Everyone's blogs are addressing pre race fueling, what to eat for breakfast, how to fuel during the Marathon so I decided that since I've done everything I can to train my body and am now in the taper mode (hey listen to me, I sound just like a real runner), I need to talk about fueling the mind and the spirit.
What am I doing these next 10 days leading up to race day to fuel the mind and spirit? I am watching Steve Runner's videos at www.steverunner.com which fuels my excitement about race day. I am reading my friend's blogs (Tim Doiron, blogs on www.justfinish.com) and recently joined the community at www.darynkagan.com. I am reading stories of inspiration and positivity. I am listening to music which fuels my journey - "As I Am" by Kristen Chenowith, "This is the Moment" from Jekyll and Hyde sung by (okay don't laugh it works for me) Donny Osmond - such powerful words and I believe that was the theme song for one of the Olympics. I listen to Country 102.5 and my daughter and I are watching You Tube videos of Sugarland. I am watching You Tube videos of Ball In The House and next Friday, 4/17 we are going to a benefit concert that they are playing for someone who came to our benefit concert a month ago - as a side bar, I have no idea where the time has flown. So how is this poet/entrepreneur going to be spending the next 10 days leading up to the 113th running of the Boston Marathon?
I am editing my 2nd book of inspirational poetry, "Set Sail for a New World" and today, I just found out that the Brookline Tab is doing a major article on my journey on the Road to the Boston Marathon - one year later.They did a story on May 8 when I declared that with every fiber in my being I would run the Boston Marathon. I am creating customized poetry for my clients of New World Greeting Cards and going on Twitter to connect with positive Twitter friends. I am writing articles for The Diva Toolbox www.divatoolbox.com and darynkagan.com to share my story of inspiration which helps to bless and inspire others while continuing to keep my positivity levels high. I understand that on Marathon Monday, the positivity factor is off the charts - it is the time leading up to the Marathon when all the hard labor is behind me that I need to fuel myself with positivity. I banish fears and worries when they creep in to try to take hold (I do miss those endorphins from the long runs). I am going to a yoga class tonight and have two sessions scheduled with Janice, energy healer extraordinaire. And of course, I will continue to blog.
To help keep me extra busy during these next ten days, why not order customized poetry from www.newworldgreetings.com for those special people and special occasions in your life. And while you're visiting my website, order a copy or two or three of my book of inspirational poetry. 20% of the proceeds is donated to Spaulding Rehab's polio fund.
You can still donate to Team McManus by visiting www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus.
See you at the finish line!
God bless
Mary
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Why April is My Favorite Month & A Sign During Yesterday's 10.5 Mile Run
National Poetry Month, the running of the Boston Marathon, opening day at Fenway Park, birds singing, buds blooming, warm sunshine - the world transforms in April and this year, after crossing the finish line of the 113th Boston Marathon, I feel as though I will have moved through this amazing time of transformation in my life. I'm so grateful to have you along on this journey. Since we've talked a lot about the journey on the Road to the Boston Marathon and I've shared my poetic reflections with you after training runs, I thought today I would share with you the magic of poetry of in my life. Ahh, but before I do - I must share with you the most amazing sign during yesterday's 10.5 mile taper run.
As we were heading out along Beacon Street here in Brookline, Mass., I saw a penny. Those of you who have read my blog know that we have had a lot of signs with finding money while we trained. There were a herd of runners behind us and I knew that if I stopped to pick this penny up, I could get trampled and then where would I be after a year of training and being on the threshold of running the Marathon. So I felt God's Presence and ran on. While on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter stopped in her tracks. Buried in the crack in the sidewalk on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter spotted a quarter - not just any quarter but a quarter dedicated to Helen Keller. Her quotes and life story have always been a major source of inspiration to me and Bernie Siegel, MD (who through the years has been a guiding healing light for me) has quoted her so many times in his talks, books and on his forum. During the last two miles of our training run, we found two more pennies - 27 cents! Not 26 but 27 so God is letting us know that we have what we need to go the distance....
