| 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 (26 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 (8 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
May 25, 2024 9:21:26
Limberlost 35 Mile Trail July 6, 2024 8:12:57
Haliburton Forest 100 mile Trail September 7-8, 2019 26:46:27
September 7-8, 2024 DNF after 65 miles/16 hours
Pacing my sister in her 1st Half Marathon. Short-Term Running Goals: I really want to take on the Haliburton 100 again, after it kicked my butt in 2024, but I'm going to wait until 2026 to take it on again, when I'm 60 years old.
For 2025, I want to try running a Backyard Ultra, just to see how far I can run.
So, a couple of fun runs: 30K Around the Bay in March, and Pick Your Poison 50K in April, followed by Coach D's Backyard in May. That one only runs for 24 hours, so I'm using it to see how I handle the format, in view of running my goal race for 2025: The Bush Bitches Backyard, here in my hometown of Sudbury, in October. Let the training begin! 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 31 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 14 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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| Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00 | Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 24.00 | Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 20.00 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Tempo run on the treadmill. 5 miles at a 7:14 pace. No issues re: my hamstring. I had a massage on Monday, and my therapist tells me it's the 1st time in quite a while that both hamstrings felt the way they should.
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| Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00 |
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| | 6 easy treadmill miles; 8:27 pace. Fresh snow last night. Will it ever end?
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | 6 miles outside at an 8:11 pace. SO nice to be able to get out. Being that it's Good Friday, there was very little traffic. Clear and sunny, with little wind, and a balmy 1C/33F.
I'm hoping things keeping warming up so I can continue outside. I am aiming for my long run outside tomorrow.
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| Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 6.00 |
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| | 14 miles outside at an 8:00/mile pace, for a running time of just under 1:52:00. It felt great to finally do a long run outside, rather than on the treadmill.
Beautiful morning - eclipse of the full moon while it was setting, and clear skies as the sun was rising.
Cold though; it was only -10C/14F. So my sports drink turned to slush. Oh well - still great to be outside. Hopefully, I can now leave the treadmill behind for good.
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| Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 14.00 |
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| | 6 easy miles; 8:14 pace for a run time of 49:25. Felt some of that right hamstring pain return - will have to baby it and work on my hips today.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Hamstrings again - sigh.
6 miles outside. Right hammy a little tight at the start, but I went slow and it loosened up. Just before mile 4.5, however, I stepped into a little dip on some unlevel ground, and I felt it give and there was instant pain. I limped the final 1.5. I'm not impressed.
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | No way I can run. I was limping all day yesterday. Not quite as bad today, but I'll need to take a few days off from running to let the hamstrings heal.
So, one hour on the spin bike. One minute hard and 4 minutes easy x12.
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| | Same as yesterday on the spin bike. 1 hard/4 easy x12. Still got a ways to go with the hamstrings.
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| | Same as the last 2 days: 60 minutes on the spin bike. 1 hard and 4 easy times 12.
The hamstring is feeling better today; I'm tempted to try a run tomorrow, but will wait and see how I feel then.
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| | Okay, I'm not impressed. Decided to try a very slow run. Not nice. I had to stop a few times to stretch out the hamstrings. Was going to do the 4 mile loop, but at 1.5 the pain was unbearable, and I decided to double back for 3 miles. However, at just past the 2 mile mark, I had to stop running and walked the rest of the way home. So, more time off, I'm afraid.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 2.00 |
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| | Not impressed. Every day this week, I stuck to the spin bike for 1 hour. Today, I tried to run on my treadmill. After 1 mile, I had to stop. Walked for 3 more miles without a problem, so there is something about the running that is hurting my hamstring.
Sucks.
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 1.00 |
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| | Decided to try something new - run/walk on the treadmill. So, went for one hour ... a quarter mile walk at a fast pace, and then a quarter mile run at a slow pace (10 minutes/mile). Total of 8 sets for 2 miles.
Managed to keep the pain to a dull ache, and it was nice to run even at this slow pace.
I am going to see a physiotherapist today to see if he can help speed up the healing process.
Boston Marathon day! Exciting to think I'll be there next year.
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 2.00 |
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| | Same as yesterday - 1/4 mile walk at 15 min/mile pace and 1/4 run at 10 min/mile pace for one hour.
My physiotherapist told me the hamstring is torn, but wanted me to get an ultrasound to be sure. I saw my doctor and she gave me the requisition, so I'll get the ultrasound on Wednesday, and will be seeing my physiotherapist 3x/week.
He gave me the green light to exercise as long as I had no pain. Discomfort is okay. So, at least now I have a baseline of what I can do - 1/4 slow jogs. I'll try to increase that distance and speed over the next few weeks. And I'll stick to the treadmill - like Tom says - there are no potholes on my treadmill! :)
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 2.00 |
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| | Decided to stay off the treadmill today, and so one hour on the spin bike instead. My ultra sound is tomorrow. Physio later today.
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| | Picked it up a bit - 1/2 mile run and 1/4 walk (x6). Increased my running speed to a 9:30/mile. Wasn't too bad for the 1st 2 miles - just tight. But at the 2.75 mile mark, there was a sharp pang of pain in the hamstring, so I stopped.
Ultrasound today, so I'll find out the extent of the damage.
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 3.00 |
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| | 1 hour on the spin bike. Physio this afternoon.
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| | 1 hour on the spin bike. Tried a run/walk on the treadmill first, but I couldn't even run at a very slow pace without pain, so gave up on that idea. I'll wait until I find out what the results of my ultrasound are and then plan my next moves re: training.
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| | Okay, a few things have happened.
First, my hamstring is not torn. I got the ultrasound results on Monday. My physiotherapist is a bit mystified, as he tells me I have a big lump in there and very little strength on that side, but the results show no tear and no bleeding. So, we're going with the strain theory. After 3 weeks, it should be getting better, although 6 weeks is really what it needs.
Next, I got into Chicago yesterday! I'm pumped about that - have always wanted to run in a larger event. So, now I have extra motivating to heal.
Finally, I rode my spin bike for one hour on Monday and Tuesday. Today I did it for a half hour, and then hit the treadmill for a half hour. I walked a lap, then ran a lap, for a total run of one mile (slow!). No pain, but for sure a nagging tension still. But I'm glad I can run that little bit slowly. It's a sign of hope.
Oh, and I got my motorcycle on the road yesterday too!
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 1.00 |
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| | Decided to push a bit more on the treadmill today. One hour total. Ran VERY slowly (10 minutes/mile) for a half mile, and then a fast walk for a quarter mile, for a total distance run of 3 miles.
No real pain, but general tightness and soreness. Still, 3 miles is the most I've run in 3 weeks, so there is progress. Physiotherapy again this afternoon.
Also booked a place to stay in Chicago for the marathon!
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 3.00 |
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| Mizuno Wave Sayonara Miles: 7.00 | Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 24.00 | Hoka - Rapa Tarmac Miles: 20.00 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 8.00 |
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