's run. The quote, "Hope is more powerful than fear," by Dr. Ivan Misner really spoke to my heart and soul.

"While we have not heard from Ruth Anne since that meeting on Monday, I have absolute trust, hope and faith that the med changes, your prayers and love beaming to her from all over the world, and her own indomitable Spirit are helping her to heal. She will soon be joining us on our morning runs, fixing her smoothies and getting back to all the things she loves to do. And what an epic moment it will be when she and Tom cross the finish line of the Baystate Marathon & Half Marathon, her third half marathon in her Trilogy of Half Marathons for Victory Programs.

In rereading this article that was in the Boston College news about her journey,  I am buoyed by hope knowing that she is so strong and resilient and with proper treatment, she is healing!

We left messages with the head of Risk Management and patient advocate after filing a formal complaint. They are yet to return our calls. Right now we are focusing on Ruth Anne's healing and based on what the attending said at the meeting on Monday that he was restarting antibiotic and taking my other med change suggestions and that the chief medical officer and all the team and the supervisors have my well documented concerns, that Ruth Anne's treatment is moving in the right direction.

And so it is! 

Your continued love and prayers mean the world to Team McManus. Time for a run dedicating our miles to Ruth Anne's healing."

I was grateful for the cloud cover. It was a steamy sultry end of summer day. The clouds did give way to sunshine and a brilliant blue sky characteristic of an August sky in Boston.

 

We always take time on our runs to soak in the healing power of nature and to connect with Source's expansiveness and grandeur. While 4.5 miles was on the training plan for me on the road to the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K and 9 miles for Tom on the road to the Bay State Half Marathon, I was inspired to suggest to Tom that we do two times around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir together and then meet him for his additional miles at the Route 9 Reservoir as we had done last week. 

We continued to debrief from Monday's meeting and all that has happened since Ruth Anne first went to the ER a month ago tomorrow. Facebook memories pop up about her healthiversary four years ago, the day we thought she would never ever go back to an inpatient psychiatric unit now that we realized the root cause of the psychiatric symptoms. And truth be told, Ruth Anne should have been admitted to a medical unit with a psychiatric consultation since she had a UTI in the ER and I clearly spelled out her history and what treatment has worked during these past 4 years given her history of PANS/PANDAS.

One thing I know is that we cannot go back and change any of what happened. I know that now, more than ever, I have to focus on hope and Ruth Anne's healing. When she first went into the hospital, and I had no communication with her or confirmed communication with her treatment team for 8 days, I tightly held onto hope and the fervent prayers from the hearts of so many who adore Ruth Anne. After 5 days of no contact with Ruth Anne or her treatment team since Monday, I hope and trust that all is well and everything is moving in the right direction. 

After a 4.7 mile run, dripping with sweat, I wrung out the fears, doubts and worries replacing them with hope and faith. It is because of Ruth Anne that I am training for the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K. She was so bummed that we hadn't been running together or training for an event together since the Bermuda Half Marathon in 2018. I honor her by giving every training run my all to ensure that Team McManus has a stellar performance on race day. 

Hope fills my  heart. Faith fills my soul. I know that miracles are on their way. 

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.  Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!

Running on Gratitude

 

As a most unlikely runner, I am grateful for every step and every mile I am able to log. During these past two weeks, Tom and I have gotten up at 5:45 on Monday and Thursday to get in our miles. We have been treated to the most glorious sunrises and spectacular scenes with the way the light plays off of the Reservoir.  In the midst of challenges, it can be challenging to feel the blessings and experience grace. Running has been a constant in our lives. Early morning runs have brought spectacular sunrises and helped us stay connected to Source within and all around us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Thursday, one of my friend's commented on this photo, "If this is not a sign of healing miracles, I don’t know what is."

 

We were treated to these spectacular scenes on our way to the Reservoir this morning.

