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
Fri, Jun 21, 2019
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.020.000.000.0012.02

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2019-06-21 07:33:23
Workout Totals: Distance12.015Time1:30:34.00Pace7:32.27
Total of 12. Ran 8 with Benjamin in the morning, then drove to Bozeman with the crew where they ran USATF regionals.

Results:

Jenny 11:55.83 - suffered from shin splints and side pain, but toughed it out. First lap in 92, then more or less even 96.

Julia 13:27.41 - fastest time this year. Another improvement. Splits were around 1:37 at 400, then 3:20 at 800, 5:05 (1:45), 6:54 (1:49), 8:45 (1:49), then 12:32 at 2800 (3:47, 1:53 avg), and then 55 seconds for the last 200. So she still lost a lot in the second half due to the inability to maintain the focus and keep the right leg turnover, but at least she ran OK in the first half. We need to practice making the normal leg turnover natural enough that she can maintain it when tired.

Joseph - 10:27.49 PR. I was very concerned about him after his DNF in a workout on Tuesday and given that he struggles to run his best when his younger brother Jacob is beating him. But he found enough humility in himself today to run a PR. He and Jacob worked together with William Horne to keep a decent pace as they each ran a PR today and pulled Cole Jameson to a PR as well. I gave them the instruction to run 83s which they followed almost perfectly. They had 82,84,81,83,84 for the first 5 laps. Then Joseph and Cole started struggling and fell back a couple of seconds, but hung on enough to get PRs (Cole ended up with 10:29.08). But still, 3:33 last 1 K at altitude is something I am happy with for Joseph.

Jacob 10:21.42 PR - splits were 82,84,81,83,84,84,84, and 39 for the last 200. In the third kilometer he kept the pace hot, and even at one point gapped the pack, but in the last lap due to his small size and a young age (he is still 12) could not kick as well as William Horne (10:16.25 PR) and Tyler Stoker (10:15.85, racing in 15-16 division). But still, great PR, last 1 K in 3:27, nearly perfect splits (3:26, 3:28, 3:27), and some show of character as well as tactical skill in the last 1 K - he knew he would not have a chance in the kick against older kids so he went for a gap at the place where it hurts the worst. With that he was able to run down two kids in the older divisions + his older brother Joseph - though he can outkick Joseph on a good day, but Joseph is behind in growth, so it does not really count quite the same. Things are looking good for sub-10:00 at the nationals in Sacramento for Jacob, and maybe even for Joseph with a little bit some combination of growth spurt and mental toughness.

Our William - 11:28.97, a second off his PR, but this is the fastest he has ever run in a meet. Ran most of the race in no man's land - the kids in front were too fast, and behind were too slow. 2:59 at 800, 6:05 at 1600, 7:37 at 2000. So more or less even 92s after the first two laps, but he should have been able to run 90s based on his workout on Tuesday. But that was Tuesday in a workout in a pack, and today was a meet running most of the race alone. So maybe at the nationals we can get him to run sub-11:00.
Leg 1:Distance8.000Time59:55.10Pace7:29.39
With Benjamin.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time8:27.20Pace8:27.20
With Matthew in Bozeman - part with the other kids as they were doing warm-up for the 3000.
Leg 3:Distance3.015Time22:11.70Pace7:21.69
Alone in Bozeman.

Neon Crocs 2 Miles: 12.02
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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