Going Long (again) in 2024

Miner's Mayhem

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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
41.00
Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 16.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 8.00Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 7.00Skechers GoRun4 Miles: 4.00
Weight: 160.30
Total Distance
12.00

Took yesterday off - legs feeling a bit tired.  

Back to the trails today; 12 miles run in 2:02:30.  Embarrasingly slow, but with the sharp inclines and declines on this trail, it was a heart pumping pace the whole way.

Took a new side trail at one point, just to see.  It ran along the Vermillion River until it ended at an old bridge, long since removed.  It was at a narrows in the river where it also drops a fair bit, so a scenic place to pause for a few minutes - especially nice since it was open and there was a bit of a breeze - so the biting insects were kept to a minimum (unlike most of the morning in the woods, where they did a pretty good job of keeping me moving).

Now my legs are feeling a bit tired again.

Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Tempo paced run; 7:40/mile.

Amazing how that pace feels easier on the roads than a 10:00/mile pace feels on the trails!

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy run; 8:40 pace.  Just beat the storm that is coming in fast.

Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Back to the track today.  I mile repeats (x3) at 10k pace with half mile recoveries.

Pretty much nailed the splits:  6:44  6:45  and  6:46.

It's not hot - just 15C/59F - but at 98% humidity, I was pretty wet from the start.

Tomorrow, I'm in the "Miner's Mayhem" - a local mud run/obstacle course at the Sudbury ski hill.  17 obstacles, and lots of ups and downs on the hill.  I'm not going to attack it hard - mostly just going to enjoy the day with a few people that I know.  And try not to get hurt.

Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 159.50
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Race: Miner's Mayhem (4 Miles) 00:37:08, Place overall: 15, Place in age division: 13
Total Distance
8.00

I ran this crazy race 3 years ago, and decided to do it again this year, just for fun.  Obviously not taking it too seriously, as I ran 1 mile intervals at the track just yesterday.

So, I actually cut off 5 1/2 minutes from my time 3 years ago, which really surprised me.  I didn't think I ran it that hard.  I guess my ultra training on trails is paying off?

There were 85 men in the race, and 232 runners, so I placed in the top 15% of the men, and the top 6.5% overall.

Sudbury is a mining city, and so the race theme works well.  Started in a storage cubicle (mining cage), where they soaked you with water guns and water balloons.  There were 17 obstacles (or Mayhems) to mark the year 2017.  Over walls, under walls,  through water, balance beams, up the ski hill, down the ski hill, repeat.  And again.  About half way through, I was bleeding from somewhere on my hand.  When I finished, the knees were in pretty bad shape too.

Then, I changed into dry clothes and did it again!  This time with a team.  Parishioners who decided to run it after hearing me talk about it.  So, I was able to double up my mileage.  Slower the second time around, but still managed to twist my ankle on one obstacle and grind a few more layers of skin off my knees.

Anyway, a lot of fun.  I don't think I'll be running hard for a few days while I heal up.

Skechers GoRun4 Miles: 4.00Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 4.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
41.00
Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 16.00Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 8.00Saucony ISO Triumph 2 Miles: 6.00Saucony Kinvara 6 Miles: 7.00Skechers GoRun4 Miles: 4.00
Weight: 160.30
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