Going Long (again) in 2024

July 2021

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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  (25 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 (5 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

Haliburton Forest 100 mile Trail   September 7-8, 2019  26:46:27

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Pacing my sister in her 1st Half Marathon.

Short-Term Running Goals:

After a broken right foot in 2022 in the later stages of a marathon training cycle, then adjusting to a 1/2" heal lift in my right shoe to compensate for a leg length discrepancy, and then a left plank plate rupture in the late summer of 2023, I had to decide:  go fast or go long.  I opted for long, for this year at least.

May 2024:  Sulphur Springs 50 Mile Trail (revisiting it after 5 years)

July 2024:  Limberlost 54KM Trail

September 2024:  Haliburton 100 Mile Trail (also revisiting it after 5 years).

Everything this year is really focussed on the Haliburton 100 as my key event.  After that, and depending on how things go, I'll reevaluate.

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 30 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 13 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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Miles:This week: 28.00 Month: 189.50 Year: 588.50
Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Lifetime Miles: 412.40
Brooks Cascadia 11 Lifetime Miles: 302.00
Salomon Speedcross 4 Lifetime Miles: 160.25
Brooks Launch 8 Lifetime Miles: 153.00
Asics Metaspeed Sky Lifetime Miles: 32.20
Brooks Ghost 13 Lifetime Miles: 358.50
Saucony Triumph 18 Lifetime Miles: 372.50
Ghost 13 Blue Sole Lifetime Miles: 363.00
Hoka Bondi Lifetime Miles: 386.00
Triumph 18 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 120.50
Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill Lifetime Miles: 102.50
Total Distance
233.50
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 44.00Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 77.50Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 234.00Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 32.00
Weight: 161.02
Total Distance
7.00

Skead Road; 8:46 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 8:47 pace.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 162.50
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Total Distance
12.00

Long Run; 12 miles at 8:23 pace.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 12.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:02 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Speedwork at the track.

2 up.

4 x 1200 @ 6:40 pace (5 minutes per 1200)

2 down.

Ran segments at 4:59, 4:59, 5:00 and 5:00.  Bang on.

Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Tempo run on Radar Road.

2 up; 7 @ 7:44; 1 down.

The heat and humidity finally broke.  It was a very nice 12C/54F.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:00 pace.  Cool and misty.  11C/53F.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 163.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road; 8:50 pace.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 8:54 pace.  

It's unfortunately normal to smell weed from passing cars.  Today however, around mile 3, one passed that was so heavy with weed I could almost see the cloud of smoke.  Just, wow.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:02 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
9.00

Speedwork at the track.  My least favourite version.  Step ups.

400/800/1200/1600/1200/800/400 with 400 recoveries.

Goal pace was 1:40/lap or 6:40/mile.  Nailed it for all laps.  Nice to get through this one.

Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 9.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
10.00

7 miles at Tempo (7:42) pace on Radar Road.  A bit too fast, but I ran mile 4 at 7:38, so that increased my average pace overall.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Skead Road in a torrential (at times) rain.  8:58 pace. 

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 161.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
8.50

Radar Road; 8:47 pace.  

An afternoon run for a change.  Hot.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 8.50
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
14.00

14 Mile Long Run on Radar Road; 8:22 pace.  

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 161.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:12 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 159.50
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Total Distance
7.00

Speedwork at the track.

3 x 1 mile repeats with 400 recoveries.

100% humidity, so even the coolish 19C/66F didn't feel great. 

I was off my game to start, and ran the first 3 laps too slow (4 seconds/lap too slow).  But I nailed the next 9 laps.

Mile splits were 6:54, 6:39 and 6:41

I woke up with a stiff right knee for some reason.  Will have to keep on eye on it.

Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 162.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.00

7 miles at Tempo Pace; 7:44.  On Radar Road.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 159.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:10 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Radar Road; 9:01 pace.  Heavy legs today, so had to push through the last few miles.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 162.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Exact same as yesterday ... Radar Road; 9:01 pace.  Just beat the incoming storm.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 8:58 pace.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
8.00

Speedwork at the track.  Perfect conditions, with no humidity and cooler temps (16C/61F).

6 x 800 with 400 recoveries.

Goal pace was 6:40/mile (3:20/800)

Splits were:  3:19, 3:16, 3:16, 3:12 and 3:13

So, technically a failure --- too fast.  It didn't feel that hard, so I'm guessing it was the perfect conditions that pushed me.  Previous speedwork was in heat and humidity.

Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
11.00

8 miles at Tempo Pace (7:44) on Radar Road.

There has been construction - culvert replacement - going on for a couple of weeks now, and they were finally paving the sections they had torn up.  Every week, I just ran past the flag person while dozens of cars waited.  This week, she shouted something to me when I passed her, which I didn't quite get.  I heard "careful", but not the rest.  I figured it out when I ran past the steaming asphalt ... "careful, the asphalt is hot".  I think maybe she figured I was going to run on it.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 11.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Skead Road.  Steady rain.  8:58 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
8.00

Skead Road; 9:00 pace.

Between yesterday's run and today's, they graded the shoulders of the road.  An annual ritual I dislike, it makes the surface too soft and gives it a sharper angle.  It will take months before I pound it back into shape.

On a happier note, a beautiful deer ran across the road just in front of me.  It didn't look both ways, and the traffic was heavy, so it lucked out finding a spot when there was a break in traffic.  This is more of a moose area, so deer are more rare.

Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
15.00

Long Run on Radar Road; 8:22 pace.  Felt strong throughout.  Nice, cool morning for running, at just 15C/58F.  Now halfway through my marathon training schedule.

Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 15.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
233.50
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 44.00Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 77.50Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 234.00Brooks Launch 8 Miles: 32.00
Weight: 161.02
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