A Run in South Boston and Reflections as National Poetry Month Ends

 

Given the long, cold winter and the slowly emerging warmth of Springtime in Boston, it had been a minute since Tom and I went on a run in South Boston. While there was still a brisk headwind, the sun was relatively warm. It felt wonderful to be back getting in miles breathing in briny sea air and seeing the expanse of the ocean and the sky.

When I wrote "My Soul Settles By The Sea" I had not yet started my unlikely runner career. I remember sitting on the beach in Southie being inspired by low tide to write the poem. It was in the early days of my healing journey in the summer of 2007 shortly after I had taken a leap of faith leaving behind my award-winning VA social work career. I knew I was at a crossroads in my life in December of 2006 after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, and expect an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. It was in the early days of research into the mind/body connection and Western Medicine did not take into account neuroplasticity; that our bodies have a tremendous capacity to heal. From what I glean from doing searches on PubMed and ScienceDirect and a generic Google search, the prognosis remains grim for Post-Polio Syndrome. When I first started sharing my journey, I was fortunate to be featured in Brookline Tab articles. I received comments from fellow polio survivors that they had hope that they were not destined for a life of an accelerated decline in functioning. I always give the caveat that I am not a doctor nor am I qualified to offer medical advice, but I can share how meditation, harnessing the power of the mind/body connection and becoming active reversed the symptoms I once experienced. On Thursday's run, I felt unbridled joy and my heart overflowed with gratitude for every step and every mile. It's something I never ever take for granted.

 

What a joy to savor Springtime in Boston and breathe in the scents of the season. There was a time when I could barely walk without a cane. There was a time when I felt as though I was living life with my nose pressed on the window seeing life pass me by while others were running free. I know how blessed I am to be able to go out the door and live life to the fullest. 

 

I love what my beloved physiatrist, Dr. Eugene Moskowitz, who treated me after I contracted paralytic polio in June 1959, wrote in an op-ed in the NY Times when the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome was being made.

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 have a Resources for Well-Being tab on my website. Science now shows that when we harness the power of the mind/body connection through visualization, the body heals in miraculous ways. We are not our diagnosis nor are we bound by the edicts that Western Medicine gives us. In February of 2007, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The portal to healing opened through my pen as the poem, "Running the Race" poured out of me. Despite the dire prognosis, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. What followed was an anthology of poems in which my imagination was fired up to harness the power of the mind/body connection to heal mind, body and soul from the once devastating effects of childhood paralytic polio and trauma. 

 

National Poetry Month ends tomorrow but May marks the month when I celebrate 19 years of healing after taking that leap of faith to heal my life. Tom and I just wrapped up a phenomenal training cycle for Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K and I was blessed to celebrate my 72nd birthday with 7.2 miles. I'm excited to let all the niggles from the intense training cycle in grueling winter conditions to heal as we start to slowly build mileage again. We have incorporated an extra strength training session into our weekly fitness plan and, for now, are doing weekly runs. I am content and grateful for all this body has given me and all it continues to give me. It's been a joy to revisit poems during National Poetry Month being able to experience their healing power all over again. I'm thrilled to be working on my 8th book, "Running the Race: From Atrophy to Astonishing", continuing to share my profound message of healing, hope and possibilities despite all appearances to the contrary.

 

We'll see what adventures lie ahead both on and off the roads grateful for the miracle of healing and transformation almost 20 years after having been told that I should prepare to experience an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged and spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!

 

In health and wellness - Mary

Visit my 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. 

 

"Meet Mary McManus — our first-ever Music Saved Me Story Contest winner.
We asked you to share the stories of the songs, the albums, and the moments when music reached in and changed everything. You delivered. And one story stopped us in our tracks. We are thrilled to announce that Mary McManus is the winner of the first-ever Music Saved Me Story Contest. Mary’s journey is one for the ages. She contracted paralytic polio at age five. She survived years of childhood trauma. And then, at the height of an award-winning career as a VA social worker, she was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and told to prepare to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

Music — and the healing power of words — had other plans for Mary.
Through poetry, perseverance, and an unshakeable belief in what’s possible, Mary transformed her life. At 53 she became a runner. At 55 she crossed the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon. That is what music can do." 

 

Mary will be the guest on an upcoming exclusive episode of the "Music Saved Me" podcast.

 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.

 

 

 

 

This Week in Training: Taking Risks

 

At the beginning of this week's training on the Road to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K, I reflected on the risks I have taken since December of 2006 when I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome and told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair expecting an accelerated decline in functioning as I aged. I was told that if I used it, I would lose it. Yes you read that right. The thinking was that because of the initial polio virus, there were fewer nerve to muscle connections and they would just continue to burn out at a faster rate as one aged. Neuroplasticity and the body's tremendous capacity to heal were not factored into the prognosis.

