Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Jan 01, 2017

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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
46.00
Zoom Vomero 10 Miles: 6.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 17.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 17.00
Weight: 155.17
Total Distance
6.00

Easy run with strides at miles 3, 4 and 5.  Average pace was 8:45.

All the new snow was finally cleared over night, and with the temperature around -12C/10F, the surface is pretty solid for running on.  

15 weeks to Boston - and a Happy New Year to everyone!

 

Zoom Vomero 10 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 155.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
10.00

My 1st 'long run' of this training cycle.  Just 10 miles, but the pace is a bit faster --- supposed to be 40 seconds slower than Marathon Pace, so around 8:25/mile.

I started off too fast, but was able to reset and at mile 6 was averaging 8:22/mile.

My program allows me to pick up the pace at the end to mimic running the last miles of the marathon on tired legs - so Marathon Pace or faster.  I ran miles 7, 8 and 9 at:

7:36  7:30  and 7:23.  So, average of 8:05 over the ten miles.

It felt easy, despite the challenging running surface.  It has warmed up to -5C/23F, making the shoulders mushy, but the tire ruts icy.  There were only a few sections where there was bare pavement.  But hey, if there is a freak snow storm in Boston in April, I'm good to go!

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 10.00
Weight: 155.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

Easy recovery run in conditions similar to yesterday, except the snow sections are more like running through mashed potatoes today.  9:03 pace.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 155.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

Speedwork on the treadmill, which works out fine, since there is a ton of new snow outside this morning.

6 x 800m with 400m recoveries for 3 miles fast, and the rest either recovery, warm up or warm down.

I ran the fast sections at a pace of 6:39, or 200 seconds/segment.

The foam I put under the treadmill helped - it moved a lot less today.

Oh, this morning I also ordered my Boston Marthon jacket!  I didn't want to risk not getting my size at the Expo on Sunday afternoon.  I'm having it shipped to Sault Ste. Marie, MI, and a friend will pick it up for me (they don't ship to Canada).  I'll figure out later how to get it here from there --- it's 200 miles away.

Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 156.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
9.00

Tempo run on the treadmill.  Was planned anyway, but an extra bonus, given that it's -25C/-12F outside.

6 miles at 7:39 pace.  Tempo (race) Pace is more like 7:45, but the extra little speed compensates a bit for the treadmill efficiency.  I alternated running 2 minutes downslope, 1 minute level, 2 minutes upslope and kept cycling through that pattern.

Oh, and the foam I put under the treadmill worked!  No more sliding off the blocks.

Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 9.00
Weight: 154.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
7.00

Easy run; 8:49 pace.

Nice to be outside, but COLD! -22C/-8F  With the windchill factor, it was -30C/-23F.  That makes it my second coldest run this season, the coldest being on December 15th.  

That's 4 weeks of training done; 14 to go!

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 7.00
Weight: 154.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
46.00
Zoom Vomero 10 Miles: 6.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 17.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 17.00
Weight: 155.17
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