Breaking the Wall

March 28, 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: 133.01 Year: 776.88
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
8.940.002.000.5011.44

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-05-31 08:15:25
Workout Totals: Distance11.440Time1:28:57.50Pace7:46.56
More or less usual day but decided to try an experiment. I realized that it is hard for me to get in traditional good quality workouts while properly training with the kids. So instead, I though, I could just spread all of the fast running that I would do in one day over several days. This might have its advantages as I can monitor the minor changes in diet and sleep, as well as the training itself but how I feel during my mini tempo or interval on a daily basis. I have tried this idea before with a decent result - 2:33:23 in UVM in 2011 (age 38), but then for some reason did not stick with it.

Some modifications to that routine should be that I should not feel obligated to do a mini-tempo if I am feeling strongly I need a break. And I should also not overanalyze the results as some days are just not good days either due to the weather or the fatigue.

In any case, I first ran with William, and Stephen, then dropped off Stephen and ran 1 more mile with William with the last quarter in 80. Then I did a 2 mile tempo on our hilly out-and-back neighborhood course in 11:38. The first 0.5 was uphill, then 180 turn and 1 mile downhill, and last 0.5 uphill. Do not remember the exact breakdown, but it was around 5:40 average for the downhill, and a little under 6:00 for the uphill.

Then I ran 4 with Joseph and Jacob with the last 0.25 in 73.4 (Joseph). Jacob finished in 75.5. This did not feel too hard even after the tempo. So there is still some kind of endurance problem - probably glycogen.

Usual distances for everybody.
Leg 1:Distance2.040Time17:58.70Pace8:48.77
With William and Stephen.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time7:31.40Pace7:31.40
With William - last 0.25 fast.
Split 1:Distance0.750Time6:11.10Pace8:14.80
Cumilative:Distance0.750Time6:11.10Pace8:14.80
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:20.30Pace5:21.20
Cumilative:Distance1.000Time7:31.40Pace7:31.40
 
Leg 3:Distance2.000Time11:38.10Pace5:49.05
Tempo
Leg 4:Distance4.010Time31:57.80Pace7:58.25
With Joseph and Jacob - pickup in the last 0.25.
Split 1:Distance3.760Time30:42.50Pace8:10.03
Cumilative:Distance3.760Time30:42.50Pace8:10.03
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:13.40Pace4:53.60
Cumilative:Distance4.010Time31:55.90Pace7:57.78
Split 3:Distance0.000Time0:01.90Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance4.010Time31:57.80Pace7:58.25
 
Leg 5:Distance1.350Time10:55.50Pace8:05.56
With Julia - pickup in the last 0.25.
Split 1:Distance1.100Time9:15.50Pace8:25.00
Cumilative:Distance1.100Time9:15.50Pace8:25.00
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:40.00Pace6:40.00
Cumilative:Distance1.350Time10:55.50Pace8:05.56
 
Leg 6:Distance1.040Time8:56.00Pace8:35.38
In the park, one lap with Matthew, one alone.
Split 1:Distance0.520Time4:58.00Pace9:33.08
Cumilative:Distance0.520Time4:58.00Pace9:33.08
Split 2:Distance0.520Time3:58.00Pace7:37.69
Cumilative:Distance1.040Time8:56.00Pace8:35.38
 

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 11.44
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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