The magic of poetry in my life - ahhh - I could write for days about what poetry has done to transform my life and has brought joy, healing, comfort and inspiration to those whose lives I've been blessed to touch, so I will need to ask God for the inspiration to keep this short. Ever since my twins were in kindergarten, I discovered the joy of writing poetry for special occasions. Throughout the years, I would write poems to commemorate special events in the lives of our family and friends and everyone said, 'you should work for Hallmark.' I didn't even give it a second thought until that day in February 2007, when I felt the urge to create and the poem, "Running the Race" just flowed out of me.
Late summer 1958 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.
With this poem, God instructed me to begin to love myself and to imagine the possibilities and before I knew what was happening to me, I had a book of inspirational poetry, "New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World". I publish a poem of the week from my book on my website www.newworldgreetings.com.
In addition to writing inspirational poems, I discovered this incredible talent to create customized poetry to celebrate, heal, invite, thank. eulogize...you name it, I can weave your sentiments into a customized poem. You just tell me what it is you want to convey via email or a phone conversation and within a few short days I create a poem unique to the person and/or occasion. For really great fun, I collaborate with Cool Dog Productions www.cooldogproductions.com and we do a video eCard;as an added bonus, it's eco-friendly.
I'm having more fun than the law allows and can you imagine? National Poetry Month and the running of the Boston Marathon all wrapped up into the gift of April - no wonder why April is my favorite month!
Be sure to order your copy of New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World by going to www.newworldgreetings.com. Remember - I donate 20% of the proceeds of the sales to Spaulding Rehab's Polio Fund.
Check out the samples of my customized poems at www.newworldgreetings.com and be sure to contact me so we can create a new world of greeting cards just for you!
It's not too late to donate to Team McManus and their run for the Boston Marathon - visit www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus
See you at the finish line - in just two weeks - wow!
God bless,
Mary
As we were heading out along Beacon Street here in Brookline, Mass., I saw a penny. Those of you who have read my blog know that we have had a lot of signs with finding money while we trained. There were a herd of runners behind us and I knew that if I stopped to pick this penny up, I could get trampled and then where would I be after a year of training and being on the threshold of running the Marathon. So I felt God's Presence and ran on. While on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter stopped in her tracks. Buried in the crack in the sidewalk on Heartbreak Hill, my daughter spotted a quarter - not just any quarter but a quarter dedicated to Helen Keller. Her quotes and life story have always been a major source of inspiration to me and Bernie Siegel, MD (who through the years has been a guiding healing light for me) has quoted her so many times in his talks, books and on his forum. During the last two miles of our training run, we found two more pennies - 27 cents! Not 26 but 27 so God is letting us know that we have what we need to go the distance....
The magic of poetry in my life - ahhh - I could write for days about what poetry has done to transform my life and has brought joy, healing, comfort and inspiration to those whose lives I've been blessed to touch, so I will need to ask God for the inspiration to keep this short. Ever since my twins were in kindergarten, I discovered the joy of writing poetry for special occasions. Throughout the years, I would write poems to commemorate special events in the lives of our family and friends and everyone said, 'you should work for Hallmark.' I didn't even give it a second thought until that day in February 2007, when I felt the urge to create and the poem, "Running the Race" just flowed out of me.
Late summer 1958 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.
With this poem, God instructed me to begin to love myself and to imagine the possibilities and before I knew what was happening to me, I had a book of inspirational poetry, "New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World". I publish a poem of the week from my book on my website www.newworldgreetings.com.
In addition to writing inspirational poems, I discovered this incredible talent to create customized poetry to celebrate, heal, invite, thank. eulogize...you name it, I can weave your sentiments into a customized poem. You just tell me what it is you want to convey via email or a phone conversation and within a few short days I create a poem unique to the person and/or occasion. For really great fun, I collaborate with Cool Dog Productions www.cooldogproductions.com and we do a video eCard;as an added bonus, it's eco-friendly.
I'm having more fun than the law allows and can you imagine? National Poetry Month and the running of the Boston Marathon all wrapped up into the gift of April - no wonder why April is my favorite month!
Be sure to order your copy of New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World by going to www.newworldgreetings.com. Remember - I donate 20% of the proceeds of the sales to Spaulding Rehab's Polio Fund.
