Run For More Than the Finish Line

This time twelve years ago, I was at a crossroads in my life. I took a leap of faith on May 25, 2007 leaving behind my award winning career as a VA social worker to heal my life after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. I discovered the healing power of poetry to inspire mind, body and soul to heal and was discharged from outpatient therapy at Spaulding Rehab.

I had hope, faith and optimism that I could heal my life but had no road map to chart my course.

In October, the Universe led me to a personal trainer, Janine Hightower who helped me build on my outpatient rehab program and after 6 months, I declared that among my next health and fitness goals, I wanted to run the 2009 Boston Marathon!



Today I run for so much more than the finish line.

Running has become a way of life for me and my husband Tom.

Because of all that my body has endured: paralytic polio as a child followed by years of every kind of imaginable abuse and torture, 25 surgeries and wear and tear over 65 years, I appreciate every step that I am able to take. I celebrate every mile and experience every mile as a gift.

It's been an incredible journey harnessing the power of the mind/body connection to heal along with discipline, persistence, patience and a whole lot of faith that opened my heart to gratitude and miracles.

It's been hot and steamy here in Boston yet we continue to get out and run being mindful to hydrate and aware of dialing back our pace.

We run for our physical and emotional health, we run to unplug and be outdoors in nature, we run to unload the problems that can easily weigh us down, we run to celebrate healing and to uplift one of our Team Big Heart teammates who is in the ultramarathon of his life to recover from a spinal cord injury.

You can see the story from WBZ about his recent accident by following this link. If you are so moved, please donate to his GoFundMe page and please join me in prayers for his healing.

As we poured sweat and savored the blessing of being able to run on Tuesday morning, I beamed healing energy to Kevin from the Cleveland Circle Reservoir to Mass. General Hospital:



I remembered when I took my first tentative steps walking along Wollaston Beach shortly after coming out of my leg brace and all the milestones along the way on the road to the Boston Marathon.

I reflected on healing my left knee injury in December of 2014 through visualization and intensive rehab prescribed by a wonderful chiropractor.

As I sent powerful intentions for healing to Kevin I remembered how I needed to learn how to walk again after polio, and then again after coming out of the leg brace and how I had to learn to walk again after reconstructive leg surgery over 20 years ago.

The first day Janine and I went outside to teach my body how to run, my heart rate went up over 175 and that was for a 1 minute jog.

In Tuesday's run I ran with gratitude, I ran for sweat and sweetness to savor summertime here in Boston and I ran for our teammate.

Nowadays I run for more than the finish line!

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route.

Hope is a Four Letter Word - And so is Love!

One of the things I kept hearing after receiving the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome was "we don't want to give you false hope."

False hope? Is there really such a thing?

In the medical community there is such a thing as false hope and hope to many in Western Medicine is a four letter word.

I could have easily succumbed to the diagnosis and prognosis I was given in December of 2006 but somehow I was able to muster the courage to do what I'd done ever since I was 5 years old and open myself to Divine Guidance and a touch of grace.



I could barely walk up and down the stairs in my house. I had difficulty with breathing and swallowing. I experienced chronic pain and fatigue. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, to use energy conversation techniques whenever possible, that I should get a sleep apnea machine and might need a feeding tube in the future because the left side of my esophagus was very weak and causing me to aspirate food into my lungs. I was told there was no hope except to quit my award winning VA social work career and try to stabilize the symptoms where they were although it was likely the disease would progress even if I did quit my job. I was told that if I used it I would lose it.

I realized I was at a crossroads in my life. I did take the advice to leave my career because the stress was taking a toll on me. I experienced caregiver burnout in a most dramatic fashion.

I got still and asked for Divine Guidance and discovered hope through the power of my pen; what became my Divining Rod for healing. In that first poem, 'Running the Race', I accepted what was happening to me with grace and gratitude while looking to the future in my mind's eye. From "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" (the first book in my Trilogy of Transformation):

And then I felt a stirring in my second chakra (only then I didn’t know it was my second chakra – I thought it might have been something I ate). I went over to my laptop in the corner of the living room and I wrote this poem:

Running the Race
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
Everyone around me filled with nervous fear
Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
The polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.
Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone
and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.
Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
But with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist,
curly hair and a warm, broad smile
It tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes
the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse
with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.
Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else
and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends-
trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team
and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
Resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.
Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
For the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.
I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

I sobbed to write those words. I had never spoken about polio or the abuse I endured. I became curious. Why am I writing about winning a 10K race?

It was as though a spigot was turned on in my soul as poems poured out of me overflowing with messages of healing, hope and possibility. The poems helped to heal my past, create beauty moments in the present and create a future very different from the ones the medical profession predicted for me. That first poem foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run.

