Breaking the Wall

Mesa Half Marathon

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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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to Ukraine's Armed Forces

Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	2724.68
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
54.53	0.62	14.11	0.00	69.26

Madctoc Clogs Miles: 24.00	Blue Crocs Miles: 45.26

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

Sun, Jan 29, 2023

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. Usual Sunday routine - our ward, then the Russian branch.

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

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Mon, Jan 30, 2023

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 - 2023-01-30 13:08:53
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:38:29.10Pace8:12.43
12 total. Lots of snow. Easy pace, usual distances except for Joseph who ran only 4 due to a sore throat.
Leg 1: Distance4.000Time32:00.30Pace8:00.07ZoneEasy Miles
With Stephen and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance6.000Time47:58.80Pace7:59.80ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.
Leg 3: Distance2.000Time18:30.00Pace9:15.00ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary and Bella.

Madctoc Clogs Miles: 12.00

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

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Tue, Jan 31, 2023

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 - 2023-01-31 16:38:01
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:39:22.30Pace8:16.86
12 total. Easy pace, more or less usual distances. Joseph did only 4 due to a sore throat.
Leg 1: Distance2.000Time17:47.60Pace8:53.80ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time15:49.50Pace7:54.75ZoneEasy Miles
With Stephen and Matthew.
Leg 3: Distance8.000Time1:05:45.20Pace8:13.15ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Joseph, part alone.

Madctoc Clogs Miles: 12.00

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

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Wed, Feb 01, 2023

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.38	0.62	0.00	0.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2023-02-01 16:26:42
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:38:44.50Pace8:13.71
12 total. Did 1000 on the track with Bonnie at her perceived 10K effort in 4:12. The track was partially covered with snow and ice. Matthew, Mary, and Bella ran some extra distance (5.3/3.3) due the trip to the car shop. Joseph and William did only 4 due to sore throat/swollen lymph nodes. Otherwise, easy runs, usual distances.
Leg 1: Distance2.000Time15:27.10Pace7:43.55ZoneEasy Miles
With Bonnie and Matthew, part with Stephen.
Leg 2: Distance3.300Time29:46.00Pace9:01.21ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, Bonnie, Mary, and Bella to the car shop.
Leg 3: Distance2.700Time22:36.80Pace8:22.52
With Bonnie.
Split 1:Distance0.940Time8:04.00Pace8:34.89ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance0.940Time8:04.00Pace8:34.89
Split 2:Distance0.621Time4:12.30Pace6:46.28ZoneMarathon Pace Miles Cumilative:Distance1.561Time12:16.30Pace7:51.68
Split 3:Distance1.139Time10:20.50Pace9:04.78ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.700Time22:36.80Pace8:22.52

Leg 4: Distance4.000Time30:54.60Pace7:43.65ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Blue Crocs Miles: 12.00

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

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Thu, Feb 02, 2023

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.25	0.00	1.00	0.00	10.25

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2023-02-02 09:47:41
Workout Totals: Distance10.250Time1:19:18.50Pace7:44.24
10 total in St. George on our way to Mesa, AZ. Did a mile pickup with the kids. Bonnie, Matthew, Jacob and I did 6:02. William and Joseph were a bit ahead, I think around 5:50-5:55, Stephen ran 6:36. Joseph, Jacob, and Bonnie did 6, William, Stephen, and Matthew 4, Mary and Bella 2, Leigha 0.25.
Leg 1: Distance0.250Time2:50.70Pace11:22.80ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha and everybody else.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time17:19.10Pace8:39.55ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and everybody else.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time7:52.40Pace7:52.40ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, Stephen, Bonnie, Joseph, Jacob and William.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time6:02.80Pace6:02.80ZoneThreshold Miles
Pickup.
Leg 5: Distance2.000Time15:53.40Pace7:56.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Bonnie, Joseph, and Jacob.
Leg 6: Distance4.000Time29:20.10Pace7:20.02ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Blue Crocs Miles: 10.25

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

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Fri, Feb 03, 2023

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.25	0.00	0.00	0.00	6.25

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2023-02-03 09:37:02
Workout Totals: Distance6.250Time51:47.00Pace8:17.12
6 total. In Chandler, AZ. Reduced mileage for the kids for the taper for the race tomorrow.
Leg 1: Distance0.250Time2:56.10Pace11:44.40ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time17:04.60Pace8:32.30ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and everybody else.
Leg 3: Distance4.000Time31:46.30Pace7:56.57ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Joseph, Jacob, Bonnie, and William, part alone.