Check out the samples of my customized poems at www.newworldgreetings.com and be sure to contact me so we can create a new world of greeting cards just for you!
It's not too late to donate to Team McManus and their run for the Boston Marathon - visit www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus
See you at the finish line - in just two weeks - wow!
God bless,
Mary
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Team McManus' Top Ten
Well today marked Team McManus last long run before we run the Marathon - here are our Top Ten Quotes of what we actually said during our training runs:
10. We're almost there people.
9. Are you sure you calculated the miles right?
8. Where the f**** are we?
7. You're off the team (of 3 people)!
6. The Gu got all over everything.
5. What's for lunch (at 9 o'clock in the morning).
4. You're going too fast - wait for me!
3. This has got to be more than ____ miles.
2. Come on people (waving us to cross the street).
1. Are we there yet?
Honorable Mentions:
Look how lucky we were with the weather (if it started to rain/snow/sleet right when we finished).
STOP there's a penny.
I'm not talking to you.
Don't talk to me.
Stop singing.
We're gonna run out of water.
Top Ten Reasons You Know You're Ready to Run Boston:
10. You realize you're running and not swimming, so you finally decide to shave your legs
9. You no longer ask to stop and get a muffin at Peets coffee.
8. You don't absent mindedly run into traffic watching your time and heart monitor.
7. Forty degrees feels warm.
6. You look forward to getting up early on Sat. and going for a long run.
5. You actually know the mileage calculations.
4. You don't hum Rocky's theme going up Heartbreak Hill
3. You can run 10.5 miles and not pee.
2. Running 10.5 miles feels like nothing.
1. You stop saying all the quotes (see above).
Well folks - we're ready!
10. We're almost there people.
9. Are you sure you calculated the miles right?
8. Where the f**** are we?
7. You're off the team (of 3 people)!
6. The Gu got all over everything.
5. What's for lunch (at 9 o'clock in the morning).
4. You're going too fast - wait for me!
3. This has got to be more than ____ miles.
2. Come on people (waving us to cross the street).
1. Are we there yet?
Honorable Mentions:
Look how lucky we were with the weather (if it started to rain/snow/sleet right when we finished).
STOP there's a penny.
I'm not talking to you.
Don't talk to me.
Stop singing.
We're gonna run out of water.
Top Ten Reasons You Know You're Ready to Run Boston:
10. You realize you're running and not swimming, so you finally decide to shave your legs
9. You no longer ask to stop and get a muffin at Peets coffee.
8. You don't absent mindedly run into traffic watching your time and heart monitor.
7. Forty degrees feels warm.
6. You look forward to getting up early on Sat. and going for a long run.
5. You actually know the mileage calculations.
4. You don't hum Rocky's theme going up Heartbreak Hill
3. You can run 10.5 miles and not pee.
2. Running 10.5 miles feels like nothing.
1. You stop saying all the quotes (see above).
Well folks - we're ready!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
I've Come A Long Way Baby!!!! {but couldn't have done it without a lot of help along the way}
An incredible luxury today to relax and just run at an even, slow pace chatting with Ruth Anne and Janine and taking a look back at how far I've come -- did I ever think that running could be effortless and fun? Today the answer is a resounding YES! We talked about what makes an athlete - is it the winning or is it the grit, courage, determination, unwavering faith and believe in yourself and working hard at every turn to be the best you can possibly be - Janine told me that I embodied the spirit of being an athlete. Athlete and Mary McManus in the same sentence - wow!
October 15, 2007 - first training session with Janine
October 16,2007 - left for Bermuda for a vacation and every muscle in my body was wracked with pain. I could barely stand up to go to the rest room on the plane. What was I thinking? In truth, I hurt anyway; I could barely stand up anyway so what difference did it make? I'd stick with this and see what happened. I may as well hurt moving forward rather than hurting and keeping the status quo.
February 2008 - went to Marathon Sports and bought my first pair of running shoes ever! Thank you Spencer Aston for being so patient and finding the perfect pair of running shoes and figuring out that a heel lift was necessary to ensure running comfort. First time I ever ran on a treadmill - I just did it!
mid-March 2008 - Jogged outside for the first time in my life!
