The View From the Stadium - Spectating the 39th Annual Marathon Sports 5 Miler

The forecast was for rain. It's either been extremely hot and humid or downpours for the annual Marathon Sports 5 Miler. Instead, it was a picture perfect 75 degrees with little humidity.

One of the many reasons we love this race is because:

100% of the profits this year and in years past go to our friends over at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in their noble quest to fight blood cancers.

It was my first 5 mile race ever with memories that I will always cherish. You can read about it in #tbt Marathon Sports 5 Miler - Keep Moving Forward.

It's a fast field so I now opt to have Tom run this race solo while I experience the thrill of being a spectator.

The pre race energy is electric as over 850 runners gathered for the event.

There were vendors:




I had this photo op with my Marathon Sports Family, Ellen Gabriel who hosted my Book Release Party at the Brookline Store and Alison Eno-Ballbach who was our mother hen during our 2009 Boston Marathon Training:



Tom took his place at the start and I went to the Stadium. I took this shadow selfie on the way:



You can see what a gorgeous evening it was:



And then they were off to the strains of Chariots of Fire:


The winner of the men's race came in at a sub 5:00 minute/mile pace:



And the first female came in under a 6 minute/mile pace:



Tom said he'd be doing about a 10 minute/mile pace so I settled down on the bleachers. I looked across the stadium at about 40 minutes or so and I see him in his BAA 10K shirt, sunglasses and white hat. I was stunned and wondered if maybe it wasn't him. But after being together for 37 years and spectating many, many races during these past several years, I knew there was no mistake. He was flying and crossed the finish line with a PR 8:29 minute/mile pace. As he crossed the finish line I said, "What the f*** did you do out there?" I could see he had left nothing on the roads and was about to leave nothing in his stomach. He found a bucket of ice, took a handful of it and poured it over his head. He rehydrated. Here he is crossing the finish line and channeling his inner Rocky -- not bad for 62 years old huh?



We walked around to give Tom a chance to cool down and recover. TriJake Fitness was offering photos. Tom insisted that I get in the photo since I am part of support crew:



We were surprised to find Amanda Ravens who ran for Spaulding's Race for Rehab Team this year. Tom and Amanda bonded during the Hyannis Half Marathon. Here is their post race pic:



Colin Peddie, owner of Marathon Sports gave me a huge hug and thanked us for coming out. He said he wanted to thank each and every person for coming out. He opened his arms to the sky saying how blessed we were with the weather tonight and the entire evening. So much healing has happened since 4/15/13 when his store and the city of Boston were shaken to the core.

As I was talking with Holly Kosel of TriJake, this person comes running up to Tom and says, "You were right man. You were so right about running!" I finished my conversation with Holly and we exchanged business cards. Everyone has a story!

Tom told me that the person who hugged him was an auditor when he worked at Dossia. He told this person that he needed to get out there and run and the Marathon Sports 5 Miler was one of his first races.

As the sun set over Weston and we said goodbye to friends - old and new - I felt deeply blessed and grateful to be a part of the Marathon Sports Family for these past 6 years. What a joy to watch Tom crush the race and celebrate with him. It's a beautiful view from the Stadium and what a joy to spectate the 39th annual Marathon Sports 5 Miler.

Here's to all who ran and finished - especially 83 year old Phyllis Mays who finished last with a 17:43 minute/mile pace.





"Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" is now available on Amazon.

"Wait, I have one more goal," Mary McManus told her personal trainer in February of 2008 shortly after coming out of her toe up leg brace. "I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital." Mary traded in her polio shoes for running shoes and embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Mary McManus was at the height of her career as a VA social worker when she was told by her team at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s International Rehab Center for Polio in December of 2006 that she needed to quit her job if she had any hope of preventing the progression of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. In “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility” Mary takes you on her seven year healing odyssey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma from her diagnosis, to taking a leap of faith to leave her award winning career at the VA to heal her life and follow her passion as a poet and writer. You’ll experience her trials, tribulations and triumphs as she trains for and crosses the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and discovers the opportunity for healing in the wake of new trauma: the suicide of her nephew in 2011, and the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. This is Mary's journey of coming home to her human form free from the influences of the ghastly ghostly invaders who had invaded her sacred earthly home. Her memoir includes journals and blog posts from her seven year healing odyssey. This is her journey of transformation and her message of healing, hope and possibility.

I donate 50% of royalty payments through on line sales to The One Fund to help Boston Marathon survivors and their families. Copies are also available at Brookline Marathon Sports. $5 of each book sold at Marathon Sports is donated to The One Fund.

#transformationtuesday I'm a Runner

"I learned that the only requirement to be part of this wonderful group was to run. I didn't have to be fast. I didn't have to be great. I just had to run. And that's when running became not just something that I do but something that is a part of who I am." - John "The Penguin" Bingham

From my memoir: Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility available on Amazon

And then I felt a stirring in my second chakra (only then I didn’t know it was my second chakra – I thought it might have been something I ate). I went over to my laptop in the corner of the living room and I wrote this poem:

Running the Race
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
Everyone around me filled with nervous fear
Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
The polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone
and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse
"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.

Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
But with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist,
curly hair and a warm, broad smile
It tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes
the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse
with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else
and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends-
trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team
and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
Resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.
Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
For the first time in life, I could truly be me.

The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.
I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.

And so began my journey of healing and transformation as a survivor of paralytic polio and severe trauma as I imagined winning a 10K race!

From my book release party at Marathon Sports Brookline going from outpatient rehab, to taking the leap to leave my award winning career as a VA social worker to being fitted with my first pair of running shoes - ever - at the age of 53:



Sharing what it was like to run Heartbreak Hill for the first time, our Boston Marathon run, leaving running and the running community after my nephew's suicide in 2011 and finding my way home to my life, my health, the running community and the Truth that as physically challenging as it is for me to run, I am a runner!



I donate 50% of royalty payments of the sale of my memoir, "Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" to the One Fund.

#tbt The Marathon Sports 5 Miler: Success - It's What You Do With What You've Got

After my first road race, The Corrib Road Race 5K, we signed up for the Marathon Sports 5 Miler in July of 2008. It was hot. It was an evening race. I had just begun my running career.

From my memoir, "Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":

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 paralytic 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, Ruth Anne and I were in the back of the pack with a few other people. Even they took off and I told Ruth Anne to go out ahead of us. 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. Tom was wonderful 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 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. Ruth Anne circled back around to bring us into the finish line. She was there at the finish line to give me a hug and celebrate my first 5 mile road race ever. 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.

Fast forward to today. I am not going to run the Marathon Sports 5 Miler but will experience the joy of watching Tom cross the finish line. We will celebrate this summer classic with our Marathon Sports family.

One might easily ask: It's six years later, wouldn't you have improved in your strength and endurance to be able to run this race again?

Not yet....not this year...maybe not ever or maybe someday ...



"Rarely does the path to recovery follow a straight line
Like a tidal stream, it bends and twists
It surges and trickles
It ebbs and flows.
That is why rehabilitative care must be fluid too.
Spaulding takes an approach to patient care that is flexible, highly personal and informed by a deep understanding that while every patient strives to reach higher ground, no two rehabilitative journeys are ever alike."

I am at a place of peaceful acceptance in living with a spinal cord injury: the late effects of paralytic polio and the injuries that resulted from 9 years of violence, but by no means does my condition define or limit me to a life on the sidelines.

After 7+ years on this amazing journey, I realize that regular strength training on land does not work for me. I tried several times over with different trainers and different approaches and I ended up injured and no stronger than when I began.

Fortunately, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network built a new facility in Charlestown complete with an Aquatics Therapy Center. I am able to build strength.



In addition to twice a week Aquatics Therapy classes, one with 5 pound ankle weights and one that focuses on core and cardiovascular conditioning, I run twice a week. In my 3.1 mile runs, I work on speed with fartleks and/or a tempo run. I'm running from the inside out listening to how and when to push myself. I'm training for the Tufts 10K. My second weekly run is to build endurance.

I go for weekly massage therapy sessions at Sollievo Massage and Bodywork that incorporates Zero Balancing into the work. The sessions are a wonderful catalyst for healing trauma and the late effects of paralytic polio. The challenges remain but my attitude has shifted.

When once I felt really frustrated by needing to sit on the sidelines and feeling left out or left behind, I can now smile and feel the joy of supporting Tom in his running career. He supports me in my running career, helping me to train and running races with me at my pace. I choose races that are for all ages and all abilities that I know I will enjoy.

I had always experienced success in my intellectual and professional pursuits. It's awesome to experience success in my running career and on this awesome healing odyssey best defined by Woody Hayes:



Running the Race - February 2007
Early summer 1959 my kindergarten year
Everyone around me filled with nervous fear
Despite the Salk vaccine hope polio would disappear
The polio virus crept right up and knocked me in the rear.

Dancing all around the gym feeling free just like a bird
I dropped to the ground just like a stone
and no one said a word.
The pain it was so searing-the diagnosis even worse

"It's polio" the doctor said...he was abrupt and terse.
Called one of the 'lucky ones' I had a 'mild case'
But with the other athletes I could never keep their pace.
Miss Holly physical therapist,
curly hair and a warm, broad smile
It tempered the pain of being apart - to walk I'd take awhile.

I always wore those 'special' shoes
the kids they poked and teased
With no support and much abuse
with childhood I wasn't pleased.
But put nose to the grindstone and learned all that I could
I couldn't kick a ball but my grades were always good.

Years went by and no more thought to polio did I give
I accepted the limp and everything else
and decided my life I would live.
But symptoms of weakness and muscle pain did grow
I kept a stoic face hoping no one else would know.

Life no longer was my own I struggled through each day
Suffered in silence, isolated from friends-
trying to keep depression at bay.
And with the grace of glorious God my world it opened wide
I discovered there was a Post Polio team
and they were on my side.

Using wheelchair to travel, set limits on what I could do,
Resulted in joy to realize I could live life anew.
Celebrated my body- creaks, groans and need for a brace
While in my mind I focused on winning a 10K race.
Sought out paths for healing and my spirit flew free
For the first time in life, I could truly be me.

