Breaking the Wall

February 2026

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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

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 424.23
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: 3424.44
Totals
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
143.215.007.000.00155.21
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Mon, Feb 02, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-02 10:51:44
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:20:00.00Pace8:00.00
10 total. Easy pace. This was my first run involving children and grandchildren - though the granddaughter was in the stroller.
Leg 1:
Distance6.000Time48:39.20Pace8:06.53ZoneEasy Miles
WIth Benjamin and Matthew, part with William, Stephen,and Jenny and Eleanor in the stroller.
Leg 2:
Distance4.000Time31:20.80Pace7:50.20ZoneEasy Miles
I think I ran this alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Tue, Feb 03, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-03 10:44:20
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:18:47.20Pace7:52.72
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time38:46.30Pace7:45.26ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew and part with Benjamin.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time15:49.80Pace7:54.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 3:
Distance3.000Time24:11.10Pace8:03.70ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Wed, Feb 04, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.002.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-04 11:29:45
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:26.60Pace7:56.66
10 total. The kids did a rabbit chase. 2 miles down the canyon. My calf was hurtng so I paced Bella. She ran 13:37. Matthew got paced by Benjamin and ran 11:28. Mary did 16:25 I think. Stephen paced Leigha and they ran around 14:20 I think. William ran 13:09.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time7:59.50Pace7:59.50ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin.
Leg 2:
Distance0.980Time8:24.60Pace8:34.90ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up with Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time13:37.90Pace6:48.95ZoneMarathon Pace Miles
Pacing Bella in the rabbit chase.
Leg 4:
Distance2.020Time17:21.60Pace8:35.64ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 5:
Distance4.000Time32:03.00Pace8:00.75ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Thu, Feb 05, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-05 10:47:33
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:19.60Pace7:55.96
10 total. Easy pace. The calf is still hurting but runnable. It is impacting the pace, though, 8:00 requires significant effort.
Leg 1:
Distance3.000Time23:17.40Pace7:45.80ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time16:08.20Pace8:04.10ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha. Mary started with us but fell behind.
Leg 3:
Distance5.000Time39:54.00Pace7:58.80ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Fri, Feb 06, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-06 11:36:30
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:18:23.90Pace7:50.39
10 total. Don't remember much about it.
Leg 1:
Distance4.000Time31:36.70Pace7:54.18ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time15:35.10Pace7:47.55ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 3:
Distance4.000Time31:12.10Pace7:48.02ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Sat, Feb 07, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
5.210.005.000.0010.21

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-07 11:36:39
Workout Totals: Distance10.214Time1:18:47.30Pace7:42.83
SLC Track Club 10 K, 42:54

I ran about what I was expecting given the calf issues. I felt it the entire race but especially in the last 2 miles.

Kids:

Benjamin 37:44
Joseph 38:45
Matthew 41:30
William 48:12
Stephen 48:55

Benjamin had a strange race. He started with 5:30, 5:26. Then he started stumbling and ran in the 6:20-6:40 range. Then Joseph caught him with about a mile to go. He took a walking break for about 20 seconds, and then ran the last mile with no issues in 5:15. This goes to show that his stumbling has a metnal/psychological component. A competitive stimulus was able to produce a reset.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time16:24.50Pace8:12.25ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance6.214Time42:54.90Pace6:54.37
Race
Split 1:Distance1.000Time6:35.10Pace6:35.10ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:35.10Pace6:35.10
Split 2:Distance1.000Time6:41.00Pace6:41.00ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance2.000Time13:16.10Pace6:38.05
Split 3:Distance2.000Time13:48.60Pace6:54.30ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance4.000Time27:04.70Pace6:46.18
Split 4:Distance1.000Time7:03.60Pace7:03.60ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.000Time34:08.30Pace6:49.66
Split 5:Distance0.950Time6:30.50Pace6:51.05ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.950Time40:38.80Pace6:49.88
Split 6:Distance0.264Time2:16.10Pace8:35.53ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance6.214Time42:54.90Pace6:54.37
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time19:27.90Pace9:43.95ZoneEasy Miles
Cool down.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Mon, Feb 09, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-09 10:42:01
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:28:34.10Pace8:51.41
10 total. For the first 5 miles the calf was manageable, then I ran 3 miles with Mary, and she was having a very bad day, but then for the last 2 9:00 pace was all I could do.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time39:50.20Pace7:58.04ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time30:43.80Pace10:14.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time18:00.10Pace9:00.05ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Tue, Feb 10, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-10 11:22:32
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:28:18.60Pace8:49.86
10 total. Paced Sarah to a 9:33 mile, then limped 9 miles at a bit faster than 9:00 pace.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time9:33.90Pace9:33.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Sarah.
Leg 2:
Distance9.000Time1:18:44.70Pace8:44.97ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Wed, Feb 11, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
6.000.000.000.006.00

