| 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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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 128.00 | Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 45.00 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 62.00 |
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| | Marathon (Tempo) Pace on Radar Road.
A steady 7:41 pace.
Cool morning, starting off at just 8C/46F.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 12.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:55 pace.
I wore gloves today to take the edge off the cold. It was just 5C/41F.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 9:03 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 9:06 pace.
Left hamstring has been tight for over a week. Still trying to work it out. Lots of stretching and foam rolling.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 9:11 pace.
First run where I had to wear a headlamp. The days are noticeably shorter.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Strength Workout on Radar Road.
3 x 2 mile repeats with 1/2 mile recoveries.
Ran all 2 mile splits at 7:31 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 11.00 |
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| | 10 mile Tempo Run on Radar Road.
7:41/mile pace steady.
Hamstring did not bother me.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 13.00 |
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| | Easy run on Goodwill Drive; 8:53 pace.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 7.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:48 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Long Run on Radar Road; 8:14 pace.
This was the final Long Run before my marathon on October 3rd. A little faster than planned (8:20 was goal pace), but I felt great throughout. Started off with fog, which cleared at about the halfway point.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 16.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:03 pace.
A week or so ago, someone dumped a load of apples beside the road. Today, in the dark, my headlamp picked up a dark shape there. Figured it was a black bear, and I was right. A good sized one.
I wasn't sure it saw me, so I made some noise and crossed to the other side of the road. It was hard to make out its reaction in the dark, and I considered back tracking the other way. But then, a truck appeared coming towards me, so I figured that would spook the bear, which it did. It ran off into the woods.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Strength Workout on Radar Road.
4 x 1.5 mile repeats @ 7:31 pace with 800 recoveries. Pace was even for all 4 splits.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 11.00 |
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| | Comments(3) |
| | Tempo Run on Radar Road; steady 7:40 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 13.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:54 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 9:00/mile pace.
I went to a new massage therapist yesterday, as my previous one retired. When I entered the clinic, there was a very strong smell of cannabis. I wondered if this was a means to relaxation, until I realized I had gone through the wrong door and was in Sudbury's newest cannabis store. My clinic was one door over.
Anyway, she worked hard on my hips and legs and managed to get my hamstring loosened up. Still not 100%, but it's getting there.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Radar Road; 9:06 pace.
Heavy legs today, especially through mile 3. After that, it wasn't so bad.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:03 pace.
Heavy fog. Just past the first half mile, the battery on my headlamp gave out. Complete darkness, just before the spot where someone is feeding the bears. I opted to double back home to get my back up light, and then continued on. Just as well, since I had forgotten my gloves, so I was able to pick those up too. It's a cool 8C/47F.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Final Strength Workout before race day. Radar Road.
6 x 1 mile repeats @ 7:31 pace, with 400 recoveries.
If I don't get sick or injured in the next 2 weeks, I should have a pretty good marathon on October 3rd.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 11.00 |
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| | Tempo Run on Radar Road. An even 7:41 pace throughout.
Cold, wet and windy. Had to wear a long sleeve plus a jacket. 8C/46F with a 32 mph North wind.
I had to fight the first few miles into the wind, but most of the run was East/West, so not too bad.
This was my final hard training run. Ten days to race day. The taper begins.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 13.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:48 pace.
And I thought yesterday was yucky. Today it was 7C/44F, with cold rain and a Northeast wind gusting to 34 mph. Lots of tree branches down.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 7.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:03 pace.
Still raining, but zero wind and a tad warmer at 10C/50F.
This morning, I had to fire up the boiler for the Church. I've been trying to hold off, but the inside temperature was just 14C/57F, and I knew the complaints would start coming in if I didn't warm things up.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Skead Road; 9:02 pace. Just beat the rain.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 9:00 pace.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:57 pace.
Double excitement today. First, a big black bear was on the road ahead of me. It was just sauntering along, going back and forth across the road. I wasn't sure if it would get out of the way before I got to it, but it finally dashed off into the woods. Judging by the sound of dogs barking, it found the group that walks their dogs every morning on a nearby sideroad.
Then, around mile three. I fell. No reason. I was just too zoned out, and my right foot caught the pavement. Went down hard on my right side: hip, fingers and elbow. Pretty much the exact spots I injured the last time I fell. This time, I was wearing long sleeves and gloves, and so I avoided most of the road rash. Numb arm for the rest of the run, but the only damage seems to be a reopening of the old wound on my elbow.
Taper week is always hard on me!
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 5.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:56 pace.
After Monday's fall, I was limping the rest of the day because of the sore hip. Happily, no issues today when running. Just a little tender to the touch.
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| Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Goodwill Drive; 8:59 pace.
I'll be leaving for Ste-Jerome, Quebec tomorrow morning. A 7 hour drive from here.
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 6.00 |
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| Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 128.00 | Brooks Ghost 13 Miles: 45.00 | Triumph ISO 5 Miles: 62.00 |
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