Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting May 21, 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
43.00
Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 11.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 18.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 157.33
Total Distance
5.00

Easy run; 9:00 pace.  Light rain throughout, which actually felt kinda nice.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 155.50
Comments(2)
Total Distance
10.00

Picked up the pace a bit for the last few miles.  Averaged 8:25 for a run of 1:24:15.

Wore my new ultra vest for the first time, just to see how it felt. It's going to take some time to get used to running with it, I see.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Moderately fast run; 8:03 pace.  Felt like I could go on and on and on.  But I didn't.  

Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 156.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy miles; 8:39 pace.  Gentle rain falling, and lots of puddles to dodge.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 157.50
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Total Distance
7.00

Speedwork at the track - hadn't been there since early August last year, as I did all my winter speedwork on the treadmill.

The track is in decent shape.  The weeds haven't started growing up in it yet, and the highschool is using it for their spring events, so it's relatively smooth for a sand & stone track.

Anyway, I ran 6 repeats of 800s with a lap recovery in between.  Was aiming for something around 3:20/repeat; in between my 5k and 10k pace.  Ended up faster than that, but I guess it's okay, since I didn't fade.  Splits were:

3:20  3:18  3:15  3:13  3:13  and  3:11

Perfect running weather:  light rain, slight breeze, and just 12C/54F.

Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
8.00

Easy recovery run; 8:47 pace.

I see the city has put the portable toilets back near the soccer fields for the summer.  That's good.  They are exactly 2 miles from home on most of my routes.  With 4 miles to go, when you just have to go, there's no way to hold it for 4 miles.  2 miles - it's doable.

And hey - the first hint of humidity today!  I mean, it's only 14C/57F and 89% humidity - but it was noticeable in a nice kind of way.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 158.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
43.00
Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 11.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 18.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 157.33
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