Going Long (again) in 2024

Toronto 5K

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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
31.21
Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 20.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00
Weight: 158.38
Total Distance
13.10

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.

 

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 13.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Moderately fast run; 7:23 pace up the highway to Garson and back.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
7.00

7 easy miles on the train route.  8:21/mile.  No trains today.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 159.00
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Race: Toronto 5K (3.107 Miles) 00:20:38, Place overall: 11, Place in age division: 1
Total Distance
3.11

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.

 

 

 

Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00
Weight: 158.00
Comments(3)
Total Distance
31.21
Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 20.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Miles: 3.00
Weight: 158.38
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