Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Mar 24, 2019

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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
64.25
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 12.00Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 30.25Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 10.00Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 12.00
Weight: 156.00
Total Distance
12.00

First outside run in 9 weeks!  Hurray!

I saw a local runner on Saturday, when I was driving to my other Church for the funeral, and I made up my mind that I would run outside on Monday.

On Sunday, during the same drive, there was a blizzard.  White out conditions.  I changed my mind about the run.

But today, it was cold and clear.  So I went for it.  -12C/11F, so not the balmiest of runs, but it felt so nice to have the road beneath my feet.

The gatoraide in my handhelds froze by mile 6, but that's okay.

Ended up running an average 9:01 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 157.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Road; 8:58 pace.  Still on the chilly side:  -13C/9F.  Not much wind though, which helps.

Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 156.50
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Total Distance
10.00

Back to the treadmill for my weekly speedwork.

7 x 800 @ 6:58/mile pace, with 400 recoveries.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 156.00
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Total Distance
12.00

Treadmill; 9:36 pace.

Too dark at the early hour to run outside.  Besides, aiming for 24 road miles tomorrow.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 12.00
Weight: 156.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
24.25

Sad news:  my ancient Garmin Forerunner 305 died on me.  I'll be looking for a museum to donate it to.  It just would not stay powered on.  I had put a new battery in this winter, but this is more than a battery problem.  Ah well - time for a new GPS watch.

So, I ran with my Timex stop watch instead, since I basically know where the mile splits are on Radar Road.  Of course, going out 12 miles, I wasn't sure exactly about the turn around, so I ended up running a quarter mile further than planned.  No harm done.

Ended up running an average pace of 9:46/mile.  I intentionally started out slowly, hoping to finish a bit stronger.  However, my legs were pretty heavy toward the end.  It will take a few weeks to adjust to running outside.  Slightly different muscles are involved, I suppose.

It was supposed to snow, but didn't.  I nailed the clothing side of things, and was comfortable throughout.  Starting temperature of -5C/23F, and going all the way up to -1C/30F by the time I finished almost 4 hours later.

I'm actually hoping for more snow before the season for it ends.  We are SO CLOSE to breaking the all time snow record.  It would be shame, after surviving this winter, to NOT have a record to show for it.  I think just a few more inches will do it.

Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 24.25
Weight: 154.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
64.25
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 12.00Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 30.25Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 10.00Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 12.00
Weight: 156.00
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