Breaking the Wall

March 19, 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:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 25.00 Year: 668.87
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
10.440.000.000.0010.44

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2018-03-10 19:28:20
Workout Totals: Distance10.440Time1:20:51.30Pace7:44.68
Spent most of the day at the chess tournament - Utah Elementary Championship. Results: Jacob (5th grade) - 4 wins, 2 losses, 4 points, 11th place. William (3rd grade) - 5 wins, 1 loss, 5 points, 6th place. Stephen (1st grade) - 2 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss, 3.5 points. Matthew (kindergarten) - 1 win, 1 draw, 4 losses, 1.5 points.

Stephen discovered a new skill - how to draw in a losing position. Turns out the following trick works at least among the average players in the 1st grade division. If you are a piece or two down, just trade queens and try to blockade the pawns as much as possible. The opponent does not know how to win from there, gets bored, and starts moving his pieces back and forth. You also move the same piece back and forth. When this happened three times, declare a draw by repetition. While this is a cool trick, though, we need to teach Stephen how to not get into that position in the first place. Chances are very high that if a player does not know how to win with a piece or especially two up, he is not that hard to beat if you start with equal material.

Running wise, the distances were reduced for everybody due to the late arrival - I ran 10, Jenny 3, Joseph and Jacob 4, William 3, Stephen 2, Matthew 1.
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time7:50.40Pace7:50.40
With Joseph, Jacob, William, and Matthew.
Leg 2:Distance2.040Time17:00.00Pace8:20.00
With Joseph, Jacob, William, and Stephen.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time6:50.60Pace6:50.60
With Jacob.
Leg 4:Distance3.400Time25:13.50Pace7:25.15
Alone.
Leg 5:Distance3.000Time23:56.80Pace7:58.93
With Jenny.

Brown Crocs 1 Miles: 10.44
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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