| 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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| Asics Metaspeed Sky Miles: 13.10 | Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 83.00 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 29.00 | Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 28.50 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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Mississauga Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:35:27, Place overall: 106, Place in age division: 4 | | 106/1850 Overall (Top 6%)
86/855 Men (Top 10%)
4/63 Age Group Division (Top 6%)
Arrived home last night. This was a Sunday morning race. The wind was steady and, at times, strong off Lake Ontario, but there were enough course direction changes that it was as favourable as it was not. The temperature was bang on perfect at around 7C/44F. I'm really happy with the results of this race, given that I didn't do much Half Marathon specific training. My time is only a bit more than 2 minutes off my PR.
I really didn't know how I was going to do, and so positioned myself with the 1:45 pace group at the start line. That was a mistake, it turns out. With 3700 runners (Half and Full started together), it was very congested for the first mile or so, and there were three turns on the course in the first quarter mile where it was impossible to run the tangents. I did more dodging and darting around people than is good to do at the start of a race.
The course itself is mostly flat to downhill. Just one uphill, on mile 7, of any real significance. The last couple of miles are right along the lakeshore on paved walking paths. The wind there was fierce, but mostly from the side.
I ended up running negative splits; never really went through a bad patch and finished strong at the end. Other than the first two miles (7:34 and 7:27) and the hill mile 7 (7:41), my mile splits were all in the range of 7:05 - 7:19. I have no regrets about how I raced this event and was quite happy with my performance.
Two compliments cheered me in the finish chute: one man who looked to be my age or a bit older who thanked me for pacing him - he got a PR by following me (I didn't have a clue), and a younger guy who said he followed me the whole race and tried to beat me at the end, but couldn't.
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| Asics Metaspeed Sky Miles: 13.10 |
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| | Comments(1) |
| | Recovery run on Goodwill Drive; 9:00/mile pace. Legs a little heavy, but felt good overall and no soreness anywhere.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 4.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:47 pace. Stiff North wind. Should have worn gloves and a jacket.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:10 pace. Beautiful morning ... sunny and no wind.
Today was a real slog; heavy legs. Still recovering from the race, I suppose.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Add Comment |
| | Goodwill Drive; 9:05 pace.
Finally got my legs back; the heaviness is gone.
New dog on the loose. I had to use my pepper spray. Sorry Bruce - your owner is the one who is at fault. Both of you should be tied up.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:53 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:15 pace. Gorgeous day, and it looks to be a gorgeous week ahead.
A mink ran out on the road in front of me, maybe 30 feet away. It saw me, paused, and then ran back into the woods. They remind me SO much of the pet ferrets I used to have.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Add Comment |
| | 8:53 pace on a beautiful morning.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:58 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:10 pace.
The last few days have seen the leaves burst out on the trees, the insects start to come alive, and the heat begin to increase. Up to 20C/68F first thing this morning, and going to 30C/86F tomorrow. My body will need time to adjust to the heat.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 4.50 |
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| | Add Comment |
| | Goodwill Drive; 8:57 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:51 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Add Comment |
| | Goodwill Drive; 8:53 pace. Stiff North wind.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:49 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive in a light, but steady rain; 8:54 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Tempo run on Goodwill Drive; 7:49 average pace
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:50 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:57 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:59 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:50 pace.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive in a light rain; 9:04 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:56 pace.
It was just 14C/57F, but the humidity was 100% and it felt heavy.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:58 pace. Gorgeous day!
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:57 pace.
Switching my off day to Tuesdays. Marathon training program begins in one week.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:55 pace.
Perfect running weather, even with the 100% humidity. 15C/58F, with just a slight wind.
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| Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 8.00 |
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| Asics Metaspeed Sky Miles: 13.10 | Saucony Triumph 17 Miles: 83.00 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 29.00 | Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 28.50 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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