Breaking the Wall

Week starting Oct 22, 2017

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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to Ukraine's Armed Forces

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

Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
49.59	0.00	6.75	8.00	64.34

Red Crocs Miles: 64.34

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

Sun, Oct 22, 2017

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

Day of rest. Went to church.

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

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Mon, Oct 23, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.80	0.00	1.50	0.75	10.05

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-23 08:44:06
Workout Totals: Distance10.050Time1:13:31.50Pace7:18.96
Usual runs for the kids, 4 for Jenny, I did 2 mile bust/cruise/kick tempo in 11:16. After the mile just could not move. Uphill kick was also very slow - 81.8, and I felt like the stride was too short. Probably the fallout from going to bed at 11 last night as opposed to 10, or maybe there was more to it.
Leg 1:Distance0.500Time4:15.00Pace8:30.00
With Matthew and the full gang including Sarah but without Joseph.
Leg 2:Distance1.500Time12:14.90Pace8:09.93
With Stephen, Jacob, and William.
Leg 3:Distance4.020Time30:22.30Pace7:33.31
Alone - warm-up/distance.
Leg 4:Distance2.000Time11:16.40Pace5:38.20
Bust/cruise/kick tempo run.
Split 1:Distance0.250Time1:19.50Pace5:18.00 Cumilative:Distance0.250Time1:19.50Pace5:18.00
Bust.
Split 2:Distance1.500Time8:38.10Pace5:45.40 Cumilative:Distance1.750Time9:57.60Pace5:41.49
Cruise.
Split 3:Distance0.250Time1:18.80Pace5:15.20 Cumilative:Distance2.000Time11:16.40Pace5:38.20
Kick.

Leg 5:Distance2.030Time15:22.90Pace7:34.63
Cool-down.
Split 1:Distance1.780Time14:01.10Pace7:52.53 Cumilative:Distance1.780Time14:01.10Pace7:52.53
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:21.80Pace5:27.20 Cumilative:Distance2.030Time15:22.90Pace7:34.63
Uphill kick.

Red Crocs Miles: 10.05

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

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Tue, Oct 24, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.94	0.00	1.75	1.50	10.19

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-24 10:57:45
Workout Totals: Distance10.190Time1:14:13.70Pace7:17.07
Went to bed earlier the night before, and the run went better. Usual runs with the kids, then did a 3 mile cruise and kick tempo down the canyon consisting of 1.75 cruise with Joseph and Jacob (William ran the first mile with us in 5:49), and then the last 1.25 kick. This time Joseph made me run 74 for the first quarter and I was still in one piece after that. Then I coasted at 82 for the next three quarters, and kicked in 77 at the end, which gave me 6:37 for the last 1.25 compared to 6:46 last week. Joseph ended up with 11:33 (74 kick), and Jacob 11:40 (80 kick) for 2 miles. For some reason the uphill quarter kick was slow today - only 80.4. Not sure how much of it was the fatigue, and how much just feeling like I've done the hard work already and not pushing hard enough.
Leg 1:Distance0.500Time4:17.70Pace8:35.40
With Matthew, William, and Stephen.
Leg 2:Distance0.350Time3:34.00Pace10:11.43
With Sarah, William, and Stephen.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time6:54.20Pace6:54.20
With William, and Stephen.
Leg 4:Distance0.750Time5:52.30Pace7:49.73
Mostly alone.
Leg 5:Distance0.350Time3:06.70Pace8:53.43
With Joseph and Jacob.
Leg 6:Distance3.000Time16:57.20Pace5:39.07
Cruise and kick tempo with Joseph and Jacob for the first 2.
Split 1:Distance1.750Time10:19.80Pace5:54.17 Cumilative:Distance1.750Time10:19.80Pace5:54.17
Cruise.
Split 2:Distance1.250Time6:37.40Pace5:17.92 Cumilative:Distance3.000Time16:57.20Pace5:39.07
Kick.

Leg 7:Distance2.740Time21:39.40Pace7:54.23
Mostly with Joseph and Jacob.
Split 1:Distance2.490Time20:19.00Pace8:09.56 Cumilative:Distance2.490Time20:19.00Pace8:09.56
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:20.40Pace5:21.60 Cumilative:Distance2.740Time21:39.40Pace7:54.23
Uphill kick.

Leg 8:Distance1.500Time11:52.20Pace7:54.80

Red Crocs Miles: 10.19

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

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Wed, Oct 25, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.80	0.00	1.00	1.25	10.05

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-25 09:12:27
Workout Totals: Distance10.050Time1:14:23.90Pace7:24.17
Ran with the kids, then did a 2 mile fartlek down the canyon alternating a quarter at 80 and half at 85. Splits were 81, 2:50, 78, 2:53, and then I kicked for the last 0.5 in 2:33 - got 10:56 for two miles. Uphill kick was 79.7.
Leg 1:Distance1.500Time11:23.30Pace7:35.53
With Stephen, Jacob, and William.
Leg 2:Distance0.500Time4:06.40Pace8:12.80
Added Matthew to the gang.
Leg 3:Distance4.020Time32:45.80Pace8:09.00
Warm-up - first 1.5 with Joseph.
Leg 4:Distance2.000Time10:56.20Pace5:28.10
Fartlek down the canyon.
Split 1:Distance0.250Time1:21.10Pace5:24.40 Cumilative:Distance0.250Time1:21.10Pace5:24.40
Split 2:Distance0.500Time2:50.30Pace5:40.60 Cumilative:Distance0.750Time4:11.40Pace5:35.20
Split 3:Distance0.250Time1:18.20Pace5:12.80 Cumilative:Distance1.000Time5:29.60Pace5:29.60
Split 4:Distance0.500Time2:53.60Pace5:47.20 Cumilative:Distance1.500Time8:23.20Pace5:35.47
Split 5:Distance0.500Time2:33.00Pace5:06.00 Cumilative:Distance2.000Time10:56.20Pace5:28.10

