Breaking the Wall

Week starting Sep 18, 2011

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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: 133.01 Year: 776.88
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
64.750.004.250.0069.00
Green Crocs 2 Miles: 69.00
Night Sleep Time: 52.00Nap Time: 2.00Total Sleep Time: 54.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Day of rest. Went to church. The lesson in Sunday school was on obedience. The Sacrament meeting talks were on marriage. Our former bishop was on one of the speakers. He is a plumber, and likes to tell plumbing stories when he gets a chance. He told one about how a tree managed to sneak its roots through and into a sewer pipe which caused it to clog up. He compared that to how immorality can destroy marriage.Now, some may object to comparing marriage to a sewer pipe, but that is what he works with and thinks about all day, and the message is clear nevertheless - the dangers of subtle corruption. I have a lot of stories like that from software development. Pretty much anybody that works with things that have to work can tell you a similar story. I think there is a good lesson in those stories.

Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.000.000.000.009.00

A.M. Ran with the kids. 5 with Benjamin, then ran with Jenny, Julia, and Joseph. Joseph did 1, Jenny 2, Julia 1.5. Jacob did 0.5.  Total of 7.

P.M. 2 miles.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 9.00
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.500.001.000.0011.50

A.M. 5 with Benjamin, then 2 with the other kids. Jenny did 2, Julia 1.5, Joseph 1.5, and Jacob 0.5. I added another 2 miles and did the last one in 5:38. It felt very good.

P.M. 2 miles.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 11.50
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

A.M. 10 miles total including 5 with Benjamin, 1.5 with Joseph, Jenny, and Julia, and 0.5 with Jacob and Julia.

P.M. 2 miles.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

A.M. 10 total. 5 of it with Benjamin, 1.5 with Joseph, 0.5 with Jacob. Jenny ran 1.5. Julia did 2.

P.M. 2 miles.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 8.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 8.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.500.002.500.0012.00

A.M. Total of 10. 5 with Benjamin. 2 with Jenny, Joseph did 1.5, Jacob did 0.5. Julia took a break because she hit her head last night. I ran a 2.5 tempo in 13:58.8. Felt decent, but a little tired.

P.M. 2 miles on Mount Nebo Loop near Payson Lakes.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.750.000.750.0012.50

A.M. Jenny ran 2, Julia 1.5, Jacob 0.5. I did 5 with Benjamin, and 5 more alone. The last 0.75 in 4:11.6. It was 81 F by then. I felt sluggish at the start of the pickup, and when I started going fast I thought it would be good to hit 4:20 (5:47 pace). I still felt sluggish, but was able to hit 5:35 pace more or less naturally in spite of the heat.

P.M. 1.5 with Joseph, 1 more alone, total 2.5.

Green Crocs 2 Miles: 12.50
Night Sleep Time: 5.00Nap Time: 2.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
64.750.004.250.0069.00
Green Crocs 2 Miles: 69.00
Night Sleep Time: 52.00Nap Time: 2.00Total Sleep Time: 54.00
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