Going Long (again) in 2024

Easy 9:03 pace.

9:01 pace and feeling good.

8:55 pace.  Switched my run from yesterday, because the roads were impassable with a huge snow dump overnight.

I bought my Capreol Cross Country Ski Trail pass and have been out skiing a few times.  Haven't done that since 2015 when I began running harder every day to qualify for Boston.  I really enjoy it, and it's good cross training anyway.

All the snow we had melted, but this latest storm should allow them to reopen the trails.

Cold North wind this morning!  8:58 pace.  

9:03 pace. A pick up passed me that really reeked of marijuana. Common enough these days, unfortunately.

Back to very cold, especially with that North wind. 8:50 pace.

Afternoon run, because we had a huge dump of snow overnight, and the roads were too bad this morning. 8:39 pace.

COLD!  I think the coldest day (so far) this winter.  -22C/-7F  With the windchill, it was -32C/-25F.  It was tough going, and the hot shower afterwards was painful, as various body parts had to thaw out.  Ouch. 

8:35 pace.  Well, that's what I was running when my battery died half way.  And it had been almost fully charged.  Batteries do not like the cold.

Nose got frost bit on Saturday run. Warmer today. 8:43 pace.

In the snow; 8:44 pace.

Beat the storm - another big dump of snow heading this way.  8:49 pace.

Another frigid one at -17C/1F.  Ice crystals hanging in the air, and hoar frost on the trees.  Gorgeous, but cold.  8:09 pace - I just wanted it over quickly!

I think I'll bump it up to running 5 days/week.  I'm feeling pretty good.

A lot warmer today at -6C/24F. My lungs are still a bit sore from Saturday's frigid run. Going to start running 5 days/week. 8:39 pace.

Progressive easy run in the fresh snow. First mile 11:30; last mile 8:15. Average pace was 9:18.

Cold North wind this morning, and a fresh fall of snow.  The road was both icy and snow covered.  Almost went down a few times.  9:02 pace.

Frigid!  At least the road is snow packed today.  -22C/-7F with a wind chill of -28C/-18F.  I was bundled up pretty good, and so only my eyes got cold.  9:00/mile pace.

Progressive run.  Mile paces:  11:36  8:43  8:14  7:48.  

Not so frigid today, with a light snow. Lungs feeling better, but not yet 100 percent, after that really cold run 10 days ago. I really did a number on them. First mile slower, at 11:27, then picked it up and finished with a 9:30 average. Skiing the 10K trail 3 or 4 times a week.

Back to arctic cold. I waited until the sun rose before bundling up and heading out. 8:59 pace.

9:00/mile pace.  Calm before the coming storm.

So, yesterday I got my new credit card.  I bought new shoes online from The Running Room during the Boxing Week sales.  A few weeks after that, I got a notice from them saying they had been hacked, but not to worry.  Yes, they got all my information.  Everything.  But don't worry, they said, we take this stuff seriously and will make sure it doesn't happen again.  I mean, we didn't care enough before to make sure our site was secure, but NOW we care.  Anyway, a short time after that, my credit card security calls to tell me they have cancelled my card, because of all sorts of weird things going on it.  So, yesterday I got my new credit card.

First time on the treadmill this season.  When the Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature is the same at -40, it's just too cold to run outside.  9:31 pace.  Frost quakes are loud this morning ... shaking the house.

Second day on the treadmill; it should start to warm up tomorrow.  We are actually looking at a 35 degree change in temperature in just a few days.  That's in Celcius.  On the fahrenheit scale, we are going from -40 to 35, so a 75 degree change.  Amazing.  9:31 pace.

Crisp morning, but good enough to run outside. 8:59 pace. Then 10km on the x-country ski trails later in the morning.

Heavy snow and driving wind. Really hurts the eyes running into it. Slow first mile at 11:26, then picked it up and averaged 9:13 pace.

Heavy fog; hovering just below freezing.  And another big storm heading our way later today.  8:46 pace.  

Back to the treadmill; heavy snow this morning, and it just was not safe to run out there.  9:31 pace.

Frigid, but doable.  Progressive run.  First mile at 11:10 and last one at 7:10.  9:10/mile average.

Mild weather lately. The road is melted down to bare pavement. First mile at 10:43. Then a pickup drove by with cannabis smoke coming out the windows. Felt really relaxed after that and picked up the pace. Faster than 8:25, with the final mile at 7:25, so faster than marathon pace. Overall average of 8:35. Felt great to move faster. Gotta wonder about those drugs!

Just one drug laden van today, and it was on my final mile. 8:55 pace.

