Breaking the Wall

Week starting Apr 20, 2014

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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:	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
72.62	1.00	7.75	0.47	81.84

Green Crocs 7 Miles: 81.84	Schwinn Double Stroller Miles: 10.00

Night Sleep Time: 38.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 38.50

Sun, Apr 20, 2014

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 church.

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Mon, Apr 21, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.07	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.07

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-04-21 08:20:27
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
12.074	1:36:05.90	7:57.55
Total of 12. Benjamin tried a 1000 time trial again, but it did not work quite well. Still fighting his old mental issues. Joseph ran a PR in the 800 (2:58.4), and Jacob got one in the 400 (83.1) - I was quite happy with that level of speed at his age (7). Benjamin did total of 9, Joseph and Jacob 3, Jenny 4, Julia 3, William 1.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.2	10:16.70.	8:33.92	Warm-up to the track.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.200	10:16.70	8:33.92
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.28	2:15.10.	8:02.50	Benjamin's botched 1000 time trial. I ran the diagonals to give him splits. First 600 was perfect, then a bear jumped on him and psychologically destroyed him. He could not finish out the last 200 meters. We discussed the matter afterwards and realized it was more psychology than fitness related - we've thought of some workouts to break it.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.070	0:31.90	7:35.71
2	0.070	0:32.30	7:41.43
3	0.070	0:33.90	8:04.29
4	0.070	0:37.00	8:48.57
5	0.000	0:00.00	0:00.00
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.496	2:58.40.	5:59.68	Joseph's time trial. Jacob joined him for the first quarter, but somehow they managed to open in 42, then run 89. Joseph got a PR by 0.5.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.496	2:58.40	5:59.68
Leg 4
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.25	2:28.30.	9:53.20	Jog in between.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.250	2:28.30	9:53.20
Leg 5
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.248	1:23.10.	5:35.08	Jacob's time trial for real this time.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.248	1:23.10	5:35.08
Leg 6
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.6	14:04.10.	8:47.56	Back to the house.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.600	14:04.10	8:47.56
Leg 7
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
5	39:57.20.	7:59.44	More distance with Benjamin.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	5.000	39:57.20	7:59.44
Leg 8
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	22:43.00.	7:34.33	First 2 miles alone, then the rest with Jenny. Did a pickup for 0.5 to catch her.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	22:43.00	7:34.33

Green Crocs 7 Miles: 12.07

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

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Tue, Apr 22, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.93	0.00	0.00	0.47	12.40