We could see the layer of fog in the distance. When we arrived, there was a layer of a veil of fog on top of the water:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's been an extremely stressful time for Team McManus with Ruth Anne's hospitalization. Yet through the entire experience, I have been running on gratitude finding blessings in my life. As we ran around the Reservoir, the veil of fog lifted. What a beautiful sign from God that even though it's a time of abiding with the unknown, the veil of fog will lift and Ruth Anne will be healed once more.

I've been keeping a journal of affirmations and gratitude, collecting messages from the Universe to uplift and support me. Starting the day with a run while Tom and I reflect on our blessings has been medicine for mind, body and soul. We are blessed with an amazing village. When I shared on Facebook that Ruth Anne's discharge was delayed, over 110 people sent love and prayers. Ruth Anne and I are members of Dr. David Hamilton's Personal Development Club. Here is what one of our dear friend's who lives in Liverpool posted: 

I rarely come on FB these days (long story!), but I just wanted to come here and share our little healing circle post for Ruth Ann and Mary and their entire family, who are going through such a difficult time right now. I know we are all sending prayers, healing energy, and positive vibes, and I know for sure we have so much power to make a difference.

 

Mary, you are so strong and resilient in the face of challenges - you've proven that over and over again. Your unwavering courage is an inspiration to all of us. Ruth Ann, your kindness and compassion have touched the lives of so many, all the work you do to support others is incredible and now it's our turn to send that love back to you. 

 

In times like these Dr David's beautiful community gathers so much love and collective positivity that it's impossible for it not to have an impact - I believe that with every ounce of my being.

Let's continue to send our love, thoughts, and healing intentions to Ruth Ann and Mary. May their spirits be lifted, and may they trust that all will return to perfect harmony really soon. This and so much more.

Stay strong dear friends, and stay focused on your incredible healing powers.

With so so much love!

GO TEAM MCMANUS!!!

Tom has job security working from home remotely at Virginia Tech. Two years ago we were in the midst of great uncertainty with his job at Boston College. He took a leap of faith and retired after the job took a toll on his physical and mental well-being. He did contract work for another company before landing a contract gig with Virginia Tech. They were so impressed with his talent and skills that they offered him a full time job -- at the age of 70! I am training for the 2024 Bermuda 10K. We haven't been to Bermuda since right before the pandemic hit. Our friends on the Island are so excited to welcome us "home." 

Our conversations on our morning runs do focus a lot on what's happening with Ruth Anne as we release our worries and fears to the Universe. My hope is renewed with the dawn of the new day, seeing the sunrise and the majesty of God/Divine/Source - whatever word you choose to name the loving Creator of all, so present in nature. When we focus on the blessings in our lives, we set a wonderful tone for the day running on gratitude.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary 

Visit my ***NEW*** website  to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56   Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Running - Thank You!

 

We were so excited to welcome Ruth Anne home from St. Elizabeth's on Friday. She was so excited to come home and get back to running, smoothies, class at Boston College, a part time job on Campus, her gift giveaway and birthday celebration on August 28th, getting a few new tops at Heartbreak Hill Running Company and ordering a few new vinyls. On Thursday morning, she called us at 6:30 am wondering if she could come home on Thursday. We said that would be fine as long as the team agreed. She called to let me know that I had to talk with the resident. She was bummed and I asked her what would help her get through the last day at the hospital. We had a good visit and brought her her favorite foods from Whole Foods-Beet juice, fresh fruit and oatmeal. We hugged good night and she said I'll see you tomorrow as she handed us her belongings to take home. She shared a goals exercise she did and talked about the difference in her this hospitalization from 4 years ago. She was also eager to restart her ibuoprofen and we talked about how PANS/PANDAS or in adults, encephalopathy is very real. She knew that one of the doctors who told her there was no such thing as brain inflammation otherwise your brain would come out of your skull was wrong! She had great insight about what happens to her when her brain is on fire.

