The Spirit of the Boston Marathon

Even though the Boston Marathon was postponed and and then cancelled and transformed into a Virtual Race Experience, the Spirit of the Boston Marathon is going strong - Boston Strong.

My day on Saturday began at 6:15am as Rachel Glazer sent a text to her Team Emmet crew that she was at the starting line in Hopkinton.



I felt the excitement of the start of her Virtual Boston Marathon race day course through me. I remembered that day on April 20, 2009 when we stood at that very starting line with the mobility impaired runners beginning the culmination of over a year of training to run 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston.

As the group texts cheered on Rachel and tracked her as she made her way to each water stop, Team McManus packed up the car with the provisions Rachel had dropped off on Friday for herself and her running buddies and the sign she designed to honor the memory of Emmet who died last year at Childrens Hospital Boston. Rachel's run raised over $8000 for the Miles for Miracle Team. Rachel and her family have been friends with Emmet's mom's family through the years.

We were a group of strangers connected through Rachel who became a community with one purpose in our hearts; to support Rachel to the finish line of the 2020 Virtual Boston Marathon for which she trained for 9 months.



She posed in Wellesley:


The excitement grew as we saw a photo of her at the Johnny Kelley statue via text and knew we would soon see her at mile 20:


We paused to take a selfie:


and sent Rachel and her buddies on their way with #morecowbell.

It was our turn to take to Heartbreak Hill to get in our 5K.

Even though the streets were filled with cars instead of runners and few runners were out running, the Spirit of Boston was palpable on the hills. Every time I received a text, we briefly paused to track Rachel's progress and send her words of encouragement.

When we got the text she was at the Finish Line, I was overcome with emotion. I knew what this race meant for Rachel, her running buddy who traveled from Michigan to run his Virtual Boston 2020 and to the circle of friends who cheered her on. It was the culmination of 9 months of training and fund raising and having her journey fueled by the courage of a boy who died last September.



We captured moments on our run:


and reflected on our Boston Marathon experience in 2009 as Team McManus and 2011 for Tom running with Miles for Miracle team when we raised almost $10,000 for Childrens. In 2009 we raised $10,535 for Spaulding Rehab where I took my first steps on my healing journey with Post Polio Syndrome.

Crossing that finish line is always a powerful emotional experience:


As we drove back to our house we saw a lone runner sporting an MGH singlet. We made sure to give him a honk and a thumbs up cheering as we drove by.

What an honor and gift to be support crew for Rachel for a most unusual Boston Marathon experience. While we miss all the magic and wonder of live races especially the 2020 Boston Marathon, as Rachel said, Saturday was amazing and special in its own way.

It's Twelve Days of the Boston Marathon in 2020 and the Spirit of the Boston Marathon is being experienced here in Boston and around the globe!

This photo of medals designed and made in the USA by Ashworth Awards was posted with a very special #medalmonday hashtag:


It will be a treasured keepsake for the year the Boston Marathon was cancelled yet its powerful Spirit lived on!

To be inspired by my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon.

Good luck to all the runners! As Meb said, "Run to win. That doesn't mean being in first place but in getting the best out of yourself."

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

The Twelve Days of the Virtual Boston Marathon Experience

We Bostonian runners call the Boston Marathon and the days leading up to the event Christmas in April. There was no Christmas in April this year and we don't know when and how it will happen again although as an eternal optimist I believe the comeback will be stronger than the setback!

This morning my dear friend and event planner, Rachel Glazer dropped off everything Team McManus needs to cheer on Team Emmett. Rachel's friend's son Emmett died last September at Boston Children's Hospital. Rachel raised over $7200 for Boston Children's Hospital. {Tom was part of the 2011 Miles for Miracles Team.} It was a socially distanced visit but the Spirit of the Boston Marathon danced in her eyes as we talked about preparations for her Virtual Race tomorrow.

I believe it's safe to say that runners and all associated with the Boston Marathon have gone through the stages of grieving for our beloved event and all that is happening with the pandemic. But even a pandemic can't snuff out the spirit of the Boston Marathon.

T.K. Skenderian and Conventures have created a 12 day Boston Mandarathon Virtual Expo Experience for runners and fans around the globe. You can experience the event which includes vendors and panels by following this link.

Although Boston and the events leading up to the Marathon were cancelled, we were able to convene our panel for Late Life Running and Whole Life Running via Zoom. It will air on 9/7 and 9/11 at 3 pm.

