Breaking the Wall

March 29, 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:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 133.01 Year: 776.88
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: 1312.70
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
2.500.000.500.003.00

A.M. 3 miles total. Started the day by missing the flight to Denver - Nashville. This left me with the option of making it to Nashville after 10 pm, which would make it impossible for me to pick up the packet. Checked alternatives - they were all in the price range of $500. I had just told Sarah that if she wanted to get a $1000 couch she needed to run 1200 meters in 5:15 to prove she really needed it. In light of that I was not going to spend half of her couch just to get to a marathon.

Considered not going to the race at all, but then saw the email from the race director, and decided to ask him if he would pick up my packet for me. He replied immediately in the affirmative, so I went ahead and for $100 rescheduled my Frontier flight. Then went to Sarah's parents' house and ran a little bit with the kids that were there - Benjamin, Jenny, and Julia. Benjamin and I did a pickup for 0.5 to get the legs moving.

P.M.  Headed to the race on a 2pm flight. Got into Nashville after 10 pm. Rented an Elantra. I remembered the car because its breaks were instrumental in helping me avoid trouble.  I was 10 miles into Alabama on I-65 going around 70-75 mph in the dark on a wet road when out of nowhere there popped a baby deer right in my lane. When things like this happen the time seems to freeze which helps me figure out what to do, and it did this time. I hit the breaks in time and they worked very well. I recall having enough time to think I should maybe swerve a bit to the shoulder but should wait for the deer to wisen up and get out of the road and swerve only if I really had to. I never needed to swerve - the deer left.

I felt there was some signficance to that deer experience that maybe I will understand later and offered a silent prayer of thanks to the Lord for helping me remain vigilant at this late hour and avoid the collision. 

 

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 3.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Comments
From jtshad on Tue, Dec 17, 2013 at 09:01:37 from 141.221.191.225

What an adventurous travel day, glad you are safe.

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