Come Out And Play!

 

As a child who contracted paralytic polio at age 5 and then endured years of abuse at the hands of family members, my physical capabilities were quite limited. I was in an ankle to hip metal leg brace and was on crutches for a year. While I had a dynamic duo of a physiatrist and physical therapist team, running free in my body was something I never knew until I was 54 years old. As a child, I never knew the unbridled joy of splashing in puddles and having mud covered feet soaked to the skin. 

One of the early poems I wrote in Spring of 2007 was inspired by a dream I had. I'd been diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. Knowing I was at a crossroads in my life, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance in February of 2007. A portal to healing opened with the discovery of the gift of poetry in my heart and soul. One night I dreamed that I was dancing in the rain as Gene Kelly did in Singing In The Rain without my toe-up leg brace.

 I was splashing in the puddles. I'd been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. The next morning I wrote the poem, "Come Out And Play." Despite being debilitated in the wake of polio and trauma, I felt a surge of hope; that healing was possible harnessing the power of my imagination and the mind/body connection. Of course at the time I had no idea that I would go on to run the 2009 Boston Marathon and have many adventures as a most unlikely runner.

The theme for this week's workouts and runs in our training cycle on the Road to the Hyannis Marathon 10K was play. How amazing that we capped off the week with morning miles in the pouring rain.

Last Saturday was an absolutely glorious day to kick off another week in the training cycle on the Road to Hyannis. Tom and I expressed joy and gratitude as we breathed in the sea air, were captivated by the sound of the surf and delighted in the sharing of smiles of runners passing by. We had lots of company with runners who were participating in the Get Your Rear in Gear race for colon cancer awareness and the U Mass Boston Beacon 5K. There were smiles for miles along the beaches that line the Boston Harbor.
December will mark 19 years since I received the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. It was devastating to be told, at the height of my award-winning social work career at the VA, that I needed to quit my job, be prepared to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. My heart and soul overflow with gratitude that I am training to go the distance of a 10K again with my sights set on the half marathon distance next year.

That run was, far and away to date, my favorite of this training cycle. The weather was spectacular. The head wind gave us a preview of what the change in seasons will bring but the sun kept us comfortably warm; quite a contrast to when we needed the sea breeze to temper the high heat and humidity. Whenever runners gather, especially when running for a cause, there is a sense of unity. The rhythm of feet, the joy and sweat, runners cheering for one another, and a sense of celebration for every pace dissolves divisiveness. Being a part of the running community is a gift I never take for granted.

 

When we stopped at the Curley Center to fill up our water bottles and make a pit stop, we were greeted by Diane who immediately started talking Red Sox baseball since Tom was wearing a Red Sox hat. She warmly welcomed us even though we aren't members of the Curley Center and told us to stop by anytime on our runs. As we left she told us to enjoy the rest of our day and ended with a shout of "Go Sox!"

As we finished our 5.5 miles, I realized how I went from the feeling of two weeks ago, "Let’s just do brunch and skip the run" (which of course we did NOT do) to deep gratitude for the gift of running in my life that was reflected all around me in the joy of the day.

We dressed perfectly for our first run of Autumn on Monday with capris, short sleeve shirt and a pullover top that I've had since we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon! Yes it still fits!

Joy and gratitude overflowed from my heart feeling the awe of having been diagnosed with a progressive neuromuscular disease to now, at age of 72, to be training for another 10K. Leaves on the trees are slowly changing. We delighted in the morning light as the leaves seemed to be dancing on the trees getting ready to let go. What a gift to see the sun move across the sky and light up the day as we kicked off a new day, a new week and a new season!

 Our home gym was surprisingly warm and humid on Tuesday morning. Tom and I poured sweat during our before breakfast strength training workout. I thought of this quote from Kristin Armstrong as we cranked up our playlist and even threw in a dance when "Just In Time" Broadway's Queen of the Hop came on!

 

Wednesday was a wonderful rest day of doing laundry, stretching, cleaning out paperwork, and organizing photos and notes on my Mac. 

 

Wrapping up the week on Thursday with a run in the rain was a perfect culmination for this week's theme. When I woke up at 5:45, I heard the rain pelting the windows. "Oh no," I thought to myself. "Well at least there is no thunder and lightning. We gotta go." After our meditation and stretching, the rain stopped by 6:30. There was still lots of mud and puddles around the Reservoir. At our turnaround point, the rain began again. The song, "If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops oh what a world it would be." Tom and I laughed as we felt the gravel from the Reservoir's path hit the back of our legs.

There's so much joy in this training cycle on the road to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K! Every day is a celebration of life for me especially when I get to experience the childlike joy of going outside to play in the rain.

 

Today is a rest day as Tom and I get ready for another 5.5 miler tomorrow building a solid base of miles going the distance once more.

 

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 Amazon.  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 Amazon Author Page for book descriptions and rave reviews.