After a serious knee injury in December of 2014, I briefly returned to the medical community for a diagnosis to find out what I needed to heal.

The MRI showed a knee that would require a total knee replacement in a few years. I was told to stop running which they knew I wouldn't do so they told me to cap my distance. As we went through the results of the MRI, the physiatrist said in a most off handed manner, "Well your gastroc muscle on your left leg is atrophied. That's no surprise. It's been that way for years I'm sure as a result of the polio. There is nothing you can do about that." And, even after all I healed through the mind/body connection and visualization along with working with a personal trainer, he urged me to return to the Post Polio Clinic for a re-evaluation because it was only a matter of time before the disease progressed! Dr. Joe Dispenza calls this the voodoo curse. Doctors words can be very powerful for the unsuspecting patient and often times what they predict comes true. There was a case of a person who was told he had cancer and was given 6 months to live. Sure enough at the end of 6 months he died however, on autopsy, it was discovered he did not have cancer!

I was led to Ryan J. Means, DC, an earth angel chiropractor who gave me hope along with chiropractic treatments, KT taping and a new strength training regimen that I still use and build on today! He infused every treatment and conversation we had with hope and encouragement for me to get back to the sport I loved and that is my therapy.

He asked the question, "Why set limits?" and I went on to run 3 Consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons.

He gave me exercises to grow a new gastroc muscle used in conjunction with taping the gastroc muscle to stimulate its regeneration!

We used the concept of mirror neurons to encourage the development of new neuromuscular pathways to my left gastroc muscle. When once I relied on the right leg to encourage my left leg to be able to do a calf lift, I can now do separate calf lifts and feel my left gastroc muscle getting stronger and stronger over time. I graduated to doing the calf lifts on a theraband stabilizer to make the exercise more challenging.

As I was healing my life, I reached out to the Post-Polio Support Groups to be a guest speaker and inspire others with what is possible. Group leaders politely turned down my offer saying that they didn't want to offer false hope to group members. When I was doing research for my memoir, I came across this incredible piece from the wonderful physiatrist who cared for me as I recovered from polio and is included in "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" the third book in my Trilogy of Transformation:
Caution and Hope On Polio 'Signs'
Published: March 3, 1985
I read with interest the article entitled ''A Group for Polio Survivors Who Have New Symptoms'' (Feb. 10).

Having supervised the rehabilitation of poliomyelitis patients at Grasslands Hospital during the epidemics of the 50's and 60's, probably including the ''then'' infants mentioned in the article, I would like to add a word of caution and even hope as an afterthought.
Firstly, there is no reason to suspect deterioration in the nerve cells in the spinal cord. After 30 years, one must accept some loss of endurance, increased fatigue and even some discomfort induced by other unrelated medical problems. This is true in the athlete with repeated injuries, in the obese person with back problems and even in the jogger with foot ailments.

Any individual with paralytic disability in an extremity will experience the normal process of ''wear and tear'' except that it may be more difficult to adjust to it. Just as one learned to compensate for the initial impairment so must one adjust to the later, more subtle changes rather than develop an emotional hang up of being a ''polio victim.'' ~EUGENE MOSKOWITZ, M.D. Mount Vernon

This is how the Westchester Post-Polio Group responded:
The Westchester Post-Polio Group is grateful to Dr. Eugene Moskowitz (Letters to the Editor, March 3) for providing the public with a concrete demonstration of the negative and patronizing attitude many of us encountered from physicians. If Dr. Moskowitz finds ''no reason to suspect deterioration in the nerve cells in the spinal cords,'' we suggest that he read ''Proceedings From the First Annual Symposium on the Late Effects of Poliomyelitis,'' in which highly respected members of his own profession advance excellent medical arguments and research reports in support of exactly that theory.



I understand that there are many who have a difficult time embracing my message of healing, hope and possibility. And that's okay ... I wish them well.

But I know from emails and messages I receive that there are many who are hungering for hope and have embraced my message to inspire their journeys.

Hope IS a four letter word and so is Love.

Love is a Four Letter Word from "Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life":

Love is a four letter word
I swear by its healing power
as it pulses and courses through the river of my veins
unstoppable
watering everything in its wake
the garden of my soul.

Love is a four letter word
I bear witness
bare my soul
a breath of fresh air when love
enters a room
love ignites
delights
purges the past
forges the present
a force to be reckoned with
reconciles
unveiling
revealing.

Truth is
I am love
only love
pure and innocent
from Love
Perfection.

Love is a four letter word
the bridge
heaven on earth
all the elements I need to heal
living life as only I can
grateful to be a love.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

No Excuses!

