| 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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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 84.50 | Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 94.00 | Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 36.00 | Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 37.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 9:08 pace. Sunshine and -10C/14F.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 12.00 |
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| | Goodwill Road; 9:10 pace. Snow and gusty winds. -1C/31F.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Back to the treadmill; 8:56 pace.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | I didn't get to start as early as I needed, so I ran 14 miles. Then 3 hours of parish activities. Then the final 4 miles over lunch.
All on the treadmill; 9:50 pace.
I am hoping to take it outside tomorrow for my 22 miler.
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| Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 18.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 3:32:20 ... 9:26 pace.
Just around the freezing mark and very little wind, so good running conditions.
My new Garmin Forerunner 35 arrived yesterday, so I used it today. Nice little watch. A LOT lighter and smaller than my old one.
When I finished the run, a screen came up saying I had set 5 records for myself: Fastest mile, Fastest 5k, Fastest 10k, Fastest Half Marathon and Longest Run.
Ah yes, the advantages of a new watch, where everything is being done for the first time.
EDIT: I can't believe I didn't mention this - we broke the record for the all time most snow in Sudbury this winter. Just under 13 feet of snow. Officially (so far, because I'm sure it's not over) we got 152.79 inches of snow this winter. The old record from just 3 years ago was 149.17 inches. HURRAY!!! It would have been terrible to go through a winter like this one and NOT get a record out of it.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 22.50 |
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| | Back outside, this time in the rain, sleet and then snow.
8:32 pace. I guess I turned it up for the second half, cause at that point I was averaging a 9:01 pace.
Miles 5 and 6 hurt my face, because the hard, cold rain turned to sleet at that point and really stung. At that point, I turned around (Radar Road Route) and had the worst of it at my back. Then it turned back into rain. Then snow.
It was hovering around 1C/33F throughout.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 12.00 |
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| | Big, wet, slushy flakes of snow. It took me 2 miles yesterday to get soaked through. Today, it was almost instant. Ah well - Spring. At least my face wasn't being pelted with sleet.
Goodwill Route; 8:45 pace.
Saw a HUGE Pileated Woodpecker sitting in a tree just off the road. Gorgeous.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Some speed intervals on the treadmill.
8 x 800 @ 6:58 with 400 recoveries.
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| Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 10.00 |
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| | 10 wet, windy miles on Radar Road.
I really wanted to run outside, so as to extend my outside runs from 3/week to 4/week. But the weather!
Still, it was a good day for it, as my normal morning Mass is pushed back to later this morning at a nursing home. So, I braved the cold wind and rain.
Stayed right at 0C/32F with gusty winds. 8:35 pace.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:59 pace. The rain/sleet/snow held off. Temperature hovered around 1C/35F. Gusty winds were the only real challenge.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 16.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:54 pace.
Strong head wind heading out, but it was at my back on the way home. -1C/30F. Feeling good at this weight.
Watching the Boston Marathon unfold.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 12.00 |
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| | Goodwill Road; 8:37 pace.
-4C/26F, but zero wind and clear skies made it feel warmer.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:55 pace. No wind, and hovering right around the freezing mark - gorgeous morning.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Just an easy shakeout run today on Goodwill Road; 9:03 pace.
I'll take my rest day tomorrow, and am looking at a 31 miler on Saturday.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 4.00 |
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| | Long run; 10:08 pace average. Just over 5 hours of running.
I did the Valley East Loop, going out on Radar Road and returning on MR 80 and Lasalle.
Gorgeous morning. It was 0C/32F when I started and 8C/47F when I finished, with sunshine all the way. I ditched the gloves at mile 11, the hat at mile 14 and the jacket at mile 23. Nice to finally get some sun on my face.
My only mistake was forgetting to take immodium before I left. I remembered at mile 2, but didn't want to double back for it. I had really wanted to test that out on a longer run. Now I'll have to do it in a couple of weeks when I go 20. Ah well.
At mile 16, there was a service station/convenience store in Val Caron. I debated about using the wash room, and ulitmately did when I saw the name of the place: "On The Run". I figured it was made for me. The next "pit stop" was 7 miles later at a Tim Horton's.
I was really proud of myself for starting off reasonably slow. I was averaging around a 9:20 pace for the first 13 miles. But then I hit the hills. I had already decided to walk them. Total elevation gain was almost 900 feet, and that was clustered in some very steep hills. After the first set, I noticed my pace really slowed and never really recovered.
Since I can't run trails yet (still covered in snow) I was glad to at least mimic the hills of the trail run. The 50 Mile Trail Ultra is just 5 weeks away.
Now I have a few hours to recover before our Easter Vigil begins at sunset tonight.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 31.00 |
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| | Comments(4) |
| | Goodwill Road; 8:59 pace. No lingering soreness, or any other issues, after Saturday's 31 miler. Feeling good.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 6.00 |
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| | A little Wednesday speedwork - the first time outside since last Fall.
One mile intervals at miles 3 (7:03 pace), 5 (7:08 pace) and 8 (6:44 pace).
First two were into a stiff wind, and the last was wind aided, so they are actually closer paced than it looks.
Average pace overall was 8:22.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:35 pace. Faster second half.
Nice morning. First run without a jacket or touque. Could easily have ditched the gloves too, and worn shorts. 5C/41F.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 14.00 |
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| | Same Radar Road Route as yesterday; 8:20 pace.
Colder today, at just -3C/26F and a vicious Northwest wind blowing at 17mph and gusting to 34mph. So, miles 5-7 were a struggle, but miles 8-10 were amazing.
I had to stay mainly on the gravel shoulder, as the pavement had a very thin and very slippery layer of ice on it.
4 weeks to Sulpher Springs.
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 14.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:57 pace. Just a nice morning. No wind, and sitting right at 1C/34F.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 14.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:53 pace. Another gorgeous morning, with very little wind, clear skies and sitting at 0C/32F.
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| Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 8.00 |
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| Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 84.50 | Saucony ISO Triumph 3 Miles: 94.00 | Triumph ISO 3 Treadmill Miles: 36.00 | Brooks Glycerin 13 Treadmill Miles: 37.00 |
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