She called at 7:30 to say good night, thanked us for bringing the food and how she 'ate it all'.  I teased her and said, "The whole box of oatmeal?" and we laughed. She said how wonderful it was to taste fresh fruit and her body really needed the Beet juice. We said our I love you's. I told her to have sweet dreams and she said the same to you, and she said see you tomorrow.

When she didn't call first thing in the morning I was a little concerned but dismissed it as a flash back to when she was first hospitalized. Tom and I called at 11:00 and we were told by the nurse there wasn't going to be a discharge. The social worker (who we met during our visit) told us that Ruth Anne didn't feel safe with the discharge plan and the hallucinations started again. 

I was absolutely gutted and channeled that energy into putting together a packet of information about her medical history and that she needs an anti-inflammatory medication, possibly a change in the antibiotic and to come off of the anti-psychotic medication that is known to exacerbate PANS symptoms. The social worker was wonderful and set up a team meeting for Monday with the attending. 

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I experienced a lot of muscle spasms. At first I wondered how I was going to get through my 4.5 miles this morning and remembered when I went through a training run with spasms early on in my training. But then I remembered that the power that made the body heals the body AND I can lovingly communicate with my body. I did a cleansing meditation that is available for free on Dr. David Hamilton's website.

I stretched and I visualized. Tom helped me to use KT Tape to give my left leg gastroc muscle and right knees extra support. After breakfast we stretched did a dynamic warm up. I set my Garmin for our 4.5 miler on the road to Bermuda and off we went to the Reservoir on a beautiful sunny day.

We always take time to savor nature's beauty. Every time we run around the Reservoir, there is always different lighting or ripples of the water to appreciate with new eyes.

Unlike last week when we overshot the mileage, Tom carefully tracked the miles to ensure we would go exactly 4.5 miles. I felt strong and steady.  As we came around a bend in the Reservoir, we saw a runner wearing an L Street singlet. We yelled out in unison, "L Street. L Street." It was our dear friend Tom Tomasian from our running club. He said "I only know one person in Brookline so I knew it had to be you." We stopped and chatted about his family and beautiful daughter who is now 7 and a half months old. She was born on Christmas.  They are going to visit his wife's family in Columbia so the baby can meet her grandmother for the first time. He asked about how Ruth Anne is doing and we talked about frustration with the "God complex" of doctors. He said he had her in his thoughts. We both agreed that she needs medicine of fresh air, a good run and sunshine. 

Tom and I talked, vented, sent prayers and love to Ruth Anne and expressed gratitude for the gift of running in our lives. We had a solid 4.5 miles on the road to the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K with negative splits and a pace that puts me in the finisher's chute well under 2 and a half hours. At the end of our run together, we visualized the epic finish for Team McManus.

Tom had another 3.5 miles to run on the road to the Bay State Half Marathon. That will be the third half marathon in Ruth Anne's Trilogy of Half Marathons for Victory Programs. On August 5 of last year, she was inspired to run 3 half marathons and raise $10,000 for Victory Programs. In May she finished a fundraising campaign of $8000 by running the Providence Half Marathon with Tom.

After I stretched and changed, I met Tom at the Route 9 Reservoir to cheer him on to a strong finish! He poured sweat as he kept a steady 13 minute mile pace. I let the calm waters and the warm sunshine settle my soul as I felt the cleansing power of the sweat from my 4.5 miles.

As we drove home, we continued to express our gratitude for the gift of running in our lives saying how we don't know how we would navigate this challenge with Ruth Anne's ultramarathon of healing without the gift of running in our lives.

Dear running, thank you for all you have given us through the years and especially during the past several weeks.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series  to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.  Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience

Believing is Seeing

 

Joseph Campbell once said, "Follow your bliss and the Universe will open doors when once there were only walls." On May 25, 2007,  I followed my new found bliss as a poet and writer after the life changing diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. I believed in a future very different than the one the doctors predicted for me and 'saw' a future through the power of my pen that I called my divining rod for healing. I believed that I was not destined to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair but had no idea how that would manifest in my life. 