The chains are gone and possibilities abound
I'm a tree with my roots planted firmly in ground.
I'm now off the sidelines, no need to sit and whine
So much gratitude fills my heart and love and beauty shine.
After all these years I can join the loving human race
I exceed all expectations and now I set the pace.



My memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" is now available on Amazon.

"Wait, I have one more goal," Mary McManus told her personal trainer in February of 2008 shortly after coming out of her toe up leg brace. "I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital." Mary traded in her polio shoes for running shoes and embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Mary McManus was at the height of her career as a VA social worker when she was told by her team at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s International Rehab Center for Polio in December of 2006 that she needed to quit her job if she had any hope of preventing the progression of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease. In “Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility” Mary takes you on her seven year healing odyssey as a survivor of paralytic polio and trauma from her diagnosis, to taking a leap of faith to leave her award winning career at the VA to heal her life and follow her passion as a poet and writer. You’ll experience her trials, tribulations and triumphs as she trains for and crosses the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon and discovers the opportunity for healing in the wake of new trauma: the suicide of her nephew in 2011, and the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. This is Mary's journey of coming home to her human form free from the influences of the ghastly ghostly invaders who had invaded her sacred earthly home. Her memoir includes journals and blog posts from her seven year healing odyssey. This is her journey of transformation and her message of healing, hope and possibility.

I donate 50% of royalty payments through on line sales to The One Fund to help Boston Marathon survivors and their families. Copies are also available at Brookline Marathon Sports. $5 of each book sold at Marathon Sports is donated to The One Fund.

Taking Chances

Runners World posted this quote this morning on Facebook.
"Sport, like all of life, is about taking your chances." ~ Sir Roger Bannister, MD the first man to break the 4 minute mile.

Seven years ago on 5/25/07, I took a huge chance. I walked away from my career as a VA social worker just "3 years shy of retirement" to heal my life and follow my passion as a poet and writer after being diagnosed with post polio syndrome in December of 2006.

In February of 2008, I took another huge chance by declaring that I wanted to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I had taken the first steps on my healing journey. My personal trainer,Janine Hightower, my coach Domenick D'Amico, Spaulding's Race for Rehab Team, the Marathon Sports family and my family joined me in taking that chance and on 4/20/2009, we crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon.



In 2011, in the wake of my nephew's suicide, I experienced a relapse of post polio syndrome.

I stopped running. I isolated myself from the running community. I went on a long and winding road trying to find my way home to myself.



After April of last year, I returned to the roads and to the running community.

At first, my plan was to run 5K's and not be concerned about my time.

Then I decided, I am going to train for the Tufts 10K in October.

Last Sunday, at the end of my 5 mile training run, I pushed myself to see what pace I could run for a short period of time.

I checked my Nike+ activity yesterday after our run on Heartbreak Hill. My pace is improving and yesterday, I was able to do negative splits.

I'm beginning to push myself again and test my limits with mindfulness. I feel this deep in my soul.

It was wonderful to return to the roads and the running community but it wasn't enough to just be out there. Although it is a miracle that, given the diagnosis and all that I have been through, I can run, I cannot settle for just being out there.

I am resurrecting the runner within me. I have my sights set on another half marathon but first I'll see how the Tufts 10K goes and how I respond to increased mileage. I believe that I can do this.

I don't know what's possible or how far or how fast I can go this time. Personal best is not just about the time on the finish line clock.

I am training now and giving it my all with a sense of purpose and passion.

The outcome doesn't matter.

What does matter is that I not settle.

What does matter is whether in sports or in life it's all about taking chances.

My memoir "Coming Home:A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" is now available on Amazon.

Do It Now! Thoughts From The Comeback Kid

Yesterday on Facebook, Marathon Sports posted:



What are your fitness goals? Whether it's attempting your first run or training to BQ, there's no time like the present! #LETSDOTHIS #GOALBIG #INSPIRE

I commented:
NOW! Don't wait. #noexcuses And Marathon Sports will help you find everything you need to reach your goals. I went from polio shoes and a leg brace and using a wheelchair to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon with their help. Marathon Sports Brookline fitted me for my first pair of runner shoes -ever- in my life - at age 53. And they have been there with me through all of my ups and downs of living with a neuromuscular condition. Spring is a wonderful time for new beginnings, setting new goals and moving confidently in the direction of your dreams.

From my memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility:"

“Wait. I have one more goal.”

Janine stopped and turned around.

“I want to run the Boston Marathon for Spaulding Rehab Hospital. I know they have a Race for Rehab team and I want to do it next year.”

Janine was non-plussed. I don’t know what kept her from turning tail and getting as far away from me as she could. She came back into my house and put down her things. She said that the first thing I would need is a pair of running shoes. She told me that Marathon Sports on Beacon Street would be able to help me. She laid out a cursory training plan and said that we would begin indoors to build up my cardio endurance. As soon as the weather got a little warmer, we’d go outdoors and I would learn how to run. ....


“What are you in now?” Spencer Aston asked me when I walked into Marathon Sports in February of 2008.

“Well, truth be told, I’m in ‘polio shoes.’ I borrowed these running shoes from my daughter. Let me give you the twitter version of my story.”

