Support Crew and Still Boston Strong

When L Street posted that they needed support crew for the Fall Marathon training long runs, I raised my hand ahem I clicked my mouse and said I'd be delighted to be support crew again for marathon training.

What a difference being support crew in the summertime. Three bags of ice and coolers along with plenty of water and Gatorade are on the supply list. We had a lobster pot that we've never cooked lobsters in but made for a great way to keep beverages cold.

Our water stop was just as runners exited the beautiful Emerald Necklace and were going to cross over Park Drive to Boston University and continue their run along the Charles River.

I always bring the cue sheet for the run because there is always at least one person who needs to take a look at the directions.

We arrived early and set up our table:



We sat back and relaxed in the beautiful morning sun while waiting for the first runners to arrive.

I love being there to ask runners how their run is going, what they need for fueling and to stay cool and to talk about what they are training for.

Many of us know each other but we don't have to know each other or each other's names. There is a universal language and sense of community among runners.

I love when I am out on the race course feeling the thrill of running for a PR as I did a few weeks ago at the Bill Rodgers 5K Run/Walk for Prostate Cancer but I also love serving runners, supporting runners on their quest to be their best; setting and attaining goals.

A small group of runners approached the table. I made eye contact with one of the runners and we looked into each other's eyes.

"Hey didn't I meet you at the Cambridge 5 Miler?"

It was Leo Foseca from Stephi's who was wearing a survivor shirt and just happened to be standing by our car after the Marathon Sports Cambridge 5 Miler. He joined L Street but this was his first long run with the club. He is training for the NYC Marathon. We went to Stephi's after visiting the Boston Marathon Memorial shortly before the running of the 2014 Boston Marathon.

"Team MR8 asked me if I would run for them. How could I say no."

Even though the events of 4/15/13 are now a distant memory, we still feel its echoes whenever we run and gather together. On the back of my L Street Club t shirt there is the Boston Strong ribbon with the words We Run As One.

We heal together. We run together. We celebrate sparkly Sweaty Bands and support our fellow runners when they are having a slog run. We offer cold water and ice, pretzels and swedish fish along with a high five, a fist pump, a warm smile and words of encouragement. We appreciate each other now more than ever. It is always an honor for me to be support crew whether we are huddled together in winter's polar vortex or helping runners to stay cool at the height of summer. We are and will always be Boston Strong and L Street Strong.




"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.

Sensational Summer Day in Southie: The Best Things in Life Are Free

I know that in the middle of January, I am going to need to look at this post and remember the sensational summer day we had today in South Boston.

Our daughter was signed up for a CPR class through L Street Running Club. We packed a picnic and while she was in training, we spent several hours in the sun and surf.

It was a day meant to delight the senses. Salty sea air, seagulls' calls, the ebb and flow of the tide and crashing of the waves. The cold ocean water embraced my legs helping me to recover from yesterday's training run for the Tufts 10K.

I finished reading Kathrine Switzer's Marathon Woman.

Several members of L Street came out to say hi to us after the class ended. Ric Beaudoin who is a member of L Street and Merrimack Valley Striders teased us about being lazy and just sitting there doing nothing. As I talked with other members of the Club and our daughter to hear about the class, I had one ear tuned to what Ric and Tom were plotting. I saw out of the corner of my eye that they were making a pact to run the Hyannis Half Marathon together this year. That's where we first met in February of 2009. It was Ric who introduced me to both L Street and the Striders.

I'm chomping at the bit to run another half but to train for a half in winter would not serve me. I know I need more time finding my pace and comfort with the 10K distance. Just like I wanted to take off after that runner who said "on your left" yesterday as we were crossing the Mass. Ave Bridge on our training run, I want to train for another half. Patience young one, patience I tell myself. I can still enjoy the energy of the running community as a spectator especially in Hyannis.

