Going Long (again) in 2024

The Limberlost Challenge

Previous MonthRecent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesMichael's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewYear View
Graph View
Next Month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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

Click for Options

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.

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 22.00 Month: 145.00 Year: 1953.80
Mizuno Wave Sayonara 2 Lifetime Miles: 412.40
Brooks Cascadia 11 Lifetime Miles: 394.00
Salomon Speedcross 4 Lifetime Miles: 356.75
Brooks Launch 8 Lifetime Miles: 153.00
Asics Metaspeed Sky Lifetime Miles: 32.20
Brooks Ghost 13 Lifetime Miles: 474.50
Triumph 18 Treadmill/outside Lifetime Miles: 232.00
Black Hoka Bondi Lifetime Miles: 53.00
Total Distance
252.30
Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 171.00Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 43.50Triumph 18 Treadmill/outside Miles: 6.00Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 27.00Saucony Triumph 18 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 160.67
Total Distance
14.00

Even 9:15 pace. No pain or tightness anywhere. Gorgeous morning for a run.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 14.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.00

Pretty much the same as yesterday. 9:12 pace.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 10.00
Weight: 162.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.50

Easy 9:14 pace.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 8.50
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
4.50

Short shakeout run at an easy 9:10 pace.  I'll be leaving later this afternoon, once I've wrapped up my work.  Race is a 3 hour drive from here.  It looks like I'll be setting up my tent in the rain, and running in rain tomorrow.  First time at Limberlost, so I don't know what that might mean for the trails.  Today, my legs feel heavy.  Hopefully they will have more pep tomorrow.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 4.50
Weight: 161.50
Add Comment
Race: The Limberlost Challenge (34.797 Miles) 08:12:57, Place overall: 27, Place in age division: 3
Total Distance
34.80

I just got home.  This was a tough course, but I figure it is comparable to the Haliburton 100 in terms of elevation and terraine.  So, a good rehearsal run, which is what I wanted.

I drove the 3 hours on Friday to race site and slept in my tent.  Not much sleep in a rather noisy group campground, but that is expected.  It rained during the night.

The course is 4 loops of 14km each, so about 8.7 miles/loop.  It has 1100 feet of elevation gain/drop per loop, so a total of 4400 feet.  It is mostly single track and quite technical.  Close to 100% is on trails.  On the course at the same time were also runners in shorter distances of 1, 2 or 3 loops.  They started after we did, but the faster ones in the shorter distances caught up with us in no time.

It was hot and humid, and rained off and on all day, so the trail was muddy and slippery.  The sun would come out briefly to steam things up, and then it would either drizzle or pour, depending on the hour.

For most of the first lap, we were a long line of runners (which I found irritating).  I could not run as fast as I would have liked on the downhills, and had to walk harder than I wanted on the uphills.  Plus, you constantly had to adjust your pace to the runner in front of you.  I think most people would enjoy the company, but I much preferred the last 3 laps, and especially the final lap when the only people I saw were at the aid stations.

On lap 3, the humidity really hit me hard, and I overheated a couple of times.  Heart rate shot up, and I had to walk even the (rare) level sections in order to get it under control.  Most times, you were either going up or going down, and even then you often had to pick your way over rocks, logs, etc.  Technical, as I said.

My lap times were:

1:45:45 (12:10 pace)   1:59:31 (13:45 pace)  2:11:48 (15:09 pace)   2:16:04 (15:40 pace).   Overall average pace was 14:11.  I didn't stop at all on the first lap, so the subsequent laps show not just a slower pace, but also reflect my lingering a bit at the 3 aid stations.

I carried one bottle of Tailwind, and one of water.  That combination worked well.  I ate at the aid stations - mostly M&Ms, watermelon and chips.  Oh, one gingerbread cookie too, which I appreciated!

Since this was a 'training run', I had no taper leading into it (so, a large mileage week) and I didn't push myself terribly hard.  My right hammie is sore today, and the long drive home didn't help.  I drove 2 hours after the race to Madonna House for 2 nights, and then 5 hours home today.

So, overall, I'm pleased with the results.  Middle of the pack for the most part:

27th overall of 67, 26th man of 55 and 3rd of 8 in the 50-59 age group.

 

 

 

 

Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 35.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
5.00

Took it slow and easy. 9:50 pace. Just wanted to see how things felt after the Ultra. Right hammie has been tight since the race, but no problem running on it today. Left knee a little wonky, but nothing serious. I'll push a little further tomorrow.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 5.00
Weight: 161.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
3.00

Was hoping for 9 miles, but had to cut it short just past mile 3 when my left iguinal ligament suddenly hurt.  No suggestion of a problem, and no mistep of any sort.  It just suddenly hurt and I had to stop.  I tried to stretch it out to no avail, so ended up having to limp home.  I'll have to try stretching it today and see if it is okay for running either tomorrow or Friday.  9:22 pace before I had to stop.

