| 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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| Enigma Miles: 44.25 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 39.75 |
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| | Okay, back to it. I was off kayaking for the last 9 days - all open water on Georgian Bay. Not much leg work, but my upper body had a great workout - went over 200 km. I did do some jump squats on two days. So, today was 5.5 miles = 50 minutes of running with a 1 minute walk halfway. Ran a 9 min/mile pace. No pains at all anywhere, so the week off must have helped. A bit lighter too, as I lost a couple of pounds while on the water. | |
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| | Ran for 55 minutes outside; too nice to run on the treadmill. Like last time, I have to really force myself to not run too fast. As it is, I managed the 6.25 miles at a 9 minute/mile pace, which was my goal. Anyway, it all felt good except for a pain in that right heel. But it was in a different spot than when I hurt my tendon. Turns out it was just the way the shoe was rubbing on the heel, so I'll have to see about that, although I'm happy that's all it was. | |
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| | Iron Strength Workout. | |
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| | I noticed my right shin was a little sore yesterday during my strength workout - likely due to the shift to running outside the day before. It's still sore today, so I went back to the treadmill.
All was fine, except for a slight 'ting' in my right heel with just 3 minutes of running remaining. Other than that, all is well.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Ran 7 miles in 65 minutes. On the treadmill. No pain issues. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 7.00 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout. | |
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| | Ran outdoors in a light rain, which felt great! All was well, except for a sudden pain in my right heel, which came and went in less than a minute, at around the 7 mile mark. I finished the run with no pain, and my left PF was not a problem at all. Ran at an average pace of 8:49. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 7.25 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout. | |
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| | Ran 5 miles at a 9 minute/mile pace. No pain issues of any sort.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout. | |
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| | Ran 5 outside miles at an average pace of 8:35. Started slow and picked it up for the last 2 miles. Everything felt great. All my miles will be run outside from this point forward. I'm also going to increase my running days/week from 3 to 4. Going to the East Coast today, so my updates may be delayed depending on my computer access. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Ran 4 miles along the ocean coast in New Brunswick. No pain issues - ran at a casual 8:38/mile pace. | |
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Ran 6.5 miles along the ocean road in a stiff wind. Ran into it for 2 miles at a pace of 8:54 and 8:38. Then turned broadside for a mile with gentle hills (my first hills since starting to run again) for another 8:38 mile.
Turned around to run mile 4 at 8:10, and then the next 2 miles with the wind at my back at an 8:00 and a 7:30. Average pace of 8:18, so a fast run. Faster than planned, but today is the 'official' end of my 16 week walk/run program, and I could have run a 10km race if I had wanted to, so I can justify the faster pace.
Now the GREAT news: that pain in my right heel WAS a blister forming by the shoes rubbing. There is actually a blister there now, quite visible. I am SO happy it's a blister rather than my AT.
Oh, and other than the silly blister, there is NO pain from either the right AT or left PF. All is good. | |
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Ran at an average pace of 9:02, and am proud that I managed to keep my speed to this average, despite the urge to run faster.
Other than the small blister on my right heel, no pain issues.
I ran the ocean road route, but adjusted it so that I finished 2 miles out. So, at the end of my run, I had a 2 mile walk home along the beach, which I did in knee deep water. Very nice to have that leisurely stroll through the cold water. | |
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| | Iron Strength Workout | |
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| | Ran 7 miles at an average pace of 8:46. No pain issues of any sort. Hurray! | |
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Ran an average 8:49 pace. Last run along the ocean, as I travel home tomorrow.
No pain injuries from running, but since last weekend, my left knee has been really sore, right at the ACL incision. I'm thinking it's from all the walking in knee deep water - up to 4 hours on some days. That may have stressed the ligaments in that area.
Anyway, it doesn't hurt to run, but has quite a sharp pain to touch and going up and down stairs. And a few other motions too. I'm not sure if running is making it worse, but I'll not likely walk much today and none tomorrow, so I'll see how it feels on Friday.
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| | Ran a slow (8:53 average) 5 miles in Ottawa this morning. Wasn't going to, because the ACL insertion point below my left knee is really swollen - egg size. Did anyway. Running doesn't seem to cause the pain. Was sore all day - still waiting to see if it heals on its own. I think I'll skip tomorrow's run, however, just in case it makes it worse. | |
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| | I wasn't going to run because of the knee, but couldn't resist. I CAN run without pain, but man the knee is stiff and is still swollen. Actually not the knee - upper shin. I think it's the ligament at the tibia insertion point. Anyway, I'm going to call my doctor today and see if she can see me about it. I'm thinking she may tell me to rest, which is partly why I wanted to sneak a run in before I get that advice. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Ran five miles despite the left leg pain. It DID feel better this morning, and it really doesn't hurt to run. But it sure stiffens up when I stop. Anyway, I did it. I'm running a 9 min/mile pace and I'm running on the treadmill until I figure out what the problem is with the leg. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| Enigma Miles: 44.25 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 39.75 |
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