Next week our Club hosts the Jim Kane Sugar Bowl 5K. Mac, founder and former L Street President is the race director. He and his wife Alma had taken the CPR course and we saw them when we get to get water on the Boulevard - Day Boulevard. We talked about the Race, and running. It always feels so good to connect with our friends in the running community. There's a comfort, a knowing and a wonderful energy whenever we get together.

I feel rejuvenated and incredibly blessed.

What I loved about today's sensational summer day in Southie is we drove maybe a half an hour at most from our home and everything was free - except for a couple of bottles of water.

Photos of the day which will trigger the sights, smells, sounds and sensations of the surf against my body, of a sensational summer day in Southie whenever I need them:



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.

Everything I Imagined - And More

"Imagination is everything. It's the preview of life's coming attractions." - Albert Einstein

I set an intention for my Book Release Party; ease, grace and gratitude and that everyone who attended the event would leave feeling inspired not only by me but by each other's stories.

Friday night's book release party for Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility was everything I imagined and more.

Ellen Gabriel, the manager of the Brookline Marathon Sports store had refreshments at the ready. She told me not to worry about doing a thing except setting up what I needed to set up.



Boston Marathon memorabilia. Spaulding Rehabilitation Network singlet I wore on 4/20/2009. My bib signed by Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers. The newspaper from the 2009 Hyannis Marathon/Half Marathon the first Half Marathon I ran with a brief interview with a reporter. My finisher's medal, finisher's photo, the Spaulding Race for Rehab souvenir book and a letter from Johnny Kelley the elder's nephew when they sent a signed photo of Johnny to us.

I was reunited with my coach Domenick D'Amico and Amy Yok-Ming Wong who I met several years ago during one of Domenick's return to Boston trips. She runs for the Parkinsons Foundation in honor of her mom who died from Parkinson's Disease.



Guests arrived. We socialized and schmoozed. There were introductions and hugs all around. The energy in the room was electric. I met Randy Pierce who recently qualified for Boston who I wrote about in my blog. I introduced him to my Coach and they were talking about the Boston Marathon course.

The love that I felt in cyberspace for friends such as Maureen Lamie, who works as a hair stylist, was even more powerful in person.



Karen DiMare and I met through a Gratitude Challenge on Facebook. She shared with me the frightening health challenge of her husband Chris and we developed an on line friendship. I encouraged her and Chris to advocate for themselves and supported their positive attitude as they went through the uncertainty of his diagnosis. I know that my journey helped to give them strength and hope.

They surprised me with the gift of their presence. Chris had a tumor on his spinal cord. He had to learn how to walk all over again. Karen is the owner of DiMare Holistic Skin Care and I could feel how she blesses her clients with her loving and caring touch.

I met Vicki Vogt by phone when I worked at the VA. She was a loving liaison at the Perkins Talking Book Library. When I met her in person several years ago to record my poetry books for Perkins, she shared with me that she is a polio survivor. We have stayed in touch via email and Facebook. She looked amazing when I saw her. At my suggestion, she went to Spaulding Rehab's International Rehab Center for Polio and said she feels better. I had mentioned that I now go to Spaulding Rehab's Aquatics Therapy program during my presentation. During the book signing, she asked me for more details and plans to follow up with our mutual doctor at Spaulding to see about getting a prescription to go there.

I was humbled and amazed when a group of people from L Street Running Club arrived, including the President Theresa and her husband Steve. There were people who aren't on Facebook and who I did not have email addresses for, but who I had seen as part of #supportcrew on long runs or from meetings. They heard about it through word of mouth and showed up to support me. They hadn't RSVP'ed that they were coming.

And my friends Maura and Meghan with whom we shared water stop duty last winter for L Street arrived with Dennis for whom they were doing the water stop because he was training for Boston.



