Breaking the Wall

April 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:
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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 870.94
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
Fri, Jun 25, 2021
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.000.000.001.0012.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-25 05:35:05
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time58:55.10Pace7:21.89
Total of 12 for me and Benjamin. We did a mile pickup down the canyon. He ran 4:46, I did 5:43. The younger boys raced 3000 + 1500 at the AAU qualifier. The 3000 was first. Results:

Jacob 9:58.58
Joseph 10:30.02
William 11:36.31
Stephen 13:38.83

Then an hour later 1500:

Jacob 4:38.39 PR
Joseph 4:58.03
William 5:29.61
Matthew 5:33.25 PR
Stephen 5:36.27 track meet PR

Jacob's assignment was to pull Joseph to 2000 in 6:40, and then to try to run 3:10 for the last 1 K. Joseph did not have it and dropped back after the first 1200. Jacob got to 2000 in 6:40 as planned, but then only had 3:18 for the last 1 K, though he did run the last lap in 76. William did his usual "I cannot push myself any harder, you do not know how miserable I am" thing, ran a good first 1600 in 5:54, and then was jogging after that while imagining that he is miserable. He is very imaginative, so if he gets set on the idea that he is miserable, this leads to a complete disaster in running. Stephen, however, managed to outdo him. He imagined enough misery to run 5:11 for the last 1 K and looked like he was going to fall over the entire time.

Afterwards I had a talk with both of them. I told Stephen if he kept running like this we were not going to take him to the AAU nationals in Texas. He got the message, and did a lot better in the 1500 fighting all the way to the end and finishing in 5:36.

William also was more competitive, and ran 5:29. Matthew did very well running a PR of 5:33.25 which converts to 6:00.1 mile. Jacob also ran a PR which converts to 5:00.7 mile. Joseph had a sub-par day in both distances, I think part of his problem is that he has a hard time motivating himself when he is not winning.
Leg 1:
Distance8.000Time58:55.10Pace7:21.89
Split 1:Distance4.730Time36:31.00Pace7:43.21ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance4.730Time36:31.00Pace7:43.21
Split 2:Distance1.000Time5:43.40Pace5:43.40ZoneVO2 Max Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.730Time42:14.40Pace7:22.30
Split 3:Distance2.270Time16:40.70Pace7:20.84ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance8.000Time58:55.10Pace7:21.89
 
Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-25 21:51:05
Workout Totals: Distance4.000Time29:46.10Pace7:26.52
4 with Benjamin, Joseph, and Jacob. Part with Stephen, Matthew, and William.
Leg 1:
Distance4.000Time29:46.10Pace7:26.52ZoneEasy Miles

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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