Late Life Running and Whole Life Running

Authors and running veterans Roger Robinson, Gail Waesche Kislevitz, Jonathan Beverly, and Mary McManus talk with Consecutive Boston Marathon Record Holder Bennett Beach about the benefits and joy that comes with even more miles. Moderated by historian and author Roger Robinson.

While the Boston Marathon usually means reunions with out of town friends or meeting up in person with Facebook friends for the first time, heading to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel to reunite with the 2009 Race for Rehab Team and cheer on this year's Race for Rehab Runners, enjoying the Expo and the unique ambiance on Boylston Street, this year's Virtual experience has given me the opportunity to reconnect with runner friends on Facebook and make new connections through friends of friends.

Instead of going to the panels at the Hynes Convention Center, we will tune into them on the website.

Jacqueline Hansen posted a screen shot of her Zoom panel with the Women's Running Pioneers Panel:


The Women’s Running Pioneers

A can’t-miss panel of running’s leading ladies who pushed through one barrier after another to put women’s running on the map. Julia Chase-Brand, who ran the Manchester Road Race in 1961, is joined by 1972 Boston Marathon Champion Nina Kuscsik, 1973 Champion Jacqueline Hansen, former marathon world record holder Cheryl Treworgy, Brazilian barrier-breaker Eleonora Mendonca, four-time Honolulu Marathon winner Patti Dillon, and three-time Boston Marathon winners Bobbi Gibb and Sara Mae Berman in a hilarious and inspiring retrospective. Moderated by journalist Barbara Huebner.

I was blessed to meet Jacqueline Hansen at the 2016 Hyannis Marathon Weekend and we became fast friends. She wrote the Foreword to my book, "Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance." I'm excited to hear what these pioneers have to say. I never tire of hearing their epic stories.

Last weekend, we ran the Becca Pizzi Virtual 5K.

I am excited for her presentation and reading from her book, "Feat on Feet" which we purchased last week at bib pick up.

Setting Big Goals with Becca Pizzi (Plus Children’s Book Reading)

The first woman to complete the World Marathon Challenge talks about her fearless pursuit of big goals, and reads her new children’s book, Becca’s Feat on Feet at 10:27.

There will be Meb, Bill Rodgers, Dave McGillivray, many other running greats and tips from nutritionists, coaches and injury prevention specialists.

Tomorrow morning, Team McManus will head out to Heartbreak Hill with #morecowbell, and gatorade, water, swedish fish and Rachel's sign to cheer her on to her 26.2 finish.

We will stay connected via Facebook with our runner friends, shop on line at the Expo and savor the 12 days of the Virtual Boston Marathon Experience. We are Boston Strong!

To be inspired by my journey from a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon.

Good luck to all the runners! As Meb said, "Run to win. That doesn't mean being in first place but in getting the best out of yourself."

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

Race Report: The {Virtual} Becca Pizzi 5K - There's Still Magic on Heartbreak Hill

For those of you not familiar with Becca Pizzi, she is a legend!



While her athletic endurance accomplishments certainly place her in the category of a legend, what I believe makes her a legend are her humility, her incredibly big heart, compassion and a passion to give back to her community. This year was to be the 5th Annual Becca Pizzi 5K and 1 Mile kids run. Tom and I participated in the event last year. Becca warmly welcomed me to participate letting me know it was an all pace race and overflowed with compassion as I shared with her the struggles our daughter was having. Becca's race was the first race I ran in a long time given the stress of being in the caregiver role. She gave me the warmest hug as her eyes filled with tears of compassion that sprang from a fellow mother's heart.

But what a difference a year makes -- in many ways! Becca was hopeful that moving the date from May to August, she would be able to have an in person race. She considered staggered starts and ways to make it happen but then shifted to a virtual race. Ruth Anne has experienced a year of healing and recovery and is now running strong on the roads and in her life!

Even though the forecast was for thunderstorms and rain, given my training plan and August goal to run over 50 miles, we knew we had to get in our run yesterday.

It was misting when we considered where we wanted to run. It's a Team McManus tradition that we run on Heartbreak Hill the weekend before the Boston Marathon. As 2020 is unlike any other year, this is the weekend before the Boston Marathon Virtual Experience!

