Can You Believe It?

 

During this training cycle for the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K, I've been reflecting on my healing journey in the wake of the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006.  I'd known about the healing power of the mind/body connection through Bernie Siegel,MD  since the 1980's. One of my favorite examples of the power of the mind/body connection happened after abdominal surgery. In his books and talks, Bernie talks about giving hypnotic suggestions to his patients while under anesthesia. When I met with the anesthesiologist at my pre-op visit, he was familiar with Bernie's work. I told him how I always got sick after anesthesia. He said he'd be happy to give me a suggestion to help me wake up feeling comfortable and pain free. When I woke up in the recovery room, as I felt as though I was going to be sick, the wave of nausea stopped. I had a sudden craving for a BBQ hamburger and asked for one out loud. The anesthesiologist had told the Team the suggestion he made and I heard laughter reverberate in the room! Can you believe it?

There have been times when I have used deliberate focused intentions to address healing a condition in my body. In April of 2007, I had an abnormal mammogram and used visualization to dissolve the tumor. Creating poetry that harnessed the power of the mind/body connection focused on rewiring my nervous system with love after polio and trauma. The runner within me was born in my imagination in the first poem I wrote, "Running the Race", that foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. After a serious knee injury in December of 2014, I used chiropractic, KT tape, a revised strength training regimen and visualization to dissolve bone spurs, grow a new gastroc muscle, repair torn cartilage, and reverse degenerative changes due to arthritis. That total knee replacement that I was told I'd need in a few years never happened. I was told to stop running or cap my distance at a 5K. Well not so much. I went on to run 3 Bermuda Half Marathons in 2016, 2017 and 2018 and the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K in 2016. Can you believe it?

There have been setbacks and comebacks along the way that I met with my profound belief in the body's tremendous capacity to heal. By falling in love with the process and trusting the results would come, I celebrate, thriving in the wake of polio and trauma aging strong.

While many of my healing moments were driven by intentional visualizations with allowing the incredible Intelligence within us to heal, there is one that teaches us about the Divine Intelligence that happens as a result of nature's incredible design. In 1992, I had a femoral osteotomy on my left leg to correct the alignment in my left leg. My leg was bowed as a result of childhood paralytic polio causing the knee joint to wear down. Doing a total knee replacement in my late 30's was not ideal. My surgeon, Donald T. Reilly had invented the procedure. A year after the surgery, we both agreed on removing the hardware. It was uncomfortable especially in cold weather. I was non-weight bearing for 6 weeks after the surgery while the holes from the screws that held the plate in place filled in with new bone! I truly did not give it a second thought as Dr. Reilly was totally confident about nature's healing process. When I returned for my post-op visit, he took an x-ray and sure enough I could toss aside the crutches and be weight bearing since the bone healed! Can you believe it?

As I share my healing journey, my hope is to inspire others with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary. I can believe what's possible because others shared their healing stories. Two stories in particular that inspired me on my journey are Wilma Rudolph and Evy McDonald. Of particular note is that when I set out on a quest to heal my life, I did not know what the outcome would be. I loved the song "Dancing Through Life" from Wicked and was determined that whatever the outcome, if I were to spend my life in a wheelchair, I would dance through life. Yet I fell in love with myself, the process of healing and what miraculous results happened beyond my wildest imaginings. Can you believe it?

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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.

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.

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Bookshop  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Author Page on Amazon for rave reviews.

 

 

 

After a Run...

 
 

Another week in the training cycle for the 45th Annual Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K is in the books. Last Saturday, we decided to switch up the location for our fabulous 4 miler. Despite getting up early, it was a hot run along the banks of Boston's Charles River. There were throngs of runners and cyclists along the path that hugs the Charles with kayakers and crew teams out on the water. We hadn't done a river run in several years. Going over the Mass. Ave. Bridge reminded me of an anchor memory in my running career. The Tufts 10K for women was my first 10K race in October of 2008. In 2014, I ran a PR at the race finishing strong despite having had serious pre-race jitters. The race name changed and there is now a time limit for the course but it was great to revisit those memories as Tom and I paused to take photos of our beautiful City.

Fortunately there were water fountains available for us to fill our water bottles. Everyone's faces and bodies were shimmering with sweat. The water fountains were like the office water cooler where everyone splashed water on themselves as we gathered briefly chatting about how far we were going and asking what races (if any) we were training for. Despite running hot, everyone was running happy as smiles were exchanged as we passed runners going in opposite directions.