From rain yesterday to icy cold today.  The only body part I had exposed were my eyes.  8:46 pace.

9:22 pace on the treadmill.  It's pretty bad outside today.  That's every Friday in February that we've had a storm bad enough to put me on the treadmill.

Slow and easy first half (10:27) and a faster second half (8:27) for an average pace of 9:27.

Got busy in the morning working on a project, so it was mid afternoon when I ran.  Cold, but beautiful, clear skies.  After a rather heavy lunch, however, I could only run an uncomfortable 4 miles.  8:20 pace.

Early start today in the midst of a rather heavy snowfall.  And cold.  And strong wind.  Ran the 1st mile at a pedestrian 11:10 pace, then picked it up and ran a total average of 9:13/mile.

Finished just ahead of the coming storm, although the Northeast wind was tough.  8:58 pace.

It's official:  I ran on the treadmill every Friday during February.  8:57 pace.  Huge storm last night, and arctic cold this morning.  It was smooth and warm inside.

Cold and snowy run.  8:55 pace.  Forgot to put my lift in the right shoe; noticed something felt off around mile 1, but decided to just finish the run.

Another cold morning, but clear and not a lot of wind. That black pickup went by again, reeking of weed. This time I saw where he is working ... A house under construction. I wonder if things will be level in there. 8:52 pace.

Through the falling snow. Like running in mashed potatoes today. 8:52 pace.

So, on Monday and Tuesday I ripped out carpet and put down vinyl laminate.  Today, my quads and inner thighs are screaming at me.  Not running muscles, but you still feel the ache when you run!

8:43 pace in a chilly North wind and some snow.

Frigid morning run.  -23C/-9F with the windchill.  9:03 pace.

Final 6 mile run of the week, bringing me to my base mileage goal of 30 miles/week.  I'll stick around here for most of the year, drifting at times into the mid to upper 30's and adding more speedwork as I go.  So far, so good.  8:40 pace.

Cruising today and feeling great.  8:30 pace.

Just cruising today, with an average 8:01 pace. Final three miles at marathon pace, with the last mile at 7:25. That's the pace I was running when I broke my foot last Fall. Felt great.

Even 8:35 pace.  Cold North wind, but so nice to not need the headlamp anymore on these morning runs.

Unintentional progression run.  First mile 8:30 and progressively faster to the last mile at 7:50.  8:11 average.

Easy, 8:37 pace.

Icy, cold North wind, with falling snow and a fair accumulation on the ground.  At the cul-de-sac turn around, I hit an icy patch under the snow and went down.  Not too hard.  My right forearm took most of it.  Sore, but that's it.  8:28 pace.  Back to running with a headlamp.  Stupid time change.

Another morning with a fierce North wind. It snowed a fair bit yesterday, so messy road today. 8:35 pace.

Heavy snow falling.  Psychedelic effect with the headlamp.  Mesmerizing.  8:42 pace.

Sloppy St. Patrick's Day storm.  Hovering right around the freezing mark, so a mixture of snow, sleet and slush.  8:37 pace.

Steady 8:37 pace.  Feeling good.

First day of Spring!

8:41 pace.

Even 8:33 pace.  Cold North wind, but the warming trend has begun.  I'm going to put 10 taps in the front maple trees today.

Misty and foggy, and just a couple degrees above freezing.  All the snow that fell yesterday has already melted.  First time in a long while that Goodwill Drive is down to bare pavement.  8:39 pace.  

Back to the cold, for a few more days anyway.  8:42 pace.

Calm before the storm, which is supposed to hit in a few more hours.  Lots more snow coming, they say.  We'll see.  8:42 pace.

Lots of snow fell over the weekend, but it has already all melted. Clear roads. 8:41 pace.

8:45 even pace.

Frigid run this morning.  Light hoar frost on the trees down Goodwill, which really lit up when the sun cracked the horizon.  8:37 pace.

A bit warmer today, but another big snow storm heading our way later tonight.  8:45 pace.

Quite the snow storm blowing through this morning.  Near zero visibility.  A real mess.  Decided to stay indoors and hit the treadmill.  9:05 pace.

Really tricky run on very icy roads, with lots of frozen tire track ridges, covered with freshly fallen snow. Almost fell a few times. Strong South wind too. 8:55 pace.

Fierce North wind. Bone chilling. But the roads are clear from snow and ice. 8:39 pace.

Major icestorm yesterday, but the main roads are mostly okay.  A few icy patches.  Very stong South wind.  8:46 pace.

Still pretty cold out there, especially with the strong North wind.  8:49 pace.  I collected about 20 litres (so far) of sap from the two maple trees out front; am boiling it down right now.  