I wasn't sure what the vibe would be on Heartbreak Hill. It's usually a time when the energy and excitement is palpable as spectator barriers are placed on the grass getting ready for race day set up. Runners are getting in their last shake out runs and the question, "You running?" is accompanied by high fives.

There were a few runners out when we arrived. We decided to experience the joy of a race day and took a pre-race selfie:


We set out at a good pace enjoying being together and participating in another virtual race. Becca invited us to post pictures on the race's Facebook page to be entered to win a prize. Tom was game to take photos of interesting sights on our run.

I spotted a lamp post in the distance. It reminded me of The Chronicles of Narnia. I suggested to Tom and Ruth Anne that Aslan aka Joe Biden is on the move and soon we will be rid of the White Witch!


A little further along we spotted this sign:


and then:


We made it to the famed Firehouse at the corner of Comm. Ave and Washington Street where the famed Newton Hills begin:


Coincidentally, that was our halfway mark for our 5K.

Ruth Anne suggested we take our mid run selfie:


We spotted a runner sporting an MR8 singlet and gave a shout out. "Good luck" we said instinctively knowing they would be running the Virtual Boston Marathon. "You too" he shouted back.

A runner passed us and Tom spotted him wearing a Virtual Falmouth Road Race bib. We shouted out "Go Falmouth." He waved in the air and said, 'Thank you.'

A runner with a BAA shirt passed us in the opposite direction.

"Great job Unicorn" Team McManus said in unison.

"Thanks! You too," he said.

While most of our run was spent without passing other runners on the quiet hills of Newton:


we experienced the magic that is always there on Heartbreak Hill. There was a magic to the mist without heavy down pours and no thunderstorms as was predicted. While the anticipation of Boston Marathon weekend was a shadow of its former self, there was a camaraderie and sense of anticipation and honor for not only the virtual Boston Marathon but other virtual races that have become part of the new norm.

I was thrilled with my time that was only 1 minute slower than last year's race. Becca's course is fast and flat. We ran on the Hills and I have increased my distance this month. As Ruth Anne was also quick to point out, "You are also a year older ma."

After a race, we ask the proverbial question, "What's to eat?" We each expressed our cravings and decided to head to Kupel's Bagels and make our own post race fueling sandwiches at home before heading to bib pick up.

Only in a virtual race do you run the race and then pick up your swag!

"Hey you guys," Becca yelled as we crossed the street to outdoor bib pick up.

Becca used the neck gaitor from the 5K swag as her mask and sported the race t-shirt shown in the above photo.

We are huggers by nature and it was incredibly hard to keep our distance but we stayed optimistic and shared in how virtual races fill a void for us as a running community. It felt wonderful to pick up a swag bag and t shirts and to see a dear friend from the running community.

She autographed our copy of Becca's Feat on Feet reminding us to follow our dreams.

Despite any circumstances happening around us, it is vital that we find ways to set goals, follow our dreams and remain hopeful experiencing the magic and wonder that's always there to be experienced when we open our hearts and believe.

To learn more about Becca and purchase her book, be sure to visit her website by following this link.

To be inspired by how I followed my dream to run the 2009 Boston Marathon after being told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com

My books are available on Amazon.

From my heart to yours
In health, wellness and joy
Mary

"See ya next week!"

My Weather App said it was 9 degrees outside with an expected high in the 20's. The sun was shining.

Tom and Ruth Anne will be running next Sunday's Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K and we debated back and forth about whether or not to postpone our run to Sunday when the temperatures promised to be more temperate.

We were ready to take out our strength training gear for a home gym workout when Ruth Anne said, "Wait! I think we should get out there today."

Her Occupational Therapist, Erin Foley, is running the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab. We are members of the Race for Rehab Alumni Class of 2009 and follow them on Facebook and via email. Erin's parting words to us after Ruth Anne's treatment on Friday was, "I hope I see you guys out there tomorrow." We had seen her two weeks ago on the Hills along with swarms of members of the 2020 Race for Rehab Team.

We love the energy on Heartbreak Hill on Saturdays during the peak of Boston Marathon training and feel buoyed after we get out and do our miles.

We opened our front door and were blasted by the frosty air but decided to layer up and get in our four miles.

There were fewer runners out yesterday presumably because of the frigid temperatures.

"Hey hey," Dominic shouted out as he was about to pass on our left side.

We weren't sure if he wanted to stop but he pulled up next to us and we exchanged warm hugs. We talked about Hyannis, how he was 11 miles into his 18 mile training run and took this selfie:


After another hug we said, "See ya next week!"

