A Runner's High Continued - The Boston Run Show - Day 2

Michael Seaman had a vision, a dream for an event where runners could come together whatever their pace or distance. One day his wife encouraged him to stop talking about it and do something about it. You can hear the back story of The Boston Run Show on Episode 89 of the On the Runs Podcast. 

Tom and Ruth Anne joined me for the start of Day 2. They were treated as VIP's! The excitement of the crowd waiting to enter to hear Michael Johnson's fireside chat filled the air. The Raccoon Media Group team were feverishly handing out swag to the queue. I asked if they needed help. With a big sigh of relief, Chloe said, "Yes please!" I filled up a box with non-alcoholic Sam Adams Beer, t-shirts, hats and cooling towels and worked the line. Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony, David Hellard asked trivia questions for the gift giveaway.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, much of the crowd made their way to the Marathon and Road Stage to hear Kelly Roberts moderate a fireside chat with 4 time Gold Medalist Michael Johnson. It was standing room only. Tom, Ruth Anne and I enjoyed seeing our friends at the FlavaNaturals booth:

 

Alan was ecstatic with being a part of the Show and plans to return next year. "The audience is exactly who we want to reach for our product," Alan said. They asked questions and were engaged with the information he provided about his proprietary product.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruth Anne and I took photos with the Boston Marathon trophy:

We reminisced about our 2009 Boston Marathon run. While we may not have brought home 'the' trophy, Team McManus felt like champions for taking on the challenge and raising $10,535 for Spaulding Rehab Hospital.

Ruth Anne had course work to finish. We were about to say goodbye but she decided to stay a little longer. Seemingly out of nowhere, we saw our dear friend Suzanne Showstack Adams.

"I knew I was going to see you," Suzanne said. 

"I felt the same way." We knew that we were each Ambassadors. Suzanne was with her dad Bruce. We tightly hugged and expressed our deepest condolences on the loss of Bonnie, Suzanne's mom and Bruce's beloved wife. We were blessed to know Bonnie when we were part of the Spaulding Race for Rehab Team. Our eyes filled with tears as Suzanne shared Bruce's why for running the Boston Marathon this year for Spaulding. Here's a link to his fundraising page. We posed for a 'team reunion' photo:

After more conversation overflowing with love and support, we hugged so long. Tom and Ruth Anne went on their way and I made my way to the cafe to recharge after an exciting start to the day!

Eric and Erika, co-hosts of the 'pod' made their way to the cafe. What a thrill to finally meet in 3-D and enjoy the Show with them. We met up with another member of the pod fam known as Mr. 305NoMore whose incredible journey of transformation can be heard on Episode 45. We met with the Team from Racoon Media who arranged to have Mike on the pod exploring possibilities for next year's show!

I connected with David Whelan on LinkedIn when I saw he would be taking the stage Sunday afternoon to present on "Feed What You Want to Grow." What an incredible inspiration! I took notes feeling in awe of his miraculous journey.

Prior to David taking the stage, I had a delightful encounter with Kelly Roberts and Laura Green. 

"You know," I said to Laura Green. "You and I have something in common. We were each guests on the On the Runs podcast." Kelly took a photo of us:

As you can see from the smiles on the faces in the crowd, Laura's talk on "My lifelong quest to be friends with Des Linden" was a perfect way to end the Boston Run Show weekend.

Congratulations to Mike and the outstanding crew of Raccoon Media Group for an exceptional experience. 

I experienced a post-event let down after all the magic from the weekend. Fortunately, I received a post-event survey that included a link to get tickets to the Boston Outdoor Expo happening in Boston on 4/27 and 4/28. See you there!

From my heart to yours

In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my website to be inspired by my journey. May it ignite a spark within you to go farther than you ever believed you could. Be sure to visit the News and Events Page with links to podcast interviews, speaking engagements and where you can find my incredibly inspirational story.

My books that pack powerful messages of healing, hope and possibilities are available on Amazon

Thank you to Mike Reilly for featuring my story on Stories From the Finish Line Sponsored by CURAD Performance Series to inspire others.

Be sure to subscribe to the On The Runs podcast for stories of individuals who are fierce and determined to overcome challenges, set goals and crush them. Here is the link to my Episode 56.

Be sure to subscribe to their new YouTube Channel to enhance your podcast listening experience!

Be sure to download and subscribe to the AdaptX podcast. Here's the link to my wonderful conversation with host Brendan Aylward sharing my journey of transformation and healing in the wake of polio, Post-Polio syndrome and trauma.

Our Monday Morning Run

 

In February of 2007, after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I fired up the power of my imagination to create a life very different than the ones the doctors predicted for me through the power of writing poetry. My pen became my divining rod for healing. They told me to prepare to spend the rest of my in a wheelchair and to expect an accelerated decline as I got older.

The first poem I wrote, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run.

Poetry also enabled me to heal my past through gratitude, forgiveness and grace.

When the pandemic began last year, I once again turned to the healing power of poetry and documenting our experiences as we navigated our way through uncharted waters of a global pandemic. I continued to document events and write poetry as we shifted out of a State of Emergency to what everyone thought was going to be a Post-Pandemic world at least here in the United States.

Once we were vaccinated we were told we could take off our masks, would not need to quarantine or be tested if a contact tested positive or became ill and we could resume activities that we put on hold for many many months. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. There was celebration and joy as people gathered in the streets, resumed travel, went out to the ballgames and we experienced a sense of collective freedom from COVID. 