It was time to begin.... I opened with this selection from the Introduction of my memoir

"I left home at the age of 5 – my earthly home that is. I contracted childhood paralytic polio. Polio was the AIDS of its day. If you contracted polio, you were shunned. There was a fear of contagion. Fear breeds ignorance that is far more devastating that any disease. Three years later my father fell into alcoholism and I was raped and beaten, threatened with death and tortured by my father for 9 years until he ended his life. My maternal grandmother physically, sexually and emotionally abused me with cruel rituals that tortured my body and my mind. My mother was addicted to prescription pain medication. My older brother was numb and trying to survive the chaotic household as best he could. He chose to align himself with the aggressors. I learned early on how to dissociate and to harness the power of my intellect to survive but I paid a steep price for leaving home and disowning my body. I bided my time until it was time to heal."

The room was silent yet the compassion and support for my journey was palpable. (Photo credit: Maura Walsh)




I shared an overview of my journey and read selections that talked about my Boston Marathon journey that all began at the Brookline Marathon Sports store where I was fitted for my first pair of running shoes at the age of 53.



Emotions welled up within me as I recalled the role that Domenick played throughout our training and how the Marathon Sports employees became family to Team McManus.

It was time to sign the books and greet my friends one by one.

Maura Walsh with whom I shared the water stop is a professional photographer. She also captured these special moments for me:


My dear friend John Young came out to support me. He said what a difference we had made when he was finishing his race as I write about in my blog post Today He Was The Hammer. He ran his fastest time for 16 miles in part because he knew we were waiting for him at the base of Heartbreak Hill.



Here's a photo of Amy, John and me. John and Amy connected because they are both running the NYC Marathon. John is going to use NYC for his Boston Qualifier race. Amy had read about John in my blog and are now friends.



After running the Cambridge 5 Miler/3 Mile City Walk, I connected with Jess Lanzoni who runs with Back On My Feet Boston. It was wonderful to meet her in person as we had run part of the way with women from Back On My Feet seeing how they encourage one another to just run to the next pole or stop sign or whatever. Jess is as warm, loving and genuine in person as she is in cyberspace. She told me in a facebook comment after the party that she would also like to buy additional copies of my memoir and asked if I would be donating a portion of the on line sales to The One Fund. I decided that I would donate 50% of the royalty payments which is $2/book to The One Fund to support the ongoing care that those affected by 4/15/13 are going to need.

Al Pappalardo has been a longtime friend. We met through the Merrimack Valley Striders Club. Last November we were reunited at the Feaster Five Expo. I had lost contact with Al and my friends in the running community after my nephew's suicide in 2011 when I stopped running and isolated myself from the running community. Here we are at the Expo:



He greeted me with, "Boy Mary, I had no idea the extent of your history." Al does charity work to prevent Child Abuse. I had sent him all the gift cards I had around the house for his raffle. I told him, "That's why I sent you all those gift cards for your event." I could feel the compassion flow from his heart.

People gave me checks and $20 bills saying keep the change for The One Fund.

We raised $122 for The One Fund from proceeds of book sales and the generosity of my friends.

At the end of the evening, Ellen took this photo of Tom and me:



He told me it was a no brainer when my team at Spaulding told me I had to quit my job if I had any hope of preventing the progression of post polio syndrome.

Seven years ago today I closed the door on one chapter of my life. Thirty of my friends came out to support me as I shared my healing odyssey and to celebrate the release of my memoir. My friends who could not be there in person sent me messages and told me they would be with me in Spirit. Were they ever!

The common thread among my friends and my life today is that we all believe in giving back. We take our challenges and create the best life we possibly can with them. While my friends applauded me at the end of my book reading, I applaud them for all that they are doing to make this world a better, more beautiful place in one way or another.

I am blessed and my heart overflows with gratitude especially to Ellen and to Marathon Sports.

In my mind's eye I visualized myself running, feeling free, whole and healthy as my pen became my Divining rod for healing as I wrote poetry after being diagnosed with post polio syndrome. It's been an incredible journey filled with ups, downs and everything in between but I am here now ready to write the next chapters of my journey.

My book release party and my life today is everything I imagined - and more.

You can order Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility, along with my books of inspirational poetry on Amazon.

No Mud - No Lotus

The lotus flower goes through much in its growth before emerging from dirty water to become a beautiful flower. What a wonderful metaphor for our journeys through adversity.

