For the Win

In the soon to be released "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953," I take the reader back to when I contracted paralytic polio and then to the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome. While my friends defined winning as which team scored the most points or who was able to run fast around the bases, I defined winning as being able to bend over and touch my toes after having been paralyzed from the neck down or having the strength in my toes to pick up marbles. Coming out of my leg brace was a huge milestone for me although years of physical therapy followed to continue to strengthen my muscles compromised by the polio virus.

One of my favorite stories about winning happened in gym class when everyone moved in from the outfield thinking that "Easy Out Alper" (my nickname growing up) would once again strike out in kickball. On that particular day, a miracle happened. I connected with the ball and wham it went into the outfield. There was no one to play the ball and I scored a home run for my team!

When I dug deep and found the courage to participate in the Badger Day Camp end of summer Olympics, I was a winner even though I finished in 3rd place and there were only 3 swimmer competing in the butterfly.

After the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, I was at a crossroads in my life. I could have succumbed to the diagnosis and the prognosis the doctors gave me to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. Instead, I got still and asked for Divine Guidance. The answers came through my pen, my divining rod of healing and I imagined myself healthy, healed and whole running unencumbered and free.

I was drawn to the sport of running. Although I finished last at many races, it was a win for me to be out on the roads running with all my heart to the best of my ability for the win.

It was a winning moment and a moment of redemption when I crossed the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon:


In January of 2007 I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair!

Whenever I notice that I am able to do something I couldn't do before or to do something with greater ease, I tell myself "That's for the win!"

Walking up the stairs without holding on to the bannister, being able to do squats, getting up from a seat without holding on to anything, balancing to put on my pants with ease and experiencing an overall sense of freedom and lightness in my body once encumbered by the ravages of paralytic polio and trauma may not seem like a big deal to most people. But for me they are all shining examples of going for the gold of healing - for the win in my life and to let others know what's possible when you believe you can go for the win despite all appearances and obstacles to the contrary.

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.