I took a leap of faith leaving behind a steady paycheck and an award winning social work career at the VA to heal my life. I believed in a life that went beyond the appearances of being physically weak and spiritually burned out. The first book I wrote is called,  "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibilities." I went on to write a Trilogy of Transformation and to experience a life transformed through the sport of running. 

My running journey intertwined with my daughter's journey of healing with an autoimmune condition called PANS/PANDAS. It is beautifully captured in this article written in the Boston College News. After raising $8000 by running the Providence Half Marathon for Victory Programs, she decided she wanted to run a Trilogy of Half Marathons and raise $10,000 for Victory Programs that serves Boston's most vulnerable individuals and helps with housing, food security, care for mental health and substance use challenges and helps previously disenfranchised individuals to become a part of a community of caring.

On August 5, 2022, her tote board was at zero dollars. Today it is at:

Ruth Anne originally planned to run Newburyport, Hyannis and Providence. Hyannis Race Weekend fell on the weekend of Tom and my 45th anniversary. New Bedford set a last minute course time limit of 3 hours. Ruth Anne extended the fundraiser until October and registered for the Bay State Half Marathon.

In May, a month went by without any donations. Ruth Anne and I decided that we needed to do something to garner donations... but what??? She had done gift giveaways and Dine and Donate nights with her first fundraising campaign. She did two gift giveaways for the Trilogy of Half Marathons campaign. I had no idea how another gift giveaway was going to come together but believed as Ruth Anne did that the Universe would support her vision.

I set up a new Wheel of Names wheel which is what we use to select the winners. We didn't have a donor on it! It was a completely blank wheel. We also didn't have any gifts to giveaway but imagined a Boston Seaport Getaway. Ruth Anne and I started reaching out to potential gift giveaway sponsors. We had an after long run lunch at Joe Pace & Sons in the Seaport. Ruth Anne asked our friend Joe who we knew from the days when I worked at the VA if he'd support her fundraiser. He gave her four $25 gift cards. As we announced there was going to be a gift giveaway, even though we didn't yet have gifts on board except for the Joe Pace's gift cards and two $50 gift cards to Tavern on the Green in Lowell, donations started coming in thanks to Ruth Anne's weekly and sometimes twice weekly videos.

The wheel now has 530 entries from chances that were $10 each or 3/$25. As the date got closer to the giveaway, we increased chances to 2/$10 or 6/$25. Here is the list of gifts Ruth Anne and I were able to secure with our vision and passion.

4 $25 gift cards to J Pace & Son Inc
2 $50 gift cards to Tavern In The Square Lowell
1 $50 gift card to Heartbreak Hill Running Company
1 $20 gift card to Eight Cousins Books
A Year's subscription to Dan Harris Ten Percent Happier App
2 $25 gift cards to Livite Brookline
A $100 gift card to Golden Temple
And the grand prize: A one night's stay at the The Westin Boston Seaport District Hotel with breakfast for two at Sauceity AND a $200 gift card to Ocean Prime Boston

Ruth Anne's body experienced a flair of PANS several weeks ago. There were some very dark moments during the flair but I kept believing, despite all appearances to the contrary, that she would be treated with antibiotics and meds to help with sleep and anxiety and the other symptoms of PANS and would be calling to say she is ready to come home. I called upon the prayer warriors in our incredible village to send healing energy and to pray for her health and well-being. She is being discharged today. 

It is truly miraculous what can happen when we hold to love, passion and purpose deep in our hearts and imagine the possibilities. Believing is seeing!

 

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56 Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!
 

 

 

 

Five Months From Today

Bermuda Triangle Challenge posted the above photo on social media along with the caption, "Back to school , Halloween , (U.S.) Thanksgiving , the festive winter holidays , and New Years …all leading up to the main event: the 2024 Chubb Bermuda Triangle Challenge.

If you’re not already on the participant list, there’s still time to register and secure your spot at the starting line."

