Breaking the Wall

January 2025

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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: 159.00
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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
175.000.004.000.00179.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-01 14:16:49
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:11:41.50Pace8:57.69
Another 8, 5+3. Maintaining 9:00 pace.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time44:29.80Pace8:53.96ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time27:11.70Pace9:03.90ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-02 13:59:26
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:11:04.00Pace8:53.00
8 total, 5+3 - sub-9:00 pace.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time44:49.30Pace8:57.86ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time26:14.70Pace8:44.90ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-03 17:08:28
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:06:24.30Pace8:18.04
8 total, 5+3. Starting to move faster. 8:20 average. In the 3 closed with a 7:55 mile at the end, first sub-8:00 since the surgery. Focusing on keeping the abs relaxed, zero level pain in the surgery-affected areas, and no impact shock. This is achieved with a funny looking shuffle that would not qualify as a walk, but would not be something I would call running either. The quads are working at half power, however the gluts and the hamstrings are engaged at near race effort.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time41:42.00Pace8:20.40ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time24:42.30Pace8:14.10ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-04 16:31:32
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:05:33.00Pace8:11.62
8 total, 5+3. Did 8:10 average in the 5, and then 8:13 in the 3.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time40:52.90Pace8:10.58ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time24:40.10Pace8:13.37ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-07 17:25:21
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:04:37.90Pace8:04.74
Did 5+3, sub-8:00 pace in the 5.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time39:56.80Pace7:59.36ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time24:41.10Pace8:13.70ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-08 11:23:49
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:09:52.50Pace8:44.06
Did 8 total. Ventured into the canyon for the first time since the surgery. Was able to run with Mary, Bella, and Leigha down the canyon. Felt OK. However, when I started running/shuffling on my own, I was just barely sub-9:00 - had a hard time with the new terrain. In the evening I was able to move at a good speed - 8:12 average doing 3 miles on the big boy course.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time18:25.50Pace9:12.75ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha, Mary, and Bella.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time26:48.80Pace8:56.27ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 3:
Distance3.000Time24:38.20Pace8:12.73ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-09 17:51:43
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:03:51.10Pace7:58.89
8 total with William. Was able to average sub-8:00.
Leg 1:
Distance8.000Time1:03:51.10Pace7:58.89ZoneEasy Miles

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-10 13:39:29
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:05:36.40Pace8:12.05
8 total. Was able to run sub-8:00 when I ran alone.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:53.90Pace8:56.95ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance6.000Time47:42.50Pace7:57.08ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-11 17:01:10
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:07:47.00Pace8:28.38
8 total. Snow today.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time18:51.20Pace9:25.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance6.000Time48:55.80Pace8:09.30ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-13 09:32:46
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:07:26.60Pace8:25.82
8 total.
Leg 1:
Distance6.000Time49:10.20Pace8:11.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time18:16.40Pace9:08.20ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.000.000.008.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-14 10:03:09
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:05:11.60Pace8:08.95
8 total.
Leg 1:
Distance6.000Time47:38.00Pace7:56.33ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time17:33.60Pace8:46.80ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.000.000.000.009.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-15 09:06:17
Workout Totals: Distance9.000Time1:17:48.90Pace8:38.77
Total of 9 miles. Most I've run since the surgery.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time20:56.10Pace10:28.05ZoneEasy Miles
With Sarah.
Leg 2:
Distance5.000Time38:50.80Pace7:46.16ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time18:02.00Pace9:01.00ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-16 09:58:42
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:30.80Pace7:57.08
10 total. Most I have run since the surgery. Was able to run 6:43 mile uphill at the end of the morning run. First sub-7:00 since the surgery.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time39:38.10Pace7:55.62ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time22:23.90Pace7:27.97ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time17:28.80Pace8:44.40ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-17 09:41:46
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:21:11.00Pace8:07.10
10 total.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time39:56.90Pace7:59.38ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time23:48.40Pace7:56.13ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time17:25.70Pace8:42.85ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.000.000.000.0012.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-18 16:05:57
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:46:36.80Pace8:53.07
12 total. Longest run since the surgery. Lots of snow today, could not move very fast.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time19:31.70Pace9:45.85ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, Leigha, and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time18:00.90Pace9:00.45ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary and Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance4.000Time34:17.10Pace8:34.27ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 4:
Distance4.000Time34:47.10Pace8:41.77ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-20 13:54:53
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:21:57.00Pace8:11.70
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:56.30Pace8:58.15ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, Leigha, Benjamin, William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance8.000Time1:04:00.70Pace8:00.09ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin. Part with William and Matthew.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.002.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-21 15:58:18
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:16:53.60Pace7:41.36
10 total. Did my first tempo run after the surgery. It went better than I expected. I was able run the first mile in 6:15, in the second mile I started feeling a lack of endurance, but still managed 6:23. Benjamin paced me.
Leg 1:
Distance5.000Time39:43.80Pace7:56.76ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time12:38.40Pace6:19.20ZoneThreshold Miles
Tempo run.
Leg 3:
Distance3.000Time24:31.40Pace8:10.47ZoneEasy Miles
Distance/cool-down.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-22 15:47:15
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:18:43.80Pace7:52.38
10 total. Somewhat easy pace. Sub-8:00 is no longer exactly easy after the surgery. But I still set it as a target more or less to try to rebuild the endurance.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:15.70Pace8:37.85ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time22:57.10Pace7:39.03ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 3:
Distance5.000Time38:31.00Pace7:42.20ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.000.002.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-23 14:03:06
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:17:09.00Pace7:42.90
10 total. Did a 2 mile tempo down the canyon in 12:28 (6:05, 6:23). Benjamin and Matthew paced me. Benjamin then added a mile in 4:57. Feeling the lack of endurance. First quarter was 87, then kept slowing down, felt I was not getting enough oxygen.
Leg 1:
Distance0.980Time8:07.40Pace8:17.35ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time12:28.60Pace6:14.30ZoneThreshold Miles
tempo run
Leg 3:
Distance2.020Time16:29.60Pace8:09.90ZoneEasy Miles
Back to the car.
Leg 4:
Distance5.000Time40:03.40Pace8:00.68ZoneEasy Miles
More distance with Benjamin.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2025-01-24 14:55:31
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:20:55.70Pace8:05.57
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time7:47.60Pace7:47.60ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time17:29.50Pace8:44.75ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 3:
Distance7.000Time55:38.60Pace7:56.94ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
175.000.004.000.00179.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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