This Week in Training: Momentum

In December of 2006, life as I had known it came to a screeching halt with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards. My future, if I were to have a future, looked grim with the prognosis of preparing to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. How was I going to stop this negative momentum of being in a debilitated state and having been told there was no way to gain positive momentum?

 

I got still in February of 2007 and asked for Divine Guidance. The answer to my prayer was the poem, "Running the Race" that opened the portal to healing with poetry flowing out of me as though a spigot had been turned on in my heart and soul. My imagination was fired up by my pen that I have come to call my divining rod for healing. "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Talk about turning the tide of negative momentum!

 

As Tom and I set out for our 6 mile run last Saturday at Jamaica Pond, I could feel the building of momentum in our training cycle on the Road to the Hyannis 10K. It was our third 6 mile run in a month as we build a solid base of miles and fitness. Jamaica Pond was our go to place during our Boston Marathon training. It was where Bill Rodgers trained. We knew we would be treated to late Autumn splendor even with the cloudy start with gray skies, and feel the energy of fellow runners doing the Park Run. What we did not know was that we would have another Spirit animal sent to us or that the sun would break through the clouds sending temperatures to 60 degrees. Tom and I agreed that it reminded us of Christmas Day in 2016 when we had our last long run for the Bermuda Half Marathon.

 

Falcon  as a spirit animal symbolizes ambition, focus, speed, and vision, representing the ability to see clearly and pursue goals with power and determination. It is associated with victory, freedom and spiritual insight and acts as a reminder to stay true to your path and overcome fears. Culturally, it is also a symbol of divine power, messengers, and protection. The falcon is a fierce hunter, embodying a powerful warrior spirit and the courage to fight against your fears. 

Monday's strength training session was one of our best ones yet. We cranked up our playlist, rolled out the fitness mat and, despite another 6 miles on Saturday, felt sore and strong. We used Amy Cragg's marathon mantra of breathing in strength and breathing out weakness. We don't have a moment's hesitation when the alarm goes off; we feel the joy of momentum as every run and workout takes us one step closer to that starting line on 3/1.

Tuesday morning was the first noticeably cold day of the training cycle. My heart overflowed with gratitude for great cold weather running gear, dry ground despite a rainy day on Monday and that I no longer experience cold intolerance.  The combination of childhood paralytic polio and trauma caused a short circuit in my thermostat (among many other issues) that I was able to heal with visualization. I was concerned about Monday's downpours knowing that temperatures were going to plummet overnight but Source is watching over us. It was a magical run as we experienced the dawn of a new day in glorious technicolor. We noticed the change in color and movement in the Reservoir's water as Autumn slowly exits and Winter begins to make an appearance.

After a rest and recovery day on Wednesday, we were ready to wrap up the week with morning miles. Despite not sleeping well Wednesday night, we felt momentum moving us up and out the door. There was no wind and temperatures were much milder than on Tuesday. 

We felt the Wednesday worries melt away with each footstep and embraced the possibilities that come with the dawn of every new day! The time of being unplugged and experiencing Nature's beauty up close and personal is sacred time for Tom and me. At this time of year we give thanks that I did not take the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome sitting down. I was touched by grace to embark on a profound healing journey of transformation that brings me to this moment in my life. 

We scale back miles for a few weeks while maintaining our momentum with consistent work outs and training runs. I'm so excited to hit peak mileage of 7.2 miles on my Christmas Birthday. It's the first time in a long time that I've run my age in miles on my birthday. It's exciting to continue to challenge myself. Let's keep this momentum going!

 

 

 In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my ***NEW*** 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.

My Trilogy of Transformation chronicles my journey from having been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards to a woman transformed through the sport of running. Take a journey into a world of healing, hope and possibilities with my 7 books, available on Amazon. My 7th book, "A Most Unlikely Runner: Inspiration From The Heart of a Warrior" is a selection of the WBZ News Radio Book Club and Bill Rodgers Running Center Billy's Bookshelf: Recommended Reading for Every Runner. You will be inspired by my strength, courage, resilience, determination and overcoming the inevitable setbacks that come with a journey to health and wellness. 

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.

 

Reach out to me at maryamcmanus@gmail.com if you'd like me to speak to your organization or group to inspire them with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary; how one finds strength, resilience and determination in the face of seemingly impossible odds.