Breaking the Wall

April 23, 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: 0.00 Year: 882.94
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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.500.000.000.0012.50

A.M. Ran with Jeff at Grandview. We started out very slow, and at one point were more than 4 minutes behind the 3 minute per lap guy (7:40 pace). The reason, I believe was that we were too busy discussing my dream. I dreamt that I knew how to fly and remembered I had that skill around mile 21 in a marathon. I reviewed the list of USATF rules and recalled nothing that said you could not fly. When running at race pace you spend about two thirds of the time in the air anyway. They cannot possibly restrict the amount of air time. So I figured it was legal as long as I was not using an implement, mechanism or device to propel myself. I happened to have picked a bad spot to take off as the course went through a forest. Just as I finally managed to get above the trees I woke up and realized that I did not know how to fly. Nevertheless this provided a great subject for the morning run discussion.

Then Jeff went home (he runs to Grandview and back, while I drive to avoid having to run on pavement), and I decided to get that silly 3:00 per lap guy. So gradually picked up to about 6:30 pace and beat him by over a minute with 1:16:43 for the whole run. It was not easy, though. I felt like I was seriously out of shape. Not surprising given the lack of normal training recently. Also, the perception might have been exaggerated since I was on grass and wearing too much clothes for the weather.

P.M. 2 with Benjamin and Jenny in 17:18. 0.5 with Joseph in 4:16. He closed with a 1:58 quarter. Julia ran 1.5 with Sarah.

Airwalk Clogs Miles: 12.50
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 1.00Total Sleep Time: 8.50
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