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:

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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
12.700.000.651.2514.60

A.M. 10.1 with Jeff in 1:13:58. Did quarters in the middle. Due to the lack of time decided to slow down the quarters and speed up the recovery. So the target was 72 on the repeat, 60 on the 200 recovery (8:00 pace). I timed the recoveries. It went like this:

73.3 - 52.1 -  70.9 - 55.9 - 72.1 - 57.8 - 73.1 - 57.1 - 73.4. It was very tough. The recoveries were faster than target by enough to make it hurt. The leaves and twigs on the road did not make it easier for holey Five Fingers in the last two quarters, that was part of the reason they were slower. And of course the brisk recoveries were getting to me by that point. The total time including recoveries was 9:45.7 for 1.75, or in other words 5:34.7 average. What is interesting that this regimen gave near zero chance for HR to recover. It would rise to 165 during the repeat, and then would register a 157 average during the recovery segement. I believe it did drop to around 150 before the start of the next repeat. The max registered at 169, probably during the last repeat.

Then on the way back we did one more "seal the death" quarter in 67.5. Jeff was actually around 66 on that one, he dropped me in the last 100.

Then we somewhat leasurely continued jogging to the house. Lori, who we see frequently on the trail, but usually runs in the opposite direction, got out on the trail just at the perfect time to join us. So we ran with her for about a mile. Then Jeff looked at his watch and realized he was late for work. So we took off and ran the last 0.65 hard. I timed the last 1000 - it was 3:23, about 5:25 pace.

Then 2 more with Benjamin barefoot in 17:30 pushing William in the double stroller.

P.M. 2 with Jenny in 18:16. Julia ran the first 1.5 with us in 13:54. 0.5 with Joseph in 5:16.

Five Fingers 2 Miles: 10.10Bare Feet Miles: 4.50
Night Sleep Time: 7.75Nap Time: 1.00Total Sleep Time: 8.75
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