Going Long (again) in 2024

January 2016

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Location:

Garson - Sudbury,ON,Canada

Member Since:

Apr 20, 2013

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Other

Running Accomplishments:

I ran my first marathon in 1998: "The Friendly Marathon" in Massey, Ontario.  I was 32. I had never raced in a shorter event, and I trained really poorly - ended up running it in 4:00:30.  After that, I gave up running for the most part for 6 years.  I got into karate a bit more seriously, until I got my knee kicked out and had ACL surgery.  Then I became a 'fair weather runner' and started to run half marathons every so often.  As a priest, entering weekend races always meant having to book a holiday, so it just didn't happen much.  My holidays were primarily focussed on various canoe and kayak trips.

At some point, I started training more consistently, and started to think of myself as a runner.  I guess doing that in your 40's is better than never doing it at all.  I even started to wonder if I had it in me to qualify for Boston.  Well, I did.  First time didn't count, I suppose, since I didn't make the "cut".  But the second time was a charm, and on my sixth Marathon, run in Chicago in 2015, I beat my BQ by almost 6 minutes.  And now, running a BQ is routine for me, not that I have any desire to run Boston again.

Through it all, I've made tons of mistakes - and have had lots of injuries to show for it.  Hopefully, now that I'm in my late 50's, I'm a bit wiser and can use that to my advantage to continue running for a very long time.

My PRs:

5k (12 run):      Guelph, ON.     October 10, 2016   (50 yrs.)   20:10

10k (10 run):    Collingwood      October 5, 2013  (47 yrs.)  43:37

Half Marathon  (25 run): Cleveland   May 18, 2014  (48 yrs)  1:33:08

Marathon (12 run):  Ste-Jerome, QC  October 3, 2021   (55 yrs.)  3:22:10

Ultras (5 run):   

Run for the Toad 50k Trail   September 30, 2017 (51 yrs.)  5:31:23

Niagara Falls 100k   June 17, 2018 (52 yrs.)  12:26:30

That Dam Hill 24 hours   September 15-16, 2018  Completed 100 Miles in 23:20:44

Sulphur Springs 50 mile Trail   May 25, 2019  10:37:27

Haliburton Forest 100 mile Trail   September 7-8, 2019  26:46:27

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Pacing my sister in her 1st Half Marathon.

Short-Term Running Goals:

After a broken right foot in 2022 in the later stages of a marathon training cycle, then adjusting to a 1/2" heal lift in my right shoe to compensate for a leg length discrepancy, and then a left plank plate rupture in the late summer of 2023, I had to decide:  go fast or go long.  I opted for long, for this year at least.

May 2024:  Sulphur Springs 50 Mile Trail (revisiting it after 5 years)

July 2024:  Limberlost 54KM Trail

September 2024:  Haliburton 100 Mile Trail (also revisiting it after 5 years).

Everything this year is really focussed on the Haliburton 100 as my key event.  After that, and depending on how things go, I'll reevaluate.

Long-Term Running Goals:

Run until this old body of mine won't let me run any more.  I was inspired in the Spring of 2016, watching the start of the Ottawa Marathon.  Near the back of the pack was an 'old man', running with his walker.  I loved it!  I thought ... there's me in 20 years.  Maybe.  

Personal:

I am a Roman Catholic priest of 30 years, ministering in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie.  I spent 8 years ministering in the small town of Wawa (where I helped establish the annual Blackfly Run) and 9 years in Sault Ste. Marie.  I have been in the Sudbury region now for 13 years.  Currently I Pastor 2 small Parishes:  St. John the Evangelist in Garson, and St. Bernardine of Siena in Skead, covering the area just Northeast of the city, surrounding the Sudbury Airport.

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Miles:This week: 12.00 Month: 117.50 Year: 516.50
Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Lifetime Miles: 412.40
Brooks Cascadia 11 Lifetime Miles: 302.00
Salomon Speedcross 4 Lifetime Miles: 160.25
Brooks Launch 8 Lifetime Miles: 153.00
Asics Metaspeed Sky Lifetime Miles: 32.20
Brooks Ghost 13 Lifetime Miles: 358.50
Saucony Triumph 18 Lifetime Miles: 372.50
Ghost 13 Blue Sole Lifetime Miles: 363.00
Hoka Bondi Lifetime Miles: 362.00
Triumph 18 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 120.50
Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 54.50
Total Distance
165.00
Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 18.00Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 39.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 41.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 60.00
Weight: 159.46
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles outside.  Temperature of -6C/22F with just enough wind to make it interesting.  Average pace of 8:39, but that was slowed quite a bit by my 9:30 pace for mile 5, which was slowed dramatically by running a quarter mile down an unplowed trail.  So THAT'S what it's like running through a foot of snow!

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
10.00

10 easy miles at an average 8:48 pace.  Well, the pace was easy at least.  The run a bit more challenging than expected.  It was relatively mild at -4C/25F, but there was a stiff wind from the West and a very fine freezing drizzle most of the time.

The 1st half was fine, as I run this section on the road and had the wind at my back.  At mile 5, however, I have to take to the sidewalks and had the wind in my face.  Although technically "plowed", they sure are not bare.  So, it was like running in mashed potatoes again (just like the race on Thursday night).  My legs were still a bit rubbery from that extra effort, and the next 5 miles kind of did them in.  Sore knee, hamstrings, etc.  Just using different body parts to power through the snow.

So, as long as I keep running outside, I think I'll do an out and back instead of a loop, so that I can stay on the roads.  So nice to have this mild weather.  

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
6.00

6 treadmill miles easy; 52 minutes running time at 8:40 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
7.00

Some speedwork on the treadmill today.  4 x 800 @ 6:23/mile pace.  