Blue Crocs Miles: 6.25

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

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Sat, Feb 04, 2023

Race: Mesa Half Marathon (13.109 Miles) 01:21:47, Place overall: 115, Place in age division: 5

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
3.65	0.00	13.11	0.00	16.76

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2023-02-04 06:08:57
Workout Totals: Distance16.759Time1:53:50.80Pace6:47.59
Mesa Half, 1:21:47, 115th overall, 5th in 45-49. I was happy that I was able to hold a more or less even pace. I was concerned that my endurance might not be sufficient to hold the pace due to the lack of long tempos and missed workouts due to the snow. I did slow down a bit towards the end, but my slowest mile was 6:22, only 8 seconds per mile slower than the average. Kids: Benjamin 1:12:22 Being in Austin is making him slower and slower. There was the spasm issue again. He did somehow run the last mile in 5:01, though. He responds to high-speed tempos, without those his nervous system unlearns how the balance the body. So he starts getting those strange spasms. But he has not found anywhere in Austin to do this type of training. I am telling him he needs to move now if he wants to have any hope of an OTQ. Jacob 1:17:11 PR by over 1 minute. I am happy with his performance. He has had some rough spots in his training, but on the day of the race he delivered. Slowest mile 6:06 with 5:53 average. 10K: Joseph 37:29 PR Bonnie 39:43 PR William 40:33 Matthew 40:55 PR Stephen 47:17 Maddy 1:04:08 PR Joseph had not had the best training, but still managed a small PR. Bonnie had a breakthrough run splitting 19:59, 19:44, thus getting a 5 K PR twice in a row. In the process she taught William a lesson about being humble and not making excuses - he could not keep up with her. Matthew also almost taught William a lesson in humility. His opening 5 K of 20:11 was also a 5 K PR. Maddy ran her first 10 K. Her 5 K split of 29:45 was her first sub-30:00 5K.
Leg 1: Distance2.050Time17:01.20Pace8:18.15ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up with Benjamin and Jacob.
Leg 2: Distance13.109Time1:21:47.30Pace6:14.35
Race.
Split 1:Distance1.000Time6:08.30Pace6:08.30ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:08.30Pace6:08.30
Split 2:Distance1.000Time6:06.70Pace6:06.70ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance2.000Time12:15.00Pace6:07.50
Split 3:Distance1.000Time6:12.30Pace6:12.30ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance3.000Time18:27.30Pace6:09.10
Split 4:Distance1.000Time6:12.30Pace6:12.30ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance4.000Time24:39.60Pace6:09.90
Split 5:Distance1.000Time6:09.90Pace6:09.90ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance5.000Time30:49.50Pace6:09.90
Split 6:Distance2.000Time12:25.60Pace6:12.80ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance7.000Time43:15.10Pace6:10.73
Split 7:Distance1.000Time6:21.70Pace6:21.70ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time49:36.80Pace6:12.10
Split 8:Distance1.000Time6:11.10Pace6:11.10ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance9.000Time55:47.90Pace6:11.99
Split 9:Distance1.000Time6:20.10Pace6:20.10ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance10.000Time1:02:08.00Pace6:12.80
Split 10:Distance1.000Time6:13.40Pace6:13.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance11.000Time1:08:21.40Pace6:12.85
Split 11:Distance1.000Time6:22.70Pace6:22.70ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:14:44.10Pace6:13.67
Split 12:Distance1.000Time6:22.30Pace6:22.30ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance13.000Time1:21:06.40Pace6:14.34
Split 13:Distance0.109Time0:40.90Pace6:15.23ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance13.109Time1:21:47.30Pace6:14.35

Leg 3: Distance1.600Time15:02.30Pace9:23.94ZoneEasy Miles
Cool-down with Stephen.

Blue Crocs Miles: 16.76

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

Comments(1)

Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
54.53	0.62	14.11	0.00	69.26

Madctoc Clogs Miles: 24.00	Blue Crocs Miles: 45.26

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

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