This morning as I drove home from Spaulding Aquatics Therapy class, I passed by Charles River Plaza where, seven and a half years ago, I had an EMG. It was a test that would help to determine the extent of the damage to the nerves in my upper body as a result of contracting paralytic polio when I was 5 years old. It seems like a lifetime ago and in some ways it was!

I am so happy to be here now and grateful for every step of this healing odyssey.

It's almost 7 years since I left the VA with a heavy heart to heal my own life and follow my passion as a poet and a writer. I had no idea what the future held for me; if in fact I would still be alive today at 60 years old because of the diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a progressive neuromuscualr disease. I just knew that I was at a crossroads in my life. Would I find my way to the light even though it meant traveling through a lot of murky water and would I blossom and grow as a result of the challenge of not only the diagnosis of post polio syndrome but the effects of 9 years of unrelenting trauma that I experienced as a child?

We don't know how strong we are until strong is the only choice we have.

This past weekend, through Facebook, I met Randy Pierce and Thor Kirleis. It is astonishing what comes out of adversity. The beautiful flower of all that is the best of being human blossoms. Friendship. Community. Trust. Inspiration. Motivation. Hearts and souls singing songs of compassion, kindness, discovering the power of intention. Strength. Courage. Camaraderie. Kinship and brotherhood borne that is far greater than any blood ties. In yesterday's blog I wrote about Randy's quest to catch the Unicorn as he qualified for Boston 2015.

Thor posted his Providence Marathon Race Report today on his blog. Please take the time to read Thor's post and be sure to have tissues handy!

At the beginning of the race report, Thor shares what happened to him during his first 100 mile race:
That night, I had a glimpse into my soul, deep into my core, to see exactly what I was made of. And you know what? I actually liked what I saw. I gave up on myself time after time, but each time I got back up and kept going. I refused to be defeated. I would not quit.

That is how I felt during the Marathon Sports 5 Miler in July 2008; my first 5 mile race ever. It was hot. I was tired and it was a fast field. I believed that I didn't belong in the running community and all of the taunts from childhood came back to haunt me that day. But my husband who was by my side through every hill and every moment of uncertainty wouldn't let me quit. I apologized to him for holding him back and being dead last and even told him to just take off. But he wouldn't. He helped me dig deep and get myself to the finish line that day. My Marathon Sports family waited for us to cross the finish line sounding the air horn and honking the horn on the sweep truck. I knew that I could and would run the 2009 Boston Marathon.

Thor's race report takes you through their journey on the road of the Providence Marathon but it also takes you inside the journey of two bodies and souls tied together with a mission far greater than qualifying for Boston.

Today, Randy's interview on the Talking Information Center show, Mission Possible was posted. Please take the time to listen as Randy talks about his powerful mission to bring a message of achievement through adversity and ability awareness. He makes the distinction between vision and sight. You can lose your sight but we cannot and must not ever lose our vision.

So while the journey can get "ugly" as Thor eloquently expresses in his race report, and when we are in the mud we may wonder if we will ever find our way into the light, without the challenges, we would never be able to blossom into the fullness of our Being.

"The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome." - Helen Keller

And be sure to join in the #miles4Quinn community!

Meb Won? Really? Really!

One year ago, our City was trying to get its bearings after the events of 4/15/13. Spaulding Rehab had just opened its state of the art healing place to welcome the survivors and help them begin to find their strength. On Facebook and in the news there were stories of heroes and survivors. The City was preparing for a #onerun on 5/25. There was a heaviness that hung in the air as we came together as a City to begin to heal.

This year, even though the marathon was almost two weeks ago, the news feeds on Facebook and Twitter are filled with joyous celebrations. New photos of my friends with their medals fill the feed. Runners are talking about their next events and the City is gearing up for the Run to Remember and the BAA 10K. As for me, I am going to volunteer at the Run to Remember, run the Corrib Pub 5K (the first race I ever ran in 2008) and spectate at the BAA 10K.

