Camp Hyannis

On Friday as I was preparing to run the Hyannis 10K on Sunday, I felt the presence of an earth angel from my childhood. His name was Joseph Stetz, MD and he was one of my counselors at Badger Sports Club. where I was so blessed to be a camper for 3 years. I had attended another camp but was miserable there. It was probably my polio doc who recommended a swimming camp and Badger Sports Club was just the place I needed. It is still in existent today being run by the founder's sons. Here is the info about John Collins, Jr the Executive Director from their website:

"The Badger Swim program is led by world recognized swim coach John Collins Jr. For the past 30 years John Collins has strived and created a world class swim program in Westchester, New York. During that time John has coached 5 world champions, NCAA champions and Olympic atheletes, including westchester’s Olympic gold medalist Rick Carey. Himself a former Badger swimmer, Indiana University all american butterflier and American Record holder in the 200 Butterfly. John is currently a member of the United States National Team coaching staff." Pictured above is a photo of end of the year Olympics - a tradition at Badger.

Joe qualified for the 1964 Swimming Olympic trials but he decided to not pursue his Olympic dreams in order to continue his medical education. I hadn't thought about Joe in years but in 2004 I happened to be reading the Boston Globe and his obituary leaped off of the page. He died in an automobile accident. He was a cardio thoracic surgeon just down the street from me at St. Elizabeth's Hospital and lived in Lexington, MA. Joe saw something in me at the age of 10 that inside a polio ravaged body that was being abused (no I didn't have to tell him that part. He somehow sensed what I needed) was an Olympic champion.

The summer he was my swimming counselor, he told me that at the end of the summer Olympics at Badger, he wanted me to compete in the butterfly heat. I couldn't believe it. The butterfly stroke is the most difficult stroke but no one else would compete and he told me to have a full and fair race there had to be at least 3 swimmers. He told me to just go out and do the best I could and it didn't matter when I finished; the important thing was I had the courage to take on a race that no one else would. After camp he gave me his address. He was a med student at Downstate Medical School and told me to write to him. He provided me with so much love and support through his letters. I was going through a lot of medical problems and he would explain everything to me in simple language. Those physical letters are long gone but the love from them I carry in my heart.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I told my husband that I felt as though I was going to Camp Hyannis. The Hyannis Marathon is a tradition and a phenomenal event put on by Paul Collyer. We get to see old friends who we only see once a year at Hyannis i.e. returning campers, meet up with friends who are going for the first time and make new friends. There was also a sense of sadness that two of my dearest fellow Hyannis campers would not be able to run this year. Doug and Lex Welch were hoping to run the race together making it Lex's first half marathon. She lives with Muscular Dystrophy and she has discovered, as have I, that running is a wonderful therapy for neurological disease.Lex had to have surgery and could not run but I know in my heart they will be back next year.

I felt Joe's presence as I was going into the weekend and knew he was going to be with me when I ran the race. Why was I so anxious about Hyannis? Well first of all it's in the middle of a New England winter. While nobody likes to run in the cold, it is a particular challenge for me. This winter has been grueling as all of my fellow runners will attest to but I knew I had done everything I could to train for the race.

I am also 'amping' up my training (as they say in the wonderful world of yoga). I'd been trying out different equipment at the gym and had begun the practice of yoga. How would my body perform with the introduction of new training? When I trained for Boston I had to abandon all other training because it taxed my body too much. But it's a whole new ballgame and I'm adding on the miles nice and slow this time laying the foundation which, because I was training for Boston, did not have the time to do. While I was running with Sparkling Diva, Deborah Doiron, I was also running with another woman who I had never met. I also was not running with life and running partner, Tom who knows me and knows how to get me through those miles. I was certainly going outside of my comfort zone. It was also an emotional return to Hyannis. Last year I so wanted that bling around my neck but I couldn't run. I did not know if I would be able to run in Hyannis again.

When we arrived on Saturday, we met with Dick Hoyt and Kathy Boyer of Team Hoyt. File under the heading of returning campers! Dick recently had knee surgery and would not be running. I felt very nostalgic about our reunion with Dick and decided I needed to get an autographed copy of his book and take a picture with him.


