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:

Click to donate
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
13.610.000.001.1814.79

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2016-09-06 07:31:27
Workout Totals: Distance14.786Time1:54:53.40Pace7:46.21
In the AM I ran 10 miles, Benjamin 8, Jenny 2, Julia 2, Joseph 1, Jacob 2, William 1, Sarah 2, Stephen and Matthew rested.

In the PM we ran in the Kiwani's Park 2 K. I estimate that the course was around 1.18, or in other words about 20 seconds short. Times:

Benjamin 5:59
me 6:43
Joseph 7:07
Jacob 7:11
Jenny 7:54
Julia 8:03
William 9:07
Stephen 10:30
Matthew 11:07
Sarah 16:35

William and Stephen were foolish enough to get into peanut butter before the race started. It was a good lesson for them. William got beat by Logan Rohatinsky (Josh's son) by 1:04. William should have run this in around 8:30-8:35. During the awards ceremony he required some attitude adjustment as he was not happy about getting only third. I told him he needed to train and race with more focus if he wanted to win against serious competition. Stephen managed to win regardless even though he was not properly focused and the peanut butter in his stomach was making things difficult. But he almost got beat by Matthew who ended up 3rd in the 6 and under division. Things would have been more interesting if Matthew had not tripped 5 times and lost his shoe once. To be fair in comparison - I was holding Matthew's hand which makes a big difference for a 3-year-old.

Joseph got outkicked in the last 100 meters and ended up second in the 11-12 division. Jacob not only won his age division (9-10) but beat everybody in the 11-12 division except Joseph and the 11-12 winner. He surprised me with his kick - he was behind the third place 11-12 boy for most of the race, caught up with 200 to go, I thought for sure the older kid would have a faster kick, but Jacob found another gear and beat him by maybe half a second.

Both Joseph and Jacob had a breakthrough run I think, but unfortunately due to the obviously incorrect length of the course we can only guess by how much. Julia also had a breakthrough race.

I got outleaned by the winner of the 13-14 division at the finish - I think his name was Rick, Aside from that only Benjamin was ahead of me. I was rather surprised as I passed Rick at around 800 mark, and usually when that happens in a 2 K race the kids usually do not make it to the kick, but he stayed back at some respectable distance and then was able to close the gap at the end.

Sarah was having some pregnancy discomfort, so she part-ran/part-walked it. She is now 36 weeks along, but still is able to run.

Overall all kids got awards with places 3rd or higher in their division. Sarah and I also got the default master awards being the only participants.
Leg 1:Distance4.000Time29:16.40Pace7:19.10
Alone.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time8:24.60Pace8:24.60
With Jacob and William.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time7:52.10Pace7:52.10
With Joseph and Jacob.
Leg 4:Distance4.050Time30:59.30Pace7:39.09
First mile with Jenny, the rest alone.
Leg 5:Distance0.216Time1:43.80Pace8:00.56
Warm-up before the cross-country race.
Leg 6:Distance2.242Time16:35.40Pace7:23.98
The cross-country race.
Split 1:Distance1.180Time6:43.30Pace5:41.78
Cumilative:Distance1.180Time6:43.30Pace5:41.78
My time.
Split 2:Distance0.000Time0:17.30Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance1.180Time7:00.60Pace5:56.44
Handed the tag, then started running.
Split 3:Distance0.112Time0:53.60Pace7:58.57
Cumilative:Distance1.292Time7:54.20Pace6:07.03
Jenny's time.
Split 4:Distance0.000Time0:09.60Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance1.292Time8:03.80Pace6:14.46
Julia's time.
Split 5:Distance0.950Time8:31.60Pace8:58.53
Cumilative:Distance2.242Time16:35.40Pace7:23.98
Sarah's time.
 
Leg 7:Distance0.891Time7:14.60Pace8:07.77
Ran around during Joseph and Jacob's race.
Split 1:Distance0.891Time7:07.50Pace7:59.80
Cumilative:Distance0.891Time7:07.50Pace7:59.80
Joseph's time.
Split 2:Distance0.000Time0:04.40Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance0.891Time7:11.90Pace8:04.74
Jacob's time.
Split 3:Distance0.000Time0:02.70Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance0.891Time7:14.60Pace8:07.77
 
Leg 8:Distance0.142Time1:08.00Pace7:58.87
Ran around trying to find William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 9:Distance1.180Time11:07.90Pace9:26.02
Ran the course with Matthew.
Leg 10:Distance0.065Time0:31.30Pace8:01.54
Some extra running around.

Khaki Crocs 1 Miles: 14.78
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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