Going Long (again) in 2024

November 2020

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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: 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
Total Distance
176.00
Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 86.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 48.00Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 42.00
Weight: 160.40
Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road.  On the cold side:  -8C/17F  with a wind chill of -14C/7F.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Icy, all the way.  Had to really be careful not to slip.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Still very icy, but we are coming into a warming trend.  Should be in the mid teens Celcius; mid 50s Fahrenheit for the next week at least.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Gorgeous to see the rising sun piercing the morning fog.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Thick fog this morning - this time with no sun piercing through it.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road in the morning fog.  Road kill at mile 3.5 ... a moose.  Stopped to take a closer look on the way back.  A good sized calf.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 10.00
Weight: 159.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  A bit on the fast side, at 8:12/mile.  

Still unseasonably warm.  Even at sunrise, it was 12C/53F.  I think that was what it was at the start line in Fort Lauderdale in January.

On Saturday, I put winter tires on my truck.  The coming cold and snow is inevitable.  I had planned on putting my motorcycle to bed for the winter also, but then changed my mind.  Went for a ride instead.  Both on Saturday and Sunday.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Still running in shorts and tee as the warm weather continues.

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

Goodwill Drive.  Still in shorts and tee, but things are starting to cool down a bit.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Marathon Pace on Goodwill Drive - 7:41/mile.  Not intentional, but after my first mile ended up being that speed, I just kept it up.

The heat wave is over; back to running tights and long sleeves, gloves and hat.  Still, sunny and windless, with a temperature of -1C/30F.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive in the rain, which turned to sleet.  1C/34F.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
12.00

Radar Road.  A bit of a quicker pace at 8:13/mile.  I should have worn my sunglasses; the sun was really bright this morning.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 12.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Strong wind.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Marathon Pace today at 7:53.  Not intentional; it was just way too cold to run slower.  -10C/15F with a windchill of -19C/-2F.  The wind was blowing from the Northwest at 25mph.  My face hurt.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Still very cold, but I dressed more appropriately for it today, and so it didn't hurt much.

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

Goodwill Drive.  It warmed up quite a bit; ran in shorts today.  Would be nice to see more of that.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Heavy fog and temperature right around the freezing mark.  Which, I suppose, is why Environment Canada classified it as a "freezing fog".  

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

Goodwill Drive.  I stayed up later than usual last night and this morning I felt it.  Heavy legs.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
12.00

Radar Road.  It snowed last night and it was melting this morning, so the roads are a slushy mess.  Saw a gorgeous red fox.  Their fur is stunning this time of the year.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 12.00
Weight: 162.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive in a gently falling snow.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive in the snow.  About 2 inches came down overnight, so it was sloppy.  Pretty, but sloppy.  And slippery.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  It warmed up, so the snow is slush.  Shoes, socks, feet ... soaked.

EDIT:  Almost forgot!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my American friends.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
12.00

Radar Road.  Switched my longer run to today, because I have a funeral tomorrow.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 12.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  Even 8:44 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive.  I guess I was zoning out too much, as I tripped over the uneven surface around mile one and fell.  Nobody saw it, which is my definition of a 'good fall'.

Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
176.00
Triumph ISO 5 - Blue Miles: 86.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 48.00Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 42.00
Weight: 160.40
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