After checking into our room and unpacking it was time to head out to the Expo. Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers would not be returning campers ahem speakers this year. Instead the guests were Jack Fultz, 1976 Boston Marathon winner and Jimmy Garcia, an ultra marathoner and winner of the 2003 Hyannis Marathon (pictured below). We stood in line waiting for an autographed poster of Jack Fultz and I was able to share with him my inspirational journey. Tom and I also had our picture taken with him.



We went through the Expo. We met the amazing owners of Wag Your Tail and even got a donation for our Take a Chance at the Wine Tasting Reception Fund Raiser for Tom's Boston Marathon run! And then it was time for lunch at Bogey's. I texted fellow Sparkling Diva, Deborah Doiron and we met up at the Expo psyching ourselves up for the next day's run. Then it was time for swimming!

A lot of campers began to arrive with coolers and running clothes in tow. The energy was electric and we bumped into returning campers exchanging hugs and how was your year? After swimming it was time for the pre race pasta dinner. Here's where the camp theme really kicks into high gear. The food is lousy but you don't care. It's pasta and salad and fococcia bread. Instead of singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall, there are 99 bottles of beer (or more) stocked in the bar which everyone is using to add to the carbo loading. We sat with Mike with whom we have shared the last 3 years' pre race pasta dinners getting caught up on each other's lives. We shared photos in our phones of the family and we were joined by two new campers who were friend's of Mike. I called fellow camper Ric to see where he was and he was on his way with a host of campers old and new. He asked if I would save him a table - honest to God - just like we used to do at camp only we'd throw a sweatshirt or use our hand to save a seat for our fellow camper. I turned the chairs in at the banquet table to reserve their seats.


After the speeches and more poster signings (I got to meet Jimmy Garcia and see all of his bling from his ultramarathon runs), we hung out for awhile before saying good night knowing tomorrow was race day. I was so blessed to meet two new camper friends, Mark and Laura. Laura is a Childrens Hospital miracle who was treated for scoliosis and has two rods in her back but in May she is going to run her first marathon! Pictured below is the blink that Jimmy Garcia shared at the pre race pasta dinner:




Race Day
I had the usual pre race anxiety dreams like my alarm didn't go off but I awoke before the alarm and slowly stretched and calmed my nerves. We bring our pre race breakfast adding to it from the Starbucks in the lobby. We awoke to snow; about 2 inches on the golf course outside of our window and flakes coming down steady.


No matter what I was going to run this race today. I calmed the butterflies in my stomach by listening to my iPod running playlist, meditating on the falling snow, recalling the words of Joe Stetz and drinking in all of the love and prayers from Tweets and Facebook that had been sent to me. Tom listened to his meditations in his mP3. 9 am - time to meet up with my Sparkling Diva teammates and check in with fellow Luna Chix campers Ashley, and Jessie. The Expo space was overflowing with campers ahem runners. I could feel my nerves really go into high gear when we decided to go outside. There was Chris Russell. Out of over 5,000 runners, we bumped into each other. He was going to try to run after a calf injury but knew it wasn't meant to be. He gave us trash bags to keep us warm and dry - and boy did it ever work and suggested we wait to head out to the start.

10 am Gun Time
We heard the Star Spangled Banner from the back of the pack and saw everyone begin to move forward. Usually at the start of a race I feel my heart pound and have a difficult time getting a rhythm but not today. I flowed to the starting line (thank you yoga) and was pacing my fellow Divas. I had initially decided I would not check our time until the finish but I felt a nudging at two miles to take a peak. We were at 29 minutes - a little under a 15 minute mile. Deborah and I smiled as we knew we were running faster than the Tufts 10K but felt we were at a comfortable pace. Amy, Deborah and I talked about everything and nothing and at mile 3 I checked my watch. 43:00. When I smiled Deborah said - what are you grinning at over there? I said, we just did a 14 minute mile.

We did not look ahead of us or behind us and stayed in the moment. I felt my breathing was even and my body felt strong despite the elements of snow and rain. There was mercifully no wind even as we got to the beach. I told Deborah and Amy about my Camp Hyannis theme; I teased myself and said I am the camper everyone hates for having so much camp spirit. We laughed. I noted the beautiful scenery in my mind and the expanse of ocean and sky. I felt euphoric that I was back out on the road in Hyannis. I was wet and cold and my feet were soaked but none of that mattered. I had one thought in my mind - to cross the finish line. I knew Tom was out there running his half and I would occasionally send angels to bless his calf and keep him running safe, strong and at a steady pace.