Good running week.  Crisp today, but sunny.  Ran down the highway for the first time since I broke my foot last Fall.  Still a bit icy in places.  8:41 pace.

The Holy Thursday and Good Friday celebrations have gone well.  I'm looking forward to the Vigil tonight. 

I boiled down the sap yesterday morning and produced 28 ounces of maple syrup.  Nice.  It has actually been a slow year for sap.  The temperatures just haven't been above freezing consistently during the days.  I should be able to get more sap this week, but now we're going to the opposite extreme, with TOO warm temperatures and no more freezing at night.  Nobody, however, is going to complain about the "too warm" temperatures.

Beautiful morning for running. Just above freezing. First time I could run in gloves, rather than mitts. 8:27 pace.

Another gorgeous running day. 8:45 pace.

Warm enough to run without a jacket today.  Almost opted for shorts, but decided against it.  8:42 pace.

Early morning run, and still quite warm out.  8:40 pace.

Clear skies, very little wind, and warm (4C/40F).  8:44 pace.

Crazy drivers today. More than usual. I had a front seat view to some real close call collisions. 8:41 pace.

No near death experiences today; 8:53 pace.

Goodwill drive; 8:44 pace.  

8:48 pace.

Heavy fog this morning; 8:49 pace.

Snowy run.  Really.  Low visibility at times. 8:49 pace.

More snow, but lighter than yesterday; 8:53 pace.

Mostly clear morning, hovering just around freezing; 8:45 easy pace.

Easy, even 8:42 pace.

Had to buy a new laptop; just finished transferring the data from my old one.  It was 8 years old, which is pretty good for a refurbished machine.  The hard drive was failing.  Decided to go with another refurbished machine.

Hard rain coming this weekend - it was just starting this morning during my run.  A bit of GI distress, so I cut it short today; 8:50 pace.

Steady rain and heavy at times; 8:56 pace.

Cold and steady rain.  Hovering just above the freezing mark; 8:43 pace.  Thoroughly soaked through.

Even 8:42 pace.

Legs felt old and heavy today - no bounce in them at all.  Slogged it out at an 8:45 pace.

Shorts and short sleeves today.  No jacket.  No gloves.  6C/42F with no wind.  Perfect.  The only downer was the buttwad in the big white pick up truck who intentionally swerved over the white line towards me.  8:44 pace.

Gorgeous morning for running. Leaves are ready to burst out this week. 8:47 pace.

A nippy morning, but great for running;8:42 pace.

Warming up; leaves continue to burst out; allergies beginning to act up; 8:42 pace.

The rain yesterday seems to have given everything a certain freshness.  A gorgeous running morning; 8:33 pace.

Beautiful spring morning.  A white work van and a bit later a small car zipped by, reeking of weed.  Wow.  8:43 pace.

Easy going run. Really bad allergies. 8:52 pace.

A bit faster today; even 8:34 pace.

Lots of bounce in my legs this morning.  Ran a zippy 8:00/mile pace.  8:18 out and 7:42 back.  Cool morning at 1C/33F, but clear and mostly calm.

Still feeling pretty light on my feet; 8:24 pace - even.

Radar trap on Radar Road.  Cop pulled over a speeding pickup truck right in front of me.  Sadly, it wasn't the white one that took aim at me last week.  Ah well.  Rain started at mile 3 and picked up intensity until it let up at mile 8.  8:26 pace.

Crisp morning. Sunny. Even 8:42 pace.

Clear and calm morning/ 8:47 pace.

Frost on the ground this morning, but clear and calm; 8:31 pace.

Pretty decent pace today; 8:22.  I overdressed for this run - didn't expect it to warm up as fast as it did.

Gorgeous morning.  8:33 pace.  Going to plant the rest of my garden this morning --- I think yesterday may have been our last frost.

Starting to heat up these days.  Finally.  8:46 even pace.

Collision at the airport road.  4 police cars.  Lots of activity.  Run on.  8:43 pace.

Warming up quickly; already 20C/68F on the way to 31C/88F later today.  8:48 pace.

Legs felt like lead today.  Must be the heat over the past few days caught up with me.  Big coyote ran across the road just in front of me.  Kept it at an easy recover pace of 9:01.

The smoke from wildfires in Quebec has blown in.  It was hazy, with the sun a brilliant red.  It was like running through campfire smoke, so I cut the run a bit short.  Can't be great for the lungs.  8:54 pace.

Even paced 8:38.  The smoke is not as bad today, although it's still a bit hazy and the sun is a blood red.

An afternoon run today, in heavy wind, strong smoke, and warmer temps.  8:29 pace.

The smoke cleared overnight - it was really heavy last night.  So, no issues running this morning.  There was a small bush fire just up the street from here yesterday.  We really can use some rain.  Another coyote today; seems to be a lot of them around this year.  8:50 pace.

A bit cooler this morning and no noticeable smoke.

On Old Skead Road, around mile 5, a black bear walked out of a driveway just 50 feet in front of me.  It stopped when it saw me, and then ran slowly across the road and into another driveway.  Then it turned and stared at me until I was out of sight.

8:50 pace.

Minimal smoke today.  I'm hoping we are coming to an end of the smokey days.  8:45 even pace.

Easy run in a light rain. No smoke, but lots of pine pollen. 8:50 pace.

Lots of rain.  Cold and wet.  8:41 pace.

A wildlife kind of day.  A fox just past mile 2 - nearly the same place the black bear appeared last week.  A deer at mile 4.  A black bear at mile 5.  8:41 pace.

An easy 8:44 pace on Old Skead Road.  No wildlife today; just a coop full of chickens.

Gorgeous day for running.  8:39 even pace.

Easy 8:48 pace.

Steady paced at 8:46.  Got a face full of bird feathers.  Poor song bird got smucked by a truck just in front of me.  The air was full of feathers.

Even 8:48 pace.  Going to be hot one today; glad to be able to run early in the morning.

Going to be another hot one.  Early start today.  8:43 pace.

Even with an early start, it was sweltering by the time I finished.  It didn't help that heavy smoke from forest fires blew in around mile 2 and it just got worse after that.  Not a great outdoor breathing day.  8:53 pace.

I cut the run short today, as the smoke is very heavy and I found it hard to breath.  I thought yesterday was bad in the afternoon, but this morning was even worse.  8:55 pace.

Radar Road; 8:40 pace.  The air finally cleared.  After cutting my run short on Monday, I cancelled it entirely on Tuesday.  Apparently, we had some of the worst air quality in the world that day.  It was hard to breath, and for sure not worth running.  Hopefully that's it for the smokey air.

Started off sluggish, but picked it up as I went.  Rained hard for about 10 minutes, and then continued as a soft mist.  8:49 average pace.

100% humidity and a heavy fog.  8:39 pace.  I'll take fog over smoke any day.

A scorcher of a day, with high humidity.  Even running early was hot.  7:45 pace. 

I'm on antibiotics for an infection.  Apparently, no matter how carefully you wash a wound and use polysporin and bandages, it still can get infected.  It was a nasty red yesterday, so to an after hours clinic I went.

Another scorcher in the midst of our heat wave. Good pace though; 8:29/mile. Antibiotics doing a number on me, but infection is subsiding.

100 percent humidity. Wet! 8:45 pace.

Another humid one.  Still, clipped along at a decent 8:33 pace.  Infection in my leg has nearly disappeared.

A bit more mild today, and not quite as humid.  Ran a speedy 8:19/mile pace.

Early run to beat the heat.  Zippy 8:27 pace.

Another hot one today. A bit slower 8:44 pace.

Started slow and picked it up as I went.  Average pace of 8:40, with some stretches at 6:30 pace.  

Easy 8:42 pace in the early morning sun.

Felt sluggish at the start, but got my legs going and ended up running a zippy 8:29 pace.

I felt sluggish at the start of this run, and figured it would be a very slow paced day.  But I ran the first mile at 8:43 and it just got faster from there.  I ran the last 3.5 miles at marathon pace or faster.  Finished with an average pace of 8:03.

Cooler today.  And a much more relaxed pace:  9:05.

Another pretty zippy run at 7:58 pace.  

Intentional slow and easy pace today. Actually joined another runner for the first three miles and ran a 10:30 pace with them. Then picked it up just a bit and finished with an average pace of 9:38.

Perfect weather for running.  Easy 8:39 pace.

Heavy legs today, for some reason. 8:48 pace.

Heavy fog today. Quick pace at 8:30/mile.

Extremely humid.  I was a wet rag at the end.  8:48 pace.

100 percent humidity. Zowie! 8:43 pace.

A lot cooler this morning, and less humidity; with a bit of a North wind, it made for a very pleasant run.

I once again joined a slower runner for the 1st three miles:  10:34 pace.  Then I picked it up for the last 7 miles, ranging in pace from 8:31 to 7:20 (last mile).  Ended up with an overall average pace of 8:51.  Felt great.

Easy 9:01 pace for this morning run.  A bit further than usual ... I had to hit 1000 miles before Tom did.

