Going Long (again) in 2024

Friendly Massey Marathon

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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
263.07
Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 70.32Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 83.75Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 36.00Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 36.25Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 30.75
Weight: 160.87
Total Distance
12.00

Decided to ride to Sault Ste. Marie yesterday to visit some friends, chill out, and watch the fireworks on Monday.

Ran in the morning down a local road at a 9:03 pace.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 163.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Same as yesterday (same road); 9:13 pace.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 163.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 8:50 pace.  Finally getting some hot days.  Hit 28C/83F yesterday; going up to 30C/86F today.  Nice.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 8.00
Weight: 163.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 8:57 pace.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 8.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
20.50

To the Capreol ski trails today.  Each lap of the outside loop was just over 5 miles.  So, 4 laps.  1567 feet of elevation gain.

11:00/mile pace on average, inclusive of the 3 stops to replendish my supplies after the first three laps.  3 hours and 45 minutes of running.

Not as steaming hot as the last few days, but the mosquitoes were something else.  They kept me honest, cause walking the uphills allowed them to zero in.  Had to keep running or get bit.

I fell on the third lap.  I think I tripped on a root on a particularly gnarly section.  Not hurt, except for my pride.  My back is full of bug bites though.

 

Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 20.50
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
12.00

Radar Road; 8:52 pace.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 12.00
Weight: 163.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Road; 8:58 pace.

Yesterday, a trip on my bike to the Toronto area.  Ended up buying a pair of trail shoes that don't hurt my feet - these are the ones I SHOULD have had at the Sulpher Springs race in May.  Ah well - they will serve me well in Haliburton.  Better late than never.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
14.50

Morning run:  10 miles on Radar Road.  8:57 pace.

Evening run:  4.5 miles trail running in Laurentian University area.  11:16 pace.

This is the 35th Anniversary of The Running Room - a Canadian running shoe business.  Every year, they have this "20 minute fitness challenge".  Run or walk for 20 minutes and get a free hat.  So, I decided to sign up.  A free hat, after all.

Well, at the store, I bumped into an old highschool classmate.  He runs with the Running Room Wednesday group.  Talked me into it.  So, instead of an easy 20 minute road run, I ended up in this trail run.  Sure wish I had my trail shoes on, as it was a bit gnarly.  Still, an easy pace and it was fun.  Just a bit more mileage than planned for today.  

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 10.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 4.50
Weight: 163.00
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Total Distance
16.50

Two runs today, because I'm trying to get 32 miles in between today and tomorrow, and I need to work around my schedule.

So, I only had time for 10 miles this morning.  8:58 pace on Skead Road.

This afternoon, I picked up another 6.5 on Goodwill Drive; 8:57 pace.  Heat of the day:  24C/75F.

Tomorrow, I should be able to get the other 15 or 16 in.  I just have to decide whether or not to hit the trails.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 10.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.50
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
15.50

Trail run on the Ski trails in Capreol.  3 loops.  I got to try my new Salomons - sure wish I had these for the Sulpher Springs Race (mud fest) in May.  Ah well.  They are comfortable, rugged and have great traction.

Unfortunately, I still fell (quite hard) just past mile 4 on my first lap.  Turns out it was a small tree stump I tripped over.  Not the fault of the shoes.  For a second, I thought I hurt myself.  However, I was able to get up and continue on - really covered in dirt.  Worst of it was a nice scrape/gash in the side of my right knee which bled quite profusely.  Nothing too serious once I got home and disinfected it.

10:53 pace, inclusive of my 2 "re-loading" stops at my truck.  Saw one grouse on the trail, and one black bear running across Skead Road on my way to the trails.

Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 15.50
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
15.50

Back to the Capreol Ski Trails; 3 laps non stop (wore my ultra vest) with an average pace of 10:31.

Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 15.50
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Road; 9:10 pace.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road; 8:53 pace.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
9.25

Skead Road; 8:53 pace.  20C/69F with 100% humidity, but the real challenge comes later today and tomorrow when it goes to 30C/86F.  By Sunday, it should cool down a bit.

