Breaking the Wall

December 21, 2024

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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: 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
Sat, Oct 09, 2021
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.000.000.000.0016.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-10-09 08:02:32
Workout Totals: Distance16.000Time2:10:52.40Pace8:10.78
16 total. Stubbornly trying to fix the issues with the Amoji strap. Amoji foam shoe costs just a little over $20 and its sole in my estimate has the potential to last for over 3000 miles. However, it has one problem. The strap connector is weak, and has broken for me after 400 miles or so. We re-attached it with a zip tie, and it held for about 100 miles. Then the tie ripped through the foam. Joseph re-molded the broken plastic clip with the help of a heat gun and we put it back in, and that held for another 60 miles or so. I did some studying and learned that concrete cement works very well on EVA foam. But as we learned today, you have to know what you are doing. After the first attempt by Julia the strap help for only 0.75 miles. After my second attempt, it detached while I was walking around the house. Then Joseph glued it, and it held on for 3 miles (it was raining, though).

So today I did 16 miles at an easy pace with a lot of it barefoot.

Chad paced William to 19:16 for 3 miles. Jacob did 17:05 repeating his splits identically from the last week - 5:45, 5:40, 5:40. First two were on target, but on the last one he was supposed to accelerate, and he could not.

Benjamin did a 6+ mile tempo at 5:20 pace on rolling hills in Austin.
Leg 1:
Distance1.460Time12:17.60Pace8:25.21ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up with the kids and Chad, then the strap broke, so I ran barefoot to the car.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time15:32.40Pace7:46.20ZoneEasy Miles
Part alone, part with William while in the old Crocs while the glue was drying.
Leg 3:
Distance5.000Time39:38.30Pace7:55.66ZoneEasy Miles
With Stephen and Matthew while the glue was drying from the second attempt.
Leg 4:
Distance3.040Time23:09.00Pace7:36.91ZoneEasy Miles
This is how long the glued strap lasted. Longer than last time.
Leg 5:
Distance2.500Time20:59.00Pace8:23.60ZoneEasy Miles
Barefoot back home. My barefoot running skills are not what they were 11 years ago.
Leg 6:
Distance1.500Time14:39.50Pace9:46.33ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary in old Crocs.
Leg 7:
Distance0.500Time4:36.60Pace9:13.20ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella in old Crocs.

Bare Feet Miles: 3.25Amoji 1 Miles: 4.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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