But on July 4th, the very day that we were going to celebrate our independence, Provincetown had an outbreak of cases both symptomatic and asymptomatic in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Infection rates started to rise especially in areas that a low vaccination rate.

New CDC guidelines to mask up indoors and new guidelines for getting testing and being in quarantine even if you are fully vaccinated emerged albeit with some confusion as often happens with a novel virus now with a variant.

Tom received an email that all Boston College staff, faculty and students will need to be tested before heading back to the office and school.

I must admit, I felt the energy drain out of me flashing back to when we were waiting for Tom's test results.

From "Hope is a Garden: Poems and Essays From the 2020 Pandemic":

"Tom had to be tested for COVID at Boston College this past Monday. We know we are all healthy and well. We knew Ruth Anne tested negative when she went for an appointment for a possible UTI. We know that the symptoms of the virus can be very similar to how stress manifests in the body and we all know the role that the power of belief plays in our bodies. We focused on creating the outcome we wanted rather than focus on fear. {Spoiler alert: It was negative!} The testing site was well organized without any waiting at the site. They said Tom would get the results in 6-26 hours.

 

His colleagues started getting their results and after 26 hours he called student health services. They said he would not get the results until late Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

 

Let go and let God and get out the door to go on a run while trying to let thoughts of worry pass by like clouds, as any person who meditates will do. Yet I also honored my feelings of being aware of the fragility of life and how life can change on a dime!

 

We were not worried about Tom getting ill but rather concerned about the disruption a positive test would cause in our lives. Ruth Anne is just getting back to volunteering and seeing her acupuncturist on a regular basis. She would not be able to go to either of those activities for 14 days. I didn't know if we would all need to quarantine or if I would be able to get out to get us groceries. As I observed my racing thoughts, Ruth Anne and I took in the spectacular scenes before us on a beautiful summer morning.

 

I felt a heaviness in my body and focused on releasing the weight I felt while being so grateful for the gift of being free to be able to get up, go out the door and get in a run.

 

The phone rang...spam call.

 

We focused on the geese that swooped in seemingly from out of nowhere landing with flapping wings. A bubble of joy rose up within me to see their movements with reckless abandon and the splashing of water.

 

The phone rang again as we were on our final loop around the Reservoir.

 

"It was negative," Tom said and the tears began to flow.

 

Nike+ said, "Pausing work out."

 

"The volunteer put in my wrong email address. The nurse at the Health Services got all of my information, called the testing lab and got the results. She was very chatty and I told her that I was sorry to cut her off but I have to call my wife."

 

Even though Tom didn't tell me that only negative results would be sent via email, as a former social worker in health care, I knew that positive results would not be sent via email. Tom confirmed my suspicion after he received the results.

 

Ruth Anne and I laughed and cried for the rest of our miles. She would be able to volunteer and see her acupuncturist later in the day and we would be able to move forward with living our lives as we have been since March mindful of masks and social distancing with a lifestyle that promotes health and wellness."

 

As we set out on our early Monday morning run, I felt a heaviness I had not experienced in awhile. I decided I needed to shift out of the state I was in with harnessing the power of the imagination .

 

Massachusetts is offering a VaxMillions lottery for all who have been fully vaccinated in Massachusetts. Today was the second drawing.

 

"Okay Team," I announced. "Let's practice for when we get the call that we won."

 

We made sure our phone ringers were on high.

"Hello. May I please speak with Ruth Anne McManus?"

"Yes. This is she." 

"This is Mary {pause for a quick second} Rouget from the Department of Public Health. I am calling to congratulate you on winning VaxMillions." I went on to say what the next steps were for her to claim her prize. We burst out laughing with the name I quickly came up with. Ruth Anne took on the persona of Ms. Pickles when she called me.

When it was Tom's turn to win I started crying with gratitude as if he really won. Ruth Anne reminded me that I wasn't supposed to be the one with excitement as the one calling to congratulate him. More laughter as we made our way to the Reservoir.

It was Tom's turn to 'call' me. He put on a foreign accent and we all laughed so hard we could hardly run.

Next we practiced holding the check for our photo. It all felt so real and so wonderful to experience the thrill of receiving a million dollars to be fully vaccinated. 

We released it and focused on the beauty of a summer's day in Boston where all the troubles of the world just melt away with every foot strike:

The sweat poured as the sun was surprisingly hot but there was a delightful cool breeze that kept us comfortable. We talked about the excitement for Tom's upcoming vacation and celebrating the twins' birthday in person a week from Wednesday. 

We enjoyed a delicious breakfast when we got home and were ready to embrace a new day, a new week and a new month ahead.

Focus

Drowning out the din
focusing on the beauty of a summer morning
I spy with my little eye
magnify the magnificence
through my looking glass

Troubles melt away with sweat
with each foot strike
strength surges
global pandemic still reigns
reigning in my thoughts

focus

Towering trees
a canopy of green
swans swimming
serenity
calming a trembling heart
Divine love triumphs
signs surround

focus.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness,
Mary

Visit my website to learn more about my journey of transformation in the wake of paralytic polio and trauma to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.

Be sure to listen to my recent conversation with Liz Brunner, award winning journalist, now CEO of Brunner Communications on her podcast Live Your Best Life. I share how I live my best life despite the challenges that I faced at an early age.

For all of my recent appearances, be sure to visit my News and Events tab on my website.

My books to inspire and uplift you are available on Amazon.