I'm not running much tomorrow, however; instead, going to run a marathon just down the highway from here in Massey, just over an hour's drive away.  A friend is running his first one Sunday, and I managed to get the day off so I can pace it for him.

He says he's aiming for a 4 hour marathon, which is pretty much my training pace.  Since I was due for a 26-30 mile training run this weekend anyway, I decided to run it with him.

It's the "Massey Friendly Marathon" and was my first race ever, in July 1998.  A double loop, which I detest.  I ran it in 30 seconds over the 4 hour mark, so this will be like doing it for old times sake, except I should find it a lot easier this time.

It's the same route (one loop) that I ran with my sister when she did her first Half Marathon four years ago.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 9.25
Weight: 161.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
3.25

Easy shakeout run in preparation for tomorrow's Marathon.  Goodwill Road; 8:53 pace.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 3.25
Weight: 161.00
Comments(1)
Race: Friendly Massey Marathon (26.2 Miles) 03:56:25, Place overall: 19, Place in age division: 4
Total Distance
26.32

It's like I've come full circle.  This was the first Marathon I ever ran.  In fact, it's the first race I ever ran at any distance - exactly 21 years ago in 1998.  Four years ago, this was the race where I paced my sister on her first Half.  Today, it was the first Marathon for a friend - Curtis Arcand.  I had to run about this distance today anyway as part of my training, and his goal was to beat 4 hours in the Marathon - basically my training pace - so the stars lined up for this one.

I ran it in 1998 in 4:00:30.  I was incredibly inexperienced, trained very poorly, and ended up with a terrible case of runner's trots that swore me off running ever again.  Today felt a lot better.

The temperatures were identical to those 21 years ago:  15C/60F at the 6am start, and 21C/70F at the finish.  Clear and sunny the whole way, with a gentle breeze and tolerable humidity.

There's not much to report.  Curtis ran a good race.  We averaged a pace of 8:59/mile to give him a finish time 3 1/2 minutes under 4 hours.  It's a fairly flat course - total elevation gain was just 890 feet.  It's a double loop course, and we ran the second half about 30 seconds faster than the first half.  Pretty even splits.  He felt strong right up to about mile 22, but toughed out the rough ones at the end and only faded slightly in mile 26.  He did great.  Actually won his age division.

My results, on the other hand, inexplicably show a DNF on the timing website.  This is the second race in a row where this has happened.  The Ultra I could understand - all the equipment was caked in mud.  But today?  The only thing I can think of is I thought I heard a "beep" when I passed by the finishing mat on my second loop.  I mean, I was on the official course, but maybe it picked me up.  I e-mailed them to complain.  I know it's not important, but it's still a matter of pride that I have not DNF'd in a race - yet.

 

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 26.32
Weight: 160.50
Comments(3)
Total Distance
14.50

Radar Road; 9:09 pace.  No lingering soreness from yesterday's Marathon.  Just the same nagging soreness in that right groin muscle that I pulled in May's Muddy Ultra.  Going for a massage this afternoon.

Oh, and they fixed my official Marathon results.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 14.50
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road; 8:59 pace.  Nice, cooler morning for running at 10C/50F.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 8:58 pace.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 8.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
15.25

3 laps on the Capreol Ski Trails.  10:56 average pace, inclusive of the 2 stops at the end of laps one and two to refill my bottles.

It started to rain as I drove out there, and came down steady for the first 7 miles.  Enough that there were significant puddles to run through.  I was soaked to the skin by the end of the first mile.

The mosquitoes were, surprisingly, absent.  Not the dear flies.  They were nasty.  Then, when the rain stopped, the mosquitoes decided to join in.  What a party!

This was my second run in the Salomons.  They are working well.

Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 15.25
Weight: 159.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
14.00

Radar  Road; 8:50 pace.  Just 20C/69F, but with 95% humidity, it felt hot and wet.

Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 14.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Road; 8:41 pace.  Just 17C/62F, but 100% humidity.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Route; 8:51 pace.  Cooled down quite a bit - nice for running at just 10C/50F.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
263.07
Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 70.32Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 83.75Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 36.00Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 36.25Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 30.75
Weight: 160.87
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