Breaking the Wall

April 18, 2024

15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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

Thu, Dec 25, 2008

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	13.00

A.M. Merry Christmas to everyone. We got a Merry Christmas from Provo City as well - they have finished the construction project on the trail and everything is back to normal. Not counting the slippery roads, of course. Now the fish are happy and so are the runners. Both can travel through their natural habitat.

Ran 5 with Daniel, 5 more alone. Total of 10 miles in 1:27:31. I could go 8:00 on better parts, but there were parts where 10:00 pace was all I could do.

Soon after I finished, 2 with Benjamin in 19:33, Jenny did 1.5 in 15:03, then 1 mile with Julia in 11:34.

Brooks T4 Racing Flat Miles: 13.00

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

Comments

From MichelleL on Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 17:24:45

I think your run today is a good example of why you should consider running roads instead of the river trail. Provo and Salem/SF have had near identical weather over the last week. Today you ran 10 miles in 1:27, I ran 10 miles in 1:16. You were on the trail, I was on the roads. Trail keeps the snow and ice alot longer because of the lack of heavy traffic and the lack of salt/dirt treatment, so you'll have few if any clear days on the trail if it snows once a week. Regarding my time, I did do 10 strides, but I ran slowly for about .2-.25 after each which counter balanced that speed. The roads were mostly clear, with just occasional ice patches or inconsiderate car.

From MichelleL on Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 17:25:10

Oh and Merry Christmas!

From Kelli on Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 22:43:58

You r weather down there must have been way better than ours!! We could not even see 5 feet in front of us most of the day!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas when you finished up your running!

From MARION on Fri, Dec 26, 2008 at 21:08:23

Does all this snow running make us better, stronger, faster?

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