Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Oct 04, 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
32.00
Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 11.00Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 21.00
Weight: 155.00
Total Distance
6.00

6 easy miles; 8:56 pace.  Light rain and cool; wore my race day stuff one last time.  All is good.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 6.00
Weight: 154.00
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Total Distance
5.00

5 easy miles; 8:56 pace.  

This will be my last report until I get home from Chicago on October 16th.  I leave tomorrow - a 2 day drive.  Tomorrow is a rest day.  Wednesday (in Grayling), Thursday & Friday (in Chicago) are all 6 mile easy run days.  Saturday just 3 miles.

I'm joining the 3:25 pace group in the marathon.  If I just stick with them, I'll have a PR and another BQ (hopefully enough to make the cut off this time).  But I'm hoping I can pick up the pace in the final 3 miles or so and come in around 3:23.  That's my 'plan A' goal.

Full report when I get home.

Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 5.00
Weight: 156.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

Drove as far as Grayling, MI yesterday.  No really great place to run, so did 4 'laps' of a 1.5 mile route which took me down a dead end road in the pitch black, back to my hotel and around the parking lot.  Good enough to get my 8 miles in, which I ran at a 9:01 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Made it to Chicago last night.  I'm staying in a nice apartment in the West Garfield area which I'm renting through AirBnB.  It's inner city, but the place is nice and walking distance to the Green Line rail which will take me anywhere in the city.

Started off running in the dark and just around the corner found a highschool with a very modern track.  So, I decided to get my miles in there.  Ran them at an 8:55 pace.  Just as I finished my final lap, one of the teachers came out to let me know the track is only open outside of school hours.  So, good timing.  Found out the gate opens at 6am and school starts at 8am, so I'll be back tomorrow and Saturday for my final runs.

 

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Back to the track.  Ran my 6 miles at a 9:00/mile pace.  I'm heading to the expo today so that I can rest on Saturday.  They have issued a 'yellow alert' due to the expected higher temperatures on Sunday.  NOT what this cold weather Canadian runner needed to hear!

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
3.00

3 very easy miles at the track; pace was 8:50/mile.

Hit the expo yesterday.  HUGE event.  I'm bib #622 and in the B corral of wave one - so close to the front.

Tried to limit the time I was out.  Got my package and bought 2 new pairs of shoes and then left soon after.  Today, I plan on resting as much as I can.

Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 3.00
Weight: 0.00
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Total Distance
32.00
Brooks Ghost 6 Green Miles: 11.00Brooks Glycerin 12 Miles: 21.00
Weight: 155.00
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