Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Run Bermuda! Run Happy! When the answers (and inspiration) come on a run!



Fortunately it didn't take four hours for the answers and inspiration to come on this morning's early morning tempo run on the road to the Bermuda Marathon Weekend.

Since Tom had a work commitment, the dynamic duo of Ruth Anne and myself set out on our morning run after doing our core work and fueling with a glass of OJ and a piece of toast.

There was a lot of stress and a very challenging situation happening in the lives of Team McManus. I meditated and prayed and asked for guidance and the situation still seemed dark and stormy ... and then .... after 3 fartleks and really pushing ourselves on this morning's tempo run, the answer came to me!

I could not believe the sense of clarity and relief I felt. It was one of those hit the forehead why didn't I see this before kind of moments. I was so happy to be able to share it all with Ruth Anne.

As sweat poured and relief flowed in its wake, Ruth Anne challenged me up our final hill heading toward home on our weekly 5K tempo run.



During previous runs Ruth Anne and Tom have been asking me whether or not I was going to write another book. "Oh no," I kept saying. "I've written everything I need to write."

In addition to that amazing aha moment when it feels like the clouds that would never depart suddenly dissipate and the sun shines through, I realized that I DO need to write another book. Ruth Anne has been suggesting fiction and we've been playing around with different ideas.

This morning the title and premise for my next book came to me, "The Adventures of Runnergirl1953". It's going to be a much lighter book than my previous two memoirs that will highlight my adventures as a runner girl beginning my running career shortly after being diagnosed with Post-Polio Syndrome, a progressive neuromuscular disease by Western Medicine Standards in December of 2006. It will be a light-hearted look that will focus on the gift of running in my life, be sprinkled with inspirational running quotes throughout and rather than focus on the recovery from the pain and terror I suffered, it will focus on the redemptive power of running in my life.

Ruth Anne and I began talking about our running adventures together. Such great memories and wonderful inspiration.

It's going to make a great read!

Getting up at 6am and getting the body to wake up through stretching and core work; opening it up on a tempo run with fartleks and having answers and inspiration flow along with a cleansing sweat is my idea of a terrific Tuesday.

Day 4 of 5 days of training on the road to Bermuda Marathon Weekend in the books! Tomorrow is cross training and Saturday is 7.5 miles.

The third time of training for Bermuda is definitely the charm!

Go the distance with strength and courage!
~Mary

Be sure to visit my website by following this link.

My books are available on Amazon.

Feel the Heal: An Anthology of Poems to Heal Your Life


Coming Home: A Memoir of Healing Hope and Possibility that chronicles the first 7 years of my healing journey:


And my latest and greatest book - Going the Distance: The Power of Endurance (With a Foreword by Jacqueline Hansen):


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