Adopt The Pace of Nature - An Extra Rest Day?!!

 

As a recovering Type A personality, taking an extra rest day last week was extraordinarily challenging yet equally as necessary! 
 

A week ago Tuesday, I was on the struggle bus. I was not prepared for how cold it was. I was under dressed and not mentally prepared for the still cold weather here in Boston. As I got ready for our 'runchie' on Tuesday, I thought I wouldn't be fooled twice. It was a gorgeous day and temperatures were in the 70's! I over dressed. We did pass through some micro-climates where there were still snow banks. Tom and I breathed deeply, listened to the bird songs, soaked up the sunshine and were delighted that we could go around the Reservoir path again. It felt good to sweat!

Despite a gorgeous day, I felt fatigued. My right knee and IT band were still cranky! Despite doing all of my stretching, visualizations, afternoon meditations and conscious movement, my body had not yet recovered from our phenomenal 8 month training cycle and our fantastic 5K race where I pushed the pace in the warmer yet still cold temperatures.

During our quiet time on Tuesday evening, as we expressed our gratitudes for the day and set forth our prayers, I suggested to Tom that we take an extra rest day on Thursday. I could feel that my body needed more time to recover. I could almost feel my body letting out a sigh of gratitude. Throughout our entire training cycle, we never took an extra rest day. On Friday, I loved the synchronicity of Scott Browning's, "Friday Finish Line" post on LinkedIn that validated everything I was feeling after setting and achieving a big goal for me. 

"After a big goal, resist the urge to rush into the next one. Satisfaction deserves a little space.

Endurance isn’t only persistence. It’s knowing when to let the moment breathe. Recovery requires patience. Bodies rarely rebound on command.

The quiet days between big efforts are part of the work.

Celebrate the person who finished, not just the finish line." 

"We must learn to live in the present moment, to celebrate the small joys, and to be grateful for life as it is.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

 

Why did I struggle with taking the extra rest day on Thursday? I was told at the Post-Polio Clinic in December of 2006, that if I used it I would lose it. I was at risk for injuries and falls. I was warned that going out in Winter was particularly hazardous for a polio survivor. And, as I mentioned earlier, I did tend to be a Type A personality which served me well surviving childhood trauma and overcoming polio, but is no longer adaptive. So while there were the echoes of what I'd been told at the Post-Polio Clinic, what spoke louder to me were the words of my beloved physiatrist who cared for me after I contracted polio, when he wrote an Op-Ed in the New York Times to address the whole question of Post-Polio Syndrome:

Caution and Hope On Polio 'Signs'
Published: March 3, 1985
I read with interest the article entitled ''A Group for Polio Survivors Who Have New Symptoms'' (Feb. 10).

Having supervised the rehabilitation of poliomyelitis patients at Grasslands Hospital during the epidemics of the 50's and 60's, probably including the ''then'' infants mentioned in the article, I would like to add a word of caution and even hope as an afterthought. Firstly, there is no reason to suspect deterioration in the nerve cells in the spinal cord. After 30 years, one must accept some loss of endurance, increased fatigue and even some discomfort induced by other unrelated medical problems. This is true in the athlete with repeated injuries, in the obese person with back problems and even in the jogger with foot ailments.

Any individual with paralytic disability in an extremity will experience the normal process of ''wear and tear'' except that it may be more difficult to adjust to it. Just as one learned to compensate for the initial impairment so must one adjust to the later, more subtle changes rather than develop an emotional hang up of being a ''polio victim.'' ~EUGENE MOSKOWITZ, M.D. Mount Vernon 

 

I had not experienced a training cycle like the one Tom and I just finished since I trained for the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon. Let's face it, I'm a bit older now. The weather conditions were incredibly challenging. As I reviewed our last week of training, I realized that I'd done a 4 miler on Saturday followed by a 4 miler on Thursday. Those back to back runs in bitter cold navigating around snow and ice took quite a toll. Taper time was a God send. I thoroughly enjoyed our 5K 'race' where I broke the finisher's tape.

By Friday I felt fully recovered. The pain had almost completely resolved and fatigue had resolved. We enjoyed celebrating the anniversary of Jack Fultz's 50th Anniversary of his famous Run for the Hoses Boston Marathon run. It was the fitting Finale of 5 celebrations along the Boston Marathon route culminating at Cityside in Cleveland Circle. I was so grateful that I'd taken the extra rest day so I could thoroughly enjoy the evening hearing Jack reminisce about his journey and sharing my joyful journey with others.

 

By Saturday, I was ready and eager to get in a few miles. Although they say March comes in like a lion, she really roared with Saturday's 40 mph winds! Tom commented that he was amazed to see me take on the headwind with such strength and determination. I really should have eased back on pushing my pace given the conditions. 