I told Spencer about my history of paralytic polio, my ‘remarkable recovery’ as was Spaulding’s tag line when I was a patient and how I was planning to run the Boston Marathon. He took so much time and care doing a gait assessment and working with me to find the perfect running shoes. We figured out that I needed an insert at my heel to ensure comfort. ...

I felt butterflies in my stomach as I waited for Janine having put on my cardiac monitor sporting a pair of sweat pants and a sweatshirt. I laugh now to think about how ill equipped I was in so many ways to begin marathon training. And not just any marathon – THE Boston Marathon.

When Janine showed up, we went outside on Eliot Street. She said that we were going to start out running for 30 seconds and walking for 2 minutes. Janine was so loving, gentle, patient and kind as she encouraged me to just let my body move in a gentle jog. We looked at my heart rate. It went up over 170! She told me that was okay. The high heart rate was a result of my deconditioning. But she was confident that I could do this!

What an amazing journey to the finish line of the 2009 Boston Marathon.

In October of 2009, I was cooked. I returned to outpatient physical therapy at Newton Wellesley Hospital Spine Center requiring a series of cervical spine injections and intensive outpatient therapy to build especially upper body and core strength. My therapist told me no running at least until the Spring of 2010.

I busted out when she cleared me for running and went on a running spree of trash talking and PR's.

In March of 2011, my nephew suicided and I experienced a relapse of symptoms. By the end of September of 2011, I hung up my running shoes for what I thought was for good. I didn't feel as though I had it in me to come back again.

But then 4/15/2013 happened....

I had to walk at a race walk pace to escape down Huntington Avenue to our car to what we hoped would be safety. (It was.)

We did the #onerun organized to help runners and the City heal after 4/15/13. I realized that I needed to get back into running. I had lost contact with a lot of my running friends but thanks to Facebook and email was able to reconnect with them. We rejoined L Street Running Club. It was as though I never left. I'd been "an honorary" member of the Merrimack Valley Striders Club and they welcomed me with open arms.

It didn't matter that my pace was slower and my distance was shorter. The motto of L Street is "No pace too slow. No distance too short." And they mean it!

I ran the Brookline Symphony Orchestra 5K and then the Feaster Five hosted by the Merrimack Valley Striders. I took a break from road races during the winter but I continued to train outdoors whenever possible.

My first road race was the Cambridge 5 Mile Run/3 Mile City Walk. I'm now registered for the Corrib Pub 5K which was the first race I ever ran back in June of 2008. The last time I ran it was on 6/5/2011. We are planning out our summer/fall road races.

I am training for the Tufts 10K which I last ran in 2010.

Twice a week Aquatics Therapy Classes at Spaulding Rehab help me to build my strength. I am wearing 3 pound ankle weights and can increase challenging myself by the depth of water I choose to work in. I will be excited when I strap on those 5 pound weights but know that I have to wait until the 3 pound weights are no longer a challenge for me.

I make sure I take my rest days and go for regular massage sessions at Sollievo Bodywork and Massage which incorporates the mind/body therapy of Zero Balancing into the session.

I am extremely mindful of working up to my edge but backing down when my body tells me to.

Today's message of healing, hope and possibility? Do It Now. #noexcuses And if you fall short of your goals, don't ever stop. And if you have to take a break from running, stay connected to the running community. And if you need healing, keep searching until you find a winning combination of what works best for you. And if you can no longer "run", walk and be a part of races where they welcome all ages and all abilities. Do It Now! and don't stop.

Feeling and Healing: One Week From Today

It does not seem possible that one week from today is the anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings. There are times when I feel myself wanting to just go numb and wake up on 4/22 after everything is over. That was my response to trauma in the past. While it is adaptive in the immediate aftermath of a trauma, in the long run, numbing out does not allow for healing to happen. And when one shuts down the pain, the feelings of joy, gratitude, love, compassion, awareness and being awake to all the wonderful things in life that are happening also get shut down.

I've been taken by surprise by my feelings during this past year. I'd find myself feeling "off" and upset and look at the calendar to find it was the 15th of the month again. I experienced an intensity in some months and other months it was a whisper of a reminder of what happened. Some months I felt I "turned a corner" as we shifted from how many months since the bombing to counting down to Boston and then a flood of emotions would reappear the following month.

Spaulding Rehab held a meeting with Dr. Chris Carter, team psychologist for the Race for Rehab team on March 13th. When I saw Jane Weingarten, I was overcome with emotion. While I had seen Jane at Spaulding's Set Sail event from a distance, I had not seen her "up close" since we were in the buffet line together at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on April 15th. It was as though time had stopped and we were back in that moment before the bombing. One moment we were feasting and anticipating the runners coming in and a few moments later we found ourselves in a state of terror and uncertainty. We were united in that moment and yet we went our separate ways after being evacuated from the hotel.

At Sunday's Marathon Sports Cambridge 5 Mile Run and 3 Mile City Walk, I was once again surprised as I was overcome by emotion as I saw our dear friend, owner of Marathon Sports, Colin Peddie. Few words were needed between us. There was a knowing and an understanding and a sense of healing that here we were almost a year later preparing for this year's marathon.