Cool morning.  Great for running.  8:32 pace.

Another perfect morning for running; on the cool side, albeit with high humidity.  Very easy pace to start, and a bit faster as I went.

6 easy morning miles; 8:34 pace.

Slow, easy run in the cool of the morning.  SO much nicer than running through heat, humidity and smoke.

A fast run in a steady rain.  Last 3 miles at marathon pace or faster.  Averaged a 7:58 pace.

Took it slow and easy today; 8:47 pace.  Cool morning, and not so humid after yesterday's rain.

Even 8:38 pace. Cool, dry and no wind.

Cool, but 99 percent humidity. 8:52 even pace.

On the cool side to start.  Steady rain began at around mile 3.  It continued the rest of the way, coming down pretty hard at times.  8:43 even pace.

Easy and even paced 8:53.  Thinking about next year's possible races.  I'm still torn between a Marathon or an Ultra.  It's fun to look at possibilities at this point.

Smoke.  Not as much as earlier this summer, but still.  The sun was a stunning red disk as it rose because of it.  Fires are burning in Quebec, East of James Bay.  

I ran by a construction worker.  He yelled out "Hey young guy!  Try doing that when you're MY age".  Funny thing is, I think he is about my age.

8:42 pace.

Pretty even 8:42 pace.  Strong South wind; storm coming in.  At least the wild fire smoke is not around today.  Celebrated my mom's 90th birthday yesterday.  Still going strong!  Happy Birthday Mom!

8:43 pace.

The mornings have been quite cool as of late.  Today, it was just 7C/45F when I started.  8:33 even pace.

Even paced 8:35 run.

Even paced easy run at 8:33. Fresh and cool morning.

Even paced 8:33 run.

A quick 8:15 pace. Last mile at Marathon pace. A new runner I hadn't seen before. Running on the wrong side of the road. Wanted to say something, but decided to let it go.

Cool morning for this 8:44 paced run; 10C/51F with a steady Northeast wind.

Cool and sunny for my early morning run. Easy 8:43 pace.

A zippy run in a light to moderate rain.  The second half at Marathon pace or faster:

7:46   7:38   7:25   7:16   and  7:16 for the final half mile.  No reason.  The legs just wanted to move.  Overall average pace of 7:55.

Cool running weather. Just 5C/41F.  Kept an even and slow pace of 8:51.

Morning run in a heavy fog.  8:32 pace.

So, I signed up for 3 races.  An out of town Half at the end of this month, a local trail Half end of October, and a local Santa Shuffle 5K in December.

I don't plan on training specifically for them, or running them hard.  I just want to get back into it.  They are all on a Saturday, which is rare for races around here.  So, no need to book time off.

Easy 6 miles @ 8:44 pace.  

Even 8:43 pace. Gonna be a hot couple of days. High humidity to boot. Going out in my kayak later today.

100 percent humidity and quickly getting hot. Even 8:50 pace.

Heat wave is over.  A more seasonal 10C/50F this morning, with a steady North wind.  A steady 8:43 pace.

Not sure what pace to run my Half at the end of the month.  Was thinking of aiming for around 1:38, give or take.  So, decided to run some race pace today, to see how it felt.

After a 2 mile warm up, I ran mile 3 @ 7:28.  That felt too fast, so I ran 1 mile easy, and then mile 5 @ 7:38.  That seems more doable.  I ran another easy mile, and then the final 1.5 @ 7:50, which felt quite easy.  Overall average was 8:09 pace.  I'll try this again next week.

Even paced 8:34 run in the cool of the morning.  Light fog.

Slow and easy, even 9:00/mile pace.

Easy run in a light rain. 8:53 pace.

Getting cooler in the mornings.  Ran with gloves and long sleeved shirt today.  Have been adding a few strides (one or two to start) in my runs.  On the faster side today at 8:28 pace.

Heavy fog this morning.  I should have worn gloves; my hands are numb.  Tempo run.  6 miles from 7:37 to 7:17 pace ... each mile faster than the one before.  With the warm up and cool down miles factored in, I averaged a 7:34 pace.

My parent's 61st Anniversary today.  Treating them to a lobster lunch.

Started off looking like the fog was going to lift, but it just got heavier as I went.  Kept an even 8:40 pace.  Right knee a little tight at the end of the run; will have to monitor that.

Cut it short today, as my right knee is stiff, and I didn't want to damage it further. Even 8:54 pace. I may take a couple days off. We'll see.

So, because of my stiff knee on Monday, I decided to take 2 days off from running.  It seems fine today, but I'll continue to monitor it.  8:41 pace.

