Going Long (again) in 2024

March 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
257.00
Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 71.00Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 44.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 82.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 52.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 154.07
Total Distance
8.00

On the treadmill, back and forth between a 10:00/mile and a 9:00/mile; 76 minutes run time.

Was scheduled for 10, but now things are getting tricky.  Scheduled for 20 tomorrow, but that would give me a 54 mile week - a HUGE jump in mileage.  I'm not willing to push myself that hard just to get back to where I would have been without an injury, especially since my longest run has only been 16 miles.

So, by cutting back a couple miles today, and then aiming for maybe 17 or 18 tomorrow, I'll still have 49-50 miles on the week, which is still a 25% jump in mileage.  I'll take it real slow tomorrow and listen to my body.  I don't want to break something else at this point.

Oh, and I didn't get my name drawn for the New York City Lottery.  Ah well ... another year.  Now I'm toying with doing the Dopey Challenge at Disney next January.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 157.00
Comments(7)
Total Distance
18.00

177 minutes on the treadmill.  Just kept a steady 9:50 pace throughout.  Every 3 miles, I got off to refill my water/nutrition/electrolyte bottle (Tailwind).  That's the pattern I plan on following in Niagara Falls, where the aid stations are 3 miles apart.

As per the plan I mentioned yesterday, it was a dramatic (25%) increase in mileage, but not as dramatic as it would have been to get me back on schedule after 4 injury weeks.  Close, however.

After miles 9, 12 and 15 I took a bit of a longer pause to walk, stretch, and see if there was anything 'off'.  I felt fine, and probably could have gone the 20, but I'll save that for next week.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 18.00
Weight: 156.00
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Total Distance
11.00

102 minutes on the treadmill.   All systems are still a 'go'.  And I had a delightful 1 hour massage shortly after to top it all off.  Always a nice treat.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 11.00
Weight: 156.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy treadmill run; 57 minutes.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 155.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Took it to the treadmill.  Picked up the pace a bit for a couple of miles (just Tempo pace); running time of 73 minutes.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 154.50
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Total Distance
10.00

90 minutes on the treadmill.  Going for 20 miles tomorrow.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 154.50
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Total Distance
20.00

183 minutes on the treadmill.  Ran an even 9:10/mile, so a good increase in pace over last week.  Same routine ... stopped every 3 miles to refill my bottle with Tailwind - the pattern I plan on following in Niagara Falls.

I'm pretty close to the mileage I would have had without the injury, and my body seems to be holding up to the training, so far.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 20.00
Weight: 154.00
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Total Distance
14.00

I finally got off the treadmill!  Wonderful feeling.

Up Radar Road, just past the radar base and back again.  8:50/mile pace up; 8:36/mile pace back; average 8:43 for a run time of just over 2 hours.

-9C/16F with little wind.  And best of all ... no pain.

I want to ease back into the road running, and so won't be putting the treadmill away for a while.  Still - a good step towards Spring.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 14.00
Weight: 155.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Two days in a row outside.  Nice.  Goodwill Route.  8:46 pace.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 154.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Speedwork on the treadmill. 6x 1/2 mile repeats at 7:00/mile pace with a very generous 1/2 mile recovery jog in between.  21 minutes at speed, and no pain issues at all.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 153.50
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Total Distance
10.00

Slow and steady on the treadmill; 9:00/mile for a 90 minute run.  Will hit the road for 22 tomorrow.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 153.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
22.00

22 miles at a pretty even 8:47 pace for a run time of just over 193 minutes.

But it didn't go as planned.  I had hoped to run the Radar Base Loop - out to the Capreol Road Turnoff and back.  I loaded 900 calories worth of tailwind in my hydration pack, figuring on just over 3 hours of running.  I didn't anticipate the trailwind freezing up on me.

It was a somewhat reasonable -11C/13F, but with a stiff 15-20 mph wind, the real feel temperature was more like -19C/-2F.  By mile one, the valve on my camelback was frozen and nothing was moving.  I worked on it, put it inside my jacket, and kept trying - no go.  So, I didn't have a lot of options.  Can't run that far without hydration/nutrition.  I hit the 8 mile mark when I got back home, and I was feeling it already.

So, I decided to do some shorter loops with my handheld, allowing me to re-fill it as needed.  I ended up needing just 2 loops --- first, a 6 mile section on the Goodwill Route, and then an 8 mile section on the Garson-Coniston highway.  

A little adversity - that wind was pretty intense at times - but I'm glad to have stuck it out and finished the miles outside.  I'm now officially back on schedule - where I would have been without the injury.

 

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 22.00
Weight: 152.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
10.00

88 minutes on the treadmill; 8:49 pace steady.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 155.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy treadmill run; 8:42 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 155.00
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Total Distance
8.00

A little speedwork on the treadmill.  6 x 800 @ 6:58/mile pace with 800 recoveries.  Nothing too earth shattering, but always nice to move a bit faster.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 155.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Was in North Bay for the Chrism Mass last night, so just ran from the hotel up the road 5 miles to the next town over, and back.  Good pace of 8:22 going, but even better at 7:56 coming back, for an average of 8:08.

Brisk morning at -10/14F.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 154.00
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Total Distance
16.00

A cold one again.  -16C/3F, with a 15mph North wind, making a real feel temperature of -26C/-15F.  Ouch.

Radar Road Route:  8:35 pace out and 8:25 pace back, for an average of 8:30.  Tough going, with the wind.  It was nice to turn around so I could even out what part of my body was frozen.

Got smart re: hydration this time.  Put 2 bottles in my running vest with 2 layers over top, and a third bottle I kept inside my mitt.  That system worked, as my body heat prevented freeze up.

Looking ahead, things are supposed to warm up.  Good!

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 16.00
Weight: 152.00
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Total Distance
14.00

Today reminded me of why I love to run.  It feels SO good!  Well, mostly.

I had a massage in the morning, and so didn't get out to run until this afternoon.  By then, the temperature had reached 4C/40F, with a stiff south wind and totally clear skies.  I ran in gloves, rather than mitts, for the first time, no hat, and had to roll up my long sleeve tech shirt when I got too hot.  What a good feeling!

Kept a pace of 8:44 for the first 10 or so miles, but then lost my legs about the same time the wind and hills hit me.  Finished with an average pace of 8:56. Radar Base Route.

This week marks my final jump in mileage - 10% increase to 66 miles, and then I'll hover in the high 60's until my taper.  This is traditionally my danger zone, so I'm really paying attention to all my body parts, and really being careful to stretch and foam roll every day.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 153.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy recovery run; 8:45 pace on the Goodwill Route.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 6.00
Weight: 151.50
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Total Distance
10.00

Speedwork on the treadmill today.  6 x 800 @ 7:00/mile pace, for 21 minutes of speed and 84 minutes of running overall.

Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 152.00
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Total Distance
12.00

Radar Road Route.  8:40 pace, pretty steady.  Nice morning for running ... I nailed the layers.  -4C/25F with just a light wind from the North.

Hoping tomorrow's big snowfall (predicted) holds off until the afternoon so I can get my 24 miles in before it hits.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 153.00
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Total Distance
24.00

Mega snow storm supposed to hit us this afternoon, so I got away at 7:30am for this run.  Good decision, as the snow just started to fall shortly after I got home.

Radar Road Route.  Decided to walk for 1 minute every 3 miles, to mimic the Niagara Falls 100, where the aid stations are about 3 miles apart.  That gave me an average pace of 9:10 for most of the run, meaning a running pace of 8:50, give or take.  But I really fell apart after mile 20 and slowed significantly, pulling my average pace down to 9:17.  Still, I finished and I'm okay with the results.

It was -4C/24F, so actually not that bad, and my hydration system did not freeze up like it did 2 weeks ago.

Stepped in a puddle (hidden by a thin layer of ice and covered with a thin layer of fresh snow) at mile 2, which completely soaked through to the toes on my right foot.  Not a great feeling, but I soldiered through it.

Was watched by a huge American Bald Eagle, perched in a tree beside the road, at mile 15.  Gorgeous bird.

So, this basically is the top end of my mileage for this training cycle.  I'll hold it in the high 60's range for the next 8 weeks, with the occasional cut back week.  All the body parts seem good to go.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 24.00
Weight: 152.50
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Total Distance
257.00
Brooks Glycerin 14 Miles: 71.00Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 44.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 82.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 52.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 154.07
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