 

I hadn't slept well on Friday night. When we got back to the car with the a/c on high, rehydrating with water from our cooler and refueling with a banana and pretzels, I thought about the poem I wrote, "After a Run." It set the tone for the next two training runs this week. There's no escaping stress and challenges in life but after a run I feel energized and strengthened to tap into my reservoir of resilience and strength. Spending time with Tom unplugged, connecting with Source, feeling the energy of the water and connection with other like minded souls who enjoy exercise brings clarity and serenity. That time of moving, conversation and appreciating being in the present moment while reflecting on and celebrating joys from the past fuels our gratitude and optimistic way of being. After Saturday's run I felt cleansed from the inside out. I emptied myself of worries and sorrow and loved the feeling of being hungry as we drove home. Tom prepared pita pouches with eggs, ham and spinach which we devoured. After a run, I appreciate how delicious food tastes and have a deep appreciation for all my body gives me; all I want to give back to my body as a statement of love and appreciation. 

 

Sunday was our rest and recovery day with a leisurely breakfast in our yard. Meditation time, afternoon naps and prepping for the week ahead were the order of the day.

 

Rise.Shine.Run. with a Monday morning 6am alarm. 

 

Many years ago I was blessed to know Kathy, a wonderful woman living with cancer who I met through Bernie Siegel's Forum. When she was in hospice care, she told me that whenever I saw a turkey, she was stopping by to say hello. Check out what we saw on someone's lawn as we were heading to the Reservoir:

 

Feeling the connection to something greater than myself is one of the great treasures that the gift of running has brought into my life. We took it nice and easy as I'd been pushing the pace on our shorter runs and on Saturday, we increase the mileage to 4.5.

 

This morning's training run continued with the theme of gratitude since, after all, it is thankful Thursday. I felt joy bubble up from the depths of my soul this morning. Tom and I celebrated my healing and we celebrated all that we've done as a couple to arrive at this moment in our lives. We each came from dysfunctional families where we never knew how it felt to be free or run free. My situation was compounded by having contracted paralytic polio at age 5. Freedom is a spiritual, physical and emotional gift that neither one of us takes for granted. Tom grew up in Spain when it was under Franco's rule. I love the metaphor of sweat being a font of joy and freedom. We know that Labor Day will be here before we know it; we focus on living fully in the present moment appreciating summer's splendor:

 

After a run. breakfast tasted so delicious as sweat continued to trickle down the small of my back. We have a simple breakfast of cereal or oatmeal. I have toast and OJ. Tom fills his cereal bowl with fruit and has coffee. 

 

After a Run

After a run troubles melt away 
a once tight chest filled with dread and fear
opens 
overflowing with joy and gratitude.

Thoughts tossed and turned
restless night
greatest feat 
first step 
crossing front door threshold

Exhaustion exhumed
vibrancy returns
hitting my stride
connection to Source
bathed in sunlight
beads of sweat 
a font of joy and freedom

After a run 
troubles melt away as sweat pours from pores
all that remains 
sweetness of summertime
a reminder
born to run
free! 

 

Tomorrow is a rest and recovery day as we get ready to up our mileage on Saturday to 4.5 miles. We will figure out where to run based on the weather and where Spirit leads us. My joy and gratitude for this training cycle continues to grow as I celebrate 18 years of healing since I took a leap of faith, leaving behind my award-winning social work career to set out on a quest to heal my life.

 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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.

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.

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Bookshop  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Author Page on Amazon for rave reviews.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So Much Gratitude Fills My Heart...

 

By nature, every training cycle is different. I can't help but compare this training cycle on the road to the 2026 Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K with the training cycle for the 2024 Bermuda Marathon Weekend 10K. One of the striking differences between the two is that I am not training for a specific time limit of the race. As a polio survivor who was then diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, there was this subconscious force driving my training where I was testing my body rather than training my body. Having dropped to the ground in kindergarten class in June 1959, there was a lifelong fear of my body giving out without warning. Fortunately, my body did give out at the 2017 Bermuda Half Marathon and I hobbled to the finish line supported by Tom and an earth angel we had met at mile 12.

I had the epiphany that I had been testing not training during last Saturday's fabulous 4.1 miler along the Harbor in South Boston. It was a beautiful summer's day but the heat and humidity were still high despite an early start. We were grateful for the cloud cover but I started to 'melt' once the sun came out. 