Keeping it easy; even 8:43 pace.

Even paced easy run; 8:44/mile.

Even paced 8:48 run. 

So, I'm leaning towards Ultras for next year.  Spent some time on the weekend looking at possibilities.  I think the 50 mile Sulphur Springs in May and the 100 mile Haliburton in September will be the big ones.  Still debating, but for sure leaning that way.

Easy run; 8:52 even pace.

Due to work issues, I had to run earlier than normal today, so it was very dark and I wore a headlamp.  It was a bit foggy, so that just added another dimension to the run.  The headlamp, of course, makes all the signs shine and reflective markers glow.  What I didn't expect around mile 1 was three sets of eyes looking at me. 

Actually, I didn't clue into the fact they were eyes for a second or two - I was wondering why there were reflective markers in that spot.  As soon as my brain registered they were eyes, I also clued into the fact that 3 black bears (a momma and her 2 cubs) were right beside me on the road.  It was too late to turn back, so I kept on going.  They didn't follow.  Mom's eyes looked angry.  Maybe that was just me reading into it.

Anyway, 8:46 pace.

Oh, I booked off three weekends next year to run Ultras.  And I registered for my first one:  Sulphur Springs 50 mile Trail Race May 24th.  I'm also going to run the Haliburton 100 Trail Race in September, and a 56km trail race in July.  I've made my decision.  Now to see if my body will hold up.

FIVE black bears today.  Four cubs and a mother.  Roughly the same spot as yesterday.  The difference is I went a bit later, and so had light to see them clearly.  I've never seen four cups with a mother before.  They can't all be hers.  I'm thinking she adopted two when the other mother was killed.

Just an easy shake out run; 9:12 pace.  I'll be driving to Bracebridge this afternoon for the Muskoka Half Marathon tomorrow morning.  About three hours from here.  I'm thinking of going relatively easy on the run - maybe aim for something in the 1:40 range.  

Perfect day for running:  8C/47F, no wind, no clouds.  This race just began in 2020 (Covid season!), and has grown every year.  It begins and ends at Santa's Village in Bracebridge, Ontario.  It follows the Muskoka River over a winding and hilly road, to a bridge which crosses the Muskoka River at about mile 3, and then follows the opposite shore of the river to the turnaround.  

I really didn't know how fast to run this, so I just went out on feel, thinking I would come in below 1:40.  I ran the first mile in 7:10, which I felt was too fast (it would have been), and so relaxed into a pace around 7:18, give or take.  

There were two guys from a local running club I ended up following, as they were bang on that pace.  They were very even.  Up the hills, I fell back.  Down the hills, I caught them again.  I ended up passing them at around mile 10 - they came in a little less than a minute behind me.

I averaged a 7:18 split at the turnaround, and a 7:20 split for the second half, giving me an average pace of 7:19 - basically even.  I never really struggled, but I did push the last few miles.  Overall, I'm happy with the effort.  My left foot has some issues that I will follow up with my foot doctor as soon as I can see him.  My next race is a Half Marathon trail event here in Sudbury.  Driving for 3 hours right after a Half sucks, but I had to get back in time for Mass at 4:30.

I was 32nd out of 527 runners;  26th male and 6th in my age division (50-59).  I would have been 5th, but dude #5 sprinted past me right at the end.  I could have gone faster, but I really wasn't feeling overly competitive today. 

Some unique Muskoka Marathon touches:  a can of beer from the local Muskoka brewery at sign in, and another one at the finish line.  Same with custom made Muskoka socks - one pair at sign in, and another at the finish line, along with a finisher's t-shirt.  And the medal is wood, carved in the shape of a Muskoka chair.  All cool.

18 days with no running.  Ouch!  I was hoping the layoff would help heal my left foot, and I had an appointment with a Podiatrist upcoming.  I saw him earlier this week.  He diagnosed me with a Plank Plate Rupture 2nd MTPJ.  He also removed what he called a "piece of wood" from almost the same spot where I had pain.  Really a splinter encased in a callus.  He said that was not what was causing my pain, but it sure felt a LOT better after he removed it.

Anyway, for starters, he suggested I switch to Hoka's in order to shift my landing pattern slightly.  I ran in them today.  I like the shoes; I'll have to give it time to see if it makes a difference in my foot.  If not, I'll likely try custom orthotics next.  For now, I'm back to running.  8:56 pace today.  After 18 days of no running, I put on 5 pounds.  Again, ouch!

Cold, steady rain.  Dark and gloomy.  Lovely for a run.  My right hammie got quite tight at around mile 2.  By mile 2.5, I decided to cut the run short and head back.  Good thing.  By mile 3, I was walking, with the occasional jog.  But mostly walking.  