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-04-22 07:59:18
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
12.399	1:44:06.50	8:23.79
Total of 12. Today we tried a workout to help Benjamin break the mental block. The plan was like this - he got to choose his pace, but his final running distance depended on his splits. So 1:36 or faster at 600 = 800, sub-2:15 at 800 = 1000, sub-2:55 at 1000 = 1200, sub-4:10 at 1400 = 1600, otherwise he had no promise and would be informed how far he was going en-route. He ended up opening in 32.3, then easing off and running a 2000 in 6:22.5, which is a track PR for him for that distance. I joined him for the last 600. To deliver a second punch to the beast, I had him do 3x400 with 200 recovery jog (about 1:30) with the target of sub-70. He is not used to this short of a recovery and really did not like the idea of finishing an interval and having to jog immediately, which might be just where the beast lives. We'll find out in the next couple of weeks if that is correct. Joseph did 4, Jacob 2, William 1, Jenny 4, Julia 3. Details below.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.337	11:38.70.	8:42.59	Warm-up.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	8:46.10	8:46.10	Warm-up to the track with Benjamin, Joseph, and Jacob.
2	0.062	0:16.90	4:32.58	100 meter stride.
3	0.062	0:45.90	12:20.32	Jog.
4	0.033	0:16.90	8:32.12
5	0.180	1:32.90	8:36.11
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.862	6:22.50.	7:23.74	Benjamin's 200. I joined him for that 600 which we did in 1:53.8.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.070	0:32.30	7:41.43
2	0.070	0:36.70	8:44.29
3	0.070	0:39.50	9:24.29
4	0.070	0:38.70	9:12.86
5	0.070	0:39.90	9:30.00
6	0.070	0:40.30	9:35.71
7	0.070	0:41.30	9:50.00
8	0.124	0:38.70	5:12.10
9	0.124	0:38.80	5:12.90
10	0.124	0:36.30	4:52.74
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.25	2:37.80.	10:31.20	Recovery jog with Benjamin.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.250	2:37.80	10:31.20
Leg 4
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.67	6:25.30.	9:35.07	Benjamin's 3x400 with 200 recovery. I ran the diagonals giving splits and the recoveries.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.070	0:33.40	7:57.14
2	0.070	0:33.50	7:58.57	66.9 for the quarter.
3	0.125	1:23.10	11:04.80
4	0.070	0:34.90	8:18.57
5	0.070	0:34.50	8:12.86	68.9 for the quarter.
6	0.125	1:37.40	12:59.20
7	0.070	0:34.80	8:17.14
8	0.070	0:33.70	8:01.43	68.5 for the quarter.
Leg 5
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.2	11:11.50.	9:19.58	Jog back home with Benjamin, Jacob, and Joseph.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.200	11:11.50	9:19.58
Leg 6
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
2.04	17:52.20.	8:45.59	With Benjamin, Jacob, and Joseph.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	2.040	17:52.20	8:45.59
Leg 7
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
2.04	17:16.20.	8:27.94	With Julia.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	2.040	17:16.20	8:27.94
Leg 8
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
4	30:42.30.	7:40.57	Pushed Matthew in the stroller.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	4.000	30:42.30	7:40.57

Schwinn Double Stroller Miles: 4.00	Green Crocs 7 Miles: 12.40

Night Sleep Time: 7.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.50

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Wed, Apr 23, 2014

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 - 2014-04-23 07:40:42
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
13.000	1:45:45.50	8:08.12
Total of 13. Benjamin did 9, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Joseph and Jacob 3, William 1.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	24:09.10.	8:03.03	With Benjamin, David, Joseph, and Jacob.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	24:09.10	8:03.03
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	23:39.20.	7:53.07	With David and Benjamin.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	23:39.20	7:53.07
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	24:24.00.	8:08.00	With Benjamin - we got talking and fell asleep.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	24:24.00	8:08.00
Leg 4
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	24:32.50.	8:10.83	With Julia - pushed Matthew in the stroller. She closed very strong running the last 1.5 in 10:56 uphill.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	24:32.50	8:10.83
Leg 5
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	9:00.70.	9:00.70	With William.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	9:00.70	9:00.70

Schwinn Double Stroller Miles: 3.00	Green Crocs 7 Miles: 13.00

Night Sleep Time: 7.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.50

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Thu, Apr 24, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.50	0.00	1.50	0.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-04-24 07:09:14
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
12.000	1:35:03.30	7:55.28
Total of 12. Benjamin did 9. We did a mini-tempo - 1.5 down the canyon in 8:09. Joseph did 4, Jacob 2, William 1, Jenny 4, Julia 3.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
7	52:27.40.	7:29.63	With Benjamin.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.550	28:47.70	8:06.68	Warm-up.
2	1.500	8:09.50	5:26.33	Mini-tempo down the canyon. We went through the first mile in 5:30 at a fairly even pace, but then picked up and ran 2:39 for the last 0.5. 5:30 felt good, 5:18 made me work.
3	1.950	15:30.20	7:57.03	Back home.
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
4	33:50.10.	8:27.52	With Joseph.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	4.000	33:50.10	8:27.52
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	8:45.80.	8:45.80	With William.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	8:45.80	8:45.80

