| 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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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 58.00 | Enigma Miles: 31.50 |
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| | Ran 5 miles. Saw my doctor last night - sending me for a bone scan. Concern is a tumor. Said I can do anything that does not cause pain. So, I can keep running for now. Can't do speed work, and I won't run two consecutive days (yet) or increase my mileage (yet), but I CAN run at least. Precise diagnosis: pain and swelling on the left medial tibial plateau. I looked it up - sounds to me like Pes Anserinus Bursitis. Likely caused by walking through knee deep water in the ocean for several hours/day, combined with the running I was doing. If that's accurate, I'll have to lay off the running too, for a while. I should know next week. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Was going to swim, then realized the pool is closed today because of the holiday. So, I ran. Ended up running 6 miles at an average pace of 8:29. I ran outside, because it was just too beautiful to run indoors. And the last mile I ran at 6:58 - and very comfortably at that. No pain in the knee when I run, as long as I don't lift my left leg too high. It still really hurts to climb stairs. The ice really helps. Running doesn't seem to make it any worse, so I'll continue running, although I won't increase my distance as quickly as I had hoped. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Ironstrength Workout. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do this, but I don't want to give up the benefits I've gained over the last 8 months with this excellent routine. As it turned out, I could do every exercise except 2: mountain climbers and burpies - those caused incredible pain. So, for those, I substituted something else and went through the routine. My bone scan is scheduled for the morning. | |
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Ran on the treadmill today, for no particular reason. Felt good throughout. My knee pain is nearly entirely gone - I can climb stairs without such terrible pain. Still some swelling, but I'm pretty sure my own original diagnosis was correct. I had a bone scan yesterday and will get the results tomorrow. Meanwhile, since the pain is gone, I'm going to up my mileage from here on in, and after this week, go back to running 4 days/week. I want to run the 8 mile Mackinac Island run in October, and so would like to get over 30 miles/week before that. On another note, after cutting back on my ironstrength workout while on holidays and then due to the injury, I am really sore today after working the muscles on Tuesday. Man, it doesn't take long to lose fitness!
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| | Iron Strength workout. The full one - the knee pain has all but gone. Good! Let's not get that injury ever again. | |
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| | Very slight pain in the right heel, but nothing significant and it faded in the last half of this 6 mile run. I ran an average pace of 8:32, with the last mile at 8:05. Felt strong throughout. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Ran a bit fast - 8:21 pace - but it felt SO good. Didn't feel like I was pushing it. Nice to be outdoors and I ran a new route today. A very slight tightness in my right heel, but I could barely feel it. A good run. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 7.00 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout | |
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| | Four miles which ended up being progressively faster, for an average pace of 8:01. Felt good throughout; just minor soreness in the left heel. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 4.00 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout | |
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| | Ran with a heart monitor - my average pace was 8:30 (last mile being fast) and that kept me in my target range. An old nagging pain in my left groin (nothing new) and a tugging in my right AT during the last half mile. But a good run. | |
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| | Ran progressively faster miles, with an average pace of 8:27. Felt good throughout - still that minor AT ache in the right foot. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 4.00 |
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| | Iron Strength Workout | |
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| | Ran 8 miles at an average pace of 8:51. I ran a course in Toronto - was pretty hilly and challenging in places. A good run though. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Ran at an average pace of 8:37. No issues to speak of. | |
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| | Iron Strength Workout. Driving home today. | |
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| | Supposed to go slow, but ended up faster - hard for me to keep my feet from moving when I run! 8:31 pace, with the 3rd mile quite a bit faster. With that nagging tightness in my right AT, I decided to try forefoot running again. Definitely made the tightness disappear, interestingly enough. I think I'll incorporate a bit of forefoot running every time, just to see. |
| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Managed to run at a slow pace (9:03). Felt great all the way. | |
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| | Managed to keep a controlled pace of 8:55 over the entire distance, which is good. AT/PF issues not a problem today.
A big problem is that darn groin. It hurt from the start and just got worse as I ran. I'm not sure what the issue is - it only hurts (dull, aching pain) when I run. Muscle pull or tear? I don't recall doing it.
Anyway, maybe it was more of an issue today because I stretched it quite a bit last night. I'll continue on with that routine and see if it makes a difference.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 9.00 |
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| | Iron strength workout.
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| | Groin seems to be better - didn't feel it hurt until mile 3. Changed my Iron Strength workout to eliminate those parts that seem to stress it: the plyometric jump strides particularly. Icing continues. And I ran a very controlled pace of 8:56. Of course, in today's heat/humidity, that felt fast enough.
No PF or AT pain today.
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| | Ran an easy pace.
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| | On the treadmill, since there is quite a severe thunderstorm raging.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 4.00 |
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| | Again, ran a controlled pace of 8:51. The groin issue is still there, but not as noticeable. Likely due to running slower and keeping my distance down - I ran 5 times this week, including that 4 day stretch of running every day, but shorter distances.
Also likely due to the icing and stretching, which will continue. I'll also cut back on distance this week in prepartion for the 8 mile Mackinaw Island race next Saturday.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 58.00 | Enigma Miles: 31.50 |
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