Superhero Saturday

Heartbreak Hill was teeming with superheroes as Charity Team runners made their way along the Boston Marathon course from Natick to the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Tom and I got up early to do our 3.5 mile Saturday morning run along Heartbreak Hill and experience the energy that is unique to the Boston Marathon.

The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation had their aid station ready to cheer on the runners. These are photos of Kate pouring water and gatorade.



The Middlemiss Family embody what it means to be heroic. After their son Joseph died, they transformed their grief into a Foundation to keep Joseph's legacy alive. Scott discovered the healing power of running after Dave McGillivray encouraged him to take up the sport. Kate was Dave's son's Kindergarten teacher when Joseph earned his angel wings.



Their son Jack was born with the same condition as Joseph, cardiomyopathy, and last year received a heart transplant. Talk about a superhero! He has experienced more challenges at the age of 5 that many don't experience in a lifetime. Yet he is full of love, kindness, joy and 5 year old mischief.



His sister Grace is a superhero at the tender age of 3 years old. While she doesn't have any health challenges, she has weathered the storms of what it means to be the sister of a heart warrior with love, laughter, kindness and true to her name, Grace.

Family members of those running for Team Big Heart in the 2019 Boston Marathon gathered at the Middlemiss aid station. Kids dressed in superhero outfits chased each other on the snow (and remember that this is a major accomplishment for superhero Jack who underwent a heart transplant just one year ago); family members and significant others were at the ready to greet the superheroes as they made their way through the grueling Newton Hills):


And what Superhero Saturday would be complete without "Incredible" Scott cheering on the runners with his megaphone:


The members of Team Big Heart run with all of their heart inspired by Joseph, Jack, Grace, Kate and Scott. They are true superheroes running and fund raising to do so much good in the world.

I have my own superhero story to share. When I was 5 years old, I contracted paralytic polio. Three years later, I endured years of abuse at the hands of my alcoholic father, a severely mentally ill grandmother and neglect from my mother addicted to prescription pain medication. I was valedictorian of my high school class and went on to have a stellar career at the VA as a social worker for almost twenty years. I was diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine standards in December of 2006. Refusing to take the diagnosis sitting down, I asked for Divine Guidance to discover the gift of poetry in my soul. My pen became my diving rod for healing as poetry poured forth inspiring mind, body and soul to heal. My first poem, "Running the Race" foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run.

Back then we did not have a Superhero Saturday although every week we trained we embodied the superhero within us.

What a thrill to be a part of Superhero Saturday. Scott and Kate had extra t shirts from their annual 5K race to benefit the Foundation. Other members of Team Big Heart easily spotted us sporting our Superhero 5K t shirts, and we spotted them knowing that several of them had dressed up as Ninja Turtles. We gave high fives and shout outs to Team Big Heart. Tom and I cheered on runners from other charity teams commenting on their costumes and giving them that boost of energy that gets one through the Newton Hills. I was energized throughout our run being a part of the superhero community and having surprise meetings with runner friends. (More on that in a later blog post).

We returned to the Team Middlemiss tent cheered on by Scott through his megaphone and family members and friends of Team Big Heart runners.



Even Johnny Kelley was dressed for Superhero Saturday:


Even though we only ran 3.5 miles yesterday, we gave our energy and love to those training for Boston knowing that it takes a very special superhero to train for, fund raise and then run the Boston Marathon.

As the sun shined brightly and the Spirit of Johnny Kelley smiled on the runners, there was a unity and harmony among the thundering footsteps on Heartbreak Hill.

If only everyone could know the magic and Oneness created by the Boston Marathon and unleash the Superhero within what an incredible world this would be!

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.



“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.

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):


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.