Breaking the Wall

Week starting Jan 09, 2011

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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: 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
74.655.500.503.7584.40
Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 84.40
Night Sleep Time: 22.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 22.50
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
0.000.000.000.000.00

Day of rest. Went to church. The Sunday School lesson was on the role of Jesus Christ in the Plan of Salvation. The lesson on the Elders' Quorum was on repentance. Sacrament meeting talks were on tithing. I really liked them. One speaker mentioned two examples. In one of them a man came to President Hinckley for a temple recommend interview back when President Hinckley was a stake president. The man was not paying his tithing and thought he could afford it because he was behind on his bills. President Hinckley was inspired to tell him that he will not be able to get out of debt until he started paying his tithing. A year later the man came again and thanked President Hinckley for the advice. He was now able to pay his bills. Paying tithing brought extra strength into his life and allowed him to focus on the essentials and budget better. Another story was about a young man that died in a car accident two days before he was supposed to go on a mission. His parents donated the money he had saved to the general missionary fund with a note explaining that they knew that their son would have wanted no other use for that money except allow another missionary to serve in his instead. The story was special to me because when I served a mission, it was partially financed by the general fund. When I came to America, I wanted to save for my mission, but the visa restrictions did not allow me to work. My stake president asked me if I wanted to go on a mission. I shared with him my predicament, and he made the arrangements for me to go, for which I am very thankful.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.400.000.000.0012.40

A.M. Total of 12.4, 4 of it with the kids. Benjamin did 3, Jenny 1.5, Julia 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.25.

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 12.40
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.750.000.001.2512.00

A.M. 2F temperature, but it was not too bad. Mike and I did a couple of pickups. First 800 in 2:38, then 100 meter jog to get through the underpass and 1200 in 4:04. There was more snow on the second interval, so that slowed us down. I expected to feel a whole lot worse at those speeds in such temperature, but I guess I am getting used to it. Total of 12. Benjamin did 3, Jenny and Julia 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.5. 

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.750.000.001.2512.00

A.M. Did 800 in 2:37 + 1200 in 3:55 with Mike with full rest today. Total of 12. Benjamin did 3, Jenny and Julia 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.5.

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.750.000.001.2512.00

A.M. Ran with Mike. Did 800 in 2:34 + 1200 in 3:55 with 100 meter jog in between. Total of 12, including the run with the kids. Benjamin did 3, Jenny and Julia 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.5. Another month and a half of winter remaining.

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.500.500.000.0012.00

A.M. Ran with Mike and with the kids. Did a 0.5 pickup in 2:57, but the effort was harder due to snow/ice. Total of 12, including the kids runs. Benjamin did 3, Jenny and Julia 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.5.

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
18.505.000.500.0024.00

A.M. 20 miles with Mike. We did a 5 mile tempo  in 29:26. The last 600 was quick - 2:01. The trail was a bit slippery, but not too bad.

P.M. Ran with the kids. Total of 4. Benjamin did 3 in 22:32 with the last two quarters in 90 and 84. He was on the move. Jenny and Julia did 2, Joseph 1, and Jacob 0.5.

Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 24.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
74.655.500.503.7584.40
Gold Crocs 2 Miles: 84.40
Night Sleep Time: 22.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 22.50
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