Breaking the Wall

March 18, 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
11.000.000.000.0011.00

Drove back from Eugene to Orem. The route through Portland was quite a bit longer not only in distance but also in time - 15.5 hours as opposed to 14.5 through Winnemucca, NV. Got some running on the road and a little bit after we got home. Total of 11 miles. Benjamin did 8, Jenny 2, Julia 1.5, Joseph 2, Jacob 2, William 0.5. It was nice to be able to pump my own gas once we got to Idaho. The question I have is if Oregon and New Jersey can get away with keeping people from pumping their own gas, why do we worry about what others think of our alcohol laws here in Utah? 

Green Crocs 5 Miles: 9.00Green Crocs 6 Miles: 2.00
Night Sleep Time: 6.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.00
Comments
From Josh E on Thu, Jul 18, 2013 at 17:30:04 from 166.147.72.23

You are a funny guy. At least you can now sympathize with the oppression I often feel.

From Rob Murphy on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 13:39:06 from 24.10.249.165

Because nobody really cares whether they pump their own gas or not. In fact, having somebody do it for you is sort of nice.

Not many Utahan's worry that much about what others think about our alcohol laws. To the extent that they do, it's usually do to the fact that it costs the state money in lost tourism revenue and convention business. Conservatives in Utah are really conflicted on this because they are enthusiastically pro-business but also enthusiastically anti-alcohol.

For me, it would just be nice to pick up a bottle of wine in the supermarket and not go to a state owned store. If I could just do that I'd be happy.

From Rob Murphy on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 15:00:32 from 24.10.249.165

Bur I would complain if I had to pay more $ for them to pump my gas.

From Jake K on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 15:09:52 from 67.177.11.154

It actually drives me nuts when they pump the gas for you. I like the get out of the car and stretch, so its just sort of awkward... I'm standing next to the guy when he is doing a job I could easily do my moving one step over. Only thing I don't like about Oregon :-)

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 15:31:11 from 69.28.149.29

Rob:

In Oregon there is a $500 fine if you try to pump your gas. If anything would keep me from going to a place, that would be towards the top of the list. Having someone pump your gas for you is nice - however that being by force is not. I suspect I am not alone. But Oregon does not seem to worry about lost tourism.

In all honesty, if I am going to a place I have strong reasons to go. The chance for my son to set a state record wins over the little annoyances like narrow highways and having to remember that I cannot pump my own gas.

In Oregon they have strong feelings about providing employment. In Utah we have strong feelings about alcohol. My point is that we are not going to lose good tourism even if we restrict alcohol even more. How many people come to Utah with the primary purpose to drink? Out of those, how many do we want around? Those who come here for some other purpose even if they drink will still come if the benefits outweigh the costs.

Closing a certain type of tourism often opens room for a different, better kind. For example, if Nevada banned gambling and prostitution it might actually get some tourism from our family.

I am personally pro-business, but not at any cost. When you sacrifice your core values in the name of getting business, ironically you often end up losing the business as well. But even if this did not hold, I'd rather struggle to find enough to get by but be true to what I believe than the other way around.

I think the real problem with Latter-Day Saints in Utah is that we as a whole do not really believe what we say we believe. When an opportunity to make a buck arises, we forget our values and rationalize exceptions. We are willing to proclaim our beliefs in public forums, but when the time comes to sacrifice to prove we really believe it we lack the backbone. Then people like you look at us and find our proclamations comic - for a good reason.

From Rob Murphy on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 16:02:29 from 24.10.249.165

Well, nobody comes to Utah primarily to drink. However, for most people, a beer or a glass of wine after a hard day mountain biking in Moab of skiing the Wasatch is part of a good life. If they couldn't do that here then they would spend their money in Colorado.

I agree with you 100% when it comes to Nevada and I feel the same way.

I am actually not very bothered by Utah's alcohol laws. I've lived in other places (South Carolina) that were more restrictive. I don't see anything wrong with laws that discourage irresponsible drinking.

Not sure what you mean about finding your proclamations comic?

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