Breaking the Wall

Week starting Jun 18, 2017

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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:	3010.45
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
59.46	1.25	8.53	0.00	69.24

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 69.24

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

Sun, Jun 18, 2017

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: 0.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 0.00

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Mon, Jun 19, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.65	1.25	1.67	0.00	10.57

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-19 06:55:13
Workout Totals: Distance10.570Time1:21:39.70Pace7:43.55
More or less usual day, usual distances for the kids. Did some pickups. Jenny ran 1.25 down the canyon in 7:35 with the last quarter in 89 which is a confidence builder for her for the upcoming 3000. I did a pickup for a mile on the little boy course in 5:41.
Leg 1:Distance7.000Time53:43.50Pace7:40.50
With Jenny.
Split 1:Distance1.100Time9:40.20Pace8:47.45 Cumilative:Distance1.100Time9:40.20Pace8:47.45
Split 2:Distance0.670Time4:08.40Pace6:10.75 Cumilative:Distance1.770Time13:48.60Pace7:48.14
Pre/post-VPB pickup.
Split 3:Distance1.700Time14:31.00Pace8:32.35 Cumilative:Distance3.470Time28:19.60Pace8:09.80
Split 4:Distance1.250Time7:35.10Pace6:04.08 Cumilative:Distance4.720Time35:54.70Pace7:36.50
Jenny's interval down the canyon.
Split 5:Distance2.280Time17:48.80Pace7:48.77 Cumilative:Distance7.000Time53:43.50Pace7:40.50

Leg 2:Distance3.050Time23:29.60Pace7:42.16
Part with Stephen, part a pickup to catch up to Jacob and William.
Split 1:Distance2.040Time17:42.80Pace8:40.98 Cumilative:Distance2.040Time17:42.80Pace8:40.98
Split 2:Distance0.010Time0:04.90Pace8:10.00 Cumilative:Distance2.050Time17:47.70Pace8:40.83
Split 3:Distance1.000Time5:41.90Pace5:41.90 Cumilative:Distance3.050Time23:29.60Pace7:42.16
Pickup on the little boy course.

Leg 3:Distance0.520Time4:26.60Pace8:32.69
With Matthew.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 10.57

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

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Tue, Jun 20, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.76	0.00	1.86	0.00	11.62

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-20 08:17:30
Workout Totals: Distance11.618Time1:30:04.80Pace7:45.21
Did a tune-up 2000 on the track workout with Joseph and Jacob. William was not having a good day - he was supposed to keep up with us for 800, but fell back terribly. Stephen was able to keep up for 200 meters running roughly 42. Joseph and Jacob had an assignment to maintain 86 per lap to failure. Then for each lap of failure they would do 2x400 at 80 seconds afterwards - at least that was the original plan. Joseph was successful at keeping the pace, and was even able to kick finishing 2000 in 7:07. Jacob, however, only lasted the first 3 laps, and then had a mental breakdown and slowed down to 95 laps finishing in 7:26. I gave him a choice to do 4x400 in 80 or just run 1000 in 3:40, he took 1000. We need to work with Jacob some more on this mental breakdown. Clearly he has the fitness - his 1000 PR is 3:18. But when the distance gets longer he has a hard time believing he can hold anything faster than 6:00 or sometimes even 6:10. We need to think of workouts that will challenge this. More or less usual runs for everybody distance-wise.
Leg 1:Distance1.100Time9:45.10Pace8:51.91
Warm-up with the gang of boys.
Leg 2:Distance1.242Time7:26.30Pace5:59.34
Joseph and Jacob did 200, William ran 800 but fell back, Stephen was able to keep up for the last 200 of Joseph's 2000 more or less.
Split 1:Distance1.242Time7:07.30Pace5:44.04 Cumilative:Distance1.242Time7:07.30Pace5:44.04
Joseph's split.
Split 2:Distance0.000Time0:19.00Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance1.242Time7:26.30Pace5:59.34
Waited for Jacob.

Leg 3:Distance0.250Time2:23.30Pace9:33.20
Recovery jog.
Leg 4:Distance0.621Time3:38.00Pace5:51.05
Jacob's "redemption" 1000.
Leg 5:Distance0.125Time1:13.70Pace9:49.60
A little jog.
Leg 6:Distance1.000Time9:00.30Pace9:00.30
Back to the house with the gang.
Leg 7:Distance4.000Time29:18.50Pace7:19.62
More distance alone.
Leg 8:Distance0.600Time5:15.70Pace8:46.17
To the park with Matthew and the gang of boys.
Leg 9:Distance2.080Time16:29.50Pace7:55.72
At the park.
Leg 10:Distance0.600Time5:34.40Pace9:17.33
Back to the house with Matthew and the gang of boys.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 11.62

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

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Wed, Jun 21, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.19	0.00	2.00	0.00	11.19

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-21 07:57:04
Workout Totals: Distance11.190Time1:22:38.40Pace7:23.11
Paced Sarah through a 2 mile tempo run down the canyon in 15:32 (7:50,7:42). Then also ran the same course in 10:48 (5:25,5:23). Kids were on slightly reduced mileage to get ready for the regional championship in Boise this week.
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time8:25.70Pace8:25.70
With Sarah - for the most part.
Leg 2:Distance2.000Time15:32.50Pace7:46.25
Sarah's tempo run down the canyon.
Leg 3:Distance2.000Time15:08.60Pace7:34.30
Alone up the canyon.
Leg 4:Distance2.000Time10:48.90Pace5:24.45
My tempo run down the canyon.
Leg 5:Distance3.000Time22:43.50Pace7:34.50
More distance alone.
Leg 6:Distance1.190Time9:59.20Pace8:23.53
At the park - some with Matthew, some alone.
Split 1:Distance0.520Time4:46.80Pace9:11.54 Cumilative:Distance0.520Time4:46.80Pace9:11.54
With Matthew.
Split 2:Distance0.150Time1:20.00Pace8:53.33 Cumilative:Distance0.670Time6:06.80Pace9:07.46
With Matthew.
Split 3:Distance0.520Time3:52.40Pace7:26.92 Cumilative:Distance1.190Time9:59.20Pace8:23.53
Alone.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 11.19

