Fun on a Treadmill Run

The past two Saturdays in Boston have seen temperatures in the teens dipping into single digits with the wind chill. Team McManus took to the treadmill at Wave Health and Fitness. Unlike many other Health Clubs in the greater Boston area, Wave is home to the latest cardio equipment with floor to ceiling windows that overlook the Seaport area of Boston. The sun streams through the windows so a treadmill run is not a dreadmill run.

Last September Tom experienced a knee injury. He had planned to run the Bermuda Half Marathon next week but we realized he needed to switch to the 10K. He cross trained on the elliptical at work and at Wave after our workouts in the pool, strength trained and sought out sports acupuncture and chiropractic care to aid in his recovery.

Last week Tom was able to pick up his pace and run on the treadmill. It's the first time in a very long time that he was able to pace me! We felt such joy running together at a faster pace. My heart overflowed with gratitude that I got to see Tom the runner in action again running at my own pace and having him take off ahead of me. We celebrated with this selfie venturing out into a blast of arctic air after our 3.5 mill miles:



When we got on the treadmills at Wave yesterday, it was still a question as to whether or not Tom was going to run the Bermuda Marathon Weekend 10K next weekend. We know that if you return to running/racing too soon after an injury that you run the risk of re-injury.



We know of the body's tremendous capacity to heal and a DNS (do not start) really means do nothing stupid. We made peace with going to the 10K and cheering on the runners with the plan for Tom to return in 2020 taking on the Triangle Half Challenge as he had in 2017.

As Tom took his knee for a test drive, he was able to increase his pace with no pain.

What a thrill and a joy for me to run side by side with Tom watching him train for the 10K. The joy of a treadmill run is we can each run our own pace while enjoying the run together.

With each mile, Tom's confidence soared and he was able to run 4.2 miles at race pace (which admittedly will be slower than his usual pace coming off of the injury). I completed my 3.5 miles feeling the satisfaction and joy of a good run.



Today Tom did an elliptical workout after our hour swim in the pool at Wave and continues to feel great about Saturday's race.

I am so grateful for our membership at Wave where we can have fun on a treadmill run regardless of the elements achieving our goals to be the best we can be! While we have never shied away from a challenging run in the elements (such as our last long run when we trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon in 17 degree temperatures or training for last year's Bermuda Half Marathon when it was 11 degrees with the wind chill), it's a treat to experience all the benefits of running without bucking and bracing against the elements. There's magic in our running shoes and we are fortunate to be able to experience that magic on a treadmill run.

There is also magic that happens being a spectator at a race. In tomorrow's blog I'll be sharing with you the joys and benefits of being a spectator.

Until then...

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

My healing journey using the power of visualization is featured in David R. Hamilton's book, "How Your Mind Can Heal Your Body-Anniversary Edition." It's available on Amazon.


Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


***Coming Soon - The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953***

“The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” takes you on Mary McManus’ healing odyssey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond. After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome in December 2006, Mary got still and asked for Divine Guidance tapping into the powerful connection she experienced to the Divine from an early age. She harnessed the power of her mind to heal her body, feverishly writing poetry in which she imagined herself healthy, whole and free from the shackles of her youth. Mary’s quest to heal her life led her to the sport of running. Her story is one that will leave you cheering for the underdog, discovering the meaning of different ability and experiencing the stunning view from the back of the pack of a race. You will have the privilege of bearing witness to how Mary overcame every challenge that life presented to her. The sport of running provides the backdrop for her journey of transformation from a survivor of childhood paralytic polio and severe trauma at the hands of family members to a woman who embodies faith, grace under fire, courage, determination, endurance and resilience. Running became a way of life for Mary that tested her mettle while forging friendships to last a lifetime. As you’ll discover in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” nothing, not even a serious knee injury in December of 2014 could stop her on the roads or in her life.