And on Meb Keflezighi's Facebook page, we are all basking in the afterglow of his win.

One person commented that it was the biggest game of telephone out on the course about Meb being in the lead and then winning the 2014 Boston Marathon.

We were watching the race just before mile 23 on Beacon Street. My husband decided to take a video of the race as we were waiting for the lead male runner to come through. He had no idea that it would be Meb as you can tell from our excitement in this video:



Tom started tracking Meb...an 8 second lead then a 5 second lead...At that point we were watching the iPhone rather than the runners in front of us. We sat down and joined our intentions together for Meb. After he won, we went wild and then the crowd around us went wild.

My husband was so moved that he made a MEB WON sign.

Runners were incredulous asking, "Did he really?" and then fist pumped, smiled, screamed and got their second wind to go the final 3+ miles to the finish line. People around us were asking what Tom had written on the sign to get people all revved up like that and we told them. Several people came over and hugged Tom. When his arms tired, Ruth Anne held it up. She got hugs and fist pumps and smiles.

Here is one of my favorite responses to the MEB WON sign:

"I knew Meb was gonna win. I told him so," said a runner passing by who saw Tom holding up the sign that said "MEB WON!" to inspire the runners just before mile 23 last Monday. We thought, "Oh sure you did." After this runner completed his Marathon he found us on Beacon Street. He had his medal and showed us his bib that was signed by Meb. He told us he saw Meb at the Expo. Meb told him that he was not the fittest he'd ever been but he was the healthiest. Meb said his wife told him that's just the way she likes it to be. This runner told Meb that he was gonna win and had him sign his bib.

And had it not been for Meb's win, we would not be the honored recipients of one of our most treasured Marathon souvenirs, a random act of kindness from Maureen Jones of Rochester, Minnesota. You can read about it in my blog Meet Maureen Jones: I Just Wanted to Show My Gratitude. Maureen told us that there was another person who was holding a sign at mile 19 saying that Meb Won - Really! She was so excited but no one else around her was sharing in the excitement. When she saw our MEB WON sign, she knew that we were meant to receive the last of her thank you to the fans note.

Below are quotes from Meb's facebook page:

You have know idea the fire you've ignited, sir.

I was on the Boston course, hours behind you, when one of the race security people shouted out the news that you had won. I can tell you, every person around me felt a surge of energy and strode out a little quicker because of what you had accomplished. Thanks for giving us this victory, Meb.

The runners, the fans, the victims returning, the city rising up, I didn't think it could get any better. And then Meb won! I could not have had a better day! And Meb's words after the race show what a classy guy he is. I'm lucky and proud to have been a part of it. Thank you, Meb!

MEB, I was about at heartbreak when I first heard someone scream out, "an American won!" I looked at my watch and thought no way! The chants of "USA, USA" started... (I had to tell myself to relax as I still had a bunch to go and didn't want to crash due to a pace change!). It was awesome! This is my 10th Boston over 20 years and I have never felt such excitement on the course. It has always been amazing but this year was times 10..

And this is a post from Meb:

I loved the fan turn out in Boston! Thanks for sharing this picture Kati Hanlon Mayo. Check out the lady in the green vest! Thank you for all your support.



One year after our City was trying to heal and recover from the devastating events of 4/15/13, a hero emerged from the pack to bring a community together with joy, tears and a celebration that continues on.

"Meb Won?" runners asked as they saw the sign my husband made. "Really?" Yes really and I want to say a huge thank you to you Meb for being Boston Strong!

BAA Volunteering for Packet Stuffing Day

I had heard about packet stuffing day from my friends who were members of L Street and Merrimack Valley Striders Clubs. They talked about how much fun it was and of course at the end of your shift you get to receive the coveted volunteer jacket and Marathon pin. I never imagined that I would be a part of this amazing event but then again there are a lot of things I "never imagined" doing (like running the 2009 Boston Marathon) but were clearly a part of imagining events I would like to be a part of.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of this morning's packet stuffing day and want to give a huge thanks and shout out to Tom Licciardello, who by the way wrote this amazing article about this year's marathon: Boston Marathon Buildup Intensifies as Race Draws Near.

