Keep Calm It's Race Week: On Heroes and Adventures

"No matter how old I get, the race remains one of life's most rewarding experiences. My times become slower and slower, but the experience of the race is unchanged: each race a drama, each race a challenge, each race stretching me in one way or another, and each race telling me more about myself and others." ~George Sheehan 

I can't believe race week is here. I am getting mentally locked in for Sunday's Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K. I am going through photos of my previous running adventures that were a resounding success bringing with them joy and celebration. As we leave the Year of the Snake behind us, I continue to shed polio and trauma memories that surface during taper time with an incredible opportunity to continue to heal on deeper levels. I came up with a new mantra, "I am light on my feet." I continue to use my afternoon meditation time with guided meditations from Dr. David Hamilton. They support tempering the thoughts of doubts and fears that can arise during taper time. I am making the shift to the Year of the Fiery Horse seeing myself as a Thoroughbred living the heroic life. Social media and newsletters I subscribe to are sending me messages of shine brightly, saying no to the critic/nay sayer within and to share the gifts I've been given carefully choosing my thoughts and beliefs. 

 

 

I do miss our long runs and workouts but know this time is vital for tissue repair from the intense training and to build strength. Taper time always reminds me of how important regular exercise is or mind, body and soul. 

 

As suggested by ways to manage taper madness, I am getting our gear together.

 

 

As was true when I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon, I am not just running this race for me. As one of my dear friends said to me as we were emailing back and forth about Hyannis, "This one is for posterity."

I remember a blog post I wrote after I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon. Celebrating the Hero Within.
"Being a hero means having the courage to be true to myself and to move in the direction of my dreams. I have a confession to make; I have been a reluctant hero. I have received so many emails and Tweets saying “You are my hero.” Huh – wait a minute. Who me? I'm somebody's hero? People have been in tears because of my act of courage and heroism – to overcome Post-Polio Syndrome and take on the challenge of the Boston Marathon – and to succeed! I think of the people who commented on the articles written about me before, during and after running Boston who saw me as their hero and a source of inspiration to polio survivors to go farther than they believed they could.

Why was I a reluctant hero? I was listening to the voices and behavior of those around me from the past. The ones who begrudgingly chose me last for their team in gym class and a family who rejected and abused me. Being in the spotlight before was an invitation for ridicule and abuse. But that came from people who were blind to see the  heroes within themselves. How could I possibly expect them to see the hero inside of me? The hero who went to school every day with a leg brace; who excelled academically despite a chaotic home life; the hero who went on to serve those who served and despite debilitating illness, put the needs of my patients first and the hero who dared to conquer Post-Polio Syndrome to run in the 113th Boston Marathon raising over $10,000 for Spaulding Rehab Hospital.

After the Marathon run was over, a part of me wanted to retreat into my old 'safe' world; yet ironically, that 'safe' world is fraught with fear and doubt, and a world in which I remain a victim. My passport has been revoked to travel to the land of victimhood. When I crossed the finish line it became a starting line for me to share my journey and to share my gifts with the world. 

Last night, someone I met at the Hyannis Half Marathon called me to congratulate me and tell me I was his hero. He wanted to hear all about my journey on the road to the Boston Marathon. I recalled the countless orthopedic surgeries and rehab; I recalled the intensive rehab following the diagnosis of Post- Polio syndrome; I recalled the leap of faith I took to leave the security of my full time job and paycheck at the VA to follow my passion and to share my gift of poetry with the world. I recalled running in cold and ice and I recalled all the blessings and grace I experienced along this journey. I recalled the incredible people I have met – such as himself and the lives I have already touched with my courage and heart.

Every time I share my journey and realize what strength, beauty and courage I possess to have overcome the challenges in my life, the scales of fear fall away and I realize it is time to step into my role as a 
hero. Me, a hero? You bet I am and so are you!"

It's been two years since I toed the starting line of a race. I'm embracing feeling all the feels of taper time knowing that pre-race jitters are a reflection of the excitement of Race Weekend, all the hard work I put into this training cycle and how important it is for me to feel the joy and celebration of crossing the finish line. I feel sore and tired yet incredibly grateful and gratified by our dedication to training. These days leading up to Hyannis are a time for me to temper down taper madness to be ready to brightly shine on race day. I can feel the overwhelming emotion of when Tom and I cross that finish line once again with hands held high celebrating 20 years of healing and a lifetime of being together.  Success is the only option!

I hope to see many of you at the Expo where I'll be sharing my incredibly inspiring journey as a most unlikely runner and will have my books for sale.  Here is the link to register and to the event website  Bill Rodgers returns as the special guest for Race Weekend. 

 

See you in Hyannis!

 

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.