Breaking the Wall

December 21, 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:	3010.45
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:						1743.12
White Slip Resistant Crocs Lifetime Miles:						759.93

Mon, May 03, 2010

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.33	0.50	0.00	0.00	12.83

A.M. 10.08 with Jeff in 1:17:28. Started very slow, were trailing the 8:00 guy more than half way, then sped up some. Jeff's calves were sore from the half on Saturday. Jenny ran 2.5 with Sarah.

P.M. 0.5 with Joseph in 4:48. 0.25 with Jacob in 2:51. 2 with Benjamin in 15:49. Julia ran 1.5 with us in 12:49. Benjamin made me run the last 0.5 in 3:00.

Tried rollerblading for the second time in my life. First time was 13 years ago and I went only maybe 50 meters. So this was the first time that I rollerbladed for more than that. It was an interesting experience. I did better than I expected. I thought it would take me a while just to learn to stand, but I was able to do that right a way. And I was able to move right away as well. Then I decided to time myself. My first 100 meters was in 52 seconds, a glorious 14:00 mile pace! Then with some practice I learned to go sub-12:00. After about 1.5 I was able to speed up to 9:30.

Of course, there was a reason to the madness. I was not going to become a roller-blading bum at the age of 37 all of a sudden just because. I have noticed a pattern that I have run well in the past when I cross-country skied with skating style. So I wondered if perhaps the skating motion helps balance out my hips. I did notice two things when rollerblading. First, the imbalance is more pronounced - my right hip feels a whole lot more out of whack when rollerblading than when running. Second, riding on rough asphalt make the leg vibrate, and it feels like standing on a vibration plate. This could help loosen up deep tight muscles and stretch out the ligaments and tendons.

Eva Clogs Black Miles: 12.83

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

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