Thursday, November 12, 2015

Running is My Therapy




Last Tuesday it was time for Team McManus to head out the door at day break to get in another training run for the Bermuda Half Marathon happening in just two months. I had a restless night but knew that nothing could shake off a bad night's sleeep like a run. Something fired up inside of me and we literally hit the ground running. We usually take a right out of our door and warm up first but something told me to take a left and do a different route than our usual Tuesday morning twice around the small Reservoir run.

I was amazed at how my body went on automatic pilot and I felt that I was running free.

These runs are a sacred time for Team McManus. With both of us working, it's rare we have a stretch of time and a stretch of road together that is unplugged. We cherish our training time together. I used to apologize for my "slow" pace but now I've learned that it's not the pace, it's about the time. It's just us breathing in and breathing out running side by side and stride by stride.

As with any relationship, we have had our share of ups and downs but now, in our later years, we run in sync. We are training for our half marathon but we are also training our minds to live and enjoy the present moment. We practice gratitude and talk about challenging situations in our lives.

By the end of the run we were sweaty and had a feeling of accomplishment. We deposited more miles in the Bank of Bermuda and left our troubles out on the road to God.



Last December, I contemplated hanging up my running shoes for two weeks after a knee injury.

I am so blessed I found my way to Dr. Ryan J. Means, a beloved healer chiropractor who encouraged me to set goals not limits.

As Bill Rodgers said to me as he signed his book, "Marathon Man," "We are runners. Let's run forever."

You know why I plan to run forever? Because running is my therapy!

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