Breaking the Wall

December 30, 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:	72.31	Year:	3105.12
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

Mon, Jul 31, 2006

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.00	5.00	0.00	0.00	15.00

Ran on the Provo River Trail between the Geneva Road and the Utah Lake. Met a new friend - Corey Osborne during warm-up. Then did the same 5 mile tempo as Saturday. The purpose was to build fitness while measuring recovery from the marathon. Got 28:32.7, mile splits - 5:31 - 5:42 - 5:49 - 5:48 - 5:43. Out 14:07, back 14:25. First mile felt very easy, and I thought that I'd be able to keep that pace all the way, and maybe even speed up a bit at the end. My legs felt strong. Then on the second mile they began to lose power, and got essentially back strengh-wise to where they were Saturday. I have observed this phenomenon before. Shortly after one punishing marathon or a set of two or more marathons done back to back, the legs feel normal for a little over a mile, and then all of a sudden just quit. You suddenly slow down about 20 seconds per mile, and then it does not get any worse. Well, at least I was able to do a good mile, something that did not happen Saturday, and the overall time was faster, so the recovery is slowly taking place. Ran with the kids, and jogged some more in the evening to make the total 15 miles. However, I think this drastic slow down sheds some light on my slow downs in 5Ks. I believe the limiting factor is of the same nature, it just happens at a slower pace when the muscles are still partially torn up from the marathon. Interestingly enough, Dallen seems to experience a similar problem.

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

Comments

From Su on Tue, Aug 01, 2006 at 16:30:29

From Superfly on Tue, Aug 01, 2006 at 16:33:49

I've never ran 800's like that before. How do those times compare to... lets say anything. My slow times on the first two laps of the second two 8's was just me being lazy and then having to really push it on the last lap to stay under 2:40.

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