     

I took several water stops and fueled a bit more given the heat and humidity especially as the sun broke the clouds. When I was training for Bermuda, needing to honor my body in this way would have led to serious doubts about whether or not I was going to be able to finish in under 2.5 hours. I know that those doubts and not allowing myself to experience training rather than testing runs contributed to my DNF in Bermuda. On May 4th of last year, as in May the Fourth be with you, I went out and conquered the 10K distance again and under 2.5 hours I'd like to add. A funny story about how we ended up going 4.1 miles instead of 4 miles. After a water stop, I forgot to restart my Garmin. Somehow, Tom and I both thought that we needed to go to 2 miles as it registered on my Garmin before turning around on our out and back run. The only thing that stopped was the time, not the distance. File that under #dothemath which we can never seem to accurately do when we are out on a run. We had a good laugh about it.

 

Gratitude became a theme for this week's training runs and strength training workout. I often post the hashtags Every step is a gift! Every mile is a blessing! This week I felt it in every step and every mile. After Saturday's run, Tom and I sat on the beach refueling with fruit, water and pretzels before heading home for lunch. I was grateful for life's simple pleasures and the incredibly big pleasure of the gift of running in my life with my partner of almost 50 years.

 

Monday morning was another sultry and steamy day in Boston. We really enjoy our early morning runs and workouts getting up at 6am on Monday and Thursdays for runs and 6:30 on Tuesdays for before breakfast strength training workouts.

 

 

With all the rain we've had this summer, it was a joy to savor the greens, blues and colors of the wildflowers. Tom and I begin and end every day with gratitude; being out on an early morning run makes it easy to declare what we are grateful for. One thing I was grateful for was walking into an air conditioned home as  the sweat continued to trickle down the small of my back after our run. I almost forgot to mention that, for some reason, at the end of Monday's run, I felt inspired to sprint to the 'finish.' It's so much fun to visualize what that moment will feel like again to cross the finish line of an in-person race. Tom and I joined hands and then raised our arms high saying out loud what the Race Director will say when we come into the finisher's chute celebrating the Hyannis 10K ten years later. I wasn't testing myself to see what my body could do. I felt the unbridled joy of being free in my body training for another 10K using the power of my imagination to fuel the journey. 

We wrapped up this week's training by going to the Route 9 Reservoir both to change up the scenery and because there would be hills involved.

 

It was a mysterious morning with the sun occasionally breaking through the quickly moving clouds but disappearing again just as quickly. Don't let the flat trail around the Reservoir deceive you. There is a hill from our house to the Reservoir and a v-e-r-y long uphill coming back from the Reservoir. Despite the long uphill coming back, we had a negative split with the second mile.

 

When I wrote "Running the Race" I was sitting in a toe-up leg brace, using a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. I'd been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. Yet I felt grateful and imagined myself winning a 10K race never having run a day in my life. The runner within me was born in my imagination; "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run! Follow this link for the full text of the poem.

 

Now, 18 and a half years after receiving that diagnosis of a progressive neuromuscular disease, so much gratitude fills my heart for my life's journey that continues to call me up to amazing adventures.

  

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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.

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.

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Bookshop  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Author Page on Amazon for rave reviews.

 

 

 

 

Connecting the Dots: Hyannis Marathon Weekend

                                                

As I train for the 2026 Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K, I've been reflecting on Hyannis Marathon Weekend through the years and how Hyannis Marathon Weekend has had such an incredibly special place in my running career and heart. There's no way I could connect the dots from February 2009 going forward. It's only by looking back that I see how my decision to reach out to the Race Director at Hyannis to share my story and ask if it would be okay for me to participate in the Half Marathon given my back of the pack status, was one that has changed my life in many ways.

As a newbie runner, I relied on the guidance of my personal trainer and the goodwill of the running community to guide me through this uncharted territory for me. I joined the "Just Finish" Forum. Their motto was "Run.Walk.Crawl" Just Finish. I wore their shirt to the pre-race pasta dinner in 2009 where I met Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. I smile to myself amused at how little I knew about the sport of running as I walked into the ballroom of the pre-race pasta dinner the evening before my first half marathon race.