"It's been so hot!"
"I'm so tired!"
"I didn't sleep well last night!"
"It's been so stressful with Ruth Anne doing so poorly and there's nothing we can do except continue to pray."
"Maybe I can just skip one day."
"My body feels so heavy...I just want to sleep."

Since running 3 Consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons, I have focused on being consistent in exercising 5 days a week and taking Thursdays and Fridays as recovery days. I see my chiropractor on Thursdays.

We have switched up our days for when we do what to accommodate Tom's work schedule.

Tuesday was going to be our day to run BUT there were torrential downpours with rain forecast throughout the day. The forecast was much better and brighter for Wednesday.

Should we take an unscheduled rest day?

Tom was on call for work and was up for a half hour at 1:30am.

During our meditation, as I listened to the soundtrack of the pouring rain, I debated about what to do and then, in the quiet, it came to me.

After the alarm went off for our morning meditation, I said to Tom "Why don't we go to the pool today and go on our run tomorrow?"

"Brilliant!" he said. "I was about to suggest we not do a workout today but this will work out and it's okay if I am a few minutes late for work."

We got a parking space right in front of the BU FitRec Center and arrived right at 7 am when the Recreation Pool opens.

As soon as we walked into the pool, we both let out a sigh of relief.

We swam, strength trained in the water and stretched letting go of the tension that built up in our minds and bodies.

We savored our breakfast and by the time we pulled up to the door at Tom's office, each of us felt ready to greet the day. He was only a few minutes late and we were thrilled that we made the choice to get our workout in moving to nourish ourselves and manage the stress in our lives.

On Wednesday the alarm went off at 5:45 since Tom's usual Monday morning meeting was rescheduled to Wednesday! We looked at each other after our meditation and said, "Let's go!"

One of our Team Big Heart members, Kevin LaCoste, suffered a spinal cord injury over the weekend. Everyone on our Team was dedicating their workouts and runs to Kevin and his beautiful family.

There are two news stories about Kevin and his family:
Beloved Westford Principal Hurt in Freak Accident

Westford principal recovering after fall left him paralyzed

We dedicated our run to Kevin!

We were treated to a beautiful morning in Boston complete with angels and baby geese now grown:




Tom is training for the Falmouth Road Race and is raising money for The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation. (You can donate by following this link.) I am working on improving my pace getting ready for The 6th Annual Joseph Middlemiss Superhero 5K in September.

Tom warms up with me en route to the Reservoir and then he runs at his pace as we go around in opposite directions. During my run I thought about Kevin and surrounded him and his family with healing energy. I reflected on my own journey and how every step and every mile is a gift. I reflected on how grace manifested in my life and how I was blessed to be able to harness the power of the mind/body connection and visualization to heal.

When I was 5 years old I contracted paralytic polio and was paralyzed from the neck down. I had an out of body experience and met my guardian angel. I had a choice as to whether or not to return to my body and I chose life. I was blessed to meet many earth angels along the way. It was a long and painful journey to learn how to walk again but I regained mobility.

Twelve years ago, my body experienced the late effects of paralytic polio and severe childhood trauma. I was told I should prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair possibly needing a feeding tube and a sleep apnea machine at night. I got still and asked for Divine Guidance and was blessed to feel the light and Love of the Divine through my pen which became my Divining rod for healing as I imagined myself, through poetry as running, happy and free, healthy and whole in my body. I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon!

I once again needed to heal my body harnessing the power of the mind/body connection, chiropractic care and intensive rehab after a serious knee injury in December of 2014. I went on to run 3 Bermuda Half Marathons after being told I shouldn't run anymore or at least cap my distance and prepare for a total knee replacement in a few years.

I cherish and am grateful for every step and every mile and all that I am able to do.

While I use meditation, chiropractic, visualization, journaling and my power of belief to heal, one of the lynch pins in my healing journey has been consistency.

When I trained for the 2009 Boston Marathon, I never missed a training run.

I had to make an adjustment in my training plan for my third Bermuda Half Marathon because of a muscle strain and having pushed myself farther than I had since the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome.

Tom and I came close to skipping a workout but I am delighted to say that since being on this healing quest for the past 12 years, there have been no excuses!

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

Synchronicity at the Starting Line - Part 2

I was almost a DNS (did not start) for the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon. I had a muscle strain in my right hip that had been nagging me throughout training. I began taper time early and hoped that the rest would do me more good than more training.

I woke up in the wee hours of the morning of race day feeling nauseous with both arms bathed in sweat. I didn't know if I had experienced a trauma dream or if I was physically sick but I harnessed the power of my mind/body connection in a deep meditation and mercifully fell back to sleep. I knew that nobody in my village would have criticized me if I had been a DNS. They knew it was a rough training cycle; training for my 3rd half marathon in Bermuda in as many years. I had already demonstrated what is possible by healing a serious knee injury without surgery.