Now the hammie is tight and the knee is achy.  I don't know if this is because of the new Hoka runners; hard to believe 2 short runs would do that.  But today will be a stretching day.  Tomorrow, we'll see. 

Oh, the good news is, with the sore hammie and knee on the right side, I barely even noticed the ache in the ball of my foot on the left side!

Today I was supposed to run a trail Half Marathon.  Last night, at package pickup, I switched to the 5K.  Really disappointed about that, as this was the inaugural race, and the course is stunning.

My right hamstring has not fully recovered.  On Monday, I tried a very slow run and got about 100 meters before I had to limp home.  That was better than the Saturday before, when I got to the end of my driveway.  I was hoping I could just run a very slow run today, but I could feel the hammie tightening almost from the start, and after 200 meters, I was forced to walk.

I almost left, but really didn't want a 5K to be my first DNF, so I just pushed along.  The uphills were the worst, but I could manage a slow run on the downhills.  My biggest oops was overextending my right leg while traversing a wet/muddy section.  I really felt that.

Anyway, back to resting, stretching and strengthening.  Not much else I can do until the hammie heals up.

I ran today!  Just two miles, and a very slow 11:05 pace, but I ran.  I think the hammie is completely healed.  For sure I was stiff, but that comes from a very long lay off from running.  The left foot is still not 100%, but I'm not sure it ever will be.  My podiatrist tells me that my bunion is going to keep on putting pressure on that plank plate.  He fit me for some orthotics; they should arrive in a few weeks.  He thinks they will help by distributing the weight to different parts of my foot.  My one glimmer of hope.

I biked three days last week just to keep things moving.  I plan on running short distances now, as much as possible, to get my running legs back up to snuff.  I still plan on running both a 50 mile (MAY) and 100 mile (SEPT) trail race next year.  So, training is supposed to start in mid December.  We'll see.

Another easy run. So far, so good. 10:37 pace.

Upped it to 3 miles with a bit of a faster (9:14) pace.  Feeling pretty good.  A bit of a stiffness still in my right knee, and the pressure point under my left foot (plank plate) that I'm thinking may never really go away.  Right hamstring - healed!!!

I'm running in the afternoons these days.  Just seems to work better for now.  Plus I can see the potholes in the light.  Stepping in those is not good for the hamstrings!

Woke up yesterday with an incredibly sore back.  Not sure why.  Today it's not as bad, and it didn't seem to react to the run I just finished.  9:27 pace.  Icy roads and -5C/23F.

So, last Friday I ran in the afternoon, and was thinking to myself that it was a pretty good time to run, at least in the winter months.  A bit warmer.  Light out.  Safer.

Then, that night, Covid hit me hard.  My first run in with it.  Laid me out pretty good.  No running for 8 days.  I'm still testing positive, in fact, and don't feel 100%, but I ran anyway.  9:39 pace.  

Hopefully I've turned the corner on it.  My new orthotics come on Wednesday, and I really need to get my mileage up.

Easy 9:30 pace. Tight hammie right side, and still a bit sore in the right knee. I'll try again tomorrow.

Pretty much the same as yesterday. 9:30 pace.

Lunch time run; 9:16 pace.

I picked up my orthotics the other day; first run in them today.  Doctor showed me how to tape my toe, to allow the nerve damage from the Plank Plate rupture to heal.  6 - 8 weeks of that.  9:27 pace on an icy road in freezing fog.

Mild day with melting everything.  9:25 pace.

So, my training program for the 50 Mile Sulphur Spring Ultra begins now - 24 weeks to race day.  Not a great start to training:

I have not run much at all since my Half Marathon at the end of September.  I've stuggled with injuries - primarily the plank plate rupture, but also a strained hamstring and a sore knee.  I've tranisitioned to wearing Hokas and orthotics - both to help overcome the plank plate issue.  To top it off, I'm still feeling the effects from my first run in with Covid 2 weeks ago.

So, I completed 27 miles this week.  The hamstring is healed, but the right knee still aches when I run.  More stiff than sore.  I'm hoping I can just run through it until it resolves.  I still have that 'bunched up socks' feeling under my left foot, which my podiatrist tells me is nerve damage from the plank plate.  He showed me how to tape it, and I'm doing that now for the next 2 months until it (hopefully) heals.  My runs are labored, even at this very slow 9:30ish pace.  I thought it was primarily due to being out of shape after such a long layoff, but after today's 8 miles, my lungs were burning something awful.  So, I'm pretty sure the layoff doesn't help, but that my primary problem is a post Covid heaviness in my chest.  I'm hoping that just fades away over the next days and/or weeks.  I'm still coughing up phlegm.