Summer 2008 - ran continuously for a half an hour
June 1, 2008 - ran my first road race - The Corrib Pub 5K - Thank you to all the wonderful supporters along the route and to Georgia and Paul for psyching us up before the race
Summer 2008 - Marathon Sports 5 Miler Thank you Alison for making sure I was doing okay and for being there at the water stations. Thanks to everyone at Marathon Sports who cheered me on as I finished last.
October 13, 2008 - Tufts 10K - Thank you to my daughter Ruth Anne for being so patient and loving and for helping us to have the most perfect running day ever (2nd only to the Boston Marathon of course)
November 30, 2008 - Tough Ten Mile Turkey Trot - Thank you to all the supporters who cheered me on as I finished last and for starting the race with a beautiful prayer.
February 2009 - 17.2 Mile Long Run from Natick to Boston - thank you Tom for not giving up on that day despite feeling lousy.
Hyannis Half Marathon - thanks to Paulie, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Ric Beaudoin, Tim Doiron and all the incredible people we met during the weekend. Thanks to the Hyannis Conference Center for the room renovations which made our stay so pleasurable.
March 28, 2009 - 21 mile long run - thank you Dom for all of your guidance, love, support, and encouragement as we departed from Marathon Sports to do our long runs. Thank you to the staff at the Wellesley Marathon Sports store for letting us refill our water bottles, use the bathroom and for providing us with so much support when we'd use the store for our pit stop.
April 2, 2009 - Last training session with Janine Hightower. Janine - you have been with Team McManus every step we have taken along this Road to the Boston Marathon. You have been a friend, a confidante, a tough trainer, a supporter, a cheerleader, a fund raiser and our gratitude to you just overflows. Thank you for the taper plan - it's funny how we are going back to not measuring miles but measuring time of a run. We have come full circle in the training but we are so strong, and so ready to run the 113th Boston Marathon thanks in great part to your loving guidance and incredible skill.
Thank you to the staff at Spaulding Rehab - to Ashley - for listening to my angst and anxiety and for guiding us through the wonderful world of fund raising. Suzanne - thanks for reminding me how much I inspire you - when I felt depleted and sore and ready to just give in, I realized that I could not afford to because I am inspiring you and so many people. Thank you for choosing Team McManus to run on the Race for Rehab team.
It's great to look back and see in fact how far I've come! Janine was wondering if she did everything she could to prepare us for the Boston Marathon and after today's gentle 40 minute run around the reservoir, she realized that she had. As we looked back, we noted how I made every single training run for the past year. We are healthy as we approach the starting line. She incorporated strength training, core training, hills, tempo runs, sprints and helped me to transform myself from polio survivor to athlete. I continue to integrate this new image of myself from being a sedentary person to one who is alive and active. Thank you to Janice Wesley - angel energy healer whose gift of being an intuitive and the gift of healing hands has blessed me mind, body and spirit along this road to the Boston Marathon.
It's now time to rest, hydrate, pay exquisite attention to nutrition and mentally and spiritually prepare for April 20th, 2009. It's time to celebrate the hard work, sweat and tears I've put in during the past 19 months. It's time now to give thanks to God for blessing me with the miracle of healing and sending so many wonderful angels to guide me along this journey. Thank you Ruth Anne and Tom for signing on for the adventure of a lifetime. And thank you to Tom Jr for your help and support on the weekends.
For more information on Janine Hightower, log onto www.bostonhomebodies.com
April is National Poetry Month (in addition to being the month of the Boston Marathon), log onto www.newworldgreetings.com and check out my Poetic Reflections on the Journey. While you're there, be sure to purchase a copy of my book of inspirational poetry, "New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World". Contact me to order your customized poetry for your spring and summer events.
To donate to Team McManus and help us reach our new goal of over 10K - log onto www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus
October 15, 2007 - first training session with Janine
October 16,2007 - left for Bermuda for a vacation and every muscle in my body was wracked with pain. I could barely stand up to go to the rest room on the plane. What was I thinking? In truth, I hurt anyway; I could barely stand up anyway so what difference did it make? I'd stick with this and see what happened. I may as well hurt moving forward rather than hurting and keeping the status quo.
