| 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 Ghost 7 Miles: 56.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 93.00 |
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| | New route, now that I'm living in Garson. I'll call it the Donnelly Circuit. 8:19 pace. Light snow on the ground ... our first.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Easy 8:27 paced run on the Donnelly Circuit. Tried going the opposite direction this time --- works a lot better around the morning traffic.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | 8:32 pace; easy run on the Goodwill Route. It's an out and back that is just over 6 miles, so I had to add a bit on at the end.
It was snowing lightly the whole time - nice.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 7.00 |
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| | Easy run on the O'Neil West Route. 8:15 pace. Getting colder now; I think the gloves will soon have to give way to mitts.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 7.50 |
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| | Easy run - 8:38 pace - on the Donnelly Circuit.
It warmed up to -1C/31F. And, with the time change on the weekend, the sunrise is currently 7:15, so no need for a headlamp for a while.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Tempo run on the Donnelly Circuit; 7:45 pace. That speed wasn't planned. It just happened.
Nearly got hit in the final mile. Lady sitting at a stop sign turning right. Never bothered to look right. When the traffic cleared, she didn't move. I wrongly assumed she was waiting for me, and I was just about to wave her a 'thank you' when she lurched forward. If I didn't jump out of the way, I'd have been splattered. I did not wave her a thank you.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Donnelly Circuit; 8:18 pace. COLD! Just -18C/0F, with a windchill of -27C/-17F. Boy, did THAT ever come fast. Full winter mode. The only thing that got cold was my face, as I didn't wear my tube or balaclava.
Hit a car today. Crazy drivers. I didn't think it would be possible to see drivers worse than Valley East, but Garson is very competitive in that department.
So, sun is up and it's bright and I'm wearing black against the white snow background, and I'm wearing an LED strobe light on my head. Hello! First stop sign controlled intersection where the man was turning right, and he actually looked right, saw me, and waited. Hurray!
Second one, the woman never saw me. Didn't bother to look right at all. But the traffic was thick and she couldn't pull out when I was crossing. So, made it across.
Third one, again she didn't look right. Same intersection as the other day when I had to jump out of the way. Different woman. I was trying to make eye contact with her, to no avail. I slowed down, anticipating her to gun it. I was right. I slapped the side of her car hard - that was the first time she saw me. Oblivious. If I had not slowed down, I'd not be running for a long while.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | 8:36 pace on the Donnelly Circuit - Maley extension.
Was able to wait a few hours to run when it was plenty bright. So, no car issues to deal with. Of course - Saturday - so no commuters either.
Warmed up quite a bit from yesterday: -10C/14F. I was actually a bit over dressed.
So, I'm on the cusp of running long runs again after my post-Ultra lay off. Other than heavy legs, everything seems to be fine.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 9.00 |
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| | 8:36 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
Our snowfall Saturday night led me to make a few observations about my new assignment in Garson, over and beyond the fact that the drivers here really suck.
The guy who clears the snow from the Church parking lot just outside my window begins at 4am. That's an hour before I normally get up. He's loud. I think he delights in letting his blade fall hard on the pavement. And, of course, the beeping when he backs up. There's no falling back asleep after that. Observation: there is NO insulation in the walls of this house. I can hear people breathing outside.
Either the city doesn't clear the streets or sidewalks in Garson, or they figured there wasn't enough snow to make it worthwhile. Either way, my route was a combination of slush, packed ice, and mashed potato kind of snow. Soaked through feet after the first mile.
I'm not complaining, mind you - just observing. The fact that I can still run prevents me from complaining. Life is good.
Aiming to get my weekly mileage back north of 40 by the end of the month.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| | 8:45 pace on the Donnelly Circuit. Really slick today; had to be extra careful with the footing.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | 8:34 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
Rain. Soaked through. Warmer though - all the way up to 3C/38F! So, the ice has all melted and the footing was good. Plus I didn't get hit by a car - so a good run.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 7.50 |
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| | 8:30 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
Three times, at three intersections, a car that COULD have safely pulled out, waited for me to pass. I was impressed and wondered what changed. Then I remembered - it's a PD day. No school. It's TEACHERS that are gunning for me! Go figure. It's always the stressed out ones who are distracted the most.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 5.50 |
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| | 8:49 pace on the Maley Extension.
A few inches of wet snow fell during the night, and running through it was tough. It really grabbed at the feet. And in the tire tracks on the side roads, it was pretty slick.
I do see the occasional runner here in Garson, but rarely meet one running. Today, right at Maley, she and I were coming from different directions, but turning up the same street. I thought for sure she had seen me at the intersection. So, when I gently passed her, I said "good morning". She nearly jumped out of her skin. Scared me! But we both had a good laugh about it.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | 8:25 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| | 8:33 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Donnelly Circuit; 8:35 pace.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| | Donnelly Circuit; 8:34 pace. Freezing rain. A bit slippery.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 7.50 |
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| | Long run on the Maley Extension; 8:48 pace.
Almost Spring like today. 3C/37F. Most of the snow has melted. And I made my goal of hitting 40 miles/week by the start of December.
AND, after almost 6 months, I finally have a functioning kitchen. My life post move is approaching 'normal'. Whatever that means. Over the past 2 weeks, I installed the new cabinets, counter top and kitchen sink. Today, I finished all the hook ups.
I also took advantage of some pretty good 'Black Friday' deals at the local running store, and got some new shoes AND, finally, a decent running jacket with those 3M Reflective stripes all over it. Between that and the strobe light I wear, nobody can claim I was invisible after they hit me.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 11.00 |
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| | 8:45 pace on the Donnelly Circuit. -12C/10F with some wind. And icy. Really had to watch the footing today.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| | 8:43 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 5.50 |
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| | Add Comment |
| | 8:31 pace on the Donnelly Circuit.
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| Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 8.00 |
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| Brooks Ghost 7 Miles: 56.00 | Saucony ISO Triumph Miles: 93.00 |
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