Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Oct 12, 2014

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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
56.00
Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 16.00Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 11.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 13.00Brooks Glycerin Miles: 16.00
Weight: 159.50
Total Distance
6.00

6 very easy miles at a 9:22 pace - intentionally slow after yesterday's long run.

One new sore spot -  my left calf muscle (soleus?) felt either tight or sore half way through the run and got progressively worse.  Just enough to be annoying - and of course there is a concern that it is the prelude to an injury.

So, icing it now and I'll stretch it throughout the day.  If necessary, I'll cancel my strength paced workout tomorrow if it's not better.

 

Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
11.00

Nice day for running:  3C/37F, no wind, and mostly clear.  It's Thanksgiving Monday in Canada, so I decided to linger a bit in the morning and run in daylight for a nice change.  No traffic at all, which was nice.  And several other runners out too, which I rarely see in the early morning.

Today's strength workout was to be 4 repeats of 1.5 miles each with 800m recovery jogs.  Pace is supposed to be 10 seconds faster than race pace, so around 7:35/mile.

My actual splits were run at:  7:25  7:21  7:27  and  7:22.  So, as previous runs have been - TOO FAST!  I really need to reign that in.

Now, that left calf.  I stretched it all I could yesterday and again this morning.  After my second split, it was really tight, so I stopped and stretched it out again.  Then, after my 3rd split, the same thing.  However, it was fine after my final split, so that is good.  I hope that means I am doing the right thing, and that it just needs a lot of stretching.  My final pre-race massage is one week from today, so that should help too.  I'm doing a lot of self-massage in the meantime, with the foam roller and the stick.  Ouch.

So, I have tomorrow off and then a 10 mile race pace on Wednesday.

Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 11.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
13.00

A great tempo run in lousy conditions - just what I needed after last week's disaster of a tempo run.

It was dark and rainy - at times quite hard.  However, it was warm enough to run in shorts and tee, and with no gloves.

I figured I'd negative split this workout, starting around 8:00/mile and picking it up as I went.  I was nervous because I fell apart at mile 6 last week, and that sure was on my mind.  And because it was so dark, I really couldn't see my GPS except when I ran under a street light.   I also decided to do a double out and back on one section in order to avoid the 1 mile section of pot holes and blackness.  I'm glad I did.

The run went according to plan, and I felt strong throughout.  My splits were:

7:57  7:51  7:57  7:42  7:42  7:37  7:45  7:41  7:41  and  7:49 = 7:46 average.

So, I nailed it.  A great confidence booster this close to the marathon, with only one strength and one tempo run remaining.

Physically, my left calf was not sore at all during the run.  I spent a LOT of time on it yesterday.  I'll have to continue, as it's still way too tight and sore to the touch.  My right periformis hurt quite a bit at the start, but was reduced to a dull ache or a pinch by the half way point.  My right groin was not an issue until the last mile, and it REALLY screamed at me during my 1 mile cool down and then when I was finished.

It's actually about 5 hours now since I ran and nothing is sore - just a little stiff in places and a little achy.  Just easy runs now for the next 4 days.

Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 13.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Easy recovery at 9:22/mile.

Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.50
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Total Distance
10.00

10 easy miles on the treadmill.  Was all set to go out, but it was raining REALLY hard, and has been for 3 days.  Everything is saturated, there are huge puddles, and it was pitch black out.  I figured it was too unsafe to run outside today, so the treadmill.

Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
10.00

10 easy miles in lousy conditions.  Only 1C/34F, with a very strong North wind.  Started off with rain, and then in turned to snow.  Had to dodge a lot of puddles from all the rain we've had.

Anyway, ran a 9:12/mile pace.  Just 2 weeks until Marathon Day!

Brooks Glycerin Miles: 10.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
56.00
Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 16.00Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 11.00Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 13.00Brooks Glycerin Miles: 16.00
Weight: 159.50
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