 

It's exhilarating to think that 5 months from today, Team McManus will be having another adventure in Paradise doing the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K Walk. Ever since Tom and Ruth Anne did the 10K together in 2020, Ruth Anne has wanted me to join them. Earlier this year, she said how sad she felt that we weren't training for an event together. When she discovered there were direct flights to Bermuda in January and that the race weekend hotel rates were extremely reasonable, she convinced me that Team McManus needed another race-cation after a 4 year hiatus due to COVID and no direct flights last year.

I've missed Ruth Anne on our training runs while she is being treated for a flair of PANS at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. Tom and I dedicate our miles to her and uphold her in our prayers. At the end of every training run, we visualize how it's going to feel to cross the finish line as Team McManus.

Four and a half miles was on the training plan. Tom and I debated, as we always do early Saturday morning, about where we were going to run. We figured that twice around the Reservoir at Chestnut Hill running to and from home would be 4.5 miles.

It was another glorious summer day although it would have behooved us to have gotten an earlier start. The day heated up quickly! We always take time to savor nature's splendor that included a magnificent bird showing off its wing span. Even though Ruth Anne wasn't physically with us, we kept up the tradition of taking a selfie on the run that she started when we trained for Bermuda Race Weekends.

As we were coming around the second loop, we realized that we hadn't accurately calculated the miles. I shifted into my mental training mode letting my body know that whatever the distance turned out to be, we would be just fine. As we came up the hill to the 'finish' line my legs were tired but I knew I could have gone an extra 1.6 miles to do the 10K. If you do the math, you'll know that we did 4.66 miles. I am extremely pleased with my 20:00 and change pace that is going to bring me into the finisher's chute way before the finish line closes in two and a half hours.

 

I still have several months to train to build fitness, endurance, strength and work on speed using fartleks and tempo runs after my body adapts to the longer distance. I recall that just a few years ago, I did three half marathons in three consecutive years. I am also a Boston Marathon finisher.

 

As I write this, it is late afternoon in Boston. Five months from today Team McManus will have crossed the finish line of the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K savoring all the amenities at the Grotto Bay Beach Resort deciding on where to have our celebratory brunch proudly wearing our bling. My hunch is that we will go to La Bouchee where we celebrated Tom and Ruth Anne's race in 2020.

It will be a magnificent celebration of healing of my comeback race after a setback with Post-Polio Syndrome secondary to the second COVID vaccine and of Ruth Anne's healing after a PANS-flair. I am so excited for Team McManus' triumphant return to Bermuda. Five months from today will be here before we know it!

 

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56   Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!

 

 

 

Four and a Half Miles and a 2008 Penny

 

Before I set out on my four and a half miler, the longest distance I have run since I trained for the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon, I set the intention of a great run using the above meme. Our hearts were a bit heavy that Ruth Anne is still in the hospital but we know that it is vital we keep training ready to return to a full complement of Team McManus very soon.

When we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon, one of our favorite go to places was Jamaica Pond. There's have lots of shade along with rolling elevation which I need to train on for the Bermuda Hills in January.

The still water of the Pond made for a perfect canvas to reflect the stunning beauty of the clouds and trees. Tom and I remarked how we didn't recall a summer that had this much lush green and so much growth of vegetation around the Pond. 

We kept a close eye on our pace. Saturday's run was a distance run and the first 4.5 miler on the road to the Bermuda 10K. There were times when we had to dial back the pace to allow the fitness to take root while I take on this new goal. I focused on lightness and ease preparing mind and body to go the distance again. Tom and I reminisced about our Boston Marathon training which ignited the muscle memory of when I did speed work with my personal trainer at Jamaica Pond. Back in the day I could run an 11 minute mile with the prodding from my personal trainer. Three times around was a drop in the bucket compared to when we'd run upwards of 13 laps for our long runs. It was a great place to train when the roads were covered in slush and ice. 2008/2009 was a brutally cold and snowy New England Winter.

