Breaking the Wall

Monumental Half

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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: 870.94
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
Sat, Nov 06, 2021
Race: Monumental Half (13.109 Miles) 01:22:50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
3.000.0013.110.0016.11

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-11-06 05:22:05
Workout Totals: Distance16.109Time1:48:42.40Pace6:44.89
Monumental Half Marathon, 1:22:50.

I did some stretches before the start, and the IT band issue subsided enough to where I was not thinking about it with every step. But once I was able to get my mind off the pain, I realized I did not have the power. I do not know if that was a temporary power loss due to injury, or if it was just the next step in the aging process, but it was not there. So I knew this would be a mentally grueling race because I still have the memory of having the power to run much faster. 13+ miles of fighting that memory. And it was just what I expected. Looking at the splits, and feeling how close I was to my limit in the first 4 miles I was not sure if I would break 1:24 today. But I was able to find something to run the last 5 K under 20:00 and break 1:23.

Benjamin had a rough race as well, different problems though. He started very well, 9:59 at 2 miles, then 5:10 for the third to be cautious and felt strong. And then his quad spasm came. So he slowed down to 6:00 for the next mile, then the spasm started to loosen, and he started gradually speeding up - 5:42, then a couple of 5:30s, then into 5:20s, and the last 5 K in 15:57 (5:08 pace) to finish in 1:09:55. We have a few theories as to why the spasm started happening to this extent:

- Running on concrete - he had a hard time finding a good place to run in Austin that is close enough to where he lives, and the best he has is a concrete trail.
- Sleeping on an air mattress
- The course he has been running on is very hilly and it has been hot and humid. So he has not been able to do 6 mile tempos at 5:00 pace to teach his muscles to relax like he did here in Utah. And running at 5:00 vs 5:20 is like driving 100 vs 70. At 70 you might be able to get away with underinflated tires, but at 100 they will pop after a while.

We will try to address all of the above, and hopefully the next race will go better.

At home Jacob did a 4 mile tempo, out and back, with the first two miles uphill. He got 24:17, splits 6:15, 6:30, 5:50, 5:42. William, Stephen, and Matthew ran the first quarter of his last mile in 83, and then finished the mile in 6:02. Joseph was supposed to do a 2 mile tempo downhill, but after running for a little bit stopped. Otherwise easy runs, usual distances.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time16:31.70Pace8:15.85ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance13.109Time1:22:54.50Pace6:19.47
The race.
Split 1:Distance1.000Time6:14.30Pace6:14.30ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:14.30Pace6:14.30
Split 2:Distance1.000Time6:00.80Pace6:00.80ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance2.000Time12:15.10Pace6:07.55
Split 3:Distance1.000Time6:13.10Pace6:13.10ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance3.000Time18:28.20Pace6:09.40
Split 4:Distance1.000Time6:19.90Pace6:19.90ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance4.000Time24:48.10Pace6:12.02
Split 5:Distance1.000Time6:17.80Pace6:17.80ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.000Time31:05.90Pace6:13.18
Split 6:Distance1.000Time6:14.10Pace6:14.10ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance6.000Time37:20.00Pace6:13.33
Split 7:Distance1.000Time6:18.20Pace6:18.20ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance7.000Time43:38.20Pace6:14.03
Split 8:Distance1.000Time6:23.90Pace6:23.90ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance8.000Time50:02.10Pace6:15.26
Split 9:Distance1.000Time6:28.40Pace6:28.40ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance9.000Time56:30.50Pace6:16.72
Split 10:Distance1.000Time6:25.40Pace6:25.40ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance10.000Time1:02:55.90Pace6:17.59
Split 11:Distance1.000Time6:32.70Pace6:32.70ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance11.000Time1:09:28.60Pace6:18.96
Split 12:Distance1.000Time6:24.90Pace6:24.90ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:15:53.50Pace6:19.46
Split 13:Distance1.030Time6:33.20Pace6:21.75ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance13.030Time1:22:26.70Pace6:19.64
Split 14:Distance0.079Time0:27.80Pace5:51.90ZoneThreshold Miles
Cumilative:Distance13.109Time1:22:54.50Pace6:19.47
 
Leg 3:
Distance1.000Time9:16.20Pace9:16.20ZoneEasy Miles
Cool-down.

Amoji 2 Miles: 15.11
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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