I Run for Lobster and Bling-Life has a way of planning for us!

Life has a funny way of planning for us. Yesterday, even though it was hot and humid, I knew I needed to get in my training run. I had done a sweet seven miles last week. Tom and I decided to do 5 miles as I count down the weeks until the Tufts 10K for Women. It's always good to change up the route and we went to an old standby; part of the Boston Marathon course down and back on Beacon Street from our home.

We tried to stay in the shade as much as possible. Fortunately we have two water belts and I had frozen the water bottles. We drank and dumped water on our heads. There were hills and headwinds and yet, through it all, I was talking about how amazing it felt to be back on the Boston Marathon course.

"Don't even think about it," Tom cautioned me.

It is so easy to remember the thrill of crossing the finish line and receiving your bling and not remembering the pain of training.

I decided to enjoy the moment relishing my Boston Marathon run in 2009 and feeling ecstatic that I am out running again after time away from running and my beloved running community.

As Tom and I were leaving the Merrimack Valley Striders meeting on June 25th, Lyn Licciardiello asked us if we were going to do the Ogunquit Beach Lobster Dash. She told us about the race and how it's a great time for the Striders to run together and have a great post race party.



When we got home, I registered Tom for the race.

I began to see the Facebook stream for the event. Something stirred inside of me. I was planning to be support crew for Tom and do my Tufts 10K training run on Sunday but why not use this race as a training run and preparation for Tufts? After doing the hills in heat and humidity, I was feeling very confident.

My only concern was whether or not it was a fast field.

I checked last year's results on Cool Running. The back of the pack runners were definitely at my pace.

When I asked the question was it a race for all paces on Facebook, I received the most incredible outpouring of support along with one Strider who decided if she couldn't run it she would walk it and enjoy the day.

I also asked the deal breaker question - was there bling?

I know it may sound silly to some but it's been a very long time since I ran a race where I received a medal. I think the last one was the Hyannis 10K in 2011. For me it's a symbol of running the race set before me with endurance. It's a tangible to remind me of my grit, my strength, my courage and my determination.

The answer was yes! And, one member said, there is also a lobster roll after a 5 mile race along the beach along with a great post race party.

I registered and will channel my inner Chariots of Fire as we run along beautiful Ogunquit Beach. The Lobster Dash was not on my race calendar as I counted down the weeks until Tufts nor was the Bill Rodgers 5K Run for Prostate Cancer or the Spectacle Island Run that just happened to be set before me after I volunteered at the Heartbreak Hill Half Marathon and Festival Weekend. But somehow life has a way of planning for us. Next Saturday, I will be running for lobster and bling with my wonderful running family.



"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.

Finding My Second Wind

It's hard to believe I trained for and ran the 2009 Boston Marathon as I slogged through today's training run for the Tufts 10K. It was hot and humid and the heat and humidity were kicking me today. Note to self - don't start out too fast. As I looked through my times on Nike+ I was surprised to discover that I did a sub 15 and even a sub 14 pace during the first two miles. By mile 2.5, I was cooked and listened to my body slowing my pace way down. At that point, I thought that I was going to need to convert a training run to just getting the miles into my legs. I was fine with that and listened well to what my body needed.

I made sure to hydrate and have orange slices as I felt some cramping in my right calf. I didn't even look at my pacing. Tom asked me if I wanted to not do the full 10K distance today.

I told him that I have never aborted a training run nor did I ever not finish a race. No - I was going to get through even if I needed to "just walk".

We found shade and as the miles passed by, I got a second wind. I began to do fartleks as we overtook people who were walking along the river. On the bridge, a runner announced, "on your left." He was going at a very fast pace and part of me wanted to take off after him just like you see those little dogs who want to take off and run after a dog twice their size. Tom had to hold me back.

Tom and I talked about the stresses of the past two weeks. I shared with him that I can feel healing shifts happening within me but the healing takes a lot of energy. There were different life events happening around us that we talked about and the feeling of lightness I felt at the end of my last massage treatment at Sollievo Massage and Bodywork returned.

I was ready to finish strong!

We arrived on Commonwealth Avenue and ran down the Commonwealth Avenue mall which was shaded. We were surprised to see we were almost at 6.2 miles even though we were not near where the finish line will be on Charles Street. We realized we went too far to the right on Memorial Drive before turning around. We decided to go straight through the Gardens. It was gorgeous; a scene you find only in Boston with weeping willows, Swan Boats, street musicians and flowers of every color in full bloom.

Once we reached 6.2 miles we were able to slow the pace down to a walk and thoroughly enjoy our surroundings.

My average pace was 16'20" which was 10 seconds off of my time two weeks ago and 30 seconds off of my time the week before that. Last week, the weather conditions were perfect and I felt wonderful, able to do a 15'18"/mile pace. The first week I went the 10K distance, I took it slow and easy at an 18'41"/mile pace staying well within my comfort zone.

I need to be extremely patient with myself during my running comeback. It's easy to get frustrated and remember when I was an endurance runner going long training for Boston. I walked the only path I could walk back in 2011 after my nephew's suicide. I am blessed to be able to run again. I am persistent in my life and on the roads as I manage the ebb and flow of the effects of paralytic polio and violence. What a joy to discover that even though I felt cooked and slogged through several miles, I found my second wind and finished strong!




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.

A Tincture of Time

When I worked at the VA, one of the nurse's that I worked with would often prescribe a tincture of time rather than rush in to prescribe medication. She was a fierce advocate of the healing power of time.



It's been a year since the 2013 BAA 10K, the first event after the tragic events of 4/15/13.

I remember how I felt on Saturday of last year. I told Tom and Ruth Anne (my husband and daughter) that there was no way I could be a spectator at the race even though they were running in it. Anxiety overwhelmed me as I thought about standing at the start/finish line. The memory of the terror was raw in every fiber of my body and being. You can read about last year's BAA 10K in my blog post, The BAA 10K - I Almost Didn't Go - Run Boston Strong.

I received an email from the BAA saying they needed volunteers for the BAA 10K this year. Without hesitation I said yes. I will be volunteering with the kids races.

What a difference a year makes.

Jeff Baumann is back to work at Costco.



Several of the Boston Marathon survivors crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon and were recently honored at the Challenged Athletes Foundation gala.

The Norden Brothers have released their book, Twice as Strong and walked the entire Boston Marathon course on the anniversary of 4/15/13.

And there are many stories of weddings, couples expecting a child and life moving forward.

Today I did a 6.1 mile river run with trails, stairs, on grass and on asphalt as my training in earnest begins for the Tufts 10K for Women in October.

The day was one of those perfect 10 days in Boston. Sunny. Dry. Moderate temperatures.

Team McManus is back on the roads. We laughed as we remembered our 2009 Boston Marathon training river runs and had a few classic Team McManus training run moments.

I can't believe it's been a year since I felt that knot in my stomach and trembled with fear in anticipation of the 2013 BAA 10K.

It's amazing how much healing happens given a tincture of time.


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.