| 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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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 52.00 | Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 71.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 28.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 22.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:09 pace. Just got faster mile by mile, leading up to a 7:12 final mile. And it didn't seem that hard. Sometimes you just have to go with it.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:37 pace. Just a misty rain.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill drive in a gentle, misty kind of rain. 8:42 pace.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:36 pace.
So, coming home on my bike last evening, I had to brake to avoid hitting a bear with her cub behind her. The don't look both ways before crossing.
Today, a guy stops me as he is going past in his truck so he can tell me he saw a bear a half mile up the road. Really guys? This is Northern Ontario. That's like stopping to tell me there are train tracks ahead, and a train just went by, so be careful.
Yellow tree pollen is everywhere.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:54 pace. Pretty much perfect running conditions. 15C/60F, sunny, light breeze and low humidity.
The other day I was working outside on something, and a partridge flew into the side window of a parked car. I had it cleaned, wrapped in tinfoil with butter, and cooked on the BBQ all within an hour. Nice when dinner is fresh.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:27 pace.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:00/mile pace. A very nice for running 12C/53F with low humidity.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill drive; 8:35 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:03 pace.
Just 17C/62F, but 100% humidity.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive in a heavy wind; 10:03 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:23 pace. Cold! Just 6C/43F with a stiff wind. The remnants of Christobal sideswiped us a few days ago, and it brought high winds and decidedly cooler temperatures.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Road; 8:20 pace.
Went with long sleeves and gloves this morning, as the temperature dipped to 4C/38F. But sunny and just a gentle breeze. And warmer temperatures are on the way.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:35 pace. Back to perfect running weather: 15C/60 and 55% humidity.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:22 pace. Once again, perfect weather conditions for running. Loving it.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 8:50 pace. I went a bit later than usual, so it was already 21C/70F when I finished.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 9.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:44 pace.
Awesome weather. Loving this stretch of hot and sunny.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:41 pace. Heavy legs today for some reason. Had to really push at the end.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 9:07 pace.
First day of summer.
Glorious weather continues: all week, hitting highs of 30C/86F, with the morning temperatures being just perfect for running.
And, after 15 weeks of total shut down, I'm back to celebrating Mass with my people, starting tonight. We are only allowed 30% of our Church capacity, and even less than that with the required spacing. However, it's a step forward.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:46 pace.
I had my 9 month dental hygenist appointment at 8 this morning, so ended up doing this as a Noon run in the heat. 24C/75F. Last day of our heat wave; it should cool down a bit starting tomorrow.
I had to wear a mask to get into the dentist building, had to have an escort from the door to the chair, and had to gargle with hyrdrogen pyroxide. I thought this would be a very interesting dental appointment, until she finally said "you can take your mask off now". Up until then, I couldn't help but wonder HOW???
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:39 pace. They started to grind the pavement today - what's left of it. Not sure if they will pave it or just leave it gravel. No more dodging potholes anyway.
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive - now mostly a gravel road; 8:40 pace. Light, steady rain and just 10C/50F and 100% humidity. A welcome reprieve from the dry and hot days of the past week.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 10:00 pace.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:43 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Road; 8:41 pace. We're heading back into a week or more of above average temperatures and gorgeous sunshine. Loving it!
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 8:40 average pace. Picked it up for the final 2 miles: 7:50 and 7:30. Getting hot.
Today was supposed to be my riding day to Alberta for the 100 mile Sinister 7. 850 miles to Sauk Center, MN was originally today's goal.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:56 pace.
They continue to work on the road; have been dumping, spreading and packing multiple layers of gravel. With the hot, dry weather, it sure kicks up a cloud of dust whenever a car or truck drives by.
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| Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00 |
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| Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 52.00 | Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 71.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 28.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 22.00 |
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