It is so exciting to be a part of support crew and see what goes on behind the scenes to put together the runners' packets. I remember that feeling of exhilaration when we picked up our number and our bag on 4/18/2009. Who knew that there were over 50 people/shift working side by side to make sure we had our programs and all the information we needed about race day. Here are the photos from our shift including a photo with my Tom holding a book that Tom's wife, Lyn put together to commemorate the 2013 Boston Marathon. Enjoy!



And for all of my runner friends near and far, here is my poem Ode to Marathon Training from A Celebration of Life to inspire you:

Ode to Marathon Training - March 22, 2009
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.

My memoir, "Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing, Hope and Possibility" which chronicles my 7 year healing odyssey including my 2009 Boston Marathon run and healing in the wake of the Boston Marathon 4/15/13 is also available through Amazon.

All We Have is Today - All We Need is Love

As I was driving down Beacon Street on my way to Spaulding Rehab's Aquatics Therapy Class last night, I noticed that the mile markers have been repainted in anticipation of the running of the 118th Boston Marathon. As I drove through Kenmore Square, I saw the freshly painted "One Mile to go" marker. I got on Storrow Drive and I could not process what I saw in the distance; thick smoke coming from a building.

Oh maybe it's just the smoke from a fireplace in the brownstones being carried by the wind gusts.

We had an amazing Aquatics Therapy Class. I could feel my legs building strength as I did laps with the kick board. Because we had a small class, we received even more individual attention than usual. We could make use of the entire pool since there were no patients and a small class. I was able to experiment with challenging myself using deeper or shallow waters and then talking with Karis, our therapist, about my experience. We did planks using a noodle and I could feel my core strength. I was "deep" into my mind/body connection. I had the equivalent of a runner's high after the class and felt the best I have felt in a long time. The aches and pains that linger with our never ending winter had melted away. They were replaced by soreness and a sense of strength and a renewed sense of healing on a deeper level.

As we drove down Charles Street the #weruntogether banners were flapping in the wind:



Traffic was backed up on Storrow Drive and the Copley Square exit was blocked off by State Police cars. A heaviness hung in the air although it was yet unnamed. Cars were uncharacteristically polite allowing for lane changes. There was an eerie silence as we drove by the fire scene with ambulances and fire trucks and a building that had been gutted. It was another moment frozen in time in less than 12 months in Boston.

When we returned home and went through my Facebook feed, we learned the tragic news that two of Boston's heroes had fallen and 18 were injured and taken to local hospitals. One of the firefighters, Michael Kennedy, had been a first responder at last year's Boston Marathon bombings and was training to run this year's marathon.

Hearts are broken once again in our beautiful city and once again we come together as a community to grieve, honor lives that were lost and see beyond the tragedy to strength, heroism and sharing love and caring. There is an outpouring of love at the Fire Station for those who were lost as flowers and food are being delivered to support Engine 33 and Ladder 15.


I am once again reminded that all we have is today; a lesson I started to learn at the age of 5 when I contracted paralytic polio and my life was changed forever and a lesson I learn over and over and over again. But along with the fragility of life, and knowing all we have is today, I am also reminded that all we need is love to get us through whatever tragedy and trauma life throws our way. While we cannot change tragic events, we can help each other heal through the power of loving and caring for and about each other.

My heart goes out in love and prayers to the brotherhood of firefighters who lost two of their beloveds and their families, those injured in the blaze and those who lost all of their possessions and to all who are moved by yesterday's tragic events.


Out of our deepest wounds we find our greatest strength, our most beautiful treasures and the knowledge that love is far greater and more powerful than any experience we endure.~Mary McManus

Fiery Determination

I sent out an email blast about the release of my memoir, "Coming Home: A Message of Healing, Hope and Possibility."