After mile 5, we picked up the pace but wanted to leave enough in the tank for a strong finish. The volunteer were wonderful cheering us on telling us girls we were doing a great job and then the finish line was nearing. We began to take off into a sprint; Deborah and Amy surged ahead of me and I couldn't keep up but what a blessing that I did not feel left behind as I once did with a polio limp. My joints were tight and I knew that I had done so much better than Tufts already so I wanted to just pull into the finish line uninjured and without throwing up (see my previous blog post Heading for Hyannis). I crossed the finish line at 1:30 - taking 6 minutes off of my 2010 Tufts 10K. Chris Russell was there as I finished and he took my hand in a cross between a high five and a hand shake. Boy did that feel good! Deborah, Amy and I hugged and Deborah and I celebrated our phenomenal performance. We were Sparkling Divas indeed. Here is my official time from Cool Running: Hyannis 10K 594 42/42 F5059 1:30:05 14:30 1:34:42 Mary McManus 57 F 4895 Chestnut Hill MA That is a full 6 minutes off of the 2010 Tufts 10K and over 2 minutes off of Operation Jack 6.1 mile run in December. My fourth 10K in less than a year with improving time at each race. (Harvard Pilgrim was 1:38 finish). All of that running in 17 degree cold, doing a 7 miler and cross training really paid off big time! My average heart rate was 160 with a peak of 178. But I was not uncomfortable running at that pace. We were able to talk the entire time. The peak heart rate for me is supposedly 140 - well we all know that I tend to go push the limits!

At the finish line, waiting for Tom, I met Ashley's mom. I can see that the apple doesn't fall from the tree. Ashley's mom overflows with love and warmth. We talked about where Ashley was on the course and I had no idea where Tom might be since he left his phone in the room. I finally decided it was time to head inside and get a hot shower before Tom came in because he would need the bathtub for his ice bath. While coming inside and walking through the Expo, I stopped by to share my great news wih my new friends at Wag Your Tail. I saw campers Mary and Tony and other friends and we all asked how each other did.

After Tom came in (great performance by the way a 2:22 half post injury) we packed up and got ready to leave Camp Hyannis. Camp T shirts, bling and memories were all packed! We hung out in the hallways for a little bit meeting new campers, exchanging stories and no not singing Kumbaya but it was a very Kumbaya kind of moment. Everyone had coolers and dirty laundry bags. We met up with Deborah, Amy and their families at the British Beer Company. Unfortunately there was a long wait and Tom had to get up at 5 so rather than a rowdy celebration, we had a quiet celebration at at Caffe e dolci. There was a solo runner with a Hyannis Race shirt on and as we were both getting ready to leave, talked about the great weekend. Another new camper friend was made!

Today I am sore but so happy that I went out and had a great performance but more importantly I know that I can trust this body; that I can continue to train and grow stronger and healthier with every passing day. Is it hard work? Oh yeah! Is it worth it? Oh yeah! Do I get to have a happy childhood at the age of 57? Oh yeah. So today instead of everyone signing the autograph book on the last day of camp and giving each other our addresses, we are all finding each other on facebook to become friends.

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love and gratitude to the wonderful running community who has embraced me and my journey,
Mary

Heading to Hyannis

Two years ago at this very moment I was getting ready to run my first half marathon road race. I had done more than 13 miles on a training run but never run in a half marathon road race. I met Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Tim Doiron (no don't go google to see who he is; he is not famous in the way Frank and Bill are but is a dear friend whom I met on Just Finish) and it was the first time I really felt as though I belonged to the running community.





It was a grueling run for Team McManus. My daughter was recovering from the flu and we weren't sure whether or not she would be able to run but she rallied the morning of the race. I was run down from caring for my twins (her twin brother Tommy had the flu the week before) and I knew that it was a turning point as we headed into the long runs in preparation for Boston. I have never thrown up after a run before or since Hyannis. It began to sleet towards the end of the race and I forgot about my fuel and hydration plan and just ran my heart out to the finish. I was shivering in the ballroom and Frank Shorter signed my number and hugged me telling me how courageous I was. A reporter from the Cape Cod Times interviewed me. I went up to our room and threw. I have never felt so crummy after a run in my life but I also felt a sense of exhilaration. We went out for dinner and a coca cola and bread helped to settle everything down. We proudly wore our bling into the restaurant.

