Going Long (again) in 2024

Disney Half Marathon (Dopey Challenge)

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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
Race: Disney Half Marathon (Dopey Challenge) (13.1 Miles) 01:46:45, Place overall: 629, Place in age division: 29
Total Distance
13.20

A bit warmer this morning at around 12C/54F.  Actually broke a good sweat.  What a LOT of walking to get to the start line!

Placed:

629 of 18,415 Overall

511 of 7,801 Men

29 of 908 Age Division

Again, I really didn't know what pace to run.  It turns out my first mile kinda set the tone.  That was an 8:22, and the first 8 miles all ended up being in that range.

I had to make a quick pit stop at that point, and I guess in my mind I tried to make up the 40 seconds I lost, cause I started running in the 7:30 range.  So, I finished with an average pace of 8:09 officially (8:05 on my watch).

Never felt I was really pushing it, but I know I'm going to feel it in my legs tomorrow.  And I still don't know what pace I'm going to run the marathon.  I guess I'll just play that by ear.  I'm toying with pushing for a 3:45, but I'd likely be quite happy with a 4:00, especially if I stop for a beer along the way.

Again, nice fireworks as each wave began - larger ones than the previous 2 mornings.  

Basically ran up to Magic Kingdom and through it, including through the Castle (which others have noted, is cool).  Then back to Epcot.  So, a lot of the route is along the highway.  Tomorrow's Marathon will follow the first 8 miles exactly, and then go into a few of the other parks.

I'm enjoying this whole experience.  Disney does put on a good show.  The support along the route is very good, and the music blaring along the way is inspirational - especially the 2 bands and the choir singing today.

It's easy to see the effect on pacing.  At some point around mile 9, they were belting out "Let it Go" from Frozen.  The woman in front of me, who I was following for a quarter mile or so, suddenly began waving her arms and doing all the moves to go with the song.  She really got into it, and took off like a jack rabbit as she was doing it.  I didn't try to keep up.  But as soon as the song was out of earshot, she faded and had to start walking.  Burned her.

My official splits were:

5K  26:06  (8:25)

10K 52:24  (8:28)

15K 1:18:05 (8:16)

21.1K   1:46:45  (7:34)

Met a family from Canada at the pool this afternoon who are running Dopey as well.

 

 

Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 13.20
Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Tom K on Sat, Jan 12, 2019 at 17:37:49 from 47.201.49.69

Man, you are killing it! And now you have the easiest race to go! The woman that got psyched up with the Frozen music, I had a similar experience when I ran there. Mine was with the Country Bear Jamboree! You are really doing great, and I wish I was there to see it. Keep it going man.

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