There is no rhyme or reason to what feelings and moods might surface when but this I do know, feeling is healing.

I feel butterflies and rumblings in my belly as I anticipate next Tuesday. I plan to go to Aquatics Therapy at Spaulding as I do every Tuesday morning and then I am going to meet with Suzanne Corkin, Ph.D. in her office at MIT to talk about my healing journey with paralytic polio and trauma.

This Thursday I am going to Copley Square to see the finish line, the exhibit at the Boston Public Library and then having dinner at Stephanie's on Newbury Street. I met the operations manager, Leo, who was wearing a Boston Strong 4/15/13 Survivor shirt at Sunday's race..

Sunday we volunteer for the B.A.A. with my beloved Merrimack Valley Striders running club. Tom and I are honorary members of the Club and Tom Licciardello invited us to submit our volunteer request to do packet stuffing with him as the Team Captain.

The following Saturday, Tom runs the first race in the BAA Distance Medley and there will be a ground swell of pre-marathon activities.

And then, before we know it, it will be Marathon Monday again.

Two Weeks From Today

The daffodils I bought at Trader Joe's on Saturday have opened in the glorious warm sunshine through our kitchen window



and one of my plants is sprouting flowers:



The Red Sox had their Opening Day on Friday



okay maybe not the best start to the season but a definite sign that Spring has arrived in Boston.

Yesterday I ran the Marathon Sports Cambridge 5 Miler/3 Mile City Walk, my first race since the Feaster Five. Here we are with a pre race selfie of Team McManus:

and a pre race portrait taken by my life and running partner Tom:

Before the race, I saw Colin Peddie, owner of Marathon Sports. We go way back to when I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon and became a part of the Marathon Sports family. I was overcome with emotion and was wiping away tears. I wasn't sure if I should go up to him. We waved at each other and then he motioned for me to come over. We exchanged a hug. I said, "It's good to see you." He looked at me with my bib and said, "It's good to see YOU." We didn't need to say anything else. As I walked away I cried tears of gratitude that we are here now and tears of sadness for last year's Boston Marathon bombings. The first bomb exploded at the Marathon Sports store on Boylston Street where I waited in 2011 for my husband to cross the finish line when he ran for Childrens Hospital.

We saw a runner wearing a Boston Strong shirt with survivor written across it.

With the sound of the air horn we were off. I ran hard but acknowledged my edge. A friend of ours posted on facebook that she was running the race and would see me there. Right, I thought among hundreds of runners. Just like when I ran the 2009 Boston Marathon and friends found me in the crowd, she found me. And then as the 5 mile runners caught up with the 3 miler race walkers, she came by us again. Our daughter Ruth Anne who ran the 5 miler shouted to us from behind and high five'd us as she passed us and finished her race.

I felt wonderful in my body and enjoyed seeing the sun sparkling on Fresh Pond. I sprinted to the finish line feeling strong and balanced and whole in my body. While it wasn't reflected on the clock, today's race was definitely a PR for me.

There was a sense of winter's chill yielding to Spring paralleling the year of healing we have all experienced since the tragic events of last year's Boston Marathon bombing. After the race, the runner sporting the Survivor shirt just happened to be walking by our car. We gingerly approached him asking if he wanted to talk about where he was and how he was doing. He told us he was four feet from the first blast. He was injured but his girlfriend had a huge chunk of her leg blown off. He carried her to his car behind his restaurant on Newbury Street and took her to the emergency room. They were able to save her leg but she can't run yet. He is running this year's marathon along with a group of survivors. He is the operations manager at Stephanie's on Newbury Street which lost over $200,000 in revenue in the aftermath of the explosions. We told him we were at the Mandarin and would be out on the corner of Dean Road and Beacon Street this year cheering on the runners. He said he would look for us.

We will be going to Stephanies this week for dinner.

And two weeks from today Boston runs again. It's funny how everyone in our neighborhood and surrounding areas did lawn clean up this weekend. There are no signs of the dead leaves of Fall or remnants from the brutal New England Winter we have survived. There are physical and emotional wounds that continue to heal but there are signs of renewal all around.

And two weeks from today runners toe the line for the 118th Boston Marathon. Boston begins again! Let us feel the change from Winter to Spring and allow the healing and excitement to build!

"This year's different...there's a lot of intensity."

Ever since I arrived in Boston in 1971, the Boston Marathon has been a part of my life.

From my memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":

We woke up early on April 15, 2013. You would have thought we were running the Boston Marathon again. Tom and I had a ‘perfect’ morning together enjoying the coverage on WBZ TV and leisurely making our way to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel for a reunion with some of our Race for Rehab team members. Although I grew up in New York, I called Boston home since 1971 when I began my freshman year at Boston University. Following numerous orthopedic surgeries when I hobbled around on crutches, I would often joke, “No I’m not going to run the marathon this year, maybe next year.” Be careful what you say out loud to the Universe.

I saw a link to the WHDH news story "Runners stop for painting of Boston Marathon finish line."

Bill Rodgers said, "This year's different...there's a lot of intensity."

I love Bill and the way that he states things so simply yet with such eloquence.