I went from using a leg brace and a cane and at times a wheelchair for mobility and had been told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease to cross the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon.

We always take time for meditation after the alarm goes off. During my meditation I wrestled with my fears about race day. The Race Director, Anthony Raynor, reassured me that there was absolutely no time pressure for me to finish. He said to me on several occasions, "As long as you finish before my last marathoner, you'll be fine!"

I was well trained and I knew the course. I had to shake off the memories of what happened to me during the 2017 Half Marathon when I cramped up and was almost a DNF ending up in the medical tent but I did finish the race!

We learned from the mistakes we made during 2017 and were not going to let that happen again.

Before I put my feet on the floor, I pumped myself up to have a most memorable race day reminding myself that this would, in all likelihood, be my last endurance race given the toll the training took on my body.

Room service was amazing! From "The Adventures of Runenrgirl 1953":
"Good morning. Good morning...Are we ready to run?"

The knock on the door came promptly at 5:30 and Narayan came in carrying a tray with everything we requested for our traditional pre-race breakfast. Tom had his piping hot coffee. We had whole wheat toast, chilled orange juice and hot water and bowls for oatmeal. We added in the bananas, nuts and granola we purchased at Miles Market.

While he organized our breakfast serving it in grand style, he said, “I am so excited for you all. I was once at base camp at Mt. Everest as support crew for a group climbing Everest. I love seeing people do epic things! Is there anything else you need?”

“No we are all set. And thank you so much!” I said.

“Of course. Have a great race day!”

I ate mindfully while letting the butterflies in my stomach just be. After breakfast, with tears in my eyes, I said a prayer for the day. I gave thanks for the blessings that brought us to that moment and asked the Divine to bless us on our 13.1 miles through Bermuda. It was intensely emotional to realize how far I’d come to be poised and ready to toe the starting line of Bermuda Half Marathon 2018 - my third in as many years.

We headed to the lobby where runners were excited to get the shuttle to the starting line. We drove through winding roads in the darkness anticipating daybreak.

When we arrived in Hamilton I saw Susan, an integral part of Bermuda Marathon Weekend along with Anthony’s cousin, Jo-Ell who we met in Boston on that fateful day when Anthony offered me an invitational entry. I told Susan I had serious pre-race jitters. She took my hand and told me that it's race day excitement. It happened to her before every race.

“Why don’t you use the bathrooms inside the Ferry Terminal? They’re a lot better than the porta potties and then go breathe, stretch and relax. It’s going to be a great day for you!”

After saying goodbye to Denise and Lanette, we headed to the back of the pack at the starting line.

“Hey are you Joe Middlemiss?” I asked a tall runner wearing a Team Big Heart shirt.



“No Joey passed away and…”

“Oh I’m so sorry of course. I’m not thinking clearly. I meant to ask if you were Scott but obviously you’re someone else.”

“Hi I’m Linda and this is my husband Brad. How do you know about Team Big Heart?”

My breath caught...Here we were in Bermuda standing next to runners representing The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation from Massachusetts!

We shared with them how we learned about Team Big Heart and The Foundation at the 2016 Runners World Classic when we volunteered for the Celebrity Mile. Linda and Brad were running the Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge representing Team Big Heart. They asked if we would take a photo with them with Town Crier Ed Christopher:


We became Facebook friends and friends "in real life" and found ourselves swept into the beautiful circle of Love and Kindness that IS The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation.



I know deep in my heart and soul that angel Joseph orchestrated that Divine meeting with Linda and Brad. What were the chances right?

All of my fears melted away. My original goal of running my 3rd Consecutive Bermuda Half Marathon, sending a powerful message of healing, hope and possibility was eclipsed by that Divine moment.

While I continue to bring my inspirational message of healing to many, I felt a calling to become a part of Team Big Heart.

After meeting Brad and Linda, Tom said that he would love to run for Team Big Heart one day. That one day is happening in just a few weeks at The Falmouth Road Race! We found out that we are staying at the same hotel as Linda and Brad for race weekend. I love representing Team Big Heart whenever we train or run a race. While we have given The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation a lot of support, we have received so much more in return ... and it all began with synchronicity at the starting line.

From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

Synchronicity at the Starting Line - Part I

Logan Airport January 14, 2016


Team McManus was trained, poised and ready for the Bermuda Half Marathon happening on January 17th.

Despite the doom and gloom prediction from my "Team" after a very serious knee injury in December of 2014, I once again defied a diagnosis and prognosis and was ready for take off on a new leg of my quest to heal mind, body and soul from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma.

We found our seats and there was a gentleman sitting on the aisle seat. Tom and I fumbled with who would sit in the middle and who would take the window seat. "I may need to get up and go to the bathroom" I said suggesting I sit in the middle seat.

