Breaking the Wall

Utah Valley 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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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
62.80	0.00	2.50	2.00	67.30

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 67.30

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

Sun, May 30, 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 church. We are back to the regular in-person schedule.

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

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Mon, May 31, 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 - 2021-05-31 08:19:59
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:34:57.20Pace7:54.77
12 total, easy pace, usual distances.
Leg 1: Distance8.000Time1:03:21.00Pace7:55.12ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin, Joseph, and Jacob, part with William.
Leg 2: Distance1.000Time8:47.90Pace8:47.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary and Benjamin.
Leg 3: Distance3.000Time22:48.30Pace7:36.10ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, Stephen, Benjamin, and Josiah, part with Julia and Nathaniel.

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 12.00

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

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Tue, Jun 01, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.05	0.00	2.00	0.00	12.05

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-01 08:38:28
Workout Totals: Distance12.050Time1:30:42.60Pace7:31.67
12 total. Usual distances. Joseph and Jacob have been moved to 8 miles a day for most days. Did a 2 mile tempo down the canyon with Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin in 11:55.
Leg 1: Distance8.000Time59:24.80Pace7:25.60
With Benjamin, Joseph, and Jacob. Part with William and Josiah.
Split 1:Distance4.050Time31:48.00Pace7:51.11ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance4.050Time31:48.00Pace7:51.11
Split 2:Distance2.000Time11:55.90Pace5:57.95ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance6.050Time43:43.90Pace7:13.70
Split 3:Distance1.950Time15:40.90Pace8:02.51ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time59:24.80Pace7:25.60

Leg 2: Distance4.050Time31:17.80Pace7:43.65ZoneEasy Miles
With Stephen and Matthew.

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 12.05

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

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Wed, Jun 02, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.06	0.00	0.50	1.00	12.56

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-02 08:35:12
Workout Totals: Distance12.558Time1:33:33.20Pace7:26.98
Total of 12. Did a mile with Matthew in 6:14 running the first 809 at the target of 96 per lap, and then the last 800 fast. Matthew closed in 3:00.7. Jacob paced William in the same workout. William closed in 2:49 finishing in 6:02. We worked on the idea of the last 2 laps of the mile being competitive rather than just to suffer through. Josiah ran 6:37. Benjamin did a 2 mile tempo down the canyon in 9:51, I think.
Leg 1: Distance1.060Time8:42.60Pace8:13.02ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up to the track.
Leg 2: Distance1.000Time6:37.80Pace6:37.80
Pacing Matthew in the workout.
Split 1:Distance0.502Time3:13.40Pace6:25.26ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance0.502Time3:13.40Pace6:25.26
Split 2:Distance0.498Time3:00.70Pace6:02.85ZoneVO2 Max Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:14.10Pace6:14.10
Split 3:Distance0.000Time0:23.70Pace0:00.00ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:37.80Pace6:37.80
Josiah's time.

Leg 3: Distance0.498Time2:55.70Pace5:52.81ZoneVO2 Max Miles
Stephen's redemption 800.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time8:00.20Pace8:00.20ZoneEasy Miles
Back to the house.
Leg 5: Distance5.000Time37:18.30Pace7:27.66ZoneEasy Miles
I think this was with Jacob and Joseph.
Leg 6: Distance4.000Time29:58.60Pace7:29.65ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 12.56

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

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Thu, Jun 03, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.00	0.00	0.00	1.00	10.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-03 08:57:28
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:14:24.10Pace7:26.41
10 total. Tapering for the Utah Valley Half. Did a mile pickup with Jacob down the canyon in 5:45, Joseph was at Camp Helaman, ran easy pace there.
Leg 1: Distance8.000Time59:29.40Pace7:26.17
With Jacob, part with William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Split 1:Distance4.050Time31:48.70Pace7:51.28ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance4.050Time31:48.70Pace7:51.28
Split 2:Distance1.000Time5:45.00Pace5:45.00ZoneVO2 Max Miles Cumilative:Distance5.050Time37:33.70Pace7:26.28
Split 3:Distance2.950Time21:55.70Pace7:26.00ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time59:29.40Pace7:26.17

Leg 2: Distance2.000Time14:54.70Pace7:27.35ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 10.00

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

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Fri, Jun 04, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	6.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-04 08:26:30
Workout Totals: Distance6.000Time47:57.40Pace7:59.57
Easy run. 6 miles. Tapering for the Utah Valley Half tomorrow.
Leg 1: Distance6.000Time47:57.40Pace7:59.57ZoneEasy Miles
With Jacob, part with William, Stephen, and Matthew.