Plodded my way through 6 miles. Decided to give my calf a bit of a break. Benjamin did 3 miles down the canyon in 15:05.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Thu, Feb 12, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.002.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-12 12:08:04
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:23.20Pace7:56.32
10 total. Paced Leigha in the rabbit chase, 2 miles in 14:19. Stephen paced Bella, but she had a side ache and ran 14:28, Leigha actually gapped her. Mary ran 17:35. Benjamin paced Matthew and they ran 11:44, splits 5:51, 5:53.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time7:59.80Pace7:59.80ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance0.980Time8:29.90Pace8:40.31ZoneEasy Miles
More warm-up.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time14:19.90Pace7:09.95ZoneMarathon Pace Miles
Paced Leigha in the rabbit chase.
Leg 4:
Distance6.020Time48:33.60Pace8:03.99ZoneEasy Miles
More distance with Benjamin, part with Matthew.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Fri, Feb 13, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-13 18:28:27
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:41.00Pace7:58.10
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time15:41.30Pace7:50.65ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance8.000Time1:03:59.70Pace7:59.96ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Sat, Feb 14, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.002.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-14 11:25:11
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:39.80Pace7:57.98
10 total. Paced Bella in the rabbit chase and she got a PR - 13:04 splitting 6:34, 6:30. With my calf issues she almost dropped me when she ran a 93 quarter in the middle as she was passing Leigha. Leigha also ran a PR - 14:06 splitting 7:08 and 6:58. Stephen paced Leigha. Joseph ran 10:50, and Matthew got 11:36. Benjamin ran 4 miles - 3 down the canyon and the last one flat in 20:37, no stumbling.
Leg 1:
Distance0.980Time8:04.00Pace8:13.88ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time13:04.70Pace6:32.35ZoneThreshold Miles
Paced Bella in the rabbit chase.
Leg 3:
Distance2.020Time15:43.60Pace7:47.13ZoneEasy Miles
More distance with Joseph and Matthew.
Leg 4:
Distance5.000Time42:47.50Pace8:33.50ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Joseph, part with Benjamin.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Mon, Feb 16, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.000.000.000.009.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-16 11:46:00
Workout Totals: Distance9.000Time1:19:57.00Pace8:53.00
10 total. Easy pace. Leigha got a flat 2 mile PR on the little girl course - 15:16, splits 7:46, 7:30.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:32.60Pace8:46.30ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time23:23.40Pace11:41.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph and Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance5.000Time39:01.00Pace7:48.20ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Joseph, part alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Tue, Feb 17, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-17 12:24:05
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:54.10Pace7:59.41
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:49.20Pace8:54.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary
Leg 2:
Distance4.000Time30:27.60Pace7:36.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance4.000Time31:37.30Pace7:54.32ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Wed, Feb 18, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-18 12:06:17
Workout Totals: Distance6.000Time50:12.10Pace8:22.02
10 total. Ran the first 2 miles with Matthew, Bella and Leigha normally, then it started snowing and we could barely move for the rest of it.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time15:42.10Pace7:51.05ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, Bella and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance4.000Time34:30.00Pace8:37.50ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-18 19:17:55
Workout Totals: Distance4.000Time35:22.10Pace8:50.52
Leg 1:
Distance4.000Time35:22.10Pace8:50.52ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Thu, Feb 19, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.001.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-02-19 17:33:59
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:18:26.60Pace7:50.66
10 total. Mostly easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time7:10.80Pace7:10.80ZoneMarathon Pace Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time16:30.60Pace8:15.30ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha and Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time15:45.50Pace7:52.75ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 4:
Distance5.000Time38:59.70Pace7:47.94ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Totals
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
143.215.007.000.00155.21
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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