Leg 5:Distance2.030Time15:12.20Pace7:29.36
Cool-down with a kick.
Split 1:Distance1.780Time13:52.50Pace7:47.70 Cumilative:Distance1.780Time13:52.50Pace7:47.70
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:19.70Pace5:18.80 Cumilative:Distance2.030Time15:12.20Pace7:29.36

Red Crocs Miles: 10.05

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

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Thu, Oct 26, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
8.00	0.00	0.00	3.00	11.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-26 09:24:33
Workout Totals: Distance11.000Time1:15:27.40Pace6:51.58
Ran with the little kids with Joseph and Jacob joining for their warmup, then drove Joseph and Jacob to the canyon where they did a mile time trial down the canyon. This gave me a workout 2x1 mile. Joseph ran 5:11.6 (76,79,79,77), I was able to keep up and was happy about it. I even felt good enough to outkick, but decided it would discourage Joseph, so I just stayed with him. For a comparison, Benjamin's time one day before he turned 13 was 5:14.6 on the same course. Then I paced Jacob to 5:25.8 (80,84,81,80). He had a confidence lapse in the middle, but was able to recover from it. I thought this was a good development for him. Then I ran some more miles with the uphill kick in 80.3.
Leg 1:Distance0.500Time4:13.30Pace8:26.60
With Matthew, William, Joseph, and Jacob.
Leg 2:Distance1.500Time11:41.00Pace7:47.33
With Joseph, Jacob, William, and Stephen.
Leg 3:Distance0.180Time1:37.40Pace9:01.11
Warm-up with Joseph.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time5:11.60Pace5:11.60
Mile time trial with Joseph down the canyon.
Leg 5:Distance0.940Time7:55.50Pace8:25.85
Back to the car with Joseph.
Leg 6:Distance0.180Time1:51.90Pace10:21.67
Warm-up with Jacob.
Leg 7:Distance1.000Time5:25.80Pace5:25.80
Down the canyon mile with Jacob.
Leg 8:Distance0.940Time8:15.50Pace8:47.13
Cool-down with Jacob.
Leg 9:Distance4.760Time29:15.40Pace6:08.78
More distance alone.
Split 1:Distance3.760Time27:55.10Pace7:25.51 Cumilative:Distance3.760Time27:55.10Pace7:25.51
Split 2:Distance1.000Time1:20.30Pace1:20.30 Cumilative:Distance4.760Time29:15.40Pace6:08.78
Uphill kick.

Red Crocs Miles: 11.00

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

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Fri, Oct 27, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.51	0.00	0.00	0.50	10.01

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-27 09:12:14
Workout Totals: Distance10.010Time1:17:50.60Pace7:46.59
More or less usual runs, Jenny still on the college schedule. I decided to do a 0.5 uphill kick instead of just 0.25, and ran 2:46.8.
Leg 1:Distance0.500Time4:14.10Pace8:28.20
With Mathew and the rest of the gang including Julia.
Leg 2:Distance1.500Time12:05.60Pace8:03.73
Minus Matthew.
Leg 3:Distance3.000Time23:38.10Pace7:52.70
With Joseph.
Leg 4:Distance5.010Time37:52.80Pace7:33.65
Alone.
Split 1:Distance4.510Time35:06.00Pace7:46.96 Cumilative:Distance4.510Time35:06.00Pace7:46.96
Split 2:Distance0.500Time2:46.80Pace5:33.60 Cumilative:Distance5.010Time37:52.80Pace7:33.65
Long uphill kick.

Red Crocs Miles: 10.01

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

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Sat, Oct 28, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.54	0.00	2.50	1.00	13.04

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-28 09:21:59
Workout Totals: Distance13.040Time1:33:56.70Pace7:12.26
Did mile time trials today. Joseph set a track mile PR of 5:24.0. Splits 77 high, 81 high, 82, 81. He led the first 300, after that we traded leads every 200. Jacob continued to climb out of the hole and ran 5:40.9 - still 7 seconds off PR, but much better than 5:46 he was running a couple of weeks ago. I think I figured out what was wrong with him this time - I listened to his breathing a bit better, and I think it is his usual weakness - bad emotional response to fatigue, overreacting to it. When he ran his PR of 5:33 in August we addressed it with 2x1000 down the canyon working our way to being able to run both in 3:20 with only 200 m recovery jog. We'll see if that works again. Stephen also ran a PR on the 2.04 mile course with hills - 16:07.7. After the mile time trials I went for more distance and did 1.5 down the canyon in 8:28 to get a bit more fast running in for the day.
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time8:27.90Pace8:27.90
With Matthew, Stephen, Joseph, and Jacob.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time5:24.00Pace5:24.00
With Joseph.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time7:50.80Pace7:50.80
With William and Stephen.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time5:40.90Pace5:40.90
With Jacob.
Leg 5:Distance2.040Time16:07.70Pace7:54.36
With Stephen, William, I think we had Joseph and Jacob for this.
Leg 6:Distance7.000Time50:25.40Pace7:12.20
More distance with a tempo pickup.
Split 1:Distance3.600Time27:43.20Pace7:42.00 Cumilative:Distance3.600Time27:43.20Pace7:42.00
Split 2:Distance1.500Time8:28.80Pace5:39.20 Cumilative:Distance5.100Time36:12.00Pace7:05.88
Split 3:Distance1.900Time14:13.40Pace7:29.16 Cumilative:Distance7.000Time50:25.40Pace7:12.20

Red Crocs Miles: 13.04

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

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Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
49.59	0.00	6.75	8.00	64.34

Red Crocs Miles: 64.34

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

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