Here he is at the unveiling of the banners this year with a powerful conviction about the Boston Marathon and Bostonians:



I was blessed to meet Bill Rodgers in Hyannis 5 years ago



as I was preparing to run my first half marathon ever and then this year as he signed a copy of "Marathon Man: My 26.2 Mile Journey from Unknown Grad Student to the Top of the Running World."



He is so unassuming and perhaps one of the things I love most about being in the running community is that the every day runner can stand and chit chat with elite runners. As an aside, Bill Rodgers does say in his book that he hates the term elite runner. In his book, he sees the Boston Marathon first as a college student in Connecticut. His roommate, Amby Burfoot is the one who introduces him to endurance running. He offers a wonderful historical perspective about the race.

When we were training for Boston 2009, our daughter happened to be sitting next to Johnny (the elder) Kelley's nephew Tom and his wife Dottie on our return flight from Puerto Rico. We had to get out of the brutal cold for five days and train in warmer weather. We were treated to stories about Johnny and an autographed photo of Johnny graces our living room wall.



The other day I was going through our Boston 2009 Memorabilia and came across the note they sent us:

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.

We did meet again when we picked up our bib numbers for the 2009 Marathon.

This year IS different. And to be honest, I don't even know how to begin to process or where to put the range of intense feelings I am experiencing as we prepare for the one year anniversary of the bombings and as we get ready for Marathon Monday in just a few weeks. In yesterday's post I shared how we decided we would not be at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel this year and needed to be cheering on our friends on Beacon Street either at Cleveland Circle or Dean Road.

Part of me wants to savor every moment leading up to Marathon Monday. Being support crew for the last long run this Saturday.

Greg Gordon's Boston Marathon Fundraiser Singing Boston Strong: An Evening of A Cappella Music to Benefit Spaulding Rehab



Tom's running of the BAA 5K and then packet stuffing the following weekend.

And part of me just wants it all to be over with!

Instead, I will breathe deeply and abide with whatever feelings may come up no matter how intensely because well - this year's Boston Marathon is different.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: 2009 Marathon Training Moments

With 50 days to go until Boston,



I thought I would share with you a blog post that will be included in my soon to be released memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility":





3/29/09 Blog post:
Boston Marathon Training Moments - The Best Of ....

Yesterday was our last long run before running the Boston Marathon on 4/20/2009. Twenty one miles - we ditched iPods in preparation for the big day. What were we going to talk about? My daughter who always bring light and laughter to life suggested we take a look back - that was the year that was - and talk about our Boston Marathon Training Moments - the good, the bad, and the ugly. I just want to comment on yesterday's training run before we take a look back. The day started out as cloudy and cool. Since it is the end of March, we decided to layer with a short sleeve shirt, a long sleeve shirt and a jacket. I also brought hat and gloves to ensure my comfort. We arrived at Marathon Sports to join our team trainer, Domenick D'Amico and the running club. He told us that 21 miles would take us to the gates at Wellesley College and then we turn around and run the same route we had been running for the past several weeks.

In the spirit of trying to get everything organized the night before, I made my husband's coffee in the coffee maker. Big mistake! He couldn't drink the coffee - yes it was that bad - and by the time we got to Waban, he was power walking. Highly unusual so I got concerned. He said that he was feeling sluggish and that his body was telling him to take it easy. I suggested that perhaps it was because he did not have his morning coffee. So in he went to Starbucks and after drinking a large cup of coffee, he was back to his old self. Ahhh the things you learn on a training run.

The sun broke out and by the time we got to Wellesley it became quite warm so we were stripping off layers of clothing. There were runners coming in from Hopkinton to Boston College who knew me by name. I recognized a few of the runners, but there was a mystery runner who I can't place who was cheering me on, and knew me by name. I wondered if perhaps he was an angel. Because of all of the charity runners, there was water and gatorade available on the course. I used more gel than I had on previous runs which cut down my need for clementines and pretzels (although I plan to bring 2-3 clementines and a bag of pretzels on Marathon Monday) and Tom and Ruth Anne were able to use gu and gatorade so they'll just need to bring a bag of pretzels each - eliminating the need for a backpack on Marathon Monday .When we arrived at the Reservoir at Cleveland Circle, a stiff wind kicked up and we had to don the layers we had shed - a good lesson for Marathon Monday - do not throw our clothing into the street - we may need it for later in the day. We practiced our pacing for fueling and by the time we arrived back at Marathon Sports we knew with complete certainty that Team McManus is ready for Marathon Monday. Today we drove out to Hopkinton and back tracing the Marathon route. We had run from Natick to the finish line and needed to get a visual of the route from Hopkinton to Natick as we mentally prepare for the Marathon.

And so - here is a look back at Team McManus' Boston Marathon Training Moments - the good the bad and the ugly


On calculating distance for training runs:
When we first set out on this journey, we had no idea how far or how long it would take us to run from point A to point B. This resulted in fertile ground for conflict --
Like when we were running a new route by the river on the same day as the Boston Heart Walk - I screamed to my husband who had plotted the route and began to cry 'Where is the f**ing bridge?'He told me that from here on out, it was my job to plot the training runs - ugh - but we all got back on track and plotted out our runs together
Quotable quotes: "We've only been out here for ten minutes?" - Ruth Anne "I don't think we can make it up that hill before we're supposed to stop" - Mary And I was the most obsessive compulsive person you would ever to not want to meet when it came to time and distance.
I would make us track the miles using our trip odometer in the car over and over again - hey what did I know? I had never run or trained for a marathon before.