 

As I write this on Sunday afternoon, I realize that I need to adjust our training plan for the week, incorporating an extra rest day again with an extra strength training session. I have total faith in my body's tremendous capacity to continue to heal and recover from that grueling training cycle. I emerge from that training cycle stronger and wiser having more confidence in what my body can still do. Yet I am also mindful of what I need to do to ensure that I remain injury free, and continue to enjoy my runs and my life. I have made a profound shift in finding balance (which by the way is one of my words for 2026) between challenging myself and giving myself the time and space I need to recover. I do so not out of fear or bowing to what the Post-Polio Clinic told me, but listening to the common sense advice from Scott Browning, Dr. Moskowitz and most important of all, listening to my body from a place of love and self-care.

 

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.

 

 

Hard Days Are The Best!

Given the intensity of our training cycle for the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K and leaving nothing out on the roads for Saturday's 5K, it might have made sense to take a rest day on Tuesday. There was still a lot of tightness in my right IT band and my right knee was still cranky. I'd underestimated how cold it would be despite the comparatively 'warmer' temperatures. By comparison, I am comparing temperatures in the "feels like...7 degrees" to 32 degrees at lunch time on Tuesday. I opted for my light weight running pants because, after all, the calendar said it was March. But the wind was coming off of the still piled high snow mounds and navigating around slush and ice made it feel like a mid-winter run. After a few steps, I could have easily turned around and said, "not today." Instead, I told Tom I needed to stop and stretch. I shared how I was still sore from the training cycle and Saturday's 'race' yet so unbelievably grateful for all my body has given me. In an odd sort of way, I loved the discomfort and embraced the cold headwind.

After I stretched, I did what we do on the roads or in life when the going gets tough; put one foot in front of the other digging deep to find the joy and exhilaration that is beyond the edge of the comfort zone. As we continued, Tom asked me if I needed to stop again to stretch. "No. I'm good," I replied. "I can't feel my legs!" There was a benefit to not wearing my warmer running pants. I felt incredibly bada** toughing out those miles and so grateful for a warm home and a delicious lunch to refuel.

 When I was first diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006, I was cautioned against going out in Winter. If I did, I should go only a short distance from my house or other destination to/from my car and use a cane with an ice gripper. If I would have listened to Western Medicine, I would have missed out on so much of life. Moving through discomfort and being out in the elements, especially unplugged with my bestie, is a gift that I never take for granted. There is still a part of me that is both defying the diagnosis and prognosis, and celebrating the miracle of healing and transformation. 

Whenever I take on a new challenge, I have no idea how my body will respond despite my best intentions and all I do to ensure a successful outcome. I continue to feel incredibly grateful for this training cycle and also grateful that I can now take time to recover.

On Saturday, even though there was a warming trend, Tom and I opted for our warm running pants, gloves and hats. It was a foggy, misting day that made for mystical magical miles. We took it nice and easy especially since we had to navigate around slush and ice and were grateful for patches of dry ground.

After last Tuesday's incredibly challenging run, we felt the joy return with Saturday's miles. We opted for a different route going from Cleveland Circle around the Reservoir following Beacon Street outbound. Gratitude continues to overflow from my heart as I can feel that every day in every way my body is recovering from the training cycle. I am deeply grateful for how Tom and I challenged ourselves and am in awe of how resilient we are on and off the roads. Every day we spend together is a gift and every day we unplug and get out in nature getting in the miles is a blessing.

I need to be exquisitely patient and not rush out to increase miles or set new goals. I don't usually talk about the challenges I experience given the once devastating effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma because I prefer to focus on healing, health and wellness. I do experience intermittent nerve pain, ongoing tightness in my right leg that I know will resolve once I continue with decreased mileage and warmer weather, and still have residuals from the adverse effects I experienced after the 2nd COVID vaccine in 2021. But nothing stops me from seeing how far I can go - like 7.2 miles to celebrate my 72nd birthday last December. Let me add that the symptoms are totally manageable with mindfulness, visualization harnessing the power of the mind/body connection, conscious movement and meditation. I adjust and adapt being a keen listener to what my body needs at any given time striking a balance between recovery and how I choose to challenge myself. I am careful to ensure that I take my afternoon meditation/rest time. There are some days when I need to extend the time and other days when a shorter recharge works; kind of like my phone. If the battery is drained, it takes longer to recharge it. I trust my body's ability to heal and recover using all the wisdom I garnered and continue to garner on this amazing journey.

There was a great article written by Dr. David R. Hamilton in his recent Better You, Backed by Science newsletter. It's a FREE weekly newsletter that uses science to inspire us on the road to us becoming our best selves. Here is the link to his article, "Why Harder Can Feel Better."

Aslan is on the move as they say. The snow is melting and Spring is on the way. I'm so excited to enjoy easier miles and the beautiful anticipation of a New England Springtime while relishing the incredible sense of accomplishment I feel for all those hard days Tom and I put in while we trained for Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K. I'm still in awe of my journey during these past 20 years since that once devastating diagnosis when I've been blessed to heal and transform from atrophy to astonishing. 

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.

 

 

Breaking The Finisher's Tape

It wasn’t the distance we trained for and it wasn't exactly the place
but Tom and I still had a wonderful celebratory race!

