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, Mar 15, 2014
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.530.000.000.0011.53

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-03-15 06:22:14
Workout Totals
Distance Time Pace
11.530 1:30:23.80 7:50.41
Total of 11.5. The run was spread throughout the day. Benjamin and I took Julia, Joseph, Jacob, and William to the Utah Elementary Chess Championship. Julia, Joseph, and Jacob got 4 points out of 6, William got 2.5 out of 6. Julia won 3 games, drew 2, and lost 1. Joseph and Jacob won 4 each and lost 2 each. William won 2, drew 1, and lost 4. Some highlights of the tournament - Joseph lost his first 2 games. I asked him how. He said his opponent checkmated his with overwhelming material. I asked him why he did not have the material to defend. He did not have a good answer. Then I told him I did not care if he won or lost his next game, but I wanted him to know exactly how his pieces were disappearing from the board. Then he won his next 4 games. Jacob impressed me by checkmating his opponent with a king and a rook in the last round. This is a difficult checkmate for a 7 year old, and particularly difficult after playing for 6 hours. William played in the kindergarten division. This was a good experience for him in learning how to deal with realities of life. By a miracle he managed to win 2 games. The first one I think was through psychological methods - his opponent decided to resign. He drew when his opponent stalemated him with a king and a queen. He lost one game on time - he and his opponent played for so long that they were the only ones left in the round after some time. So they were put on the clock. William by a miracle actually had a winning position, but at the age of 5 he did not know how to win it. In another game he won legitimately with checkmate, although we have a strong suspicion that there were some illegal moves en-route to it. But the most important experience was learning how to be accountable for his losses. When you finish the game, you are supposed to go to the tournament official and report the result. William was happy to do it when he won, but did not want to do it when he lost. He eventually learned. Benjamin ran a total of 7.35 miles, Jenny 4, Julia, Joseph, and Jacob 2.1, William 1.
Leg 1
Distance Time Pace Comment
3 20:59.80. 6:59.93 Alone in the morning.
Split# Distance Time Pace Comment
1 3.000 20:59.80 6:59.93  
Leg 2
Distance Time Pace Comment
1 9:54.30. 9:54.30 With William.
Split# Distance Time Pace Comment
1 1.000 9:54.30 9:54.30  
Leg 3
Distance Time Pace Comment
2.1 16:52.50. 8:02.14 With Joseph, Jacob, Julia, and Benjamin at the U of U track after the tournament.
Split# Distance Time Pace Comment
1 2.100 16:52.50 8:02.14  
Leg 4
Distance Time Pace Comment
0.18 1:18.00. 7:13.33 To the car.
Split# Distance Time Pace Comment
1 0.180 1:18.00 7:13.33  
Leg 5
Distance Time Pace Comment
5.25 41:19.20. 7:52.23 With Benjamin late at night.
Split# Distance Time Pace Comment
1 5.250 41:19.20 7:52.23  

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 11.53
Night Sleep Time: 6.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 6.50
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