| 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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| Enigma Miles: 6.00 | Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 9.00 | Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 10.00 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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| | An easy 6 at the slower end of my easy range: 9:15/mile pace.
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| | Speedwork at the track, using steps. Was to run:
400 @ 1:40 Ran in 1:39
800 @ 3:19 Ran in 3:17
1200 @ 4:57 Ran in 5:00
1600 @ 6:40 Ran in 7:03 :(
1200 @ 4:47 Ran 800 instead in 3:34 :(
800 @ 3:19 Skipped :(
400 @ 1:40 Ran in 1:38
Okay, so I blew it. What went wrong? Well, other than my left hip which is still tight (and now, after the 9 mile run, is sore), I felt fine at the start. It was warm, but no more than previous runs and not terribly humid.
I think a part of it was in my head - I'm not a fast runner, and I think the one mile split intimidated me. Maybe.
The 1st three splits were bang on, but I was really fatigued after the 1200m split and decided to walk a lap and then jog a lap in order to be really recovered for the mile. That is when I was really feeling my hip too.
I intentionally went out slow, hoping to pick up the pace as I went. So, I was already 5 seconds off pace after the 1st lap. Well, that pace held and there was no way I was able to pick up the pace in the final lap. So, I was bummed out by that split.
Then, I was really fatigued for the 1200m split that followed. At the 800m point, when I saw that I was already 15 seconds off pace and my legs were totally dead, I decided to pack it in. Figured it was not worth pushing through at that point.
So, I finished my distance by running laps at an easy pace. After 8 miles, I decided to try one more 400m split, just to see. I ran that strong, so I think again it's the longer distances getting into my head.
So, I'm disappointed, but at least I ran 3 of the 4 miles at speed.
I have just 3 speed sessions left, and 2 of them are 3 x 1600m repeats. So, I'll have to give serious thought this week to that, and consider changing those to 6 x 800 repeats instead. I'd sooner have a strong workout on pace than one that falls short and does not do what it's supposed to do.
And my hip is really bumming me out. It seems to tighten up overnight - still not sure what exactly it is. I see my massage therapist in one week. Between now and then, if things do not change, I may make an appointment with my doctor to rule out stress fractures and arthritis.
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| Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 9.00 |
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| | After my speedwork on Monday, I decided to take my scheduled 'day off' yesterday. I've run every day for the past 5 weeks, and I figured it would be good to give my sore hip a rest.
On that hip, I'm leaning towards Trochanteric Bursitis. At least I'm hoping that's what it is, as it's the one hip injury I can run through!
Also, it occured to me that the speedwork on Monday may have been negatively influenced by my blood donation the previous Tuesday. It sure would explain a lot. I figured I could slip in one more donation before my marathon, but I think I goofed on that thinking. It worked okay for half marathon training, but I think depleted me too much for the marathon training. Oh well - live and learn. A few more weeks and my red blood cells should be back to normal.
Today, unfortunately, turned into a bit of a disaster run. It was meant to be 7 miles at race pace. It started off okay. The weather sucked --- light rain, wind at 15 - 25 mph, and just 10C/50F. But then again, it's probably close to what I'll have in Hamilton on November 2nd. So, I ran 2 miles warm up, and then I hit my pace for the next 3 miles: 7:40 7:39 and 7:38.
Then, soon after that, I was attacked by a dog (an ankle biter). Never happened before. I was running in a neighborhood on the paved sidewalk. The bloody cur charged me without warning. I instinctively kicked it and landed a good blow in its mid section, causing it to whelp and run away. At the same time though, I lost my balance and came really close to doing a face plant. I don't know how I caught myself, but I did.
Damage report: I had to stop running due to pain, and since I needed to make an inventory of what I had done. Top of my left foot sore, left knee on medial side sore, hip REALLY sore now (both the outside and the inside - my old iliopsoas friend which I normally keep under control).
Nothing seemed serious, so I started running again. Kept my tempo pace for a half mile, and then fell off pace. Ran mile 6 in 8:03. At that point, I could really feel all the sore points, but I was too far from home to start walking. Plus, I wanted to finish the run. Mile 7 was 8:23, mile 8 was 8:52 and mile 9 was a sickening 9:24. My final mile was 9:33. I couldn't even keep my slow easy pace for those last 2 miles.
I'm guessing I came down really hard on my left leg when I lost my balance. Walking seems fine, although I can feel those body parts throbbing a bit. I'm going to see how things settle through the day and night and then I'll decide if I can run easy tomorrow and Friday, or if I should cross train for those 2 days and save it for the long run on Saturday.
And yes, I'm pissed off!
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| Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 10.00 |
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| | Miserable day. Just 8C/46F, cold rain, and North wind. Yuck. But, like I said yesterday, this could very well be the sort of day I run in for the Hamilton marathon in November.
Anyway, the run was 'yuck' for reasons other than the weather. My left hip is no better, and in fact seems worse. I tried using heat on it just before I left - no help. Maybe next time I'll try ice.
I decided to run slow, just to see how my body felt after yesterday. The good news is my left foot and knee felt fine. That hip though ...
I stayed on pace through mile 4, but then the pain really increased. And yes, it was pain rather than discomfort for the 1st time. I also noticed that it was causing my form to change - pronating my feet a lot - and I think that is what is causing my left knee to hurt (which it started to do at this point again).
Well, I wasn't going to walk the 3 miles home, which is how far I was at that point. So, I just slowed down to a jog and tried to focus on good form. Ran that way for 2 miles and then walked the final mile.
So, what to do: running through this is not helping, obviously. So, my 1st decision is to replace running with cycling for the next few days - in fact, I'm ready to go 10 days with no running if it helps. I still have not made a decision on whether to see my doctor for a cortisone shot. I'm leaning in that direction, as I still do think this is Trochantric Bursitis. It's just odd that there is NO pain from walking, climbing stairs, pressing on it or sleeping on it. But as soon as I hop or start to run, I feel it like it's bone on bone. And it's radiating down into my Quads.
The cycling (and I HATE cycling for more than 30 minutes at a time!) should help to maintain my fitness in the meantime. It's not ideal, but if it takes care of the issue, it will be worth it. I think I'll aim for slower training paces after that. My BQ time is 3:30. I'm training for a 3:20, so I do have a good bit of room to adjust here. We'll see.
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| Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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| | Was scheduled to run an easy 8 miles today, so did 80 minutes on my spin bike instead. One minute standing and four minutes sitting, repeat..... No offence to cyclists, but BORING!
Will be worse tomorrow - scheduled for a 14 mile long run. 140 minutes of spin. I may go crazy.
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| | 140 mind numbing (and butt numbing) minutes on my spin bike. Replaces my 14 mile run today. Sigh.
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| Enigma Miles: 6.00 | Mizuno Wave Elixir 8 Miles: 9.00 | Brooks Ghost 5 Miles: 10.00 | Brooks Glycerin Miles: 6.00 |
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