When I look at the devastation that happened on Cape Cod from the Blizzard of 2026; that people and businesses are still without electricity 4 days after the storm, I realize that the cancellation of Hyannis Marathon Weekend pales in comparison with what people are going through right now. We were extremely fortunate during and after the storm. We did not lose electricity which meant that we did not lose heat. One of our neighbors' friends had come over to snow blow his friend's driveway. Tom offered to pay him to help us since our snowblower did not have the power to clear our driveway. He wouldn't take a penny and cleared our driveway and sidewalk. Our Town continues to move the big snow piles and our street is down to bare pavement. I saw my friend's photos from Falmouth where some streets are not yet plowed and trees and power lines are in the street. One of my friend's posted that her house was at 43 degrees. She was eating Oreos and protein shakes for breakfast because nothing feels normal right now. She later messaged me that she got transportation to a friend's house with heat and electricity. The World Central Kitchen is on the ground on the Cape to help feed people who are without heat and electricity.
On Wednesday, I tried calling the host hotel for Race Weekend unaware of the extent of the devastation that had occurred on the Cape to see how they fared during the storm. Their line was busy and their website was down. I received an email saying our Reservation had been cancelled. Much to my surprise, they refunded our deposit! Later in the day, Paul Collyer, Race Director sent out the email saying:
"I have received word this afternoon from Hyannis officials that due to utility power still out in parts of Hyannis including the host hotel and other close proximities, deep snow, downed lines and trees and days of clean-up still ahead that they can not allow the road race to take place on Sunday due to safety concerns on the roads and proper staff needed to ensure a safe one.
It is too early to discuss a potential re-schedule date as Hyannis is and will be grappling with the storm the rest of the week into early next week. I will begin the discussion late next week when town hall has re-opened and things are returning to normalcy."
It is too early to discuss a potential re-schedule date as Hyannis is and will be grappling with the storm the rest of the week into early next week. I will begin the discussion late next week when town hall has re-opened and things are returning to normalcy."
Was I disappointed? Of course! Tom and I trained for the past 8 months imagining what it would be like coming into the finisher's chute celebrating my 20 years of my healing, his 74th birthday happening on 3/2, the 49th anniversary of when we met on his 25th birthday and on 3/4, 48 years of marriage. The mind and body cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. I feel as though the joy we experienced in our moments of imagination, already happened. And, as I said, any disappointment pales in comparison to what people and businesses are experiencing in Hyannis right now. Hotels with electricity are full as families seek shelter out of the cold; many don't have the means to pay for hotels. Schools remain closed.
I feel incredibly blessed and grateful. Our training cycle was the most gratifying training cycle I've had since I trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon. I went beyond the distance of the 10K to celebrate my birthday with 7.2 miles. I've already crossed the finish line of a training cycle that was more than the miles and more than the goal. I will admit that those last several training runs in the cold with snow and ice on the ground took quite a toll. With taper time, everything is resolving, but Tom and I decided that we are going to take our victory lap on Saturday (when the weather looks spectacular given the winter we have experienced) with a 5K. There is a lot of snow on the ground and we will need to navigate around snow piles and narrow sidewalks for safety. When the weather warms up, we will begin a new training cycle building miles once again to the 10K distance.
Our plans are being modified and adapted but my purpose to inspire others with what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary is permanent. I am chomping at the bit to get out and run again and resume our regular schedule of strength training workouts and runs. We have a 4 day weekend together to enjoy delicious meals both at home and in restaurants and will have time for more digging out from the Blizzard of 2026. The joy at the heart of our celebratory weekend remains. As a side note, this is not the first time a blizzard has caused us to change plans. My bridal shower was scheduled for February 6, 1978, the day of the start of the Blizzard of '78. We were planning to have our wedding reception at Anthony's Pier 4 aboard the Peter Stuyvesant Ship that sunk during the blizzard. Tom and I like to joke that the ship sunk but our marriage stayed afloat!
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by the Blizzard of 2026. We are grateful for all those tirelessly working on clean up efforts. Tom and I will pivot this weekend with our hearts overflowing with gratitude for all that this training cycle has given us and will continue to give us as we age strong.
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.
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.
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