 

While I'd gone 17 miles in my training plan and had run the Corrib Road Race 5K, the Marathon Sports 5 Miler, and the Tufts 10K, this was my first big road race. Our Coach for the Spaulding Race for Rehab team suggested that this would be a great warm up to the 2009 Boston Marathon. I met up with one of the members of the Just Finish Forum and met members of the L Street Running Club and the Merrimack Valley Striders running club. We have become running family. Was it my nerves or a deep knowing, that it was my destiny to share my story with members of the running clubs, Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter. 

 

The sleet started during coming down during the second half of the race. I lost track of hydration, fueling and pacing and just wanted to get to the finish line. Frank Shorter could tell that the run had taken a lot of out of me. I was shivering from the sleet that had started falling during the last several miles of the race. He put both of his hands on either side of my arms, looked at me straight in the eye and told me how much courage and strength I had to do what I had just done. He told me he had no doubt that I was going to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon. 

 

Although I wasn’t feeling well, and should have gone upstairs to take a hot shower, there was a reporter interviewing runners. I told him my story and I was in the next day’s Cape Cod Times: 

Mary McManus, 55, of Brookline completed her first half marathon after making a remarkable recovery from a life-long battle against post-polio syndrome.

She spent time at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and began running just last February. She competed in her first race in June 2008, finishing a 5K.

“It’s like having a new lease on life,” said McManus, who ran yesterday’s half marathon with husband Tom. “I was limping my way through life, but then decided to do something about it.”

It was a phenomenal weekend. I earned my first of many medals for finishing a race but the greatest prize was the friendships forged at the pre-race pasta dinner. 

 

As Frank said I would, I indeed finished the 2009 Boston Marathon. While I was on a running hiatus in February of 2010, we returned for Race Weekend where the Race Director gave me a table at the Expo.

 

 

Frank and Bill were once again the speakers at the pre-race pasta dinner. They signed my bib.

 

Hyannis Marathon Weekend became an annual tradition. In 2011, I coined the phrase, "Camp Hyannis" when I ran the 10K again. Throughout the years, there have been special memories made. 

In 2014, Tom ran the Half Marathon. He was on pace to run a PR. He happened upon two of the Spaulding Race for Rehab runners training for the 2014 Boston Marathon on the side of the road crying at the 5K mark. It was their first half marathon race. They went out too fast and were feeling overwhelmed. Tom adhered to the runner's code and paced them to the finish line. He was regaled as a hero (although he was humble and honored to help them).  We had a mini-reunion of the 2009 Race for Rehab Team and all celebrated at a restaurant in town.

 

In December of 2014, I sustained a serious knee injury. I was told to prepare for a total knee replacement in a few years and cap my distance at a 5K. By 2015 I was back on the roads having used the mind/body connection and chiropractic care to heal the injury. In January 2016, I ran the Bermuda Half Marathon. We returned to Camp Hyannis in February of 2016 where Tom and I had an amazing 10K. I was also surprised with a table at the Expo where I met runners from the Mystic Valley Running Club. When they saw my Bermuda Half Marathon medal, a group of runners proclaimed, "It's a sign." They had just been talking about having Bermuda Race Weekend on their bucket list!

Camp Hyannis 2020 was a highlight of my journey as a most unlikely runner and motivational speaker. I was invited to speak as a special guest at the pre-race pasta dinner along with Bill Rodgers. I wrote about the experience in my blog, "Embrace the Possibilities". You can also read Parts 1 and 2 that capture the magic of Camp Hyannis; the last event before the pandemic shut everything down.

 

 

 

Hyannis Marathon Weekend came back strong after the pandemic. We are so excited for Camp Hyannis 2026 when I will run the 10K after a 10 year Hyannis Marathon Weekend hiatus. I wonder what other adventures the weekend will bring. One thing I know for sure, I continue to connect the dots in the future from that first Hyannis Marathon Weekend in February 2009.

 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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.

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.

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Bookshop  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Author Page on Amazon for rave reviews.

 

 

 

  

Sweat and Rain on The Road to Hyannis 10K

 

Last week's theme for training runs on the road to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K was signs. Coincidentally, on Tuesday evening, we were dining al fresco in our yard. We had finished our delicious BBQ and were savoring the summer evening, when my gaze was drawn upward. There had been no rain yet there it was:

It was such a spectacular sight that I asked Tom to please capture it with his iPhone. I thought to myself, "Well that makes sign number 4 for the week." I feel the gifts from the Divine's presence as I train for my next event.

