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
Tue, Aug 26, 2014
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.390.990.000.0012.38

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-08-26 07:11:26
Workout Totals: Distance12.380Time1:40:29.60Pace8:07.04
12 total. Today was the day of time trials. William got a PR in the mile (7:44.7), Julia in the 800 (2:55.0), and Stephen in the 800. Jacob attempted the 800 but missed it by 0.4, Joseph tried 2000, but had some attitude issues in the middle. Details below.
Leg 1:Distance1.800Time15:34.80Pace8:39.33
I ran to Orem High with Joseph, Jacob, and Jared. We thought that the construction had finished, but we were wrong. So we ran back, Jared went home, and I took Joseph, Jacob and William to the BYU track.
Leg 2:Distance0.400Time3:52.70Pace9:41.75
From the car to the track.
Leg 3:Distance0.496Time2:58.90Pace6:00.69
Jacob's 800 time trial. I told him to focus on the second 200, and he ran the first in 45. He sped up, but it was not enough to get the record.
Leg 4:Distance1.242Time8:11.90Pace6:36.05
Joseph's 2000. His target was 8:00. He opened with 94, and then just lost confidence and ran around 1:40 laps afterwards.
Leg 5:Distance1.000Time7:44.70Pace7:44.70
William's mile time trial. He opened with 1:50, then 1:57, 1:58, and 1:59. New PR. For some reason he struggles with a kick on the track. Probably because he still has a hard time judging the distance in an unfamiliar setup. He kicks just fine on his "little boy" course on the road near our house.
Leg 6:Distance0.400Time4:11.50Pace10:28.75
Back to the car.
Leg 7:Distance1.000Time7:18.20Pace7:18.20
Alone.
Leg 8:Distance0.400Time4:14.10Pace10:35.25
Warm-up to the track with Julia and Stephen.
Leg 9:Distance0.496Time4:49.90Pace9:44.48
Julia and I paced Stephen in his 800 time trial. He wanted a new bike. I told him he had to break 5:00 without holding my hand. He opened with 30 in the first 100, then 1:03 at 200, and 2:14 at 400 (1:11). Then he just stopped thinking he was done. It took Julia and me some time to convince him that he still had another lap to go, and I did not stop the watch for that time. Finally he got going. His split at 500 was 2:58 (44 seconds for the 100), and then 3:36 at 600 (38). Then he ran the last 200 in 1:13 and earned his bike.
Leg 10:Distance0.496Time2:55.00Pace5:52.82
Paced Julia in the 800 time trial. She wanted a rabbit and I told her she had to run 2:55.0 to get it. She opened with 41, then ran 46 (87 at the 400), and things were not looking good. But she wanted the rabbit bad enough and found another gear. Her next 200 was 44, and she held 44 in the next one and got her goal.
Leg 11:Distance0.250Time2:29.30Pace9:57.20
A lap with Julia.
Leg 12:Distance0.400Time5:02.30Pace12:35.75
With Julia and Stephen back to the car.
Leg 13:Distance4.000Time31:06.30Pace7:46.57
Alone.

Black Crocs Miles: 12.38
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.00
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