Breaking the Wall

April 25, 2024

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Location:

Orem,UT,United States

Member Since:

Jan 27, 1986

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Best marathon: 2:23:57 (2007, St. George). Won the Top of Utah Marathon twice (2003,2004). Won the USATF LDR circuit in Utah in 2006.

Draper Days 5 K 15:37 (2004)

Did not know this until June 2012, but it turned out that I've been running with spina bifida occulta in L-4 vertebra my entire life, which explains the odd looking form, struggles with the top end speed, and the poor running economy (cannot break 16:00 in 5 K without pushing the VO2 max past 75).  

 

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for the US Olympic Trials. With the standard of 2:19 on courses with the elevation drop not exceeding 450 feet this is impossible unless I find an uncanny way to compensate for the L-4 defect with my muscles. But I believe in miracles.

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:08 in the marathon. Become a world-class marathoner. This is impossible unless I find a way to fill the hole in L-4 and make it act healthy either by growing the bone or by inserting something artificial that is as good as the bone without breaking anything important around it. Science does not know how to do that yet, so it will take a miracle. But I believe in miracles.

Personal:

I was born in 1973. Grew up in Moscow, Russia. Started running in 1984 and so far have never missed more than 3 consecutive days. Joined the LDS Church in 1992, and came to Provo, Utah in 1993 to attend BYU. Served an LDS mission from 1994-96 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Got married soon after I got back. My wife Sarah and I are parents of eleven children: Benjamin, Jenny, Julia, Joseph, Jacob, William, Stephen, Matthew,  Mary,  Bella.  and Leigha. We home school our children.

I am a software engineer/computer programmer/hacker whatever you want to call it, and I am currently working for RedX. Aside from the Fast Running Blog, I have another project to create a device that is a good friend for a fast runner. I called it Fast Running Friend.

Favorite Quote:

...if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

 

Favorite Blogs:

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to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 882.94
Saucony Type A Lifetime Miles: 640.15
Bare Feet Lifetime Miles: 450.37
Nike Double Stroller Lifetime Miles: 124.59
Brown Crocs 4 Lifetime Miles: 1334.06
Amoji 1 Lifetime Miles: 732.60
Amoji 2 Lifetime Miles: 436.69
Amoji 3 Lifetime Miles: 380.67
Lopsie Sports Sandals Lifetime Miles: 818.02
Lopsie Sports Sandals 2 Lifetime Miles: 637.27
Iprome Garden Clogs Lifetime Miles: 346.18
Beslip Garden Clogs Lifetime Miles: 488.26
Joybees 1 Lifetime Miles: 1035.60
Madctoc Clogs Lifetime Miles: 698.29
Blue Crocs Lifetime Miles: 1164.32
Kimisant Black Clogs Lifetime Miles: 720.62
Black Crocs 2023 Lifetime Miles: 1312.70
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.200.008.000.0020.20

A.M. Long run. Total of 20.2. Started with Gary and Chad. After a 4.5 mile warmup I did a 6 mile tempo with 2 down the canyon, 2 back up, and 2 more down. Gary and Chad joined me for portitions of the tempo.  It was cold - 18F at the start, and the wind was strong and blowing out of the canyon. My splits were 5:35, 5:34, 6:24, 6:16, 5:41, 5:26 - total time 34:56. Chad made it to a little bit past the mile on the first one, while Gary went about 500. On the way back they helped me a little bit with the wind block, but the first quarter after the turnaround was quite horrible - 98 seconds. Then with their help I was able to run 2:22 in the next 600, still not a stellar pace, but at least not quite as disasterous. Once in the canyon the wind abated enough to allow me to run around 6:16 pace without a wind block. Was struggling to shift gears again as usual after the uphill, but then with some encouragement from the tail wind was able to do it with 0.75 to go. Last quarter was 78. Then ran home, picked up the kids. Jenny and Julia ran 2 on their own. Benjamin ran 6. Joseph and Jacob did 1 each. Jacob set a new record for our mile course - 8:36, which is quite impressive for the day. I was alone for the last 2.04 miles, and decided to repeat the last weeks tempo. Last week it was raining, I was cold, and my clothes were soaked. I'd have to say after today's experience that 26 F and some snow on the ground is not nearly as miserable and slow as having 4lb of wet clothes and running on a wet road. I was able to run 12:27 for the distance, compared to 12:52 last week. I think I am going to make that tempo at the end of a long run a regular practice. It is a great preparation for the last 2 miles of TOU, the elevation profile, the turns, and the fatigue are quite similar, perhaps the elevation profile is actually worse as there is hardly one flat spot on it. I think if I can learn to run it in 11:30 in ideal conditions at the end of 20 with some fast running done already, I would be ready for 2:28 in TOU.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 20.20
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00
Comments
From Dale on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 18:52:40 from 69.10.215.11

Trevor Pettingill says hi. He's my PT here in WA.

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