"I'll let you," the gentleman quipped.

"You running?" Tom asked.

"No," he said, "I'm the race concierge.... "She's running" pointing to the woman in the seat directly behind him.

We settled in for the flight.

As we began our descent to Bermuda my breath caught. The last time I had been to Bermuda I had a wheelchair waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs on the runway. I was wearing a toe up leg brace


and used a cane.

On this day I was wearing Altra running shoes and had spent 6 months training for the 2016 Bermuda Half Marathon; the longest distance I had run since the 2009 Boston Marathon!



We said goodbye to our plane-mates who we learned were from Kentucky and were focused on our Bermuda adventure.

As we walked along Front Street on Friday, we bumped into our Kentucky plane friends again. Well, after all, Bermuda is a small Island.

One of the things I love about going to Bermuda is reading The Royal Gazette. What a thrill to be a part of International Race Weekend and to see our names in the paper:


From "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance":

We woke up at 5:45am on race day. The Rosedon Hotel, our home away from home, had a continental breakfast starting at 6:30. They usually don't serve breakfast until 7:00 but as happened throughout the weekend, everything we needed was set before us. There was wonderful energy in the main house as runners were getting ready to walk down to the starting line. This was our first international race and our first destination race yet one that we had imagined over and over and over again while we trained. We saw the sunrise over Hamilton Harbor and felt the excitement of race day! I was feeling serious pre-race jitters feeling like I might throw up before the race. We rushed our breakfast because we were in a hurry to get to the starting line. I took a lot of deep breaths and engaged in positive self talk as Tom and I walked around taking pictures of this miraculous moment.

"Hey there. I was determined to find you this morning. What are the chances that we would have our bib numbers in sequence?"

I was a little stunned to say the least. On the flight from Boston Tom and I met Denise and her husband from Kentucky. He was her support crew. We also bumped into them on Front Street on Saturday.

"I was on Instagram and looked for the hashtag #runbermuda. I saw the pictures you posted."

"What? I deactivated my Instagram account yesterday because I was frustrated and couldn't figure out how to use it."

"Your Instagram account is linked to Facebook so what you posted there automatically went to Instagram," Tom explained to me.

"So I saw your photos and I found out about you and I said prayers for your health last night and wished you a wonderful run but I was determined to find you this morning."

A sign from God that I could relax and let go knowing that my body knew exactly what to do to run 13.1 miles.



We became Facebook friends and were both in awe of how the Divine orchestrated that miraculous moment!

Fast forward to January 11, 2018 ....

From "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":
As the cab pulled up to the Bacardi Headquarters, we saw everyone gathered on the outside patio for the kick off to Bermuda Marathon Weekend. There was an open bar and appetizers being passed around while announcements and introductions were made. After the formal program, Tom and I strolled down Front Street to The Pickled Onion. There was a gentle breeze and we wore a short sleeve shirt and a sweater. What a blessing to escape the New England winter in the middle of January. We were going to meet a very special person and her “running wife” for dinner.

We hadn't planned on going into Hamilton on Thursday but once we received the invitation to the reception shortly before we left for our trip, we knew we had to change our plans. On a whim I messaged Denise McMillan to see if she wanted to meet up for dinner. When she let me know she was returning to Bermuda for this year’s race weekend, I let out a screech that could have been heard from Boston to Kentucky. I suggested we meet for dinner at The Pickled Onion after the reception. Denise and her "running wife" Lanette were staying in Hamilton.

After we ordered, Denise shared the story of how she found me via Instagram even though I wasn't active on Instagram on the eve of the 2016 Bermuda Half Marathon. While occasionally glancing up to take in the scene of the beautiful Bermuda Harbor, Denise became animated.
"There I was looking for the hashtag runbermuda."

She inserted her own music while tapping her fingers on the table.

"What were the chances that our numbers would be in sequence? I 'followed you to Facebook' and when I read your story I was moved to tears. I prayed for your health that night and knew I had to find you the next morning.”

I was enthralled to hear her recount the story without the filter of pre-race jitters. After Denise shared the story and before our dinner arrived, amidst laughter and joy in awe of what brought us together, Denise went into her bag.

She presented me with a box. “Never bought, only given.” Inside was a terrycloth sweat wristband engraved with one word, “INSPIRE.”

As she told me the story of how she submitted my story to Run the Bluegrass to get the wristband to bring with her to Bermuda, the tears streamed down my face. I was a puddle of tears of joy and gratitude. I joked that they should move the bread out of the way before I made it soggy.