Triumph 18 Treadmill/outside Miles: 3.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
3.00

Had a massage yesterday to work out some issues.  Figure the iguinal issue is simply a spasm.   Still hurts, so ran a very slow 3 mile distance today at an 11:34 pace.  I'm going to take tomorrow and Sunday off.  Hopefully, the rest will let me run a fit further on Monday.

Triumph 18 Treadmill/outside Miles: 3.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.00

Very easy 10:10 pace. Inguinal still tight, but it didn't stop me.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 10.00
Weight: 162.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.50

A bit faster today at 9:47 pace. Still some soreness in the inguinal, but maybe not as bad, and it didn't get worse when I ran. 100 percent humidity, so wet no matter how slow you run.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 10.50
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
7.50

A bit cooler this morning, but still close to 100% humidity.  Ended up being an unintentional (unplanned) progression run, with an average pace of 8:56.  Final mile was 7:42.  Everything seems to be healing up ok.  I hope so, because I only have 7 1/2 weeks of training left before the Haliburton 100.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 7.50
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
12.00

This run felt great. All the pain is gone. Ran an even 9:11 pace. It didn't hurt that it was cool and very low humidity.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 12.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
18.00

Steady 9:08 pace for this long run.  Felt great - not terribly hot or humid, which helped a lot.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 18.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
18.00

Plan was to run a new trail route today, which was a 17 mile loop. At mile 4, I had to turn around, as beavers had turned the trail into a lake. It was impassable. Ah well. I ran back and then finished on the road. 9:21 pace.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 18.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
16.00

9:28 pace to complete my second back to back in 5 days. About 6 miles run on trails. Deer flies were pesky.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 16.00
Weight: 159.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
7.00

Monsoon rain this morning, then a late lunch with parishioners, so a late afternoon run on a full stomach. Felt awful. 9:18 pace.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 7.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
20.00

20 miles on the Capreol ski trails. 10:47 pace. 4 laps of the 5 mile trail. A few deer flies, but manageable. I fell at mile 9 and again at mile 18. Tripped over a root both times. I wasn't hurt, but was covered in dirt.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 20.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
10.00

Recovery run.  9:42 pace.

Tomorrow, I'll drive the 4 hours to the Haliburton Forest Preserve where I'll camp for 2 nights, running one loop (25 miles) of the race course on Monday.  This will be my dress rehearsal for race day in 6 weeks.

Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
27.00

One loop of the Haliburton trail, plus a bit.  I drove the 4 hours on Sunday, and set up camp at the same site I'll be using in September.  

It was very hot.  It started off at 17C/63F and peaked at 31C/88F by the time I was done.

One loop is 25 miles, but I ran an extra .75 (there and back) to get to the Lookout.  After climbing 1,000 feet, I wasn't about to miss it.  Then, later on, one of my handhelds fell out of my running vest, and I backtracked to get it - that added an extra .75 again.  I ended up running out of hydration 2 miles before I was done, so instead of running to my car to finish, I ran to my campsite where I had water.  I really needed it at that point.  Then I ran to my car.  That added the extra half mile.

Average pace was 14:57.  I was quite overheated by the time I was done.

The course is a challenge for sure.  3,600 feet of elevation and mostly technical.  Running 4 loops, and especially at night, will be something else.

 

Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 27.00
Weight: 161.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
8.50

I repeated two sections of the trail this morning before I packed up camp and drove home.  Ended up running about the same pace - 14:52.  At mile 8, I took a refreshing swim.  The deer flies were just as bad as yesterday.  I don't think they will be quite as bad in September.

If it rains, this course will change quite dramatically.  Most of the mud was dried, but a good downpour would turn large sections into serious mud flats.  

Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 8.50
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
5.00

Originally was aiming for 6 miles, but the last half mile of Goodwill Drive has been ground up and layered with aggregate in preparation for resurfacing, and it was really dusty when a car went by.  So I turned and figured I'd add a mile on somewhere else, but when I got home my legs were quite dead, so I just left it at the 5 miles.  9:29 pace.

Saucony Triumph 18 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
252.30
Hoka Bondi 8 Treadmill/outside Miles: 171.00Salomon Speedcross 4 Miles: 43.50Triumph 18 Treadmill/outside Miles: 6.00Brooks Cascadia 11 Miles: 27.00Saucony Triumph 18 Miles: 5.00
Weight: 160.67
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Recent Comments: