Going Long (again) in 2024

Niagara Falls Ultra

Recent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesMichael's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewMonth ViewYear View
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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

Click for Options

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.

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 28.00 Month: 189.50 Year: 588.50
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: 386.00
Triumph 18 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 120.50
Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 102.50
Race: Niagara Falls Ultra (62.137 Miles) 12:26:30, Place overall: 13, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
62.76

I'm finally home from the race and my holidays that followed it.  As I mentioned in my initial report, it was hot - for me, at least.  In the 29-30C range, which is in the 85-86 degree range.  Some wind, but not a whole lot.  Fortunately, the humidity was relatively low.

There were 52 registered for the 100 K.  There were only 24 finishers:  16 of the 40 men and 8 of the 12 women.  Why is it that the women always seem to have a higher finishing percentage?  I came in 13th overall, and 1st in my age division.  Disclaimer:  there were only 2 of us (that finished at least) in my age division.

We started at 6:30 that morning, and the other 4 races started at half hour increments after us:  the 50 K, the Marathon, the Half and the 10 K.  It was an out and back course:  25 K to the bring of Niagara Falls.  So, there and back twice for the 100K group.

Unfortunately, most of us in the 100 K ran an extra kilometer at the very start.  Just 100m in, the course took a dogleg to the left, but there were no markings to indicate a turn, and the field continued on a different path straight ahead.  I was in the middle of the pack, and it didn't seem right, but I followed everyone else.  There was a guy beside me who was also looking funny over his shoulder, and I asked him if we were on the right course.  He didn't think we were, but we kept following everyone else.  At exactly the half mile point, a girl on a bike caught up to us and told us to turn around.  By my measurements, we ran exactly 1000 m extra.  Nobody seemed too happy about that.

Anyway, I ran pretty much as I rehearsed.  Aid stations every 3 miles.  Refilled my hand held with water and Tailwind and kept on going.  The big mistake was running up the escarpment.  I paid for that later.  Coming in to the turnaround, I counted 22 runners ahead of me.  I figured there should have been about 29 behind me, but only counted 24.  I may have miscounted, or it's possible 5 runners had already dropped out.  At about the 22 mile mark, my legs were dead.  Seriously - it felt like it does during a marathon, except I had a LOT more running to do.  So, I slowed down significantly, and began walking every uphill.  It was a real struggle to continue on to the midway point, and I seriously thought of dropping out.  My brain was pretty convinced that I couldn't do the whole thing all over again, and it was making a pretty good case for it's opinion.  However, at the halfway point (start line/finish line) there was a stranger who kept saying to me over and over again how amazing I looked after 50K, that it looked like I was fresh and she couldn't believe I was looking that fresh.  So, I refilled and kept on running.  And then all the red bibs (50K runners) coming in along the next 10 or so miles kept cheering and saying I was amazing for doing it all over again.  I'm a sucker for affirming comments, it seems.  So I kept on going.  I was pretty sure, based on my slowing pace, that I would not make the 14 hour cut off.  So, my plan was to run as far as I could in 14 hours, saying I gave it my best shot.

This time, I walked up the escarpment with another runner.  We had a nice conversation.  Just don't ask me what we said.  Coming into the 75K transition was a mob scene this time around.  It's a Saturday in late June.  Father's Day weekend.  Gorgeous day.  Midafternoon.  EVERYBODY was at the Falls!  It was impossible to run through that mob of humanity.  Basically, it was a half mile of weaving in and out of people, photobombing their shots, and trying to take it all in stride.  Then, after the 75K transition, doing it all again.  After making my way though the crowds, however, I was actually feeling great, and I really picked up the pace for the next 10 - 15K.  By then, even though I was really pushing it, I knew I would finish the race and that's all I needed to keep going.

So, I did it!  I'm actually happy with my time.  A little surprised I got an extra medal for coming in 1st in my age category, but hey - I took it!  A couple of toe blisters on the left, and a right big toenail that throbbed from about the 60K mark - I'll loose that nail for sure.  But all in all, none the worse for wear.  It took me just 24 hours to decide that yes - I WILL attempt that 24 hour run in London in September, with a goal of running 100 miles.  I'll be looking for affirming comments along the way :)

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 62.70
Weight: 157.00
Comments
From Tom K on Sat, Jun 16, 2018 at 20:23:41 from 174.58.54.231

Man that's a lot of miles! Good Job!

From Russ on Fri, Jun 22, 2018 at 10:41:49 from 74.114.3.253

Nicely done! That is a long way and a very solid time.

Add Your Comment.
  • Keep it family-safe. No vulgar or profane language. To discourage anonymous comments of cowardly nature, your IP address will be logged and posted next to your comment.
  • Do not respond to another person's comment out of context. If he made the original comment on another page/blog entry, go to that entry and respond there.
  • If all you want to do is contact the blogger and your comment is not connected with this entry and has no relevance to others, send a private message instead.
Only registered users with public blogs are allowed to post comments. Log in with your username and password or create an account and set up a blog.
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: