The 2019 Boston Marathon Banners were unveiled in Boston on this the First Day of Spring. The countdown is on until the 123rd Boston Marathon!
{Photo Credit: Dave McGillivray}
The countdown is also on for my Extraordinary Book Launch Party on April 6 from 3-5 pm.
I went through photos from my Boston Marathon day as I prepare a few remarks to share with our guests at the party.
We were blessed to have a BU photojournalism student chronicle our special day and take remarkable photos along the course.
Outside the MGH Tent where we waited before taking our walk to the start and at the starting line in Hopkinton:
I can still feel the butterflies I felt as we anticipated the start of our journey from Hopkinton to Boston.
Runners at Cleveland Circle before we arrived:
Arriving in Cleveland Circle where our son Autumn waited for us:
The Newton Hills were behind us. Our personal trainer met us at the top of Heartbreak Hill to accompany us on the final miles of our journey!
My heart still swells when I think about my energy healer, Janice Wesley, patiently waiting for us just beyond the fire station to give us the sign to carry with us to the finish line and when our Team Trainer, Domenick D'Amico met us on Heartbreak Hill. His eyes filled with tears as he put his hands on either side of my arms after giving me a hug. "Go get your medal," he told me!
Team McManus on our way to Boston ready to make the turn at Cleveland Circle:
Goosebumps remembering how the day was chilly and there was a stiff headwind but nothing could stop me from getting to the finish line.
Only 3.2 miles to go after Washington Square;
Mile 24 and a little beyond mile 24:
Tom struck up a conversation with another runner who said he was running the marathon to avoid going to work that day. One of Ruth Anne's friend's joined us for a mile to lend her support.
One mile to go in Kenmore Square:
Coming down Commonwealth Avenue:
I had no recollection of anything or anyone around me. Friends told me they were screaming and cheering us on to the finish but I had a single minded goal ... to take that right on Hereford and left on Boylston:
And then all that was left was that stretch of Boylston Street that would take us to the finish line:
These photos reflect my emotions of having completed the Boston Marathon two and a half years after being told that I "had" a progressive neuromuscular disease and to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair:
It took us 7 hours and 49 minutes to travel 26.2 miles through sun, chilly weather and wind. When I crossed that finish line, I was a woman transformed. I knew that moment was bigger than I was. It's a story for all time and I am blessed to bring a message of healing, hope, possibility, strength and Spirit to uplift others on their marathon of life.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment