| 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
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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Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 20.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 | Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00 |
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| | Today, my program called for a race of either 10 miles or a Half Marathon at a moderate effort. I chose the half, and was aiming for about an 8 minute/mile pace. There are no races around here, so I had to just pretend.
I ran the Lake Ramsey loop. That is the same route used by the Master's Race every year ... actually, just a few weeks from now. I ran that by accident when I was a teenager - with zero training. A friend called me up to run the 10k. We were going to bandit it (shame!). We got into the wrong race. My friend dropped out. I was too stubborn to stop. Not a good feeling at the end. Still, my 1st unofficial Half.
Anyway, it went better today. It started off misting, then pouring, then back to misting. I was soaked through by mile 4. However, it was only 15C/60F, so good that way.
This route is part trail, part road way. Some of the roads are wicked with short, steep hills. Anyway, I ended up running 13.1 miles in 1:41:39, which is a pace of 7:46. I ran the first half in 8:00, so I sure picked it up for the second half, running it in 7:30. Of course, the 1st half is mostly trail, and the back half is mostly roads.
Elevation gain of 578 feet.
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Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 13.00 |
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| | Moderately fast run; 7:23 pace up the highway to Garson and back.
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Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| | 7 easy miles on the train route. 8:21/mile. No trains today.
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Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 7.00 |
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| Race: |
Toronto 5K (3.107 Miles) 00:20:38, Place overall: 11, Place in age division: 1 | | Okay, first off, my left hip is screaming at me. It started during my Thursday run, and was pretty bad by the end. So, I took Friday off to see if that might help. After today's race, it's REALLY screaming at me, so I may take next week off ... we'll see.
I was actually defending my title today. I ran this race last year, just because it was on a Saturday morning in Toronto, and so I didn't have to take a weekend off to race. Same as last year - I drove the 4 hours to Toronto on Friday and took in a Blue Jays game. Last year, they got clobbered by Boston 13-3. This year, they lost to Detroit, but it was 5-4, so more respectable. Last year, I won the Master's division. That gave me a $300 gift card to The Running Room, and free entry to this year's race. I didn't have high hopes of defending my title, because of my hip and because I really haven't done a lot of speed work.
Anyway, looking up my blog, I see that last year I had 4 beer the night before. This year, just 1. And last year, it was very humid. This year, cool and dry. Just 9C/48F, so great for running.
Had a hard time getting to the start line, as various highways were closed for construction, and then sections of the subway. So, it took a few detours and a shuttle bus to get there.
I met Alex at the start line. He's also 51, and told me that I passed him in the final 300 meters last year to take the victory. I didn't remember that, but he sure did!
So, the first third is steep downhill. The second third is basically flat. The final third is steep uphill. I remembered that!
I ran the first mile in 6:11(6:13 last year), the second mile in 6:41 (6:52 last year) and the third mile in 6:56 (7:04), with the final kick done at a pace of 5:34 (5:54). All according to my GPS. So, I ended up running 17 seconds faster this year (officially), and first again in the Master's Division. That's another $300 award, plus the free entry again to next year's event.
As to Alex, he passed me pretty early on. I didn't care much, as I was just going to run my own race. But I caught sight of him at the half way mark, and began to close the gap. I passed him at the bottom of the final hill and made a big push up, which was enough to beat him by 36 seconds. It's cool, because I've never really had anyone to compete with in a friendly way. We chatted for a long time after the race, and he left with "see you next year!"
11/332 overall
1/20 age division and 1st in Master's Division.
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Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00 |
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Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 20.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 | Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00 |
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