Last Friday, Tom and I took a drive to South Boston to scope out how the roads and sidewalks were after the Blizzard. We had first driven along Heartbreak Hill and the Carriage Road. There was a lot of snow, slush and ice with very narrow pavement on which to run. We knew there would be many runners training for Boston out on the Hills. Although there was some snow, slush and ice in Southie to navigate, there were clear open sidewalks.  Since Hyannis Marathon Weekend was cancelled, Tom and I had our own celebration with a fabulous 5K in South Boston. Our joy, gratitude and reasons to celebrate could not be cancelled! As part of our mental training, I've shared how we visualized crossing the finish line in celebration of: Tom's 74th birthday on 3/2 and the 49th anniversary of when we met on a blind date, our 48th wedding anniversary on March 4th and 20 years of my healing after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December of 2006. Nothing could dampen the celebration.

 

Given the stress of the Blizzard of 2026 and needing to navigate around ice and snow, we opted for a celebratory 5K. Spectacular ocean views, sunshine, blue sky, comfortable temperatures despite a headwind going out and being together unplugged out in nature filled our hearts with gratitude.

 

 

When we stopped to take our selfie, a woman with a beautiful golden retriever asked us if she could take our photo. We initially declined since she was walking her dog, but she insisted. Her dog obediently sat when she told him, "sit." We love the photo she took and expressed our heartfelt gratitude to her for her kindness.

 

 We had so much fun pushing the pace while taking in the sights, scents and sounds of Nature as she gets ready for Spring in Boston. We reminisced, we laughed and at times got overwhelmed with emotion reflecting back on our life together. When we first met, Tom was working as a dishwasher to put himself through school. I worked as an administrative assistant. We had absolutely no support from our families of origin. For our Anniversary this year, I told Tom I would like a new Farberware pot and tea kettle.  During our run I shared with Tom that when we first met we didn't have a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of. Now we have a new pot and an amazing home in Brookline that is almost paid for. We reminisced about jobs we had, places we lived (which incidentally have been within a 5 mile radius of our first apartment) and how frightening and devastating the Post-Polio Syndrome diagnosis had been. Every chance I get, I let Tom know how deeply grateful I am that he said it was a no brainer for me to take a leap of faith and leave behind a regular paycheck and benefits so I could heal. We remembered the white knuckle moments of financial stress and strain not only with my diagnosis but when he had gotten laid off from a tech company the day before he had surgery for bladder cancer. We got in touch with how blessed we are and how our strength, resilience, determination, sense of humor, and our love for one another always got us through the challenges.

 

The miles seemed to fly by especially since we were well trained for a 10K distance. For someone who was supposed to be in a wheelchair, I ran pretty fast. As we approached the 'finish line' at our car, we joined hands and raised our hands high feeling unbridled joy and exhilaration. I had often shared with Tom that I imagined Race Director Paulie Collyer and Bill Rodgers holding the finisher's tape in Hyannis as we crossed the finish line since, in all likelihood, I'd be the first 72 year old mobility impaired runner to cross the finish line. I felt as though I broke the finisher's tape on Saturday's run.

 

On the car ride to Stoked Pizzeria for post-race fueling, I looked up the Age Grading for our time. My Age-graded pace was a14:40 min/mile and that includes having to navigate slush, snow and ice on the sidewalk. After a delicious white veggie pizza, we came home and rested until it was time to get ready to go to Legal Sea Foods for a celebratory dinner. 

 

I was so ready for a Sunday rest day but on Monday it was back to before breakfast strength training.

 

What a great way to celebrate Tom's birthday and the 49th anniversary of when we met. We cranked up the playlist as we amped up the strength training now that our training cycle is over! Tom took the day off from work. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and time just hanging out together. We returned to Legal Sea Foods for a birthiversary (Tom''s birthday and the anniversary of when we met) lunch. Amy, the manager, who had seen us on Saturday commented that we were back so soon. We told her what we were celebrating. She wanted to give us a complimentary dessert but since Tom and I are mindful about our sugar intake, and we did indulge in New York Cheesecake on Saturday night, we declined. I told her that Tom was having an Americano for dessert and she said she would be happy to take that off our bill. It was a perfect ending to our training cycle and celebratory weekend.

 

On March 4th, we crossed the starting line of a new year of our life together. We have a New York City adventure planned in April to see Hamilton. I've been wanting to go to the West Bank Cafe which Tom D'Angora, a Facebook friend, Fanilow and incredible human now owns. I'll be crossing that off of my bucket list. We will continue to maintain our health and fitness schedule while giving ourselves time to recover from a rigorous and challenging training cycle through a brutal winter. We feel incredibly accomplished, grateful for all our bodies gave us and all we gave to our bodies throughout our training. I'm relishing in the after glow of breaking the finisher's tape celebrating 20 years of healing and a life created with my bestie and soul mate. 

 

I run with courage and heart glistening with grace
and after twenty years I am still running my own race. 

 

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.