All that being said, my first week of training next week is supposed to begin with 34 miles and a 12 mile long run on Saturday.  I'm not going to jump the 7 miles (25%) this week, and I'm not going to go from an 8 mile to a 12 mile long run in a week.  My plan is to increase slightly more than 10%/week until I catch up with the plan.  I think I can do that by week 4, which is a cutback week in training.

I know this is all risky, and opens me up to other injuries.  My hope is that I can rely on the fitness I've banked over many years, and that by keeping my paces ultra slow, and skipping the speedwork for a few months, I can dodge the bullet and pull off this race in May.  And that 50 mile race is really only a springboard event to what I hope will be my next 100 mile race in September.

Very gentle snow falling.  Most of what had been on the ground has melted over the last few days of our 'warm spell'.  Potential for a green Christmas.  Slow and easy 9:14 pace.  Still have that burning in my lungs.

Very easy 9:43 pace in a heavy snow storm.  I would have waited for it to pass, but I had a doctor's appointment to keep.

Got my flu shot, so that should kick in by Christmas.  She listened to my lungs and said there was no sign of pneumonia or asthma, so said the pain in my lungs was likely post Covid inflammation, and that it should resolve on its own.   The good news is, I'm ok to run through it.  She said if it was bad enough to stop me, then I should stop.  She also called my running a 'good vice'.  I laughed and told her I'd never expected my doctor to tell me that my running was a vice.  She replied it was a much better one than drugs or alcohol.  True enough.

Decided to take it to the treadmill today.  I washed my cold weather running clothes last night and forgot to take them out, so the easiest thing was to put on shorts and stay inside.  May as well get used to it - there will be days when I don't have a choice.  10:00/mile pace.

Easy treadmill run; 10:00/mile pace.  I'll take it outside tomorrow for my long run.

Actually felt pretty good.  I didn't cough up a lung when I was done.  And even the knee did not seem to ache as much as it has been.  Hopefully, a trend that will continue.  9:28 pace.

Rained all night.  What little snow we had is gone.  Mild, at just above freezing, and still a light drizzle.  Ran an easy 9:31 pace, but the first two very slow and the last two at around an 8:50 pace.  Knee ached all weekend, but is feeling a bit better this morning. 

Finally felt like I've turned a corner.  Lungs not 100%, but I'm not coughing them up after a run any more.  And my knee felt a LOT better today.  Last night, I watched my favourite online doctor - Dr. Jordan Metzl - talk about runner's knee.  Nothing I didn't really know, but I do know I haven't been foam rolling enough.  Worked my quads and IT band hard - hurt like you wouldn't believe - but it made a difference already.  I'll have to undergo that foam rolling torture every day.  Ran a faster 8:53 pace in cooler temps at just -13C/9F.  Stiff wind.  I didn't feel like an old man when I finished.

Took it to the roads this morning.  9:14 pace.  -3C/27F, with no wind and no snow on the ground.  Just a bit icy in places.

Colder morning at -11C/12F with a bit of wind.  Dark.  Still no snow.  9:08 pace.  Not a lot of traffic today; I think people are taking the day off to make for a longer holiday.

Freezing rain/light snow mix last night.  Thought it would be slippery, but it wasn't actually that bad.  Ran 2 miles on the trails (miles 9 & 10).  Rough, and steep enough to force me to walk sections.  Just like my race will be in May, so good training.  I can't usually run trails this time of the year, but with no snow on the ground that option is there.  9:39 pace.  Oh, and my lungs are MUCH better.  Still not 100%, but I'm not coughing up a lung after my run anymore.

A misty kind of Christmas morning.  Hovering just around freezing.  The first mile of Goodwill Drive was slick, so I really had to watch myself.  9:10 pace.

Amazingly mild and not a flake of snow. Very unique for here this time of the year. Heavy fog. Very little knee pain. 9:15 pace.

Rain today.  Still above freezing.  Mixed in some speedwork.  4 striders all out, and then 400m at 5k pace.  Overall average pace of 9:21.

Long run. 4 on the trails and 10 on the road. A bit icy, so tried to stick to the shoulders. 9:40 pace. Knee is less and less of an issue.

Slow recovery run at 9:20 pace.  First 3 weeks of program complete, and I'm essentially caught up to where I should be, despite my slow, injury caused, start.  Week 4 is a cut back week, with the same 14 mile run to end it.  I'm hopeful going forward; just 21 weeks to go!