Breaking the Wall

December 21, 2024

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

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, Dec 05, 2009

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
14.00	0.00	0.00	2.50	16.50

A.M. 12.2 with Jeff in 1:35:59. Did 3x800 with 400 recovery on the way out, and 2x800 on the way back. The target was 2:45 with the idea that it could get faster. We did them in 2:41, 2:35, 2:41, 2:39, and 2:37. Originally I wanted to do 6, but after the 5th one in 2:37 I felt that I was on the verge of the red line and decided not to cross it. We ran with a guy named Brian Jessop for about 2 miles on the way back.

When we got to my house we had to solve the problem of Jeff and Kimia locked out of their car. We have a guy in our ward that manages apartments and has a locksmith kit. So we ran to his house to see if he could help us, and then ran back. That gave us about 0.3 miles. Turned out his tools could not open Jeff's car lock, but he was pretty good with a screwdriver and a coat hanger, and was able to do the job in five minutes.

P.M. 2 with Jenny in 16:53. Warm-up mile in 9:12. We did 600 in 2:32 and 400 in 1:43. 1.5 with Benjamin and Julia in 13:25, last quarter in 1:58. 0.5 with Joseph and Benjamin in 4:30, thus 17:55 for 2 miles. Benjamin wanted to break 18:00 for 2 miles, so we motivated Joseph by encouraging him to spank Benjamin's if he could get close. Benjamin made sure Joseph could not get close unless he ran the right pace.

Saucony Type A Miles: 12.50	Airwalk Clogs Miles: 4.00

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

Comments

From Aaron Kennard on Sat, Dec 05, 2009 at 22:35:59 from 174.51.250.151

sounds like a solid workout. What do you like about running in airwalk clogs?

From Sasha Pachev on Sat, Dec 05, 2009 at 22:45:26 from 192.168.1.1

Aaron - first, I like that I happened to have them and they were the right size and did not fall off my feet. They also have a nice balance between cushioning and sole flexibility. For a clog, they also have excellent durability. I examined them today, and after 424 miles could not find any potential for a hole.

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