Although sunny today, the temperature is -21C/-6F with a windchill of -32C/-25F.  Not the best for speedwork when the roads are icy.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
6.00

1.5 miles at tempo pace on the treadmill; the rest easy miles.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

I took this easy 6 miles outside; 8:24 pace.  Not a bad morning for running, although the heavy traffic is back, now that the holidays are over.

Temperature was -1C/30F, with a light drizzle to begin, which turned into a light snow, then a bit heavier snow, and then back to a light drizzle by the time I finished.

I'm not running the trails anymore, but the roads are decent enough.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles outside, at a pace of 8:30.  Still mild out:  -1C/30F.  Colder weather coming next week, however.  Still, it will be mild for tomorrow's long run.

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
11.00

Okay, today's run was just awful. And I don't know why.

It started off okay.  12 mile long run at sub 8:00 pace.  No real problem for the 1st seven miles, where I averaged 7:57/mile (granted, all over the map in terms of pace, but still ...).  And that was with very challenging conditions.  Mainly freezing rain, and the roads were like a skating rink.  I did my best to stay in the crusty snow off to the side, but not easy running.  A bit of a headwind too.

Then it was like I just ran out of fuel.  NO pep in my step at all.  I had to slow right down, and that was now with the wind at my back.  Ending up running almost a minute slower/mile.  Decided to cut off a mile (since I could) and ended with an average pace of 8:13.  Knees - sore.  Ankle - sore.  Stomach - felt awful.  It was even hard to walk at that point - not from pain, but from exhaustion.

So, I'm not sure what went down.  Maybe overtraining a bit?  Nutrition off?  Too much wine last night?  Started off a bit too fast?  

It's 4 hours later and I've had a nap, and my legs still feel like rubber, so I'm going with the overtraining theory.  I think I'll see if taking an easy week - no speedwork - helps.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 11.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles at a steady pace of 8:50.  Just going to take it slow and easy this week, as my formal 18 week training program begins in 3 weeks and I don't want to go into that tired.  I took yesterday off.

Huge snowstorm yesterday; dumped over 21cm (8 inches) of snow on us, and today a deep freeze has moved in.  -19C/-3F with a wind chill of -30C/-21F.  A day for which treadmills were designed.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles - same as yesterday - 8:50 pace.

I made a blood donation yesterday, so I'm not going to be doing any really hard workouts for a bit, but I had planned on easing back on those for a few weeks anyway, so it's all good.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 157.00
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; 53 minutes running time.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 157.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; 53 minutes running time.

 

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; running time of 53 minutes.  First time all week that it felt like I had my legs back.

Had a good warm up too - our biggest dump of snow so far.  I had to dig my truck out and then get it to the street.  3 foot high drifts, plus the 3 foot high bank at the end the plow left behind.  Too bad it worked the wrong muscles!

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
5.00

5 easy treadmill miles; 8:42 pace for a running time of 43 1/2 minutes.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 5.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; running time of 52 minutes.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; running time of 52 minutes.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; running time of 52 minutes.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
5.00

5 easy treadmill miles; pace of about 8:35.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 5.00
Weight: 160.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles - outside today.  I waited a bit until it was light out.  Not the best traction in the world, but not terrible either.  It was nice to be outdoors and off the treadmill for a bit.

The 2 miles North into the wind were not so fun, but going South felt almost tropical by comparison.  Temp was -15C/5F with just a very light snow falling.

Averaged an 8:45 pace.  Okay - time to thaw in a nice hot shower.

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles outside; pace of 8:46 for a run time of 52:35 - pretty much identical to yesterday.  It was a bit warmer at -11C/12F and virtually no wind.  It started snowing pretty steady about half way through.

This is, officially, the start of my 18 week training program for my Half Marathon in Ottawa the last Sunday of May.  This 1st week is all easy runs, however.  The speed work will begin a week from tomorrow.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Kept it inside today - it's actually quite mild out at -3C/27F, but there is a freezing drizzle and the streets are a mashed potato mess.  Slippery and slushy.

So, a very easy 9:10 pace for a run time of 55 minutes.

I'm following the Hanson's Half program.  I had success with their marathon program the last 2 times around when I qualified for Boston, so figured I'd see if they can bring me to a new PR in the Half.  I'm going to follow the paces exactly as prescribed, but have upped the mileage a bit.  They have a peak week of about 51 miles, whereas I'll top out at 59 miles.  I can always shave that back if I need to.  Adding miles the 1st time I used their marathon program led to injury.  Not adding extra miles for my Chicago Marathon training gave me my PR a few months ago.  Still, I want to cut 3 minutes off my best Half time, so I think I'll need to push it just a bit.  I'll know in a few weeks time, after my tempo runs begin, if I'm being too ambitious.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles on the treadmill; 8:40 pace for a running time of 52 minutes.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
5.00

5 easy treadmill miles; 8:40 pace for a run time of 43:30.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 5.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy treadmill miles; 8:40 pace for a run time of 52 minutes.

We got hit with another whopper of a storm last night, and today it's just cold:  -37 with the windchill.  That's the same, by the way, in both Celcius and Fahrenheit.  Some days, treadmills are just your best friend.

 

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
8.00

8 easy treadmill miles.  Running time of 69 minutes at a pace around 8:40.  17 weeks to go to the Ottawa Half.

Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 8.00
Weight: 158.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

I decided to take it outside today, since it was SO mild compared to what we've had lately - it was a balmy 1C/34F and no wind.  That, plus there is virtually no traffic on an early Sunday morning, so it's a lot safer.

I ran the 6 miles in 51:53 at a pretty consistent 8:39 pace, so basically the same as I've been running on the treadmill.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
165.00
Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 18.00Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 39.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 41.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00Brooks Ghost 6 Gold Miles: 60.00
Weight: 159.46
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