Shortly after we passed Dominic, we saw Michelle approaching us on our right.

She waved and said, "See ya next week!"

Here's what she had to say about yesterday's run on Heartbreak Hill:
Who is that masked runner? I think the hardest part of today was getting out of my toasty car 😂🥶. By 1.5 miles I really didn’t notice the cold. Gloves and gaiter were off and I felt comfortable. Of course I had four top layers, two bottom layers, ear warmers and hat to help!

Marathon Training with the Heartbreakers put on another great day, with Coach Dan giving great tips on how to approach the hills, at this point in our training. It really helped me mentally power through them, even if my body is still trying to figure out how to do that 🤣

There were definitely less people out there today, but still a decent showing. Nice to see Troy Brogan at the start, and Mary McManus and Tom McManus weren’t deterred by the cold either.

10 miles for week 10 of 20! Halfway to Boston! 😬 And Hyannis Half Marathon, is next weekend 🎉

https://www.crowdrise.com/…/bidmc-boston2…/michellecorrado1…

Boston Marathon #marathontraining #marathon Fit In New England E-motion Massage & Healing #justhaveacannoli



Michelle is running Boston to raise money for the BIDMC Cancer Care Center.

We stopped to appreciate the beauty on Heartbreak Hill that is present in every season and even noticed a hint of Spring despite the frigid temperatures:


A little further down the Hills before we reached our turnaround at 2 miles, we saw Erin!

We greeted her with warm broad smiles and cheers!

We talked about our excitement for Hyannis Weekend and how this year's Camp Hyannis is going to be an epic adventure for Team McManus as we celebrate Ruth Anne's recovery and healing and I get to share my inspirational journey with the campers runners in Hyannis.

We spotted Erin again in the distance and waved and cheered.

"One more mile to go," Erin breathlessly shouted.

"Woo hoo!" we all yelled, clapped and cheered.

Just before we got to Newton Center, Ruth Anne said, "Wait..look....here's a penny."

The date was 1977 .... Tom and I met on March 2, 1977!


We made a quick pit stop at Heartbreak Hill Running Company before the last half mile to our car. We had admired one woman's running hat out on the course and she was in the store along with about 30 Heartbreakers recovering from their long run. We chatted for a few minutes about her unique hat that she told us was made by Skida. She asked us how our run went; we explained we weren't training for Boston this year but just love the energy out on the Hills.

"Well I AM training for Boston and I live on the North Shore. My husband thinks I am crazy to drive in town but I just love the people I meet here and I hate to run alone."

We finished our run:


and refueled with soup, salads and sandwiches from the New England Soup Factory.

If we would have waited until today to do our run, we wouldn't have had those wonderful connections and experienced the added excitement for Camp Hyannis 2020.

Running has given us many things in our lives but the best thing is the people it has brought into our lives. I am still in awe and so blessed to be a part of this incredible community overflowing with love, kindness and generosity.

See you next week in Hyannis! Follow this link to register!

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

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

A Fist Bump from a Stranger on Heartbreak Hill

As we saw groups of runners and felt the pounding of their thundering feet while we drove to where we would start our Saturday morning run on Heartbreak Hill, I commented to Tom and Ruth Anne with a sense of awe in my voice what a miracle it is that we are part of this amazing community of runners.

In December of 2006, I was told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair with the diagnosis of Post Polio Syndrome considered to be a progressive neuromuscular disease. I vowed to not take the diagnosis sitting down and found my way to the sport of running harnessing the power of the mind/body connection.

Ruth Anne endured 14 psychiatric hospitalizations before we were able to make the diagnosis of PANDAS and help her get on her healing path. She had taken two years off from running and we weren't sure if she would ever find her way back to life and the roads.

Tom and Ruth Anne have run the Bill Rodgers Jingle Bell 5K in December, the Bermuda 10K in January and are now poised and ready to run the Hyannis Marathon Weekend 10K on February 23rd.

They had 6 miles and a race day simulation run on tap and I had 4 miles scheduled as I work my way back to the 10K distance.

We knew it was going to be a challenging running day with strong headwinds and colder temperatures than we'd seen in awhile but there was never a moment of doubt that we would take our run on a treadmill.

