Going Long (again) in 2024

Week starting Oct 15, 2017

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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
21.00
Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 17.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 4.00
Weight: 160.75
Total Distance
6.00

Pushed it to 6 miles on the train route; 8:29 pace.  All in all, felt fine.  A little heavy in the legs at the end.

Getting cooler now - had to wear thin gloves.  -2C/28F.  But sunny.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
5.00

Easy run on the train route; 8:13 pace.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
6.00

Easy run on the train route.  8:16 pace.  It would have been faster, but I had a mishap.

I went earlier than usual, so it was very dark.  I didn't bring a light.  Mile 2.5 (at the tracks) to mile 3 (turn around) is absolutely black.  At the end of that mile, I was distracted by looking at the stars, and I didn't remember the slight turn in the road.  I ran off the road, and into the middle of a swamp.  I think knee deep, but I face planted into it, so was completely soaked through from the waist down, and pretty much everywhere else too.

It took a few seconds for me to find the way out - I wasn't sure where the road was.  For the next 2.5 miles, I was cold, squishy, and picking strands of cattails from my body.

Temperature of 4C/39F made it a tad chilly.  Fortunately, the only thing hurt was my pride.

Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
4.00

Easy run towards the train route, cut short.  I hadn't planned on going past the point where I swam yesterday anyway, but today, at about mile 2, a fox ran out from someone's front yard and started to run beside me.  Literally, right at my heels.

I stopped - it stopped.  I ran - it ran.  It was dark and I wasn't sure what it would do, so I turned around to run home.  It followed right behind me for a quarter mile, until I came to a set of lights.

I'm sure it has been fed by the people in that neighbourhood and was just looking for a hand out.  Still - you never know.

8:15 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 4.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
21.00
Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 17.00Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 4.00
Weight: 160.75
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