Breaking the Wall

December 30, 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:	72.31	Year:	3105.12
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

Thu, Aug 02, 2012

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
8.80	3.00	0.50	0.00	12.30

A.M. Benjamin and I paced Jeremy in a 3 mile time trial down the Provo Canyon. Yes, Benjamin can pace adults now. The plan was to hit 6:00 average, and it worked out quite well. We did 5:58, 5:57, 5:55, total of 17:50.9. This gave Benjamin 9.3 total. I ran 2 more with Joseph. Jacob ran 1 with Jenny and Julia, who added a mile and ended up with 2. I did a pickup for 0.5 in 2:44 uphill near the house.

P.M. William ran 0.5 with Julia. Benjamin and I went to the chess tournament. Both of us had a very good result. Both of us played 2 games each, and won both of them. Benjamin scored a win against a player rated 1996, just 4 points below the Expert class, which I consider to be equivalent to about 2:30 marathon. Both of us upgraded our ratings to the highest we've ever had, Benjamin - 1630, and 1604 for me, which puts us in Class B. There was something special for me to reach this landmark on the same day with my 13 year old son. I am happy to be the 39-year-old dog that still keeps learning new tricks. Not too many dads have been able to progress alongside with their children like this. Once they get caught up, they get left in the dust. I think what is different for us is that we play online correspondence games together analyzing the moves, and debating the strategy. So as the combination of maturing and having had better training at an earlier age begins to pull Benjamin ahead of me, he is teaching me in the process, so I progress as well. Maybe he will do this for me in running as well. Regardless, it is a wonderful thing to be able to work together with your children like this.

Green Crocs 4 Miles: 12.30

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

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