Last year I couldn't run. I did have a table thanks to the generosity of Paul Collyer I sold my books of inspirational poetry and represented Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I took the first steps on my healing journey. I distributed information about the End Polio Now Campaign and met IRL @reallynotarunnr and his beautiful family. Tom ran the 10K and we have wonderful memories of hanging out with members of the Merrimack Valley Striders Club and Tim Doiron. I celebrated even though I was on the sidelines.



It was a great time. Truth be told I was not sure whether or not I would come back to run the 10K this year.





But here I am - packed and ready with a few butterflies in the stomach. I am not going to have a table this year. I have been training since December for this race. I have not been focusing on setting a PR; I want to go out, have fun and see what this body can do. My training has taken on a new dimension with the practice of yoga. I feel stronger and more grounded but I am also more sore and getting used to the shifts that are happening in my body as a result of practicing yoga.

I don't know what is going to happen on Sunday. I am taking what I have learned on the mat out onto the road with me. I will be running along side my fellow Sparkling Diva, Deborah Doiron who ran the Tufts 10K with me. Tom will be running the Half Marathon. I am excited, and so grateful that I am back on the roads. I can't wait to see what this body is gonna do on Sunday. No matter what the clock may say it will be a PR for me.



God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
See you at the finish line
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

Joy of Sox

The Joy of Sox

The days are getting longer, temperatures are beginning to climb, the snow is melting, the birds are singing and Red Sox Nation turns their eyes south - to Florida. There is a big red circle around April 1st on everyone's calendar. No not because it's April Fool's Day and you want to remember it! No it's opening day for the Boston Red Sox - the old home town team as they play the Texas Rangers. On April 8th, there is going to be a lot of red flu going around as it's opening day in Fenway Park against the evil empire New York Yankees. (Okay if I am going to be true to myself, I can't call them the Evil Empire. I grew up in the Bronx near Yankee Stadium and cherish my memories of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle). {As an aside, when you read Rick's book, you'll learn all about why chanting Yankees Suck does not necessarily lead to a positive outcome for the Sox}.

So what does all of this have to do with anything in my life? The author of The Joy of Sox, soon to be an Oscar winning documentary, is a friend of mine. Rick Leskowitz, MD and I trained at the VA many years ago. He was a psychiatry resident and I was a social work intern. In 2005, Rick wrote an op ed piece for the Boston Globe "Can Weird Science Save the Red Sox". My eye and heart caught it and I was so ecstatic to read about a psychiatrist writing about the power of prayer and doing research in an attempt to validate outcomes. I kept asking our continuing ed committee at the VA to have him as a speaker but it didn't happen.

In 2007, I was contacted by a polio survivor who was desperately seeking help for her condition. I thought of referring her to an integrative medicine team in her home state. I email'ed Rick, we reconnected and the rest as they say is motion picture history. We met for lunch and felt as though we had just seen each other although 25 years had passed since we were at 17 Court Street, the then VA clinic. We talked about The Secret, healing, energy medicine, manifesting, creating and the paths we each were on which were a lifetime away from the VA clinic. By chance, Rick is also the chief of integrative medicine at Spaulding Rehab Hospital - yes the very same place I took the steps on my healing journey.

We stay in contact by email, through his JoS newsletter and however and whenever Spirit moves us to connect. The series of synchronicities happening in our paths could fill many blog posts but I'll focus for now on Rick's book. My copy is so dog eared that as I was reading I couldn't remember where I left off or if I had dog eared a page to go back and review it. Rick weaves science, energy medicine, the power of love, joy, laughter and embracing our inner child with the championship seasons of the Boston Red Sox. As he writes about the process of his creating the documentary with his cousin, the creative process itself is revealed and commented on. Rick's voice is warm, humorous, delightfully self revealing, tongue in cheek at times but with a very serious message to deliver.

The metaphor of baseball and sports is a metaphor for life itself. Rick points out that what it takes to succeed on the field is also what it takes to succeed off the field. My heart leaps with joy to realize that something I have practiced for years - prayer and most recently my healing journey is being studied in the field of energy medicine. I felt such a sense of joy, hope and possibility as I read this amazing book and go back and review different parts to continue to grow and transform.