This week's theme is cleansing. It was hot and humid on Saturday and Monday; for Thursday's run we had pouring rain. As George Sheehan said, "Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach." I was sweating so much after Saturday's 4 miler that I could not even reapply sunblock. It was wonderful to sit on the beach and enjoy a bit of a sea breeze while Tom and I refueled with peanut butter sandwiches, pretzels and sparkling water. My soul always settles by the sea. We expressed gratitude for the blessings in our lives; that we have been gifted with the sport of running for the past 17 years. Tom had been a runner in his younger days but stopped once we had twins. At first he didn't really believe me when I said that I was going to run the 2009 Boston Marathon despite never having run a day in my life and still wearing a toe-up leg brace but he humored me. Once he realized I was serious and determined, he was totally on board to support my mission.

Tom was tired on Monday morning and had a full week of work ahead. There was also a heat advisory but I got up when our alarm went off at 6:00 to get in my miles. I am delighted that I bought new singlets this year in honor of my new training cycle. Brooks had a sale. 
             

The "Run Happy" singlet was the perfect choice for Monday's run. In retrospect, it would have been smarter to adjust my pace. I ended up with a negative split on my last mile. Sweat poured from every pore and continued to pour once I got home. Although I felt a bit nauseous, I felt stress had melted away. I was refreshed and ready to start a new day and a new week. Thank goodness for air conditioning!

 

I lay in bed during the early hours of Thursday morning having awakened to bolts of lightning and thunder claps. "Oh no," I thought to myself. It's our early morning run day and I am in a serious training cycle. I meditated and must have fallen back to sleep since I was awakened by the alarm at 6:00am. No signs of lightning or thunder. Check the weather app. Only rain forecast for the entire day. It's a go!

 

As a child who contracted paralytic polio at the age of 5, wore a full metal leg brace until I was 7, was in physical therapy until 13 and just to intensify the challenge, experienced trauma in my home life, I never knew the unbridled joy of being able to run free in the rain, splashing in puddles getting muddy and messy. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006, I went back into a toe-up leg brace, used a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. In February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance only to receive the answer to my prayer as discovering the gift of poetry in my soul. My pen became my Divining rod for healing. Early on in this wild and wonderful healing journey I had a dream about coming out of my leg brace and dancing in the rain barefoot and free like Gene Kelly did in Singing in the Rain (only he wasn't barefoot). The next morning I wrote the poem, "Come Out and Play" that is on one of the photo's from today's run at the beginning of the post. Whenever I run in the rain, I reflect on that magical moment in my journey. As Carl Jung said, "The unconscious prepares the way for the future."

 

Tom and I had a joyful run as rain soaked us to the skin. We sidestepped puddles when we could; when we had to go straight through them we laughed. I once read a quote that said, "Running in the rain makes me feel as though I can handle the whole world." Another great running in the rain quote is "Running in the rain. Exercise...Therapy... and a Shower all at the same time."

 

There was majesty and beauty that surrounded us with lush green trees, tall grass and the smell that is unique to a rainy day in Boston in summer.  When we got home dripping wet, we peeled off our jackets and hung them in the shower. It was a bit challenging to get out of my sports bra as I was literally soaked to the skin but channeled my inner Houdini. Tom and I smiled as we refueled with breakfast that always tastes so delicious after a run. We marveled at how I am celebrating 18 and a half years of healing and how, in our 70's we are training for a 10K, living life to the full, feeling joy and gratitude fill our hearts and souls.

Another week of training in the books on the road to Hyannis. I am enjoying reflecting on the week's training as much as I am doing the training runs and strength training workouts. Tom and I do our strength training on Tuesday mornings before breakfast. We were doing them during his lunch hour but really enjoy doing workouts and runs before breakfast. What a great way to kick start the day. 

 

I am cleansed, refreshed and renewed after the sweat and rain on this week's training runs, looking forward to a well-deserved rest day tomorrow.

 

"Anyone who thinks that sunshine is pure happiness has never run in the rain." ~Unknown

 

 In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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.

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.

My books share a powerful message of healing, hope and possibilities; what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary and are available on Bookshop  My 6th book, "Into the Light:Emerging From the 2020 Pandemic" and my 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner:Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" are selections of the WBZ News Radio Book Club. "Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is also a selection Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reads for Every Runner. Visit my Author Page on Amazon for rave reviews.