When I announced that I was going to run the Boston Marathon, my husband was labeled a diabetic and had high cholesterol. He was not getting regular exercise and as a couple, we had no idea of the journey that was to unfold before us. He did not want my daughter and me to be out training by ourselves so he decided to become the third leg of Team McManus. He confesses that he didn't think that I was really going to run the Boston Marathon. After all, I had never run before. He had some 10K's under his belt which he had run before we had children.
Our training journey is well documented in my blog - the good, the bad and the ugly but nothing was as magnificent as when all three of us crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon. As I have written, every finish line is a starting line. Since running the Boston Marathon, we each had to take a break from running. My husband had some serious IT band issues and I experienced a flare of post polio and cervical spine disease.
But we would not stop! We went for physical therapy and Tom joined Commonwealth Sports Club. That hunger in his soul to run another marathon for a good cause began to rumble and he applied for and was accepted to the Miles for Miracles Team. He has been training hard. We learned many lessons from our first Boston Marathon quest. We were nowhere in marathon shape but with courage, faith, grit and determination we did indeed run our first marathon and raised $10,535 for Spaulding Rehab.
He is now doing cross training. I do upper body, core and lower body strength training 3X a week in my self made home gym using free weights and a pilates ball and a yoga mat. We have joined the L Street Running Club so that he will have the support to do his long runs. I can do my own route around Castle Island and hang out at L Street until he is finished or I may volunteer at some of the long runs.
Tom had his physical last week. He lost 25 pounds and the blood test results came in today. His cholesterol was over 300 two years ago, it is now down to 200 with the good and the bad (and the ugly) being in the range they should be in. His blood sugars are completely normal including the Hemoglobin A1C which reflects blood sugars over several months. He did it! We haven't changed our diet all that much. We had eliminated red meat several years ago. He did cut out putting sugar in his coffee and now chooses fruit trail mix for snacks. We still enjoy a hot cocoa in the evening and home made pumpkin bread and he'll have his beers. I enjoy occasional desserts. We love our vegetables and fruits and have re instituted organic turkey and chicken into our diet for protein. Tofu and processed soy meats just weren't doing it for us. We love our fish and our pasta and drink tons of water. I am on a fun(d) raising marathon and he is on the road to his 2nd Boston Marathon. I am training for Bermuda 2013 and together we will run into our later years knowing they will be our personal best with health, happiness and love.
You can donate to Tom's Boston Marathon run and help create miracles at Childrens Hospital. Stay tuned for details of the 2/5 Fund Raiser at Boston University.
To read more about my amazing journey and transformation visit Mary McManus.com Are you looking for messages of transformation, hope, healing, joy, love and gratitude? Then be sure to order autographed copies of my books of inspirational poetry.
God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
With love from my heart to yours,
Mary
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