BECAUSE

"I met Mary on a plane from Boston to Bermuda in 2016. She overcame unspeakable trauma as a young girl, post polio syndrome as an adult and yet trained to run the Boston Marathon as a mobility impaired runner. She is now training for her 3rd Bermuda Half Marathon. She blogs about running, volunteers for local Boston races and I plan on seeing her again in Jan. 2018 in Bermuda as we both tackle that race. I recently bought her a RTB {Run the Bluegrass} shirt to take to her. She's truly an inspiration to anyone that is lucky enough to cross her path."

Denise went on to say that she hoped one day we would come to Kentucky to Run The Bluegrass and she would host us. She brought us Run The Bluegrass T shirts and a coffee mug.

Hours passed as we dined on delicious food, laughed and talked about all things running and life. Despite being up since 4:30 am to travel, we were all energized by the love, the gratitude and the inspiration that was the weave of the tapestry that created strong bonds for us as running family.

We said good night, wished them well in their first two legs of the Challenge, and that we'd see each other on Sunday morning before the Half.



We were able to find each other at the starting line of Sunday's race. Denise was completing the Bermuda Triangle Half Challenge and Lanette was running to complete the Full Challenge.



Denise cheered us into the finish after she had finished her half and was waiting for Lanette to finish her marathon.

We went back to our Hotel and stayed in touch while we were on the Island. After we returned home we continue to nurture our friendship through Facebook.

I continue to feel awe when I see all the things that had to align in order for us to experience that moment of synchronicity at the starting line!

To be continued....

From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

Look at me...look at me...look at me now!

Dr. Seuss was a vital part of my childhood after having contracted paralytic polio at the age of 5.

From "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":
Miss Holly sat next to me in the waiting room and asked me to choose a Dr. Seuss book from the array of Dr. Seuss books spread out on the round coffee table next to my chair. My legs were outstretched; my left leg bore the hip to ankle metal leg brace inserted into my red polio shoes. My crutches were propped against the wall behind me. She read Dr. Seuss to me in the waiting room, led me into the treatment room and removed my leg brace. She placed heavy hot wool blankets on my legs. To this day I cannot bear to wear anything that is made of wool. As she coaxed my muscles and nerves back to health, she recited the first line from the Dr. Seuss book I had chosen (invariably “The Cat in the Hat”).

“The sun did not shine it was too wet to play…now it’s your turn.”

“So we sat in the house all that cold cold wet day.”

“I sat there with Sally….we sat there we two…your turn.”

“And I said how I wish we had something to do…”

We would recite in tandem throughout the treatment. She was a physical therapist ahead of her time. I often wonder what inspired her to use the rhythm of the poetry to distract me from the painful treatments. She tenderly put my leg brace back on after she finished the treatment. She commended me on my courage as she wrapped her hand around my hand on my crutch, and led me into Dr. Moskowitz’s office. He evaluated my progress, monitored me for scoliosis and gave me exercises to do at home. Picking up marbles with my toes was excruciatingly painful and difficult but even at my tender age, I loved the challenge of it all.

After this morning's strength training workout, Tom said, "I just had this memory while I was cooking breakfast. Do you remember when you used to have those specially adapted utensils?"

"Yeah," I answered. "I hadn't thought about that in a very long time."

My hand tremors made it very difficult for me to eat and the OT recommended weighted utensils with a hand grip.

I required a tub chair in the shower because I did not have the "endurance" to stand through an entire shower and my balance was not good so I was at risk for a fall.

I could barely walk up the stairs to our house, wore a toe up leg brace


and used a cane. We used Pea Pod grocery delivery service because I couldn't walk through the grocery aisles and often times there was not a scooter available. When we traveled or if I needed to walk for any distance, I used a wheelchair. I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair and either adapt our Cape house or move to a Ranch. I had to drink liquids through a straw because I was at risk for choking and had to do a chin tuck and dry swallow when I ate to avoid aspiration of food into my lungs.

But look at me...look at me...look at me now!

I am a runner. I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon and many 5 and 10K races through the years. I ran the Hyannis Half Marathon in 2009.



Here's one of my favorite running adventure moments in August of 2014:


After a serious knee injury in December of 2014, I was told that I would not and should not run again and to prepare for a total knee replacement in a few years.

But look at me now....I ran 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons in 2016, 2017 and 2018.


I had to take time off from racing after 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons to heal and to get my mojo back. For someone who was supposed to be in a wheelchair, I was, however doing remarkably well.

On July 3, I had an epic comeback race, "The Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 5K"





While there are residual hand tremors, they are mild and I do need to be mindful as I eat, especially if I am feeling stressed, but I am able to walk up and down the stairs in my house with ease. I run at least twice a week, strength train twice a week and swim once a week. My body is resilient thanks in large part to regular chiropractic treatments with Dr. Lizzie Sobel and to a regular meditation practice during which I harness the power of the mind/body connection to maintain the momentum of my healing.

