Happy New Year!

 

 

 The energy of this month is optimism. Every choice I make is a stepping stone along the path to the wonderful future that I am creating for myself. I let go of the negative energy of the past and become a "now" person. I welcome each day with open arms. ~Louise Hay

How strange to not start the New Year with a run. But I am in serious taper mode and know that this time of rest and taking care of myself will serve me well come race day.

We have had a stressful few weeks albeit weeks that were also filled with joy and celebrations. It was easy to go to my "dark and twisty place" (iykyk from Grey's Anatomy) especially after Tom tested positive for COVID on 12/29. I am so deeply grateful for the primary care practice he has. His doctor was on vacation but the PA he had for his visit was absolutely phenomenal. I thought that he'd have to have two negative tests within 72 hours of travel which of course I googled and was protocol during the height of COVID. The PA told us that he is cleared regardless of test status after 10 days of isolation. His symptoms began Christmas Eve. Tom gets the week off between Christmas and New Year's but has to use vacation time. We had planned day trips but with Tom feeling unwell, Ruth Anne experiencing UTI symptoms and the upper respiratory infection, and me continuing to recover from it as well, we were very content to stay at home and let ourselves recover.

I spent New Year's Day continuing to clean and disinfect the house, creating social media content, cleaning out my digital files and focused on getting ready for our trip. We took extra long time for meditation and visualization and nourished ourselves well. Tom and I reviewed the itinerary from Marathon Tours and Travel taking notes and adding to the to do list. I took a lot of time for stretching. I cleaned out the planner from 2023 and cracked open the new planner for 2024. 

Ruth Anne gifted me a self-care journal as part of my Christmas Birthday celebration. It's a wonderful tool for reflections on what I want to heal this year and envisioning what I want to create this year. I get to choose my perspective on circumstances that happen in our lives. I could have had a wonderful pity party about what we weren't able to do after Christmas and that we were all experiencing discomfort. Instead I focused on gratitude and the blessings and gifts in the challenge. I was so deeply grateful for wonderful health care providers and that while our symptoms were uncomfortable, they didn't require more intense interventions than hydration, gargling, hot tea and lots and lots and lots of rest. Did I mention rest? I must admit, I am not the best when it comes to rest. I do know when the Universe is letting me know it's time for a big time out and all I can do is surrender.

I've had time to cook and focus on nutrition for the body and meditation for the heart and soul. Self-love, kindness and compassion take center stage exiting 2023 and embracing health and wellness for 2024. Tapping into happiness and joy regardless of circumstances is a top priority. David Hamilton shares a story about when his dog Oscar encountered a duck that snapped at him. He ran to David and David noticed that he literally shook off the experience. During this 'down time' I've been working on better managing my fear and anxiety. When that fear and anxiety take over, it's challenging to be in a creator mode allowing pleasant imaginings to be at the fore front of my thoughts. Soooo I had the image of David's dog shaking off the unpleasant experience and going about his day. He recently added a course to his on line offerings about how the mind can heal the body. It's been a wonderful refresher for me to harness the positive power of the mind to overcome these recent challenges and move forward with joy into 2024. Taper madness certainly intensified with us all being under the weather and not having our usual outlet on the roads.

While Tom's vacation was not what we envisioned and our post-Christmas time focused on medical care initially fraught with worry about whether or not we would be able to have our vacations to Bermuda and Nashville, we used the time and circumstances to regain our health and spiritually grow. We surrendered and accepted to the circumstances using gratitude and believe it or not humor as we navigated through disrupted sleep, lots of hot showers with steam and watching episodes of Psych in the evening. We read, meditated and listened to music. We stayed connected with friends and family through social media. Sure it would have been awesome to see the ice sculptures downtown and enjoy First Night festivities maybe going out for dinner but it was also awesome to be grateful for the gift of the dawn of a new year. And what an exciting adventuresome New Year we have planned.

On the 11th, Tom and I head to Bermuda on Jet Blue and Ruth Anne heads to Nashville to visit her best friend from college. On the 13th, I toe the starting line of the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K. I trust the training and let the excitement of anticipation wash through every part of my Being. January 26-27, I am an Ambassador for the Boston Run Show. How exciting and exhilarating to have meet ups with friends from social media, hear inspirational speakers and share my incredible journey. In February, Tom and Ruth Anne take on the Hyannis Half as their final training run for LA. In March, we head to Los Angeles where Tom and Ruth Anne take on the LA Marathon! I have a non-running adventure in New York City to hear Barry Manilow in Concert at Radio City Music Hall. I've been imagining manifesting a meet and greet with him. 