Green Crocs 7 Miles: 12.00

Night Sleep Time: 7.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.50

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Fri, Apr 25, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.00	1.00	0.00	0.00	13.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-04-25 07:51:12
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
13.000	1:47:17.70	8:15.21
13 total. David and his friend Ryan joined us. Joseph did a mile time trial, Jacob 800. Both missed their PRs by a little bit. Benjamin did 9, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Joseph and Jacob 3.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.1	9:23.30.	8:32.09	Warm-up to the track.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.100	9:23.30	8:32.09
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	6:11.30.	6:11.30	Joseph's time trial. He opened in 89, then 93, then 95, and lost the record. He needed an 89 for the kick, but only found 91. I think he was just too tired, did too much this week already. Jacob ran the first 800 in 3:03.1 missing his PR by 0.1.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	6:11.30	6:11.30
2	0.000	0:00.00		Pressed the wrong button.
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.4	13:54.00.	9:55.71	Run back home.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.400	13:54.00	9:55.71
Leg 4
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	23:10.70.	7:43.57	With Benjamin and David.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	23:10.70	7:43.57
Leg 5
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
2.5	19:55.20.	7:58.08	With Benjamin.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	2.500	19:55.20	7:58.08
Leg 6
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3	25:17.40.	8:25.80	With Julia - pushed Matthew in the stroller.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	25:17.40	8:25.80
Leg 7
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	9:25.80.	9:25.80	With William.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	9:25.80	9:25.80

Schwinn Double Stroller Miles: 3.00	Green Crocs 7 Miles: 13.00

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

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Sat, Apr 26, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.12	0.00	6.25	0.00	19.37

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-04-26 08:02:16
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
19.370	2:22:37.50	7:21.79
Total of 19.37. Ran with Chad and Benjamin. Benjamin did 13, Joseph and Jacob 2, William 1, Jenny 4, Julia 3. Benjamin, Chad, and I did a 6.25 mile tempo. The original plan was for Benjamin to go 5:30, for me to try to hang on, but due to the heavy rain and headwind we had to adjust the pace to whatever the conditions would let us. Details below.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3.3	26:38.10.	8:04.27	Warm-up. We drove to the Canyon Glen Park, and ran to Vivian Park from there.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.300	26:38.10	8:04.27
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
6.25	36:06.90.	5:46.70	Benjamin and I opened with 5:46 but it felt at least as hard as 5:30 did on Thursday. Chad fell back after about half mile or so. Then Benjamin picked up to 5:32 pace. I lasted about half a mile, then dropped back. Over the next mile and a half Benjamin gapped me by about 20 seconds, then he slowed down some and I sped up some and we ran like that more or less to the finish. I had 23:08 at 4 miles, and 28:53 at 5. He had 22:41 and 28:30. Over the last 1.5 Benjamin really had to go to the bathroom, so he eased off to avoid the possible tragic outcome. This allowed me to close the gap some. He finished in 35:46 - 20 seconds ahead of me. Chad got 39:30.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	6.250	36:06.90	5:46.70
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
0.08	0:41.00.	8:32.50	Recovery jog.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	0.080	0:41.00	8:32.50
Leg 4
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
2.9	24:25.20.	8:25.24	Back to the house.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	2.900	24:25.20	8:25.24
Leg 5
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
2.04	17:17.00.	8:28.33	With Joseph, Jacob, and Chad. Quote from Joseph for today: "If m*v^2 was not in half, I would have had broken ribs when I got hit by a car". This sounds particularly funny coming out of a 9-year-old kid.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	2.040	17:17.00	8:28.33
Leg 6
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
4.8	37:29.30.	7:48.60	Back to the car with Chad.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	4.800	37:29.30	7:48.60

Green Crocs 7 Miles: 19.37

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
72.62	1.00	7.75	0.47	81.84

Green Crocs 7 Miles: 81.84	Schwinn Double Stroller Miles: 10.00

Night Sleep Time: 38.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 38.50

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