After she sent me an email of congratulations, I said to Diana Cullum-Duggan that while I did not mention her per se in my memoir, she was certainly an important part of my healing journey. She offered yoga at no charge pre and post marathon to the members of the 2009 Boston Marathon team. She said:

Didn't expect to be mentioned, Mary. I was a blip on the radar of health for you. You found a team of practitioners that have helped you, along with your fiery determination to heal.

Well Diana was more than a blip on the radar as she gave her time and treasure to support us on our road to the Boston Marathon through yoga and meditation and in post run recovery.

But she said something very important to me in that she acknowledged my fiery determination.

Last week we met with Dr. Chris Carter, the team psychologist for Spaulding's Race for Rehab team to talk about Looking Back and Looking Ahead as we approach the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings and get ready for the 2014 Boston Marathon.

He and others who were in attendance who worked with the survivors at Spaulding spoke to how inspired they were by the determination, strength and courage of the survivors. Here is a link to a CBS interview with Dr. Carter: Experts think that anniversary of Boston Marathon could come with anxiety for some...

In the article and at last week's meeting, Dr. Carter talked about the importance of community for healing.

When I was growing up, I was completely isolated and ostracized; a combination of growing up in a home rife with chemical dependency and violence and the results of contracting paralytic polio at age 5. I cut myself off from myself, dissociating from my body and from others. By the time I was 52 years old, my body had virtually shut down crying out for healing.

My first sense of community was through Spaulding Rehab's International Rehab Center for Polio being cared for by a multidisciplinary team of caring providers. And then I went on to become a part of the Marathon Sports family and the running community at large as I embraced the challenge of a lifetime, running the 2009 Boston Marathon.

Physically I had no business running a marathon but spiritually and emotionally fueled by the love and support of so many, I felt a fiery determination in my soul and went from polio shoes in February of 2008 to the finish line of the Boston Marathon 2009.

Two years ago, after my nephew's suicide, I experienced a relapse of post polio symptoms. I would not stop and I would not settle. In the wake of the bombings, I returned to the roads after a two year hiatus and continued to seek out paths for healing. How blessed that I could find my way to the Aquatics Therapy program where twice a week, with fiery determination, I continue to build my strength.

I have been so blessed by healing angels throughout my life and especially during my 7 year healing odyssey after being diagnosed with post polio syndrome. I am especially blessed that somewhere, somehow, I kept hope alive through the most horrific events one person can experience and that my fiery determination would not let me quit even though it seemed as though I was doing so against all odds.

Three Weeks From Today - Barn Raising at B.U. Singing Boston Strong

After months of planning, we are seeing the finish line of Greg Gordon's Boston Marathon Fundraiser Singing Boston Strong: An Evening of A Cappella to Benefit Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.



In 2011, I arranged an a cappella fundraiser at BU's Morse Auditorium. In his opening remarks, Dean Elmore commented about how, in the old days, neighbors would come together as a community for barn raising: (from Wikipedia)

A barn raising, also historically called a "raising bee" or "rearing" in the U.K., describes a collective action of a community, in which a barn for one of the members is built or rebuilt collectively by members of the community. Barn raising was particularly common in 18th- and 19th-century rural North America. A barn was a necessary structure for any farmer, for example for storage of cereals and hay and keeping of animals. Yet a barn was also a large and costly structure, the assembly of which required more labor than a typical family could provide. Barn raising addressed the need by enlisting members of the community, unpaid, to assist in the building of their neighbors' barns. Because each member was entitled to recruit others for help, the favor would eventually return to each participant.

He said we tend to lose that sense of community; of coming together for a common cause but he pointed out how we did just that at our Music for Miracles Concert.

This year's concert to benefit Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital will be filled with many emotions. We are going to have a moment of silence for Lu Lingzi, the BU grad student, who tragically lost her life on 4/15/13. There are seven runners who were given numbers to run in memory of Lu Lingzi and are raising money for the Lu Lingzi Scholarship Fund.