 

I took the risk of a leap of faith leaving behind an award-winning social work career to heal my life in May 2007 and I took the risk to start a greeting card business of original poetry for every occasion. It was an epic fail but sure brought a lot of joy to my customers. I still write original poetry for family and friends for special occasions. Perhaps the biggest risk I took was to train for and run the 2009 Boston Marathon defying Western Medicine's prognosis. I continuously reap the rewards of having taken the risk to become a most unlikely runner.

 

On Saturday, Tom and I made an 'audible' about where we were going to do our 5K. At the last minute, we decided to go to the Chestnut Hill Reservoir having no idea of the magic that was about to happen. As we headed to the Reservoir we heard, "Mary! Mary!" and saw a runner with his friend charging down the hill to meet Tom and me. It was our dear friend Dan, aka The Bearded Runner, aka Forrest Gump!

We exchanged warm hugs and I said, "Congratulations!" Tom asked for what. I rattled off, "The BAA Distance Medley, an ultramarathon and sobriety." "And don't forget a sub 1:30 half," Dan chimed in! We exchanged introductions with Adam who was running with Dan. Dan asked, "So you're taking a walk around the Reservoir?" "No Dan. This is my running." I went on to tell Dan and Adam what I was told by the medical community and added, "For someone who was supposed to be in a wheelchair I go pretty far and pretty fast." Dan totally got it. "If we listened to doctors, we'd all be popping pills and be bed ridden." Dan is going to run for his Fourth Star in London next year for a wonderful charity. Here is the link if you'd like to support him. We told him what we were training for. We took the obligatory selfie.

While running into a running friend is always magical, especially when they come charging down the hill to meet you, running into Dan who embraces the character of Forrest Gump when running, was especially magical for me.

 In February of 2007, I began writing poetry about running, imagining myself winning a 10K race, running free, coming out of my toe-up leg brace and I just knew that one day I was going to run. At the time I had no idea when, where, how or why. I fired up my mirror neuron system by watching Forrest Gump as he breaks out of his leg braces over and over again. It worked!

Tom and I were pumped after seeing Forrest and embraced the cold headwind with joy. I shared with Tom how, if I would have taken the diagnosis and prognosis sitting down, we would have never known all the love, joy and camaraderie that makes, what Bill Rodgers says, running, as the greatest sport. I would also not be able to experience the glorious sunshine and beauty of late Autumn in Boston.

 

 Monday's strength training session was inspired by this quote from Thoreau. While having gone through 10 years of not feeling well prior to the Post-Polio diagnosis finally being made and those early days, weeks and months of beginning to emerge from the dark night of my mind, body and soul were extremely challenging, I now get to experience a state better than what I was ever in before. I was a stranger to athletics, and a stranger to my body. It was how I survived the horrors of my youth. Now I get to enjoy every workout and run celebrating what's possible despite all appearances to the contrary.

Mother Nature shined the spotlight on the late Autumn splendor as we made our way around the Reservoir for our early morning Tuesday run. It's become our favorite place to run in the early morning. We know what a privilege and blessing it is to see the dawn of a new day especially when the Master Artist paints a mystical and magnificent scene as happened on Thursday morning.

 

While I was putting on my running shoes, I 'just happened' to look up and out our dining room window. I left the jacket, hat and gloves on the couch as I ran out to see if I could capture the magnificent colors before they would fade.

I did not see the sun with my naked eye. My breath caught when I saw the beams from the rising sun. After showing Tom the photo I said, "It's not too cold out there." "That's what we always say for the first few minutes until we're out there for awhile," he quipped. But we have great cold weather gear and were energized by the spectacular colors that lit up the morning sky. 

We let the serenity of the Reservoir settle into our souls as we wrapped up another week of training. What a spectacular finish to the week!

 

This photo was taken at the start of the 2016 Bermuda Half Marathon. In December of 2014, I had a very serious left knee injury. The MRI indicated that my gastroc muscle was atrophied from polio, the knee had degenerative changes, bone spurs, torn cartilage, and a fatty lipoma. It was beyond arthroscopic repair. I should stop running or cap my distance at a 5K and prepare for a total knee replacement in a few years. Fortunately, I was led to a wonderful chiropractor who also just happened to be a personal trainer! With chiropractic care, KT tape, and a revamped strength training session that I continue to build on today, we got me back on the roads. It was always on my bucket list to run in Bermuda. I went on to run 3 Bermuda Half Marathons in 2016, 2017 and 2018 with the Hyannis 10K in February of 2016 and many 5K's after that. Last year I went the 10K distance again after a set back in 2021/2022 and am so excited to return to Hyannis next March.

 

No matter how all those risks ended up, I am overjoyed and grateful that I took them. I am especially grateful to my husband Tom, who I call my hero for supporting me every mile of the way during these past 19 years. There were moments of financial stress and strain, and physical set backs but those pale in comparison to the fullness of life we are blessed to experience.

 

 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.