The ground was covered with a little snow and ice but temperatures were supposed to moderate on Saturday. It didn't take long for us to end the debate about whether or not we were going to take our run outdoors. We have a commitment that as long as it's safe (ie not blizzard conditions, sub-zero temperatures and wind or lots of ice) we head outdoors for a run.
Since Tom and Ruth Anne are getting ready to run the Hyannis 10K and were still recovering from the Bermuda Marathon Weekend 10K, we decided on 4 miles at my pace.
I love how the little decisions we make place us exactly where we need to be to meet up with whomever we are meant to meet up with on any particular day.
We were going to park at the Johnny Kelley Statue and run two out and two back but Tom found himself pulling into a parking space before Newton Center.
Okay...I'm game.
If you are not a runner and/or you have never run or watched the Boston Marathon, I know it will be hard for you to understand the energy and exhilaration runners experience on a Saturday morning on the Newton Hills from January to April. Whether one is training for the Boston Marathon or another marathon or just getting in a training run as we do, I wish we could bottle the energy, the enthusiasm, and the sense of Oneness that happens on the Newton Hills on Saturdays. If you've ever been to a pop music concert, you'll know what I mean.
As we began our run, we saw members of Spaulding Rehab's Race for Rehab Team. They wore the jackets and headbands that signified they were members of the Race for Rehab Team: {Photo from the Team page on Facebook}
What a thrill to see David, the President of Spaulding who ran with us in 2009 and Amanda who is a part of the Development Team celebrating her ten years at Spaulding with another Boston Marathon run to raise money for Spaulding.
We cheered and high five'd the members of the Team adding that we were members of the 2009 Race for Rehab Team {We sure have grown in numbers since 2009}:
We reminisced about our 2009 Boston Marathon as part of Race for Rehab and what an incredible accomplishment that was especially for me.
"Tom and Mary McManus" another runner yelled out, "Rachel Glazer!" We smiled and cheered for our wonderful runner friend training for Boston.
"Hey hey...again we meet," Dominic Herard said slowing his pace and stopping to give hugs. It was the second time we saw each other on the Hills in the last few weeks. Dominic is training for his first marathon!
More high-fives and cheering on runners as runners do different out and back loops along the Boston Marathon course giving extra enthusiasm to Spaulding runners.
We took our selfie at the Johnny Kelley Statue:
As we were taking the last hill with one mile to go of our 4 mile run, 'Team McManus' rang out from behind us.
We turned around and there was Michelle Marchese Corrado who is running her first Boston to honor her dad's memory and raise money for the Beth Israel Deaconess Center for Cancer Care.
More hugs... more love... more inspiration and cheers for the journey. Michelle did 13 miles on Saturday that included two loops on the Hills.
What serendipity and synchronicity to see friends and experience so much love while out on a run on Heartbreak Hill.
I wonder what adventures await us next Saturday.
From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary
Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com
Be inspired by my interview with Kendra Petrone on the award winning Exceptional Women Show by following this link
To experience an epic race weekend and hear me share my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond come to the Hyannis Marathon Weekend February 21-23 2020.
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