We will be anticipating the anniversary of the bombings yet to quote Leonard Bernstein:



We will be celebrating that we can come together to sing Boston Strong and to raise money for Spaulding Rehab where so many of the bombing survivors were able to find their strength and put their lives back together.

Terpsichore, BU's premier all female a cappella group will be hosting:


The Dear Abbeys are once again lending their vitality and voices:



Tufts premiere all a cappella group, The Jackson Jills are coming back to BU to sing Boston Strong:



Boston University's In Achord placed 3rd in the 2014 ICCA Quarter Finals:



And when I put out the call for a post collegiate group to round out the program, I was overwhelmed by the response of groups wanting to be a part of the concert. Bostonality was the first to reply and I'm so excited that they will be performing on 4/4. They are not on Youtube - yet but check out their sound on their website.

So three weeks from today we'll do it old school at B.U. for Greg's Boston Marathon run, for Spaulding Rehab, to honor and celebrate all that we have been through this past year and to look forward to Boston Marathon Monday 4/21/14.

Paying It Forward - #supportcrew

Someone out on Heartbreak Hill stopped by our L Street Water Stop and asked if he could take a cup of water. We said of course. He looked at the table we had carefully and lovingly prepared and with a sweep of his arms he asked, "What inspires you? Why do you do this?"



Our first answer was - you - you inspire us. He was dripping sweat and had one more hill to run in the series of hills known as the infamous Heartbreak Hill before finishing his long run from Hopkinton to Boston College for a total of 22 miles.

When I got home, I gave some pause to the answer to that question.

We got up early on a Sunday morning and loaded up all of the supplies into our car. We drove over to Heartbreak Hill and set up table, poured water and gatorade and poured skittles, pretzels, cookie thins and swedish fish into bowls. We had ibuprofen, vaseline, tissues - lots of tissues and paper towel and trash bags.

We had a wonderful water stop partnership today with the family of one of L Street's members who did the long run while they did the water stop. We became fast friends. We talked about where were you last year and anticipation of this year's marathon. They embraced me and my story and said they couldn't wait to read my memoir. We laughed together as our water stop partner did running fashion commentary. When one runner who we didn't know asked if he could leave his runner's backpack with us we collectively held our breath. He could see that we didn't want him to drop off his bag with us so instead he took out the water bottles and left them. We talked about how everything has changed since 4/15/13.

We sent them on their way as the numbers dwindled and waited for a total of 3 hours to make sure the very last runner had a water stop available to them.

And I remember when...

When I was training for the 2009 Boston Marathon, there were often times when the water tables were pulled up during training runs because I was a real back of the packer but during my first 5 miler; the Marathon Sports 5 miler, Alison, the then manager of the Brookline Marathon Sports store waited until we went through to make sure we had our hydration.

When we went out and back to Heartbreak Hill for the first time, Alison was there to greet us when we returned to the store letting us know she was worried about us. I knew how she felt because I was waiting for my friend Tina to come through. Once she arrived she said, no worries, I'm slow and steady!

The President of L Street was in the back of the pack and she expressed a heartfelt thank you for us staying out there and for all we did for the Club.

We felt so much joy greeting runners from L Street and runners who were "running alone" as they told us. I told one woman, "You never run alone because #weruntogether." She smiled through the pain of her screaming quads. It was a joy to ask runners what they needed and to have what they needed on hand. Thank you to one of the L Street members who posted the shopping list on the homepage of the website. Ibuprofen was consumed, vaseline used to ease chafing and chapping. As one member said she didn't want to eat anything because her stomach was queasy (a feeling I remember all too well), I suggested pretzels with the salt that might help to settle her stomach.

There was one runner who came up from Atlanta to see what these hills were all about. He was so happy to partake of our offerings.

So while we were paying it forward for all of the love and support we received on our road to the Boston Marathon, we received so much in return. Sure, I could bemoan the fact that I can no longer run more than a 10K but I'd rather celebrate that I am back out on the roads; more importantly I get to pay it forward being a part of support crew.