When the going gets tough..

the tough get running!



These past several weeks have been very stressful for Team McManus. While I continue to practice an attitude of deep gratitude for all of our blessings including the strength and resilience to navigate stressful events, it is important to acknowledge that stress can take its toll and build up as different events occur.

Rather than share the litany of events that occurred, the tipping point came when Tom had to be tested for COVID at Boston College this past Monday. We know we are all healthy and well. We knew Ruth Anne tested negative when she went for an appointment for a possible UTI. We know that the symptoms of the virus can be very similar to how stress manifests in the body and we all know the role that the power of belief plays in our bodies. We focused on creating the outcome we wanted rather than focus on fear. {Spoiler alert: It was negative!} The testing site was well organized without any waiting at the site. They said Tom would get the results in 6-26 hours.

His colleagues starting getting their results and after 26 hours he called student health services. They said he would not get the results until late Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

Let go and let God and get out the door to go on a run while trying to let thoughts of worry pass by like clouds as any person who meditates will do. Yet I also honored my feelings of being aware of the fragility of life and how life can change on a dime!

We were not worried about Tom getting ill but rather concerned about the disruption a positive test would cause in our lives. Ruth Anne is just getting back to volunteering and seeing her acupuncturist on a regular basis. She would not be able to go to either of those activities for 14 days. I didn't know if we would all need to quarantine or if I would be able to get out to get us groceries. As I observed my racing thoughts, Ruth Anne and I took in the spectacular scenes before us on a beautiful summer morning:


I felt a heaviness in my body and focused on releasing the weight I felt while being so grateful for the gift of being free to be able to get up, go out the door and get in a run.

The phone rang...spam call.

We focused on the geese that swooped in seemingly from out of nowhere landing with flappping wings. A bubble of joy rose up within me to see their movements with reckless abandon and the splashing of water.

The phone rang again as we were on our final loop around the Reservoir.

"It was negative," Tom said and the tears began to flow.

Nike+ said, "Pausing work out."

"The volunteer put in my wrong email address. The nurse at the Health Services got all of my information, called the testing lab and got the results. She was very chatty and I told her that I was sorry to cut her off but I have to call my wife." Even though Tom didn't tell me that only negative results would be sent via email, as a former social worker in health care, I knew that positive results would not be sent via email. Tom confirmed my suspicion after he received the results.

Ruth Anne and I laughed and cried for the rest of our 4.2 miles. She would be able to volunteer and see her acupuncturist later in the day and we would be able to move forward with living our lives as we have been since March mindful of masks and social distancing with a lifestyle that promotes health and wellness.

Tom was supposed to be on vacation last Monday and Tuesday but with the scheduling of the testing along with critical work that had deadlines, he moved his vacation days to yesterday and today. We are thoroughly enjoying this time together savoring the final days of summer.

We are taking deep breaths, looking forward to easier and lighter days giving thanks for the gifts of health, abundance and wonderful friendships.

We are looking forward to joyful and playful runs letting go of stress and take great comfort in knowing that when the going gets tough, the tough take to the roads!

Be sure to visit my website at www.marymcmanus.com to learn more about the power of the mind/body connection and visualization

My books are available on Amazon

From my heart to yours
In health and wellness...healing, hope and possibilities
Mary

The Shift

As we drove on Commonwealth Avenue to our usual parking space to start our Saturday morning run, it seemed as though we all felt a collective clutch of sadness. Runners were sparse and practicing social distancing. It's as though we felt the feelings of deflation that accompanied the rescheduling of the 2020 Boston Marathon originally scheduled for April 20th, 2020. It would have been the 11th anniversary of our incredible Boston Marathon journey. I was scheduled to speak at the Expo as part of the Runners Seminar Series (which is rescheduled for September). It's magical time of year in Boston as runners complete their training cycle and we all prepare for Boston to run again. We have had a blessedly mild winter with very little snow and early cold weather in November with only a few days of cold here and there, which has made for a wonderful training cycle. It's a time when we support our friends' fundraising efforts and attend different events leading up to the Marathon.

But a hush has fallen over the Hills.

I was sluggish at the beginning of today's run. We talked about how different the Hills felt from even two weeks ago.

But as we embraced the sunshine and sighted the wonderful harbingers of Spring's return:


our pace picked up. We smiled and greeted everyone we passed. We slowly let go of all that was weighing us down.

We had some fun with our selfie today at the Johnny Kelley Statue:


Johnny reminds us all to be Young at Heart. He lived to be 97 years old! I met his nephew in January of 2009 when we were coming back from Puerto Rico after taking a break from the brutal New England winter while we trained from Boston. It was a magical encounter that I wrote about in "The Adventures of Runnergirl 1953":
Two weeks before our first run on Heartbreak Hill, we returned from Puerto Rico, after a brief hiatus from the never ending brutal New England cold weather. On the plane ride home, we met Tom Kelley and his wife, Dottie. We shared the story of Team McManus not knowing the names of the people with whom we shared pleasant conversation to pass the time on the flight back to a snowstorm in Boston.

“Hi there…my name is Tom Kelley. My uncle was Johnny Kelley.”

“I’m Dottie.” “It’s so nice to meet you.”

“Johnny Kelley” I thought to myself. “As in the Johnny Kelley. Olympian and Boston Marathon champion through the decades?!”

Dottie shared with me that Tommy lives with Parkinson’s Disease but he keeps on running as best he can. Running is his therapy. She asked for our mailing address. They had something they wanted to send to us. I had goosebumps all over.