When once I experienced chronic pain and fatigue, I now experience vitality.

My quality of life has dramatically improved since that dark night of my mind, body and soul before, during and for a brief period of time after the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, deemed by Western Medicine to be a progressive neuromuscular disease!

My purpose and passion in life is to share this miraculous journey of healing and to say look at me now...

that is not all oh no that is not all!

From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

She ran like it was midnight...And she ran happily ever after!

While growing up trying to recover from the ravages of paralytic polio and enduring years of abuse at the hands of family members, I harnessed the power of my imagination to see a future different from the hell I was living in. When I wasn't honing my intellectual prowess to immerse myself in school work, I watched TV. I had superpowers like Batman and could fold my arms and blink or twitch my nose to transport myself to another world following the lead of I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched. I never fancied myself a princess and since I had contracted paralytic polio at the age of 5 could never wear high heels or going to the ball kind of glass slipper shoes.

Dissociating from my body helped me to survive those growing up years but by the time I got to mid-life, my lack of connection to my body and lack of self-care led to a mind/body/soul crisis. I was given the diagnosis of Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease in December of 2006 (for those of you who are not regular readers of my blog).

I reconnected to the Divine, rekindling my deep connection to Source that I was blessed to experience at an early age, and Divine Guidance flowed through the power of my pen which became my Divining rod for healing. I started writing poetry!

As an aside, here's the back story to my theory of why poetry and why poetry in the cadence of Dr. Seuss emerged from my Being after the diagnosis. From "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":

Miss Holly sat next to me in the waiting room and asked me to choose a Dr. Seuss book from the array of Dr. Seuss books spread out on the round coffee table next to my chair. My legs were outstretched; my left leg bore the hip to ankle metal leg brace inserted into my red polio shoes. My crutches were propped against the wall behind me. She read Dr. Seuss to me in the waiting room, led me into the treatment room and removed my leg brace. She placed heavy hot wool blankets on my legs. To this day I cannot bear to wear anything that is made of wool. As she coaxed my muscles and nerves back to health, she recited the first line from the Dr. Seuss book I had chosen (invariably “The Cat in the Hat”).

“The sun did not shine it was too wet to play…now it’s your turn.”

“So we sat in the house all that cold cold wet day.”

“I sat there with Sally….we sat there we two…your turn.”

“And I said how I wish we had something to do…”

We would recite in tandem throughout the treatment. She was a physical therapist ahead of her time. I often wonder what inspired her to use the rhythm of the poetry to distract me from the painful treatments. She tenderly put my leg brace back on after she finished the treatment. She commended me on my courage as she wrapped her hand around my hand on my crutch, and led me into Dr. Moskowitz’s office. He evaluated my progress, monitored me for scoliosis and gave me exercises to do at home. Picking up marbles with my toes was excruciatingly painful and difficult but even at my tender age, I loved the challenge of it all.

The first poem I wrote was called "Running the Race" from "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":
And then I felt a stirring in my second chakra (only then I didn’t know it was my second chakra – I thought it might have been something I ate). I went over to my laptop in the corner of the living room and I wrote this poem:

Running the Race
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
Everyone around me filled with nervous fear
Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
The polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.
Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone
and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.
Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
But with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist,
curly hair and a warm, broad smile
It tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes
the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse
with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.
Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else
and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends-
trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team
and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
Resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.
Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
For the first time in life, I could truly be me.
The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.
I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

I sobbed to write those words. I had never spoken about polio or the abuse I endured. I became curious. Why am I writing about winning a 10K race?

That was a VERY good question!

It foreshadowed my 2009 Boston Marathon run. Poetry poured out of me inspiring mind, body and soul to heal as I imagined myself running unencumbered and free.

These past 12+ years since I left behind my award winning career as a VA social worker to go on a quest to heal my life have been filled with trials and tribulations but so many more triumphs and running adventures!

After crossing the finish line of the 2019 Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 5K, and seeing the View from the Top, I plan to run happily ever after!



The journey of transformation:


From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

The View From the Top

The 2019 Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 started with runners going down the ramps on the 100 level. It was easy to run down the ramps especially at the start of the race with the adrenaline pumping but the only thing we saw were the runners in front of us and the concrete walls of the Stadium surrounding us.



To get ready for the Finish at the 50, we did a lot of training on Heartbreak Hill. It was always a thrill to get to the top of Heartbreak at Boston College. One time, we experienced a mystical encounter as I wrote about in Sensational Serendipity on a Saturday Morning Run.

