We opened the balcony door to get a feel for the weather. The palm trees swayed from the wind. It was relatively warm given the Boston temperatures and the 50 degree temperatures from race day in 2020, but we brought our jackets to protect us from the wind and rain that was in the forecast.
The dining room was open when we arrived at 6:30am. I ate slowly and mindfully chatting with other runners in the line to toast my bagel. I spontaneously shared my story with another runner, Laura. It was definitely the pre-race jitters talking. We wished each other a wonderful race. A few moments later, Laura walked up to our table with Kim who we met at the pool Friday afternoon. Kim and I had a lengthy conversation about leaps of faith and my healing journey. When Laura returned to her table she told Kim about this amazing woman she met at the buffet. We all laughed at the amazing synchronicity that brought us together.
Tom and I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of time to get our shuttle to the start. We had a light runners backpack from our race swag. We brushed our teeth, had time to go to the bathroom before the race and posed for a Marathon Tours and Travel photo.
It was a short ride to the Stadium where, 4 years ago, I was support crew for Tom and Ruth Anne. We re-introduced ourselves to the race announcer. "You said what a wonderful couple we were racing together beginning in 2016."
"And you still are," he said in that delicious Bermudian accent.
I made two trips to the bathroom before we headed to the starting line across the way from where Tom and I were seated to stay out of the wind. I met the race director, Phil who remembered that I sent him a note about whether or not it would be safe for me to be a part of the race. He was excited to meet me and said to find him post-race and we could take photos with Deena. "You'll wait for me, right?" "Absolutely," he said. I told him I trained hard and was poised to finish in 2:10.
I took deep breaths reminding myself that I was going to take it slow and steady, one mile at a time. At 8:45 it was time to head to the starting line. We lined up in front of the police men providing support for the back of the pack. The line in the men's room was too long for Tom to go pee before we had to line up the start. The policeman said, "Well if you gotta go you gotta go" and looked the other way while Tom ran into the bushes.
How amazing to see Carol running up to me to take a photo before the start of the race! She gave me a warm hug, we posed for a photo and she said, "Well I've gotta get back up front. See you at the finish line." I told her how much it meant to me that she would be there to cheer me into the finish!
You can see the wind blowing my bib!
We moved up to the start after the runners went off. I was remarkably calm feeling proud as a 70 year old who went through all I went through to get to the starting line, including COVID in December. I felt loved and supported by the police, my Bermudian friends and the Divine.
Even though the other walkers took off in front of me, I did not feel the usual urge to catch up. "This is my victory lap," I thought to myself. "I've trained hard and I am ready!!!"
I took that first hill with reroadlative ease putting one foot in front of the other. Spectators joked that we had a police escort. There were no other walkers that we could see in front of us and few spectators lined the course. I was in the zone determined to finish and get my bling.
We caught up with an older woman somewhere before mile 1. "I just knew that we were going to find another walker that we would team up with." We talked about being back of the packers and how we get celebrated when we cross the finish line. Tom and I shared our Marathon Sports 5 Miler experience when we were celebrated with air horns and cheers as though I had broken the finisher's tape. "Look there's mile 1 up ahead. We did a good pace. We're gonna do this," Marlene said.
"Absolutely."
We shared our stories and noted Bermuda's beautiful farm land.
"Look there's mile 2," Marlene called out. She said that she had to go to the bathroom.
We asked the volunteers where the porta potties were. They weren't sure but said there was a restaurant down the road we could try.
"I'll try to run up and catch up with you," Marlene said.
"Oh no. It's runner's code. Besides, it's a good idea for me to stop and hydrate and refuel."
I took off my jacket as the winds subsided and the humidity was high.
"I hope they let me use it," Marlene said. "If they don't, they'll have to answer to me," said Tom.
Success! "I'm not going to drink anymore water because I don't know where the next porta potty is."
"Oh no Marlene. It is humid. We have to hydrate."
"Oh okay," she said.
We soldiered on together pausing to hydrate at times and to have a moment to reset as we tackled the elevation.
The police told us that we had to now walk single file and stay all the way to the left side of the road. I kept putting one foot in front of the other at a slow and steady pace.
"Hey Mary you're leaning to the left," Tom said.
I barked at him, "Don't tell me that please" but I knew he was right. I remember what happened in Bermuda in 2017 when walking on the uneven pavement caused me to list to the left and my back went into spasm. I tried to compensate for what was happening to me. We stopped for me to stretch and Marlene lovingly rubbed my back. Tom said, "If we make it to that last hill, you're going to have to lean on me."
I was one determined woman putting one foot in front of the other more focused than I'd ever been.
"Lead the way Mary," Tom called out.
I stopped to stretch again and could feel I was losing my balance as the cramps in my back took hold.
I saw volunteers up ahead.
"I gotta call it," I said to Tom and Marlene. "It doesn't make sense for me to get injured or pass out." I stopped my Garmin at 3.06 miles.
"I need a ride back to the Stadium. I'm fine but I'm cramped up and don't want to get injured or worse."
"Do you need to sit down?"
"No I'm okay but how do we get back?"
"Those gentlemen from the Bermuda regiment are going to take you."
I was impressed with the communication and support out on the course.
There was delightful banter on the way back to the Stadium as I let the members of the Regiment know a friend of ours who introduced us to the Island said don't ever get sick in Bermuda which was, in part, motivation for me to call it when I did.
The finish festival was in full swing! I saw Carol who said that I finished really fast. I explained that I didn't finish. She was loving and supportive of my decision and said that she was going to hang out and enjoy being with friends. I congratulated her on her race.
I found Phil and told him what happened. He was incredibly supportive and said that he would not have wanted me to be air lifted off of the Island. He was going to find Deena to have photos taken but he got caught up in his race director duties. When I sent him a thank you email for the opportunity to be a part of the 10K congratulating him on the race logistics. "Well I'm glad you were able to give it a go and you are correct it is better to be safe rather than injure yourself.'
I took a picture of Carol with Island celebrities sisters Nat and Jess aka Lady Gaga and Lady Godiva:
And had great fun with them being in character as Lady Mary:
After getting a post-race massage and stretch with a physiotherapist, Tom and I sat down to wait for our shuttle. In the back of my mind, I wondered if Marlene finished. Our shuttle back to the hotel didn't arrive until 12:15. We could see the finish line from our seats but I wanted to go over and see if we could see her coming in.
She was off in the distance and even though the finisher's clock was over 2:30, they kept the finish area open. As she came into the finish we cried, cheered and screamed along with her daughter, her daughter's friend and her daughter's friend's mother.
Marlene told us that the police were behind her and kept asking if she wanted to finish. "Oh yes," she said. "I am not giving up." They communicated with the finish line and said there was one more walker coming in and to keep it open. The woman who gave out the medals was crying. We all cried. Marlene's daughter thanked us for being supportive of her mother. We said we were blessed to be together. Instead of waiting for the shuttle, Tom and I, Marlene and her friend took a cab back to the hotel. We exchanged information, wished each other a great rest of the vacation and said we'd see each other at the airport on Monday.
Although I had no bling to show Samantha, who had left early for the day, Tom and I had a quiet dinner on the balcony of The Pickled Onion relishing a magical and mystical race day. Even though I did not cross the finish line and did nothing foolish (DNF), I can honestly say that I had the best time!
Marlene with her family and friends:
To be continued...
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary
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.
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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.
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