Breaking the Wall

Week starting Jan 03, 2021

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:

Click to donate

to Ukraine's Armed Forces

Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	40.31	Year:	3073.12
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

Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
67.77	1.00	3.00	5.50	77.27

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 77.27

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

Sun, Jan 03, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00

Day of rest. Went to chuch for Sacrament, then Sunday School and Come Follow Me at home.

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

Add Comment

Mon, Jan 04, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	13.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-04 12:07:16
Workout Totals: Distance13.000Time1:43:15.90Pace7:56.61
Total of 13. Easy runs, usual distances. 7 in the AM, then drove to St. George, and ran 6 more with Benjamin.
Leg 1:Distance7.000Time56:55.70Pace8:07.96
With Benjamin and the younger kids taking turns.
Leg 2:Distance6.000Time46:20.20Pace7:43.37
With Benjamin in St. George.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 13.00

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

Add Comment

Tue, Jan 05, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.27	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.27

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-05 13:06:31
Workout Totals: Distance12.270Time1:41:24.20Pace8:15.86
12+ total. Easy runs with the kids in St. George. Visited Lava Tubes in Snow Canyon. Remembered the St. George Marathon.
Leg 1:Distance8.000Time1:04:50.70Pace8:06.34
With Benjamin and the kids taking turns in St. George.
Leg 2:Distance0.270Time2:36.00Pace9:37.78
With Bella.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time9:11.60Pace9:11.60
Measuring a mile course with Benjamin near the hotel.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time7:30.90Pace7:30.90
With Benjamin.
Leg 5:Distance1.000Time9:53.00Pace9:53.00
With Benjamin and Mary.
Leg 6:Distance1.000Time7:22.00Pace7:22.00
With Benjamin.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 12.27

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

Add Comment

Wed, Jan 06, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.00	1.00	1.00	3.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-06 11:48:45
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:27:21.70Pace7:16.81
12 miles in St. George. We measured out a mile on the trail with a wheel by the Crosby Family Park and did mile time trials with the kids. Results: Jacob 5:07 (PR) (76,78,77,76) Joseph 5:10 (76,78,78,78) William 5:45.3 (85,87,89,84) Stephen 6:06.5 (91,90,93,92) Matthew 6:06.5 (91,92,93,90) Julia 6:35.9 (3:17,3:18) I paced William as he was being chased by Joseph and Jacob (Benjamin pacing) with a 30 second gap. They caught him in the last quarter. Then I paced Stephen, and Matthew, while Benjamin did a fast mile with 1:20 gap. He also caught us and ran 4:44. At the very end of the run I had Benjamin pace me on that mile out and back, and ran 11:33 for 2 miles (5:47,5:46). Definitely being at a lower elevation improved the experience in the second half of the interval - we were slowing down less (or in some cases even speeding up).
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time8:17.10Pace8:17.10
With Sarah, Benjamin, Jacob, and William.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time7:56.10Pace7:56.10
With Benjamin, Jacob, and William.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time5:45.30Pace5:45.30
William's mile.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time8:11.30Pace8:11.30
Back to the start with William, Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Leg 5:Distance0.500Time4:17.10Pace8:34.20
With Matthew and Stephen.
Leg 6:Distance1.000Time6:06.50Pace6:06.50
Stephen and Matthew's mile.
Leg 7:Distance1.500Time11:47.70Pace7:51.80
With Stephen and Matthew, part with Benjamin.
Leg 8:Distance1.000Time8:51.60Pace8:51.60
With Benjamin and Julia.
Leg 9:Distance1.000Time6:35.90Pace6:35.90
Julia's mile.
Leg 10:Distance1.000Time7:59.80Pace7:59.80
With Benjamin and Julia.
Leg 11:Distance2.000Time11:33.30Pace5:46.65
My 2 mile interval with Benjamin.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 12.00

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

Add Comment

Thu, Jan 07, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-07 12:30:06
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:36:26.40Pace8:02.20
12 total, easy runs, usual distances. Benjamin did a mile pickup in 4:57.
Leg 1:Distance10.000Time1:19:55.00Pace7:59.50
With the kids taking turns and Benjamin.
Leg 2:Distance2.000Time16:31.40Pace8:15.70
With Julia.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 12.00

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

Add Comment

Fri, Jan 08, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.50	0.00	0.00	0.50	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-08 12:46:12
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:34:11.20Pace7:50.93
12 total, usual distances except for Stephen - his foot was hurting and he ran only 2.5. Did 0.5 pickup uphill at the end of Joseph and Jacob's run in 2:53 - they dropped me on the final hill and ran 2:47. Benjamin did a mile pickup in 4:55.
Leg 1:Distance7.000Time54:54.10Pace7:50.59
With Benjamin (most of it), Joseph, and Jacob - part with William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Split 1:Distance6.500Time52:00.90Pace8:00.14 Cumilative:Distance6.500Time52:00.90Pace8:00.14
Split 2:Distance0.500Time2:53.20Pace5:46.40 Cumilative:Distance7.000Time54:54.10Pace7:50.59

Leg 2:Distance5.000Time39:17.10Pace7:51.42
With Benjamin.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 12.00

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

Add Comment

Sat, Jan 09, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.00	0.00	2.00	2.00	16.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-01-09 08:16:10
Workout Totals: Distance16.000Time1:59:47.80Pace7:29.24
16 total, Chad joined us again, we did 2x2 down the canyon with Jacob. Joseph did the first interval, then dropped out at the start of the second earning himself a redemption workout. William also earned himself a redemption workout by dropping back after about 1.25 of the first interval. Stephen's foot was hurting, he started the interval, made it maybe to 0.5. Matthew made it a bit further, but was struggling too. Bonnie ran our first mile in 5:59. On the second interval once Joseph dropped out (we had 3:03 at 0.5), Jacob turned up the heat and started running 84s (5:36 pace). I made it to a bit past 1.5 mark and then I just did not have anything. Chad also got dropped, though only with about 0.2 to go. Jacob got 11:24, Chad was probably about 11:27, I got 11:39. I think the reason both Chad and I struggled is that we had put in more miles prior than we normally do. Also, Jacob really tested us today with some heat. Benjamin did 3x2 up 10:56, down 9:50, up 10:46 - I think this is the best one so far with this setup.
Leg 1:Distance7.000Time54:52.20Pace7:50.31
With Chad.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time8:36.90Pace8:36.90
Warm-up with the gang.
Leg 3:Distance2.000Time12:00.40Pace6:00.20
First interval.
Leg 4:Distance2.000Time16:23.10Pace8:11.55
Back up to get the second serving.
Leg 5:Distance2.000Time11:39.60Pace5:49.80
Second interval.
Leg 6:Distance2.000Time16:15.60Pace8:07.80
More distance with Chad.

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 16.00

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

Add Comment

Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
67.77	1.00	3.00	5.50	77.27

Brown Crocs 3 Miles: 77.27

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

Debt Reduction Calculator

Featured Announcements

Most Recent Entries:

New Kids on the Blog
(need a welcome):

Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):