Breaking the Wall

Tulsa Jingle Bell 5K

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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, Dec 07, 2019
Race: Tulsa Jingle Bell 5K (3.107 Miles) 00:18:04, Place overall: 3, Place in age division: 2
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.280.000.003.1114.39

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2019-12-07 07:19:52
Workout Totals: Distance14.382Time1:48:18.10Pace7:31.82
Tulsa Jingle Bell 5K, 18:04, 3rd overall, 2nd master behind Brian
McKinney (17:12) who won overall.

Matthew got 22:38, 14th overall, won his age division by almost 6 minutes.

Matthew is turning 7 on December 26th. We saw that the road 5 K world record for 6 and under was "only" 21:46, and with his 22:36 performance at the Haunted 5 K we thought that perhaps with a lower elevation and no hills he might get the mark. We had to find a race on a certified course that would be held not on a Sunday before his birthday. This proved to be a challenge, but we saw Jingle Bells Run in Tulsa, OK, looked at the travel costs, figured we could afford it if just me and him went, and decided to give it a shot.

The course turned out to be on a different route than I anticipated - apparently I looked at the old map - and was rather hilly. Hilly enough for me to have run the same pace as I did in the Thanksgiving run for almost 4 miles without feeling like I had a terrible race - I felt strong. Maybe a little weaker because I ran in no mans land the whole way, but still - I would expect to be able to be faster for 5 K at near sea level than for 4 miles at altitude. Though at the age of 46 all expectations are now out of the window - things just happen the way they do.

In any case, Matthew ran pretty much the same time he did at the Haunted 5 K. I could not pace him because it would have invalidated the record had he set it. I believe he also put in a good effort, did not seem to have any mental issues, which is a big improvement.

Afterwards, we went to the Adventure Playground at the Gathering Place Park. He played while I ran the rest of my miles.
Leg 1:Distance0.750Time6:25.00Pace8:33.33
With Matthew getting around Tulsa downtown.
Leg 2:Distance0.969Time8:25.60Pace8:41.78
More of it with Matthew.
Leg 3:Distance3.107Time22:38.50Pace7:17.24
My race + timing Matthew.
Split 1:Distance0.621Time3:34.60Pace5:45.57
Cumilative:Distance0.621Time3:34.60Pace5:45.57
1K mark split, I think it was accurate.
Split 2:Distance0.932Time5:17.40Pace5:40.56
Cumilative:Distance1.553Time8:52.00Pace5:42.56
Turnaround split.
Split 3:Distance1.554Time9:10.80Pace5:54.44
Cumilative:Distance3.107Time18:02.80Pace5:48.50
Finish.
Split 4:Distance0.000Time4:35.70Pace0:00.00
Cumilative:Distance3.107Time22:38.50Pace7:17.24
Waiting for Matthew.
 
Leg 4:Distance0.357Time3:48.40Pace10:39.78
Cool-down/getting around with Matthew.
Leg 5:Distance9.199Time1:07:00.60Pace7:17.07
Alone while Matthew played at the park.

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