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 6.00

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

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Sat, Jun 05, 2021

Race: Utah Valley Half Marathon (13.109 Miles) 01:21:47, Place overall: 35, Place in age division: 1

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
14.69	0.00	0.00	0.00	14.69

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-06-05 05:33:24
Workout Totals: Distance14.693Time1:34:27.90Pace6:25.76
Ran the Utah Valley Half in 1:21:47. Amazingly this was good enough to win the masters and pick up $150. I felt something off from the start, probably due to 70F temperature, which I was not yet used to. But I tried hard to not get depressed by the slow splits and kept fighting. By some miracle (namely Nelson handling the warm conditions even worse that I was), I caught up to him with a quarter to go. He kicked, and I thought he was gone. But then the heat got to him, and I was able to pass him. I feel there was an important lesson in this experience - do not give up. I need that lesson right now as I am getting older and the natural flow of aging is gradually taking its toll. Persistence is a skill of eternal value, and can be practiced and developed in any kind of body. I must not let the slowing times distract me from that fact. Benjamin, on the other hand, had an awesome race - 1:06:33, PR, 4th place, ironically also getting $150. When I finished I asked him if it was 1:08. Somehow in spite of the warm temperatures he was able to run 2 minutes faster than I thought he would. He went out with Sean O'Connor, Mike Otteson, and Sergio Reyes. After about a mile Sergio dropped back. Benjamin dropped back after about 3. Sergio caught up to him and passed him at around 9. In the end Sean won with 1:05:08, then Mike 1:05:33, Sergio 1:06:04, then Benjamin. Looks like COVID created a hunger for races - we had runners from all over the country, and the field was much deeper than it used to be. Not enough incentive for the 1:03 guys to come, but a lot more dense in the 1:05-1:10 range for men, and 1:16-1:22 range for women. We had some car adventures, but we managed to get some of our runners to their races in time. Jacob ran the 1500 at Juab High in 4:40.31 in 90F, new PR. Bonnie got 5:39.56. William did his first long jump, and actually a Pachev family debut in a field event with 3m 74cm. Cole Jameson won with 4:24.83, which is a new state record for 13-14. In the evening, Stephen and Matthew did a 1500 to make up for the missed race. Stephen ran a PR of 5:28.6, which converts to 5:54.4 mile, and Matthew ran 5:43.1.
Leg 1: Distance1.584Time12:40.30Pace7:59.99ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2: Distance0.000Time0:00.00Pace0:00.00ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 3: Distance13.109Time1:21:47.60Pace6:14.37
Race.
Split 1:Distance1.000Time5:58.80Pace5:58.80ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time5:58.80Pace5:58.80
Split 2:Distance1.000Time6:00.80Pace6:00.80ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.000Time11:59.60Pace5:59.80
Split 3:Distance2.000Time12:40.20Pace6:20.10ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance4.000Time24:39.80Pace6:09.95
Split 4:Distance1.000Time5:53.20Pace5:53.20ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance5.000Time30:33.00Pace6:06.60
Split 5:Distance1.000Time5:58.90Pace5:58.90ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance6.000Time36:31.90Pace6:05.32
Split 6:Distance1.000Time6:09.30Pace6:09.30ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance7.000Time42:41.20Pace6:05.89
Split 7:Distance1.000Time6:28.10Pace6:28.10ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time49:09.30Pace6:08.66
Split 8:Distance1.000Time6:06.90Pace6:06.90ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance9.000Time55:16.20Pace6:08.47
Split 9:Distance1.000Time6:26.70Pace6:26.70ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance10.000Time1:01:42.90Pace6:10.29
Split 10:Distance1.000Time6:35.00Pace6:35.00ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance11.000Time1:08:17.90Pace6:12.54
Split 11:Distance1.000Time6:17.20Pace6:17.20ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:14:35.10Pace6:12.92
Split 12:Distance1.000Time6:33.50Pace6:33.50ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance13.000Time1:21:08.60Pace6:14.51
Split 13:Distance0.109Time0:39.00Pace5:57.80ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance13.109Time1:21:47.60Pace6:14.37

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 14.69

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

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Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
62.80	0.00	2.50	2.00	67.30

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 67.30

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

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