Hello 2024 - Team McManus is embracing you with open arms.

Happy NewYear!  

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.

"I'm sorry I didn 't get that." - Preparing for My Victory Lap

 

It's called taper madness for a reason! 

There's a poetic arc to a training cycle. Even before I registered for the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K, I wrestled with whether or not I wanted to or could go the distance again after a setback in 2021/2022. Once I committed to the goal, I was focused on building miles, working on pace, becoming acquainted with all of the sensations that go with pushing my body and training my mind to embrace this new goal. It's just a little more than a month to go before I toe the starting line. I know that it is vital to taper and allow my body to heal all the 'niggles' that occurred during the training. It takes conscious effort to trust the training and go into a relaxed taper mode. 

As the body shifts from a doing to being mode, many thoughts arise filled with doubts focusing on the aches and pains once more questioning if I can really do this as I did at the start of training. As Tom and I were getting ready to start the day on Monday, I said, "You know there are times when I could really just go and have a relaxing vacation. Neither Tom nor I had our phones open and our laptops were downstairs.  Siri said, "I'm sorry I didn't get that." Even my wonderful husband who tends to be on the skeptical side of things said 'whoa.'

Yes - whoa. The Universe was speaking to me through Siri's voice. I felt a stirring in my soul that this is meant to be. 

Early on in my healing journey, I said that I know there's going to be pain. I'd rather hurt on the side of progress, health and wellness than allow the pain of decline secondary to disuse and atrophy to prevail. As my personal trainer Janine and I walked back to the Mandarin Oriental Boston Hotel after crossing the 2009 Boston Marathon finish line, she asked me how I was feeling. Every marathoner experiences pain but my pain had an extra layer given my history of paralytic polio and trauma, I told Janine that if I were to focus on the pain I experienced during training, I would not have made it to the starting line." "I knew there was a lot you weren't telling me," Janine said.

The Universe has orchestrated wondrous happenings to accompany this taper time. On Wednesday, despite freezing temperatures, I had a photo shoot with a Boston University photographer. The editor of Bostonia, the alumni magazine, interviewed me for a piece they are doing about accomplishments of older alumni. The shoot included action shots of me running and portraits of me wearing my Boston Marathon jacket and medal. I felt the Divine surge through me as I experienced the miracle of healing of the past 17 years. I felt the muscle memory of training for the Boston Marathon through a bitter cold New England winter. We did the photo shoot where I had a photo shoot for the Brookline Tab in May of 2008 as I first set out on my Boston Marathon journey. Talk about a full circle moment!

Later that afternoon, I had a Zoom call as an Ambassador for The Boston Run Show.  I sent in my journey as a most unlikely runner and was selected to be an Ambassador for the Boston Run Show happening January 27-January 28. As Ambassadors, we promote the show in our social media outlets and have VIP access to the event. During the call, the organizers said that they needed Ambassadors to assist with the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Meet and Greets for the guest speakers. I connected with David Whelan, an incredibly inspirational runner who is going to be a guest speaker. He is an amputee after experiencing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. He crossed the finish line of the Indian Wells 70.3 Ironman! He uses his pain as fuel to reach his goals!

Bermuda Triangle Challenge posted the medals for Race Weekend on their social media pages. I visualized how I am going to feel after crossing the finish line of the 10K and wearing the medal for the rest of the weekend.

It's been four years since I've experienced taper time. I'm remembering the motivation and inspiration from when I trained for Boston. During a challenging training run, Janine asked me if I had ever heard of Wilma Rudolph. She told me to go home and google her. She was an American sprinter who overcame childhood polio and went on to become a world-record-holding Olympic champion and international sports icon in track and field following her successes in the 1956 and 1960 Olympic Games. 

Just as Siri "didn't get that" when I said that sometimes I'd like to go and have a relaxing vacation, I shall prepare for my victory lap visualizing only success, enjoy reeling in the distance and pace, and celebrating 17 years of healing and entering a new decade of life ablaze with determination and a new found strength from taking on the Bermuda Triangle Challenge 10K.

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.