To the Back of the Pack Runners....

One of my running friends posted this article about changes being made to the London Marathon so that it will be a wonderful experience for all runners whatever their pace.

I experienced a lot of angst as the 2009 Boston Marathon drew near.

From "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":
Getting a Head Start March 19, 2009

No one ever suggested to this polio survivor that I could or should get a head start when playing tag, hide and seek or having to run and participate in gym class. I learned how to hold my head up high and maintain my dignity despite the ridicule and teasing I endured.

I shared my anxiety about being able to finish the Boston Marathon in under six hours with Domenick at a fundraiser for a fellow marathoner.

“Didn’t anyone talk with you about getting an early start?”

“I thought about it when we first started training but I thought I didn’t meet the qualifications.”

“Let me email Barbara at the BAA and get this taken care of for you.”

Because of my diagnosis, I was eligible to start with the mobility impaired runners. All I had to do was get a letter signed by my physician. Despite Dr. Rosenberg’s belief that if I used it I would lose it, and the admonitions he issued with cautionary tales about setting limits as a survivor of paralytic polio, he had the letter ready for me when I drove out to Spaulding. Driving out along Route 9 to Framingham from our home in Brookline, I reflected on this miraculous journey from being fitted with a leg brace, and all the things I was unable to do when I first presented to the clinic. I reflected on the items I was prescribed to manage all the symptoms I experienced that had been left on the curb, to now picking up a letter to get an early start to run the Boston Marathon...

I was fully prepared to push myself and start with the pack and somehow finish the course in six hours. Domenick believes that we may even finish in under six hours.

“You’ll be so well rested from taper time and the energy of the crowds are going to carry you along,” Domenick told me before our 7 mile taper run.

“What happens when the crush of runners catches up with us or when the wheelchairs pass us, do we step over to the side of the road?”

He was stunned by my question. “You have a right to be on the road just as much as any other runner or wheelchair participant.”

Domenick blessed me and said, “You have put in all the work to train. You run your own race and have the experience of a lifetime. And remember I’ll be waiting for you on Heartbreak Hill!”

The runners that I have been blessed to meet have embraced my journey with unconditional love and acceptance. There was only one moment on Marathon Monday when I was shaken by several runners' reaction to me. We were walking through the Framingham water stop and several runners splashed Gatorade on us saying we had no business being out on the course if we were going to walk. There was pushing and shoving but once we got through that bottleneck, we settled into our pace and were cheered by the crowds that lined the course.

I have written previous blogs and cited articles about being a back of the pack runner.

I know how much courage and strength it takes to toe a starting line when you know you are going to be one of the last, if not the last person to finish.

There is an incredible sense of satisfaction in conquering what was once perceived as one's limits. I discovered the importance of celebrating my achievements and not measure myself against anyone else; a wonderful way to run and live one's life!

One of my favorite finishing last stories at the Marathon Sports 5 Miler in July 2008. From "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance":
Our first 5 mile race was the Marathon Sports 5 miler. It was a hot, steamy evening in July. We got lost on the way to the race. Tempers were running as hot as the thermometer because I was so anxious about running my first five mile race. My energy tended to wane by the evening as I was continuing to deal with the late effects of polio. We finally arrived and walked around trying to enjoy the pre-race festivities. As everyone took their place at the start, I could see that this was a serious, competitive running crowd; quite a contrast to my first race ever, the Corrib Pub Run 5K in June.

Runners went out fast and Tom and I were in the back of the pack with a few other people. Even they took off. I experienced my first (of many) marathon training meltdowns. I cried as I shared with Tom all the memories of having kids take off and leave me behind that were bubbling to the surface. I was sweating and tired and hot. I couldn’t tell where my tears ended and sweat began. I told Tom I had no business training for the Boston Marathon. He was amazing and he told me that I couldn’t quit. We would make it through this race and we would make it through every training run. He believed in me when I did not believe in myself. I did know, however, that if I didn’t finish that race, I would never make it to the starting line of the Boston Marathon. Alison, Brookline Marathon Sports store manager who was named our mother hen during Boston Marathon training, gave me water and a high five out on the course. She was worried about me in the heat and wanted to make sure I was okay.

Despite finishing dead last, members of the Marathon Sports family who knew the story of Team McManus, had air horns and a truck on the field honking and blowing and cheering us on to the finish. I knew training for Boston was not going to be easy, but I knew I had what it was going to take to make it happen.

And I sure did!


So to all of you back of the pack runners or soon to be back of the pack runners...keep showing up, holding your head high, knowing that you've earned your spot at the starting line and deserve to be celebrated at the Finish Line!

From my heart to yours,
To your health and wellness
Mary

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

My books are available on Amazon.