On meltdowns:

When we first started running more than an hour, somebody would have a meltdown at 1:10 - you could set your watch to it. We would start swearing at each other - my personal favorite? We were going around the Chestnut Hill reservoir and Ruth Anne's iPod had run out of batteries. She was NOT a happy camper and I stood at the top of the hill screaming "F** this - I quit. I cannot take your attitude for another minute." The cars started honking at us and people stopped at the bottom of the hill and looked up and stared at us.

On bodily functions:

Being a first time marathoner at the ages of 55 & 57 (my husband is the elder statesman) makes for some very interesting challenges. Without going into too much graphic detail, I did, on several occasions, feel the need for Depends. When my daughter fell into a snowbank I laughed so hard that I peed myself. She was not hurt and it was one of those falls where her arms and legs were flailing because she could not get up. On our way to our favorite rest stop - Peet's Coffee in Newton Center, I announced out loud that I thought I was going to need Depends on Marathon Monday.

And then there was the time when the velcro on my bra strap just gave way - coincidentally, this was during the training run by the river. As we were about to go into our umpteenth meltdown for the day, I could feel the velcro on my running bra just let go. My daughter who was running behind me started howling to see this white thing come out of my running shirt. And then I laughed so hard, I peed myself. There is my husband down the road a little way yelling at us to quit fooling around and finish our training run....ahhh sweet memories!

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 loudly. 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.

Those are some of the highlights of 2008-2009 in the life of Team McManus - of course there is the Tufts 10K, the Tough Ten Mile Turkey Trot, The Hyannis Half - and so many wonderful, cherished memories for us. Through it all, we kept our sense of humor; worked it out (as Randy would say on American Idol - dawg - you worked it out) and now we are poised and ready to board the bus for the ride to Hopkinton, MA and to have the time of our lives on April 20, 2009.

We Run Together - We Heal Together - We Move Forward Together

When I woke up yesterday morning, on the ten month anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings, I opened my email and in my inbox I received Christa in New York: Curating a Creative Life Through Ancient Wisdom and Modern Tech's blog post as I do every morning. Her posts are better than a morning cup of coffee to get my energy and creative juices flowing. I wept as I read her post:


Inspired: Don't Just Remember the Boston Marathon: Honor Boston and Its Residents.

The weather forecast was calling for a winter storm warning. L Street Running Club cancelled its Sunday long run. I had done 6.2 miles on the stationery bike with intervals on Friday and I knew that I couldn't do the bike again on Sunday. I knew that even though I "should have" taken a rest day, I had to get outside and get my miles in.

My running and life partner, Tom, told me that he could do his training run at my pace and distance and then do 'cross training' by cleaning off the ice on our walkway and driveway.

We hurried to get ready and map out our route. The energy on Heartbreak Hill was electric. Ten months later, runners were getting their miles in being very mindful of patches of black ice and slush. We saw several people we knew and in truth everybody knew everybody out on the course. There were no strangers. There were charity runners' water stops and they offered water to anyone who ran by. We run together.

There were several runners who were fighting their way through the hills. I knew that look and I smiled, gave them a thumbs up and told them they were looking good. They smiled through the pain. We heal together.

After getting my run in, it was time to head to Brookline Marathon Sports store to promote Singing Boston Strong:Karis' Karaoke for a Kause.



Despite the falling snow outside, customers came into the store and I had the opportunity to talk about Spaulding and Karis' fund raiser. Several people said they would donate on line and two young ladies from the Newton South High School Girls Basketball Team said that they would spread the word and come out to lend their voices to Sing Boston Strong. I talked with the staff at Marathon Sports and we had an opportunity to debrief about that day ten months ago.

When I got home and logged into Facebook, I saw this post from Ellen Gabriel, the manager of the Brookline Marathon Sports store:

Our long-time loyal customer and friend, Mary McManus, is fundraising for Karis Antokal and Spaulding Rehab. Check out her story here: http://www.crowdrise.com/Spaulding2014BostonMarathon/fundraiser/karisantokal

Thursday I will co host the first of two fund raisers to benefit Spaulding Rehab Hospital where I took the first steps on my healing journey over 7 years ago now and continue to find my strength in the Aquatics Therapy classes; and where so many of the Boston Marathon bombing survivors found and continue to find their strength.

In two months, as my friend Christa Rose wrote, the media will turn its attention to the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon Bombings. We move forward together.

Do You Remember Your First Time.....

doing hill training? This morning as warmer air replaced the polar vortex that had descended upon New England, the sun was shining and the sky was blue. There were few remnants of our recent winter storms. Tom and I headed out to do a 5 mile run from our house to twice around the Chestnut Hill reservoir and back home. As we ran down Eliot Street toward Cleveland Road I remembered the first time our personal trainer, Janine Hightower told me I was going to do hill training. I had barely begun to run outdoors. She said you may as well start now because you have Heartbreak Hill to contend with on Marathon Monday.

