Yesterday was Hop21 in Boston. It's the day that Boston Marathon runners get in their last long run before Marathon Monday. Local running stores and charity teams sponsor buses to Ashland or Hopkinton from Boston. They run 20-22 miles into Boston along the Boston Marathon course.
It's a magical day from Hopkinton to Boston and all the towns that mark the Boston Marathon course.
Tom and I started our 5K run from near the Johnny Kelley Statue with Team Big Heart:
Swarms of runners passed us on the Newton Hills and we saw friends that we have known for years and friends we made last week at the Johnny Kelley statue.
Jennifer and Courtney were inspired by my story and we were inspired by their story! After only 3 years of running they qualified for Boston.
There were hugs, sweat, tears and goosebumps especially as I cheered on the Spaulding Rehab Race for Rehab Team letting them know I was an '09 alum of the Team.
The weather was magical as the day began with snow showers and snow covered the ground in Hopkinton. The prediction was for snow showers and clouds throughout the day. By 9am the clouds gave way to blue skies and sunshine! Despite the wind, Spirits soared high.
We returned from our run to cheer on runners from the Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation tent.
What a joy to feel everyone's energy as they conquered the Newton Hills in anticipation of 4/15/19!
Dave McGillivray was getting in his training run after having had quadruple bypass surgery several months ago. He offered the following observations on Facebook:
BOSTON MARATHON TRAINING RUN
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE HILLS!! (Race Director hat on here).
I spent 3 ½ hours running (and walked a little!) back and forth along the 17-22 mile stretch of the Newton Hills from 8am to 11:30am during today’s training run. My brief observations:
• Lot of runners running west from BC towards Newton, obviously doing an out-and-back workout.
• DreamFar (kids) had a huge contingent of kids running the hills – was told they ran 17 miles!
• Tents and / or booths I noticed on the carriage road on the hills were MR8, Middlemiss Foundation, DFCI, Run to Remember, Run for The Troops, Joint Venture, Tedy's Team, Joe Andruzzi Foundation, Bay State Marathon, BAA Foundation and numerous others – at least 10-12 along the 4-5 mile stretch.
• Newton police were in full force – every major intersection.
• Newton once again coned a runner’s lane from Mile 16 to right after the turn at the fire station.
• Newton fire station had two port-o-johns on their property for runner use.
• CharityTeams also had a unit placed near the Middlemiss tent that was getting good use.
• When I have run from Hopkinton to BC or to the finish line, I really only notice those runners who start from Hopkinton which always seem to be about 1500. HOWEVER, staying in the hills and watching almost EVERY runner come by at some point, it actually seemed like double that number, like 3,000. Tough to really know but they kept coming and coming, especially from 9:30am on.
• Strong headwind going west. Huge tailwind coming back – so the majority of those running today had a nice tailwind.
• Saw Tedy Bruschi running up the hills with headphones on – he was focused and in a zone!
• Saw a bazillion Boston Marathon shirts and jackets.
• Everyone seemed to be in pretty good shape when I saw them which is near the end of their long run. People seem ready for Patriots’ Day! Really impressive to see the fast runners but even more impressive to see those who are not as fast but are working real hard to prepare. As I get older and slower, this impresses me more and more. Really inspiring.
• Highlight of the morning – tracking down my heart warrior buddy, Jack Middlemiss, and having a picture taken with him, his sister Grace and another buddy, Johnny.
Now time for a nap.
Dave
Scott asked that Dave and I get a picture together as well!
Stay tuned for Part II ...
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.
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