Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Aug 30, 2015

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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
62.00
Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 23.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 11.00Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 12.00Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 16.00
Weight: 157.67
Total Distance
8.00

8 easy miles; 9:01/mile pace.

Beautiful morning:  17C/63F.  That is the forecast low for every day this week, so great for running.

Had a close encounter with a black bear today on mile 7 of my run.  There are a LOT of bears in town this year because of the blueberry failure.  They are hungry.  I've not seen one this year, but sure have seen lots of scat on the trails.

Anyway, the one mile trail section I run nearly every day goes behind a row of houses on one side, and bush on the other.  I guess I startled this bear as I passed it as it was rooting through someone's garbage can.  It made a very loud racket with cans crashing which was loud enough to stop me to look back.  The bear ran out of the yard and onto the trail, just 90 feet behind me.  Not the biggest I've seen, but sure not a cub either.

Anyway, we both turned and ran in opposite directions, which was great news because not even Usain Bolt could outrun a black bear!

Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 8.00
Weight: 158.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
11.00

3 x 2 miles "strength pace" (about 10 seconds or so faster than race pace), with 800 recoveries.

My mile splits were:

7:34  7:31               7:31  7:26               and             7:31  7:27.

This felt easy enough, and I had to really watch that I kept the pace from picking up - forced myself to slow down a few times.  

And no bears today!

 

Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 11.00
Weight: 156.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
12.00

Tempo (race pace) run this morning.  Finished with an average pace of 7:40/mile; a bit faster than I wanted, but I'll take it.

Incredibly humid.  99% with a heavy fog.  Just 19C/65F, but that humidity made this cold weather runner have to push it a bit.  I was drenched by the end.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 12.00
Weight: 158.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
7.00

7 easy miles; 8:52/mile pace.

Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 7.00
Weight: 159.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

8 easy miles; 9:00/mile pace.

Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 8.00
Weight: 157.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
16.00

16 mile long run today.  Aimed for an average pace of 8:25/mile.  Pretty much nailed it at 8:24/mile for the 1st 13 miles, then pushed it for the final three miles and ran those at:

7:09  6:55  and  6:50.

Went with just water, GU and chews today, to imitate what I plan on doing during the Chicago Marathon.  All systems seem to be a go.  I've never gone this deep into a training program without any injuries or aches and pains that required ibuprofin.

13 weeks down; five to go.

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 16.00
Weight: 157.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
62.00
Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 23.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 11.00Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 12.00Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 16.00
Weight: 157.67
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