Oh how I struggled up that hill the first time. I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest. She told me that we were going to incorporate hill training into our training schedule. I thought she was crazy and I was thinking about firing her.

But she was right. Hill training prepared me for Heartbreak Hill. I remember the first time Domenick D'Amico, our coach from Spaulding Rehab sent us on a training run that incorporated Heartbreak Hill.



January 24, 2009


When we arrived, Domenick was there along with some other runners. Team McManus was a wee bit nervous not knowing what to expect or what was going to happen today. Ruth Anne had forgotten her hat in our haste to leave the house, but fortunately there was no shortage of hats at Marathon Sports. Domenick said we could pay when we got back to the store. He was deep in thought about what route we should run today, "Have you run outdoors? Have you done hills" and with a yes answer to both those questions he sent us down Beacon Street to Newton Wellesley Hospital, over to Wellesly, up Concord Rd, over to Route 30 via the Marriott, down Route 30 through Heartbreak Hill, through BC to go around the Reservoir and then back to Marathon Sports for a total of 17.5 miles.

I won't lie here - it was not easy! We did not know where we were going at times; we had to watch out for black ice and negotiate our way through snow and slush at times along the route; there was a stiff headwind and temperatures were dropping throughout the afternoon; Ruth Anne is recovering from a head cold; at times Tom would set a pace that I couldn't keep up with and I vacillated between sheer exhilaration and dealing with demons from polio days. BUT we did it!!!! 4 hours and 45 minutes after we left Marathon Sports, we returned to a jubilant staff. Alison, the store manager, just back from her own vacation, hugged me so tightly and wanted to make sure we were all okay. I remember her on the Marathon Sports 5 Miler, giving me a high five and also checking in to make sure that I was doing okay. Her love, faith and beautiful Spirit is such a blessing to Team McManus....So this polio and post polio survivor ran Heartbreak Hill - all of it and I felt God's Presence so palpable with each step I took - and no matter whether we were running or walking, we did a 17.5 mile run today including Heartbreak Hill. I also felt Johnny Kelley's spirit blessing us and felt angels were just moving us along the route. We never got lost and whenever we needed a landmark - there it was. God bless Domenick for planning out this route which included a pit stop at the Marriott and we refilled our water bottles.

In 3 weeks, we will be doing a 16 mile long run and to be honest, I was terrified - until today. When I felt that little knot of fear, I would pray about it and the answer to my prayer came today when God told me to go to Marathon Sports and just do it!

God smiled with sunshine and the wind at our backs when we got to Heartbreak Hill and She told me you are going to run the Marathon and finish the course - you deserve all the joy and triumph and courage and celebration that saying Yes to me is bringing you. And you are going to touch so many people's hearts and lives with this journey - you are blessed and you are going to bless the lives of others.

And on April 20, 2009, 7 hours and 45 minutes after taking our start in Hopkinton with the mobility impaired runners, I crossed the finish line of the 113th Boston Marathon. No matter how many times I run on Heartbreak Hill, no matter how many times I do hill training, I always remember the first time.

Ode to Marathon Training - March 22, 2009 from A Celebration of Life available on Amazon
Blisters, black toes, aches and pains, a change in my routine
Long training runs, the hills, the sprints running clothes fresh and clean.
Carbo load and plan each meal power gels and gatorade
no matter what the weather no time to be afraid.
Humid - hot or freezing cold snow against the face
wind or sun or raining those running shoes I must lace.
What mile is this how long we been out check heart rate drink H20
meltdowns joys and triumphs only a few more weeks to go.
Heartbreak Hill won't break my heart this year has been the best
found myself and made new friends I feel incredibly blessed.

The Wind at our Back, The Sun on Our Face - A Great Start to 2014

“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt

I saw on Facebook that there has been a 10 year tradition of people running the Boston Marathon course from Hopkinton to Boston on New Year's Day beginning at 6 am. People can run the entire course or a portion of the course. Tom and I opted to run 3.2 miles from Marathon Sports in Washington Square to the finish line. We thought it was going to be in the teens and were prepared to embrace the cold but it was a surprising 27 degrees. We were fortunate to have the wind at our back and the sun on our face.

What joy to have runners pass us who had started in Hopkinton. It seems that whenever I am around runners, the energy is infectious and I can really move out there. According to NikePlus, I did a 14 minute/mile pace. It was perfect running conditions for me. We had a good breakfast and then got out on the course. I felt a sense of unbridled joy and deep gratitude that this was my start to the New Year.

Tom wanted to take a photo of me before our run:



And then we took photos after we crossed the finish line in Copley Square with the Boston Marathon ice sculpture:



Here is a beautiful ice sculpture with the lion and the lamb -- Blessed are the peacemakers:



We warmed up at Finagle a Bagel celebrating the start of a healthy New Year filled with hope, healing and possibility for all:



A Wide Berth from A Celebration of Life available on Amazon

A wide berth for healing
rebirth
new life
new day
every sunrise a new opportunity
to paint life’s canvass.

Take it one breath at a time
let that be enough
sacred breath

spaciousness
softness
heart beats
sunbeams
lasers of love

light the way home.