There were fewer runners out on the Hills and those that were running were focused on navigating the tough conditions rather than extending the usual high fives and flashing warm smiles. It hurt one's teeth to smile while running in the cold with a powerful headwind.

Tom and Ruth Anne took off and I was left to my own thoughts and solitude. I was buffeted by the winds and briefly wondered why I was doing this. I don't have any races on the schedule until Spring or Summer. And yet something sprang up from deep within my soul that, after the past 3 years of unrelenting stress with Ruth Anne's condition, it was time for me to reclaim myself as a runner.

I pushed my pace while listening to my body.

Mile 1 brought me to the Johnny Kelley statue:


I texted Tom and Ruth Anne to check in.

At mile 2, they texted me to let me know they were at mile 2.65 at the renowned Fire Station on the corner of Washington Street and Comm. Ave.:


And then sent me a text when they were at their halfway point at mile 3:


I took a moment to capture the beauty of the sunlight on Heartbreak Hill on a blustery winter's day:


Heading back to the car, the wind had calmed down and any wind that did kick up was a tail wind.

Back at the Johnny Kelley statue I knew I had only 1 mile to go and after the steep hill, I would enjoy relative calm and ease to finish up my run. I thought about the warm car and banana that would be my immediate reward for conquering this run and wondered what Team McManus would enjoy for lunch.

The light turned red at the corner of Comm. Ave. and Center Street across from the Heartbreak Hill Running Company that hosts Heartbreakers for Saturday morning training runs, many of whom are training for Boston.

I felt someone near my right shoulder and when I turned around, he offered me his fist for a fist bump.

"Nice work," he said.

"You too," I replied

"You training for Boston?" I asked

"Yep," answered this stranger wearing a Penn. State Sweatshirt.

"Did you qualify?"

"Nope."

"Who are you running for?"

"BIDMC."

"Oh my friend is running for them for the Cancer Care Center."

"That's who I'm running for. What's her name?"

I told him and he said he would have to look her up on their Team Page.

I briefly shared with him my story and we both agreed that there is no place quite as special as Heartbreak Hill during the few months preceding the Boston Marathon.

The light changed and we went on our way.

A run that started out with challenging conditions and runners keeping to themselves was transformed in that moment. I went on my way with an unending smile for the last .2 of a mile of my run.

When I checked my Nike+, I had the fastest times for those 4 miles than I had since a 5K in November.

Tom and Ruth Anne had a wonderful dress rehearsal run for Hyannis and feel race ready. We reunited and shared our tales of the day:


Facebook was filled with posts about yesterday's running conditions and we joined together as a community from the warmth and comfort of our homes.

It was a tough training run made sweeter by the fist bump from a stranger on Heartbreak Hill and one which propels me forward once again on my health and wellness journey.

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness
Mary

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.

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.

High Fives and Hugs - Love on Heartbreak Hill

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.

Adventures on Heartbreak Hill & The Kindness of Strangers

On Saturday mornings Team McManus huddles and decides where they are going to run and for what distance. A mild snowfall was followed by thawing. We knew the Reservoir would be a soupy mess. Tom and Ruth Anne were just coming off of their Bermuda 10K run and we decided on 4 miles staying together at my pace on Heartbreak Hill.

The temperatures were moderate for January and the Newton Hills were alive with runners training for the Boston Marathon.

We parked the car in Newton Center across the street from the Heartbreak Hill Running Company to do an out and back two mile run.

Initially we had an uneventful run reminiscing about our time in Bermuda and getting ready for the Hyannis Marathon Weekend. Tom and Ruth Anne are going to run the 10K. I am going to be the guest speaker at the Pre-Race Pasta Dinner along with Bill Rodgers to share my inspirational journey from being told to prepare to spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and beyond.

We kept a brisk pace and I unzipped my running jacket as the day warmed up.

I checked my Nike+ as we approached the 2 mile mark. We took a water stop and I twirled around looking forward to the two miles back to the car.

I was inspired to share the talk I plan to give in Hyannis and visualized how it is going to feel to address the crowd.

I've been a part of Hyannis Marathon Weekend since 2009 but this will be the first time I will be on the stage along with Bill Rodgers.

Here are a few of the photos from Camp Hyannis as I affectionately call race weekend from years passed.


I was amazed at how I was able to recall the talking points of my speech from memory and to also recall what quotes I need to remember to add in.

It felt as though we were almost at 3 miles. I reached into my jacket pocket and asked out loud, "Wait. Where's my phone?"