Tom went on to do another lap after we finished our miles as he continues to train for the Bay State Half Marathon happening in two months! I meditated allowing my mind to become as still and clear as the water. I focused on optimism and hope for Ruth Anne's  healing despite temporary appearances to the contrary. I imagined a loving phone call with her. I had to trust and have faith that she was receiving proper care for both her physical and neuropsych symptoms. I released the trauma of my dad's death by suicide in 1971 sifting and sorting thoughts that arose from the past versus the reality of my present life with Ruth Anne. While it is heartbreaking to see her experience a flair, my survival is not on the line as it was when I was a 17 year old. She did call Sunday night and Monday gave me permission to speak with the resident. 

While sitting by the still waters, I allowed myself to immerse in the feeling of the runner's high after 4.5 miles. I used the time to visualize our triumphant return to Bermuda. 

After our Saturday runs, the question always remains where to have lunch. To celebrate my longest run in several years and to kick off Tom's vacation, we opted to go to Stoked Pizza. Their veggie pizza without sauce is to die for.  As we walked to our car after lunch, there on the sidewalk was a penny. 

A 2008 penny! 2008 was a great year for Team McManus. In February I declared I was going to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. Ruth Anne was working on her Associate's Degree at Bunker Hill Community College feeling happy, healthy and thriving. We became Team McManus running and fundraising for Spaulding Rehab. Ruth Anne and I ran the Tufts 10K together. I was appearing on different podcasts and radio shows sharing my journey while writing poetry harnessing the power of the mind/body connection to fuel my journey.

It was a sign; a year to use as an anchor as Ruth Anne navigates her healing journey and as I train for the 2024 Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K.  It was an awesome run and Morgan Freeman would have had a great time doing the narration.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.  Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!

Running on Optimism

 

Ever since I set out on a quest to heal my life from the once ravaging effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma, I have focused on optimism; knowing that harnessing my faith, my determination, an attitude of optimism and harnessing the power of the mind/body connection, I would be able to heal and transform my life.

Tom and I went on an early morning run on Thursday. Ruth Anne who has lived with an autoimmune condition called PANS, had a flair of her condition last week. When this happens, her brain becomes inflamed, her judgment impaired and she needs antibiotics and anti-inflammatory meds. Unfortunately, she presents with psychiatric symptoms as well. It's not a very well known condition and we have had to educate all providers about it. We are so grateful to an organization called ASPIRE that I found in 2019 after her last hospitalization and what we had hoped would have been her last hospitalization. After re-watching one of the most comprehensive videos about PANS by Dr. Craig Shimaski, we realized that PANS can have a relapsing remitting nature to it. 

It would be so easy to collapse under the strain of it all. Ruth Anne and I were featured in an article in the BC News about how we use running and be of service to the community in our healing journey. Running has been our therapy so I knew that I needed to get out the door and get on a run. Ruth Anne persuaded me in May to take on the challenge of the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K. She said she was heartbroken that we hadn't trained for any races together since the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon. My prayer is that my ongoing journey of transformation gives her hope and inspiration during this challenging time.

It was a beautiful cool morning with low humidity and glorious sunshine:

I hadn't posted anything on Facebook other than Ruth Anne was feeling under the weather with the hope that she would quickly clear with proper treatment. We hadn't heard from her or the social worker saying that she gave consent for us to have communication with her team. When we first set out on the run, I experienced a lot of fearful thoughts filled with what if's. Seeing the radiant sunshine and the beautiful water of the Reservoir, I thought about holding a space for a miracle of healing and remembered the above quote about optimism.

I also reflected on Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote:

One time Bill Rodgers said to me, "Life is tough yeah! That's why we run!"

Saturday is 4.5 miles -- the longest distance I have run since Team McManus trained for the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon. You better believe that I will be running on optimism!

 From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon 

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series  to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On the Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56. Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheRuns to enhance your podcast listening experience!