Rick also talked about the Boston Marathon in the Joy of Sox book. He cheers on runners for the Boston Marathon in his same spot in Wellesley. Although he had already left by the time Team McManus got to where he would be, I could still feel his presence knowing that he was cheering me on even though his physical presence was not there. This and more is what you can experience when you delve into the Joy of Sox and the wonderful world of weird science.

From the back cover:
"What happens when a Harvard psychiatrist mixes his interest in holistic energy medicine with his love for the Boston Red Sox? You get The Joy of Sox, a humorous blend of science and spirituality that expalins the latest research breakthroughs into the nature of the human mind by showing how these discoveries apply to the All-American sport of baseball. ... He also shows how you can harness these invisible forces to become a more effective fan for your favorite team and how to use the power of intention to create more happiness in your own life."

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

No Hats, No Gloves, No Problems

Yesterday was an amazing day as the sun shone, the temperatures climbed and the snow is melting. I was thrilled to be able to get outside for a training run although so grateful for the work I've been able to do in yoga, at the BU Fit Rec Center and on my very own recumbent bike.{Glad I didn't chuck it out the window after last winter since that's all I was able to do.} As I talked about in a recent blog post, sometimes it's a challenge to stick to the routine but yesterday it was sheer joy. I started out with a hat and gloves but was able to lose them early on in the run. My initial plan was to run down Boylston Street for 3-4 miles but there were piles of snow everywhere. I headed over to the Rt 9 Reservoir and couldn't get near it - yup more snow piles so.....

I was directed to do a neighborhood run. Three years ago this month I declared to my personal trainer, Janine Hightower of Boston Homebodies that I was going to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital. As I ran up and down the neighborhood streets and hills I was transported back to a time when I could run for only 30 seconds or a minute at a time. My heart rate would skyrocket to over 160. I remember Janine aksing me how I was going to cope out on the marathon course when things became tough for me. She reminded me that we were going to work on not only physical readiness but mental toughness. I thought about Linda Mitchell and Bernie Siegel who knew me in February of 2007 as I was just beginning to emerge from my dark night of the soul; Allison Lamarre Poole, my physical therapist at Spaulding who coaxed me to take a leap of faith and leave the VA.

I ran up and down hills and covered all of the terrain we used to run together with Janine coaxing me, believing in me, telling me every step of the way you can do this. And she was right. Running the Boston Marathon and everything that has happened since has been life changing. I have gone from that fuzzy caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly flying free and feeling so blessed and grateful that yesterday in the middle of February, after an incredibly harsh winter I could run with no hats, no gloves, no problems. I did a little over a 14 minute mile and my heart rate climbed not as a sign of being stressed but a reflection of how I was able to push myself for over 40 minutes.

Flying Free from New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World {20% of book proceeds donated to End Polio Now}
I was a fuzzy caterpillar who inched along through life
Always helping others with their daily strife.

I inched and inched and helping hands to others did I give
And did not stop to sit and think how I wanted to live.

Anxious, fearful, did not show to others how I felt
But deep inside I kept myself, with my own things I dealt.

I wrapped myself in a cocoon so quiet and so dark
And something began to flicker - I felt a little spark.

The spark began to grow and grow, the cocoon no longer there
My wings replaced my tiny legs-I can soar through air.

The butterflies inside of me that signaled fear and doubt
Are now my friends and we fly free to bring world's change about.

I was so blessed to receive this quote on #ff Twitter from Daily Mile team member and great friend Adam: "Although the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming." Helen Keller

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

Inspire

No this is not about inspiration although we all know that is one of my favorite subjects to write about - this is about a product review for the new Inspire phone from AT & T. As my friends can attest, I am NOT a gadget guru girl by any means. It was a short while ago when my friends Ashley Niven, Jessie Kraus, my husband and I talked about how I was never going to get an iPhone. My husband said he'd go on Twitter if I got an iPhone. Well I held my end of the bargain and am still waiting to get a few more tweets out of him, but as so often happens -- I digress.