As we entered the Stadium after running the loop around the parking lot, we knew the long uphill climb was waiting for us. The ramps would challenge us especially in the heat. The elevation up the ramps lasts for about one-quarter of a mile and is a medium grade rise. But spectacular views were our sweet reward:{Photo credit: Tom McManus}


The view from the top became the pinnacle of all that I had trained for since February to arrive at that moment.

My breath caught as I paused to take in the views of the field and the landscape around Gillette Stadium.

It was an apex moment in my healing journey from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma.

After running 3 consecutive Bermuda Half Marathons and with the stress of our daughter's severe psychiatric impairment, I wasn't sure if I still had it in me to set a lofty goal like training for Finish at the 50. True it was "only" a 5K but there is really no such thing as "just" or "only" a 5K. Those ramps are quite the challenge. I did speed work on flat surfaces and built up endurance with hills.

As we made our way across the top of Gillette Stadium, I could feel the sense of triumph and joy reverberate throughout my entire being. There were still runners behind us (and there were over a hundred runners who crossed the finish line after we did).



I could feel a bit of fatigue set in as we exited the Stadium to make our way to the tunnel that would take us to the finish on the 50 yard line. I got a boost from Scott Middlemiss giving us a high five as he set off on his 10K race.

I pushed with everything I had knowing victory was close at hand. The victory was more than crossing that finish line.

It was a victory over my past and the effects that paralytic polio and trauma once had on my mind, body and soul. It was a victory over allowing the circumstances of our daughter's challenges to drain me and interfere with my joy of life. It was a victory over limited thinking and was a victory for anyone who was ever told they shouldn't or couldn't or wouldn't be able to.

The view from the top has a great side effect:


Without having trained for and conquered the ramps at Gillette Stadium, I would have never experienced the utter exhilaration of whoosing down the ramps running on to the field at Gillette Stadium claiming my victory!



From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.

Beyond the Finisher's Mat!

Tom and I rarely purchase photos from a race especially if we have taken photos and video along the way but I felt compelled to purchase a few of our Finish at the 50 photos from Capstone Photography



The reactions on Facebook to this photo and the video of Erin and I finishing the race


filled me with gratitude, delight and happiness.

Twelve years ago, when I set out on this to heal my life from the effects of paralytic polio and trauma, I truly had no idea where the path would lead. It led to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon:


and while it was a moment of redemption for me, I knew deep in my soul that it was a moment that was far greater than me.

My story of healing, hope and possibility and my journey of transformation touched and continues to touch people's hearts and souls in profound ways.

As Dave McGillivray wrote in his book review for "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":
A most unlikely runner stood to my right as I gave the oral command for the mobility impaired start of the 113th Boston Marathon on April 20, 2009. That most unlikely runner was Mary McManus. She overcame the childhood challenges of paralytic polio and years of childhood trauma to become a runner at the age of 53 years old and take on the challenge of the Boston Marathon at 55 years old. In “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” you’ll be inspired as I have been by her courage, resilience and determination to overcome whatever obstacles life put in her path. Mary’s life story set against the backdrop of running in “The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953” will leave you asking the question, “If Mary was able to accomplish all that in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds, what’s stopping me from being the best I can be?”

The cheers and outpouring of messages applauding my Finish at the 50 race feel wonderful but what is even more wonderful is the inspiration I bring.

At the age of 65 years old, I am still running strong taking on the challenge of running the ramps at Gillette Stadium for an evening race in the heat of summer. Heat and evening are typically not a good combination for someone living with neuromuscular challenges but that didn't stop me. People know that and they were inspired by the look of determination and persistence on my face.



Beyond the finisher's mat, I am still feeling the glow of that evening which was so much more than a race! Beyond the finisher's mat I reflect on the presence of angel Joseph Middlemiss and the blessing of being a part of Team Big Heart. Beyond the finisher's mat, I am reminded of how the body achieves what the mind believes, the power of believing in myself and my body's tremendous capacity to continue to heal. Beyond the finisher's mat, I am in awe of these past 12 years and the adventures I have been blessed to experience through running.

Beyond the finisher's mat I am deeply grateful for all the joy my body brings and the friendships forged through the sport of running.

Beyond the finisher's mat, I am happy with a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and blessed that I can inspire others with what I achieved.

From my heart to yours
In Health and Wellness,
Mary

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

Hear my interview with Kendra Petrone on Magic 106.7's Exceptional Women Show by following this link

My books are available on Amazon and "Feel the Heal" and "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953" are available in Natick Center Cultural District at Paula Romero Dunbar's Celebration Boutique Paper Fiesta coincidentally located on Mile 10 of the Boston Marathon Route. Proceeds from the sale of books for July are being donated to The Joseph Middlemiss Big Heart Foundation to support Tom's Falmouth Road Race. You can also donate directly by following this link.