Going Long (again) in 2024

February 2018

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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
81.50
Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 78.50
Weight: 158.97
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0.00

So, went to see a physiotherapist yesterday.  He'll be treating me for the next little while.  In the meantime, I'm on the stationary bike.  50 minutes of it today.

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50 minutes on the stationary bike.  Yuck.  Second time to the phsyiotherapist today.

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60 minutes on the stationary bike.  A record breaking ONE mile of running this week.  Ah well ... a new week is coming!

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3.00

One hour on the spin bike, followed by 30 minutes on the treadmill.  I wanted to see how my hamstring would respond after being well warmed up and then going at a very slow pace.

Not too good.  I managed to run the 3 miles with some discomfort, but it's really sore now.  I have a ways to go.

Massage therapy later today, and back to physio for session number 3 tomorrow.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00
Weight: 162.00
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So, 60 minutes on the spin bike.

I was not feeling great after yesterday's 3 miles.  My physiotherapist is insisting on 2 more weeks of no running.  Drat!

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60 minutes on the spin bike.  

Official name of my injury:  Biceps Femoris Tendinopathy.  Well, "Tendinopathy" is debatable in the literature.  But it's my BF that is causing my distress.

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70 minutes on the spin bike.  Physio seems to be going well; he's going to let me try a short run on Monday ... said 2 km, and I negotiated it up to 2 miles.  :)

 

Weight: 159.00
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Can't run my scheduled 18 miler, so rode the spin bike for 3 hours instead.  Ask me how I feel!

I just keep telling myself it's good training for the glutes for the motorcycle riding season ahead.

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2.00

Was allowed 2 miles on the treadmill today, so sandwiched it in between an 80 minute spin on the bike.  The hamstring (Biceps Femoris, to be precise) was tight throughout, but no real pain.  We'll see what my physiotherapist thinks later today.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 2.00
Weight: 160.50
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60 minutes on the spin bike.

Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
2.00

55 minutes on the spin bike, followed by 2 miles on the treadmill this afternoon, under the watchful eye of my physiotherapist.  His goal is to get me running 6 miles by the end of next week.  The good news is, although there is still tightness when running, there was no pain at all when I was finished.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 2.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
4.50

Getting there.  After 65 minutes on the spin bike, I was able to run 4.5 on the treadmill at the physio's place.  Picked up the speed a bit too - ran at 9:00/mile.  Felt good.  No pain or tightness in the hamstring.  I'm catiously optimistic.

 

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 4.50
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Was supposed to run 20 miles, so decided on 200 minutes of cardio.  40 minutes on the spin bike, followed by 10 minutes running, repeated 4x.  Ended up feeling good ... no pain or tightness ... so went 140 minutes on the spin bike and 60 minutes running.

It has been almost 5 weeks since my hamstring went ballistic.  Two weeks reduced to 24 miles each, and then 2 weeks with virtually no running.  I'm hopeful I can get back to 24 miles next week and then build quickly from there.  With the biking, I should not have lost too much fitness, so it's just a matter of not crossing over that line where I push my body too hard from running.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Feeling more confident by the day.  20 minutes on the spin bike, followed by a 6 mile run on the treadmill.  Alternated between a 10:00/mile and a 9:00/mile.  Hamstring seems okay.  Lots of aches from OTHER body parts, but I suppose that's to be expected after a couple of weeks layoff.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
5.00

I think I'm back in the saddle.  My physiotherapist cut me loose today - said I was good to go.  Ran these 5 (actually scheduled for that) on my treadmill, where I'll be staying for a while until I'm sure I'm okay at longer distances.

The trick now will be getting back up to training mileage safely.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Worked a bit of speed into my 7 treadmill miles - no hamstring issues at all.  Good news!

62 minutes.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 157.50
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Total Distance
6.00

On the treadmill; no issues.  Going to attempt a long run tomorrow.  Scheduled for 14 miles - we'll see how far I can get.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
16.00

Well, that seems to have gone well.  I wasn't sure if I'd hit my scheduled 14, but after I did, I decided to add 2 more.  That brings my weekly mileage up to where it was scheduled to be, at 40 miles.

Of course, this was a cut back week, and I don't think I'll be able to take on the 20 mile long run next Saturday, but we'll see how things go.  I hadn't run 16 miles since just before Christmas.  On the treadmill still, for safety.  I don't want to take a chance on the icy roads just yet.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 16.00
Weight: 156.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
10.00

95 minutes on the treadmill.  I just alternated my pace between a 10:00/mile and a 9:00/mile.  Everything still seems to be working okay.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 157.00
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Total Distance
6.00

57 treadmill minutes; averaged 9:30 pace.  All is well.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 157.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Some speedwork on the treadmill.  5 x 800 with a generous 800 recovery.  Did the first one at 7:00/mile pace, but felt I was pushing it a little too much, so reduced it to 7:30/mile for the other 4.  Felt good to go fast.

Today I'll find out if my name is drawn for the New York City Marathon.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 157.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
81.50
Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 78.50
Weight: 158.97
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