February 2008 - went to Marathon Sports and bought my first pair of running shoes ever! Thank you Spencer Aston for being so patient and finding the perfect pair of running shoes and figuring out that a heel lift was necessary to ensure running comfort. First time I ever ran on a treadmill - I just did it!
mid-March 2008 - Jogged outside for the first time in my life!
Summer 2008 - ran continuously for a half an hour
June 1, 2008 - ran my first road race - The Corrib Pub 5K - Thank you to all the wonderful supporters along the route and to Georgia and Paul for psyching us up before the race
Summer 2008 - Marathon Sports 5 Miler Thank you Alison for making sure I was doing okay and for being there at the water stations. Thanks to everyone at Marathon Sports who cheered me on as I finished last.
October 13, 2008 - Tufts 10K - Thank you to my daughter Ruth Anne for being so patient and loving and for helping us to have the most perfect running day ever (2nd only to the Boston Marathon of course)
November 30, 2008 - Tough Ten Mile Turkey Trot - Thank you to all the supporters who cheered me on as I finished last and for starting the race with a beautiful prayer.
February 2009 - 17.2 Mile Long Run from Natick to Boston - thank you Tom for not giving up on that day despite feeling lousy.
Hyannis Half Marathon - thanks to Paulie, Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Ric Beaudoin, Tim Doiron and all the incredible people we met during the weekend. Thanks to the Hyannis Conference Center for the room renovations which made our stay so pleasurable.
March 28, 2009 - 21 mile long run - thank you Dom for all of your guidance, love, support, and encouragement as we departed from Marathon Sports to do our long runs. Thank you to the staff at the Wellesley Marathon Sports store for letting us refill our water bottles, use the bathroom and for providing us with so much support when we'd use the store for our pit stop.
April 2, 2009 - Last training session with Janine Hightower. Janine - you have been with Team McManus every step we have taken along this Road to the Boston Marathon. You have been a friend, a confidante, a tough trainer, a supporter, a cheerleader, a fund raiser and our gratitude to you just overflows. Thank you for the taper plan - it's funny how we are going back to not measuring miles but measuring time of a run. We have come full circle in the training but we are so strong, and so ready to run the 113th Boston Marathon thanks in great part to your loving guidance and incredible skill.
Thank you to the staff at Spaulding Rehab - to Ashley - for listening to my angst and anxiety and for guiding us through the wonderful world of fund raising. Suzanne - thanks for reminding me how much I inspire you - when I felt depleted and sore and ready to just give in, I realized that I could not afford to because I am inspiring you and so many people. Thank you for choosing Team McManus to run on the Race for Rehab team.
It's great to look back and see in fact how far I've come! Janine was wondering if she did everything she could to prepare us for the Boston Marathon and after today's gentle 40 minute run around the reservoir, she realized that she had. As we looked back, we noted how I made every single training run for the past year. We are healthy as we approach the starting line. She incorporated strength training, core training, hills, tempo runs, sprints and helped me to transform myself from polio survivor to athlete. I continue to integrate this new image of myself from being a sedentary person to one who is alive and active. Thank you to Janice Wesley - angel energy healer whose gift of being an intuitive and the gift of healing hands has blessed me mind, body and spirit along this road to the Boston Marathon.
It's now time to rest, hydrate, pay exquisite attention to nutrition and mentally and spiritually prepare for April 20th, 2009. It's time to celebrate the hard work, sweat and tears I've put in during the past 19 months. It's time now to give thanks to God for blessing me with the miracle of healing and sending so many wonderful angels to guide me along this journey. Thank you Ruth Anne and Tom for signing on for the adventure of a lifetime. And thank you to Tom Jr for your help and support on the weekends.
For more information on Janine Hightower, log onto www.bostonhomebodies.com
April is National Poetry Month (in addition to being the month of the Boston Marathon), log onto www.newworldgreetings.com and check out my Poetic Reflections on the Journey. While you're there, be sure to purchase a copy of my book of inspirational poetry, "New World Greetings:Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World". Contact me to order your customized poetry for your spring and summer events.
To donate to Team McManus and help us reach our new goal of over 10K - log onto www.firstgiving.com/teammcmanus
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