As we parted ways heading to baggage claim, Dottie said, ‘Good luck with the rest of your training! Come see us at the Expo at Packet Pick up. Remember, Johnny will be watching over you.”

“Thank you. Get home safely and we’ll definitely come see you at Packet Pick Up. You sure made my day!” I said with a broad smile and a full heart.

A week later a package came in the mail with a note written in Dottie’s perfect cursive handwriting dictated by Tommy:

This is a poster created by Adidas for the 2004 BAA Marathon. I had Johnny sign a few when we roomed together at the Copley Plaza that week, and I know he would have gladly signed one for your family if he were here. Perhaps it will inspire you to run a good race, especially the last 6 miles. Johnny was an inspiration to many of us amateur runners and he lives on in the memories of countless runners. You can get a copy of his book Young at Heart on Amazon I believe. You'll note that his forefathers came over to the USA on the SS Marathon!!! Keep on running as I do. We loved your website and maybe some day we can meet again.

Young at Heart is the name of Johnny's autobiography and the song they played at the dedication of his statue on Heartbreak Hill.

It's so easy to forget the expanse of space and time when we focus on the news and absorb the fear and angst seemingly surrounding us but running and being out in fresh air and sunlight provides a wonderful healing balm to all of our ills. A recent article in the NY Times cited that there is a running boom happening now that gyms and pools are closed.

We even had a little race of our own at the end of our run pretending we were coming into an imaginary finish line!

What a wonderful shift we made from when we first arrived at Heartbreak Hill to when we finished our run. May we all find our way away from fear and back to love, joy, health and well being.

The Shift

Make the shift and shift to Source
shifting gears
untether from vortex of fear
troubles drift away in a hot air balloon
a rainbow of hope replaces roiling rage
how can this be?
why is this happening
to me?

This is happening for me
to shift
to sift through
transform.

Tears like raindrops
cleanse my heart and soul
clarity comes into view
a lush landscape
blessings freely scattered
take root in faith.

Source my resource
Love overflowing bathing wounds
entreating calm the storm
soothing gentle breezes
tender butterfly kisses
sunbeams warm my heart
the shift from fear to Love.

The only way to Be
Being joyful
filled with hope
the time is now.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
With love
Mary

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

My books are available on Amazon

All Clear

After the events of 4/15/13, we were ordered to shelter in place in the greater Boston area while law enforcement personnel tracked down and captured the person responsible for the bombings. We kept the TV on and while we had a group meditation on Facebook and kept taking deep breaths throughout the day, there was a sense of when will we be given the all clear to resume our lives.

We've lived through several major New England blizzards where we were told to stay home except for essential travel to allow crews to clear the roads. During the winter of 2014, we had snow storm after snow storm with no end in sight. We had ice dams and as water poured through ceilings and doors I was left to wonder, "When will this ever end?" Of course it did. Spring came and our homeowner's insurance took care of the repairs. We had a more energy efficient home with new paint and no more ice dams!

During the past 3 years, as our daughter endured multiple hospitalizations with no clear diagnosis or treatment plan I wondered, "When will this end? How will it end?" I had faith that sustained me throughout those times of dire crises and we all made it through to the other side.

I marvel at our resilience!

As we receive news of ever changing circumstances, there is a sense of "When will we receive the all clear?" As I experienced waves of anxiety, I watched a video by Dr. Joe Dispenza that you can watch by following this link and saw this post:

It seems so unnatural to make these types of choices in the midst of such conditions, but if we repeatedly succeed, in time we’ll transcend the norm—and we, too, become supernatural. And most important, by your being supernatural, you give others permission to do the same. Mirror neurons fire when we observe someone else performing an action. Our neurons mirror the neurons of that other person, as though we were performing the same action. For example, when you see a professional dancer dancing the salsa, you will dance the salsa better than you did before. If you watch Serena Williams hit a tennis ball, you will hit the ball better than you did before. If you observe someone leading a community with love and compassion, you’ll lead in your life in the same way. And if you witness someone self-healing from a disease by changing his or her thought processes, you’ll be more prone to do the same❤️

I called my dear friend and womanpreneur Paula Romero-Dunbar, owner of Paper Fiesta. We bought a gift card. I checked in with my hair stylist to see how he was doing and if he wanted me to prepay for my next visit with him. He was deeply touched by my reaching out to him and told me he was able to ride this out even though the salon is closed. We are checking in with friends and neighbors on Facebook and in real life. While we are mandated for social distancing, we are practicing emotional closeness, kindness and compassion!

Ruth Anne and I went on an almost 4 mile run today because the weather was glorious and focused on the blessings that surrounded us:


I only skim the headlines for the "breaking news" that comes into my inbox.

We take extra meditation breaks throughout the day and often pause to say at least 3 things were are grateful for.

While part of me feels the anxiety that comes with these chaotic, confusing and unprecedented times wondering when will the "All Clear" come, I realized that the All Clear is right now:

All Clear
When clarion calls and sounds all clear no need to sit and wait
time for healing transformation creating destiny and fate.
All clear and cleanse the heart and mind a voice to light the way
shine instead of whining the mandate of the day.
Tho panic fills the headlines let cooler heads prevail
adversity storms passing compass of kindness adjust our sail.
Imagination fired up dark clouds we now can clear
knowing deep within our soul there's nothing now to fear.
Light beckons in the clearing stand firm in Truths Divine
drowning out the din of dread love beams brightly shine.
All clear an inner peace takes hold deep breaths a wave of calm
emanates from faith and trust allowing healing balm.

To your health and wellness
From my heart to yours
Mary

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

My books are available on Amazon