I had an iPhone and my husband had a blackberry. His blackberry was the victim of a training run; his Gu in his running belt found its way into the bowels of the blackberry. We went to the AT & T store and there we met an AT & T angel by the name of Seth Ross. He cleaned up Tom's phone and suggested he wait a few weeks to get a new phone because AT & T was coming out with two new phones.

Valentines Day was 2/14 and our wedding anniversary is 3/4 so Tom said that we should get his and hers Inspire phones. The AT & T Store at Chestnut Hill sold out of the Inspires on the 13th but on the 15th, the assistant manager was able to secure two brand new Inspire 4G phones for Tom and for me.

As I mentioned I am not a gadget guru but Seth took such time and patience showing us how to use our new phones. Of course Tom was off and running with his but I had to go back the next day for an extra tutorial. And now, thanks to Seth, my home page is set up just like my desktop with everything I need to stay connected while on the go. Thank you Seth and thank you AT & T for bringing this 57 year old gal into the 21st century. Inspire - it's like having a desktop in the palm of your hand. So for all of you gadget gurus out there - run don't walk to the AT & T store in Chestnut Hill and ask for Seth Ross where customer service is beyond compare.

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours with love,
Mary

No Matter What....

These past few weeks have been extremely busy for me. A phenomenal fund raiser concert, an interview on the Jordan Rich show meaning I did not get to bed until 2 am, a breakfast Rotary Club meeting two days later for which I had to get up at 5:30 am; planning two more fund raisers for my husband's Boston Marathon run; sharing my inspirational journey on More Health Less Care magazine (story on p. 26); babysitting for a dear friend so she could get her massage and also attend a birthday party and being my husband's press agent as a team of BU students want to chronicle my husband's Boston Marathon run and supporting him for the 17 mile long run last Saturday from Natick to the finish line. Throw in creating original poetry for clients of New World Greeting Cards, blogging, writing poetry and dealing with the extreme changes in temperature these past few days and a part of me wants to just crawl under the covers until Spring arrives and not do another thing.

But - despite feeling tired and achy I know that no matter what, I must put my work outs and time to attend to stretching and exercises high on my priority list. I'm not sure why we believe that it's so easy to just let the exercise go. It is counter intuitive to exercise when feeling tired yet every time I do not feel like exercising, I find that I feel so much better afterwards. Yesterday after getting up at 5:30 am, driving an hour to a Rotary meeting and giving my talk and then driving home I thought how am I ever going to work out today? I decided a power nap was in order and even though I still felt tired I knew it was imperative that I get on the recumbent bike no matter what....

This morning after a wonderful night's sleep my body was still not exactly raring to go given the intense level of activity these past two weeks and the change in my schedule, but I got out my weights, my pilates ball and blue theraband and did a core workout and strength training. I remember the words of my physical therapist at Spaulding Rehab, Allison Lamarre Poole as she discharged me from outpatient care "You're gonna keep up with all of this right because you don't want to go back to where you were." I nodded in agreement (pictured above is me Christmas 2007 as I was just beginning my strength training with Janine Hightower before I ever laced up a pair of running shoes) knowing that it takes discipline, perseverance, strength and courage to maintain a health and fitness regimen. It is important to know when to push and when to rest and often times it is a delicate balance one that we all learn along the journey. But this I do know - no matter what - I am moving forward in my health and wellness journey pushing through the times when I would rather just stay in bed or skip a workout. I am blessed to have a dream team of support on this journey especially my husband Tom.

It would be so easy to fall prey to the victim role as a wife of a marathoner but Tom and I are finding an incredible balance. Last Saturday I supported him in his 17 mile run; on Sunday we were going to go for a power walk around Castle Island so he could stretch and I could train for Hyannis. The wind was stinging off the water so we decided to head indoors to the BU Fit Rec Center. I ended up doing a tempo run for 3 miles and he was able to stretch and recover from his 17 mile run. Then we played in the pool for about 45 minutes allowing the warm water to help us both relax and recover from our runs. This Saturday I will go to a basics Vinyasa class at Sweat and Soul Yoga. We are finding ways to keep a balance as we each pursue our passions but no matter what take time to take care of ourselves mind, body and spirit!

What keeps you motivated to stay active no matter what? I'd love to hear from you.

God bless, be well and live like you were dyin'
From my heart to yours
With love,
Mary