Ruth Anne was tracking our mileage on her GPS and said we were at 2.8 miles; .8 miles from where I last had my phone.

Tom called it to see if perhaps someone had picked it up or I put it in a different pocket.

"What are we going to do?"

Tom suggested he run back to the 2 mile mark to see if he could find it along the way.

Ruth Anne recalled how we lost each other one time running around Jamaica Pond while training for the 2009 Boston Marathon and we decided it would be best to stay together.

From my memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":
And who could EVER forget us losing each other around - emphasize the word a-round Jamaica Pond. Tom had stopped at the car to fill up the water bottles and get some snacks. He had his iPod on really loud. I was in the zone and ran by him. I saw him looking for me in the opposite direction and yelled to him that I was over here. I felt so great and the weather was wonderful that I did not want to interrupt my rhythm. Finally, my daughter who had been going at her own pace came running up to me - where were you she asked? (well duh, we're going around in a circle) Dad is worried sick about you. He thought that since you had to go to the bathroom (and the bathrooms were not open yet) that you went off the trail and went to pee in the woods). We finally all caught up with one another and laughed so hard.

Tom took off saying, "I'm going to go ahead."

Ruth Anne left her cell phone at home.

Tom handed the car keys to me and suggested we go back to the car but given our history of losing each other and not having a cell phone, we decided we would trail behind him.

There was no sign of my phone or Tom in the distance.

Ruth Anne kept tabs on our distance and when we went past the .8 of a mile, we decided to wait for Tom.

He bounded over the hill and said, "Somebody picked it up and they are leaving it at Comm. Ave and Dartmouth Street. I'll meet you there."

"I kept calling it and calling it and someone finally picked it up. I asked him to wait for me and he said he would but he took off but left the phone on the wall."

Unbeknownst to us, a runner (identified by his being out of breath on voice mail) had found the phone and took the time to call Ruth Anne. Her number was listed on my outgoing call list and the phone had not yet locked after I dropped it or it fell out of my pocket. Later in the evening Ruth Anne checked voice mail and we all listened to try to find a clue as to what kind stranger took the time to let us know he had found the phone and would leave it on the wall at 35 Dartmouth Street at the corner of Comm. Ave and Dartmouth Street. Apparently another person was passing by, heard the phone ringing and answered it.

We realized we were going to do a lot more than a 4 mile run and while Tom and Ruth Anne are trained for a 10K distance, I hadn't run more than 4 miles since we ran the 2018 Bermuda Half Marathon. I had decided that I was going to stay with 5K's but as Tom and Ruth Anne trained for their 10K, I decided that 2020 was going to be my year of Expansion! Fortunately I had done several 4 mile runs. After giving my Hyannis Marathon talk, I inspired myself with what's possible when we harness the power of the mind/body connection as we made our way back to the car.

"Hi there fella," Tom said to what looked like a friendly dog.

The dog leapt at Tom with teeth bared growling. The human said, "There there Oliver. It's okay." The dog settled down and his human said, "Sorry about that. Thanks for saying hello."

"This has been quite the adventure. I almost lost my cell phone and you almost got bitten by a dog."

We were at 5.22 miles when we got to the Johnny Kelley Statue:


Tom looked at the hill looming before us and said that he would run ahead and get the car. He was concerned about me going from 4 miles to 6 miles without adequate training especially with that big hill up ahead.

Right before he took off I remembered he had handed the car keys to me...That would have certainly added to the adventure.

It started drizzling. Since we were only planning for four miles, we only brought 3 water bottles with us but we are marathoners and know how to harness the power of our minds to find comfort in the discomfort.

About ten minutes later my phone rang.

"I'm at the car but my phone battery...."

"The last call he made was to us," I quipped with Ruth Anne.

We were reunited and headed to the New England Soup Factory for refueling to take home where we could warm up and review our adventures on Heartbreak Hill.

We were so grateful for the kindness of strangers who took the time and care to help us reunite with my phone. I hope that somehow the runner who took the time to call Ruth Anne will see my blog and/or my Facebook posts and know how appreciative we are for his kindness.

I was deeply grateful to my body for allowing me to go the distance again knowing that my 2020 goal for reaching the 10K distance is well within reach for 2020.

I am looking forward to many more adventures in running and in life as I embrace all the possibilites that 2020 brings.

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.