Going Long (again) in 2024

November 2019

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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
228.00
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 96.00Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 13.00Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 99.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 20.00
Weight: 160.29
Total Distance
8.00

Our first major dump of snow.  Just over 7.5 inches by midnight, and more came after that.  

I debated running outside, but in the end opted for the safety of the treadmill.  I think a good decision.

8:56/mile pace.  

On the plus side, my splits will always be even, I won't slip or fall, I won't get hit by a car, and I can run in temperatures that mimic closely those I'll have in Fort Lauderdale in January.  Silver linings.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 160.50
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Total Distance
10.00

More snow.  Over 10 inches in the last day or so.  And it's still falling.  Ah well.  I put my snow tires on my truck yesterday.

Back to the treadmill; 8:56 pace.

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

Goodwill Drive; 8:46 pace.

Decided to risk the run outside, since Sunday morning traffic is not too bad.-4C/26F with very little wind.  The road was narrow because of the snow, and varied from snow covered to ice covered to ice patches to bare.  All in all, it was doable as long as I was careful with the ice.

The extra hour means it is not pitch black when I start, and the sun was just rising as I finished.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 163.50
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Total Distance
9.00

I had really hoped to get to the end of my speedwork section of training with all the workouts on the track.  That would have been the end of November.  But the track is covered in snow, and the white stuff is still falling, so to the treadmill I turned.  Big advantage, of course, is running even splits.

Today was a Step Speed Workout:  400 - 800 - 1200 - 1600 - 1200 - 800 - 400, all with 400 recoveries.

I ran all the sections at a 6:40/mile pace.

 

 

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 9.00
Weight: 162.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
10.00

Seven mile Tempo (Marathon Pace) on the treadmill.  7:52/mile.

Since I'm inside anyway, I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to heat adapt to Florida running; I've turned up the heat in my exercise room.  Not much I can do to mimic high humidity, but even this should help.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 162.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
7.00

I took it outside and am glad I did.  There was a hoar frost that turned everything white.  As the sun rose, the trees turned golden.  And once it was fully risen, everything sparkled like diamonds.  Gorgeous.

The roads, however, were covered with ice; had to really be careful.

And it was cold - had to wear mitts instead of gloves.  I should have worn a balaclava.

-11C/12F with a bit of a breeze.

8:44 pace.

Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 161.50
Comments(1)
Total Distance
8.00

Goodwill Road; 8:50 pace.  Same conditions as yesterday, minus the hoarfrost.  And I did wear the balaclava, which helped. 

Oh, also running with my new (as of yesterday) Biolite 330 headlamp.  A LOT better than what I had been using.

Saw my doctor yesterday and she is sending me for x-rays of my foot later today.  Time to find out for sure if it really is arthritis and not a stress fracture.

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 161.50
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Total Distance
14.00

Long run on the treadmill; 8:27 pace.

Got a prescription for a strong anti-inflammatory cream to use on my left foot.  Time to get off the ibuprofin before it rots my stomach.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 14.00
Weight: 160.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Goodwill Drive; 9:09 pace.

Steady snowfall.  The trees were heavy laden with snow.  Very picturesque.

I tried to run in tire tracks, but there were sections where nobody had driven yet, so my feet were pretty icy by the time I got home.

 

 

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
7.00

Speedwork on the treadmill.

3 x 1 mile repeats at 6:40 pace with 500 recoveries.  

Probably the strongest I've felt doing speedwork in a while.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(2)
Total Distance
10.00

Marathon Pace Tempo Run on the treadmill.

7 miles at 7:52 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
6.00

Treadmill.  Easy run; 9:50 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 161.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill recovery run; 8:56 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 161.00
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Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill; 8:56 pace.  10 weeks to A1A.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 160.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill; 9:50 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

Speedwork on the treadmill.

6 x 800's @ 6:40 pace with 400 recoveries.

No change in the pain level in my left foot.  That is to say, it hurts, but doesn't seem to be getting any worse.  Or better.  X-ray results should be in this week.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 158.00
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Total Distance
11.00

Tempo Pace Workout on the treadmill.  8 miles at Marathon Pace; 7:52/mile.

X-ray shows no stress fracture in my left foot, which is good news.  Hurts most of the time, but I guess it's just something I'll have to live with.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 11.00
Weight: 158.50
Comments(3)
Total Distance
7.00

Treadmill recovery run; 9:50 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
8.00

Treadmill; 9:45 pace.

Okay, I think I have the foot pain figured out.  Since the x-ray eliminated the possibility of a fracture, I took a closer look online at the soft tissue anatomy of the foot.

Seeing as my pain is in the same area as the Peroneus Brevis and Longus Tendons, I did some research on that and came across Peroneal Tendonitis or Tendinopathy which description pretty much nails what I'm feeling.

This runner's site goes into it with some detail:  https://runnersconnect.net/peroneal-tendinitis-tendonitis/

So, I've decided to skip the advice about rest (until after the Marathon), but am following the aggressive plan laid out re: the daily 200 repeats with the elastic, and am also using my handheld ultrasound unit on it.  I already do the stretching anyway.

Since it doesn't seem to be getting any worse, I'm hoping I can train through it and, even better, see it improve over time.

 

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 8.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
15.00

Long run on the treadmill; 8:27 pace.

Some follow up thoughts on my left foot: 

Peroneal Tendinopathy represents only 0.6% of all running injuries.  Leave it to me to pick a rare one.

I first noticed it in Mid-August.  I suspect it's related to the uneven surface of the trails I was running.  I turned my ankle more than once, plus fell a number of times.  

I stopped taking the Ibuprofin and putting on the topical anti-inflammatory cream.  It didn't seem to be helping much, which makes sense now, given that there is no inflammation involved.

I'm sticking with Tylenol for now to help control the pain.

It doesn't seem to be getting any worse.  

Running on the treadmill works better, as my foot is not turning over funny because of the ruts and potholes and frozen bumps on the roads.  Whenever I landed on one of those and my foot turned over slightly, the pain was pretty bad.

I still plan on running a BQ in January!

 

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 15.00
Weight: 159.00
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Total Distance
6.00

I took it outside today.  Goodwill Drive; 8:45 pace.

It has been mild lately and a lot of the snow has melted.  The roads are mostly clear.  And it was a sweltering -3C/26F, so it was just too tempting. 

Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 160.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
7.00

Final speedwork session of this training cycle.

3 x 1 mile repeats @ 6:40 pace with 600 recoveries.  

On the treadmill.

From now on, Mondays will be for Strength Training ala Hanson's Method:  Intervals at 10 seconds faster than Marathon Pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 7.00
Weight: 160.00
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Total Distance
11.00

Tempo Pace on the treadmill.

8 miles at 7:52 pace.

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 11.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
6.00

Treadmill; 9:50 easy run.

Blasted with a storm yesterday.  11 1/2 inches of snow.  Lightening.  High winds.  Power outages off and on all day.  Quite a blast.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends!

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 6.00
Weight: 158.50
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Total Distance
10.00

Easy 10 on the treadmill; 8:56 pace.

Last night, the inside of my right knee was a little sore.  I stretched it out, and then used some anti inflammatory on it.  No issues during the run, so hopefully that's the end of that.

That left foot pain, however, is an ongoing story!

Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 159.50
Add Comment
Total Distance
10.00

Treadmill; 9:24 pace.

Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 10.00
Weight: 160.00
Add Comment
Total Distance
228.00
Brooks Glycerin 13 Miles: 96.00Nike Zoom Vomero 13 Miles: 13.00Saucony ISO Triumph 4 Miles: 99.00Brooks Ghost 11 Miles: 20.00
Weight: 160.29
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