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

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Thu, Jun 22, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.56	0.00	0.00	0.00	10.56

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-22 08:29:37
Workout Totals: Distance10.560Time1:19:19.00Pace7:30.66
Easy runs for everybody. Tapering for the kids.
Leg 1:Distance2.040Time16:55.40Pace8:17.75
I think this was with Joseph, Jacob, and William.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time7:52.00Pace7:52.00
With Joseph and Jacob.
Leg 3:Distance7.000Time49:57.90Pace7:08.27
Alone.
Leg 4:Distance0.520Time4:33.70Pace8:46.35
With Matthew.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 10.56

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

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Fri, Jun 23, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.58	0.00	3.00	0.00	10.58

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-23 07:55:08
Workout Totals: Distance10.580Time1:41:13.80Pace9:34.08
Kids ran an easy warm-up in the morning, I did 10 with 3 mile tempo in the canyon - 0.75 up, 1.5 down, 0.75 up. Ran 17:26 (4:23, 8:23, 4:40 (96,93,91)). Felt great until the last 0.75 uphill. Then the legs just refused to move. Need to figure out this mystery. At first uphill 88s felt very controlled. On the down 84s felt very controlled as well. But once I turned around the second time I could not even hold 90s even though I was trying to kick. The legs felt shaky afterwards. This was not happening on the tempo runs downhill at a harder effort, also does not happen on uphill runs if I keep the pace at 6:15 or slower or do not try to go uphill too late into the tempo run. This happened last year as well. Then ran with Matthew at the park, and took the kids to the USATF regionals in Boise. The race director Tim Severa picked the best track around - Mountain View High, as well as awesome starting time for 3000 - 8:00 pm, so we had some PRs in spite of 80F temperature. Joseph: 10:40.74 PR, Regional Meet record (3:30, 3:34, 3:36, though laps went back and forth between 84 and 89 after the first one in 80, so hopefully he could just even them out and that would be good enough for 10:30 with no increase in fitness) Jacob 11:22.41 (3:39, 3:49, 3:53) - psychological blowup, went into panic mode after the first three laps, need to figure out how to overcome it Jenny 11:42.09 PR (3:50, 3:56, 3:56) - solid race, first time officially under 12:00 Julia 12:46.46 PR (4:07, 4:17, 4:22) - step in the right direction, 5 second PR. She might need to up her iron intake, though.
Leg 1:Distance3.030Time23:14.60Pace7:40.26
Warm-up.
Leg 2:Distance3.000Time17:26.00Pace5:48.67
Tempo run.
Leg 3:Distance4.030Time31:42.00Pace7:51.96
Cool-down.
Leg 4:Distance0.520Time4:42.10Pace9:02.50
With Matthew.
Leg 5:Distance0.000Time12:47.00Pace0:00.00
Timing Jenny and Julia.
Split 1:Distance0.000Time11:41.70Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time11:41.70Pace0:00.00
Split 2:Distance0.000Time1:05.30Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time12:47.00Pace0:00.00

Leg 6:Distance0.000Time11:22.10Pace0:00.00
Timing Joseph and Jacob.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 10.58

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

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Sat, Jun 24, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
14.72	0.00	0.00	0.00	14.72

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-06-24 07:54:35
Workout Totals: Distance14.720Time2:05:08.50Pace8:30.09
One more day in Boise. We stayed with Sasha and Holly Bazarski with the overflow going to their friends' house nearby. I ran around 14.5 miles - some with the kids, some without. Sasha accompanied me for most of it on a bike. In the afternoon the boys raced in the 800: Joseph 2:30.03 (36,39,37,38) PR 2nd place, qualified for the Scout Camp (and the nationals). Jacob 2:34.40 (38,40,39,37) PR 4th, good development, revenge against yesterday's panic in the 3000, qualified for the nationals. William 2:59.50 (39,45,48,47) 9th place, did not qualify (had to run 2:43 to make top 5), mentally quit once he saw he was not going to make it. Need to work on the positive attitude, he struggles with it. Fortunately we have some time, he is only 8. Stephen 3:17.70 PR 2nd place (though out of only 2), qualified, splits 42,49,50,54. Not too bad considering he repeated his 200 PR in the first 200. But I think if he had some pressure from behind or a target in front, or just focused, the last 200 could have been at least 50.
Leg 1:Distance0.540Time4:56.30Pace9:08.70
With the all of the regionals gang minus Julia and Stephen + Holly's daughter Irina.
Leg 2:Distance0.540Time4:46.70Pace8:50.93
Dropped off William.
Leg 3:Distance0.540Time5:30.30Pace10:11.67
With Jenny, Holly, and Irina.
Leg 4:Distance6.000Time47:24.10Pace7:54.02
With Jenny running, and Sasha Bazarsky on a bike.
Leg 5:Distance3.000Time23:46.10Pace7:55.37
With Julia running and Sasha on a bike.
Leg 6:Distance4.100Time29:53.20Pace7:17.37
With Sasha on a bike.
Leg 7:Distance0.000Time3:18.30Pace0:00.00
Timing Stephen.
Leg 8:Distance0.000Time2:59.30Pace0:00.00
Timing William.
Leg 9:Distance0.000Time2:34.20Pace0:00.00
Timing Joseph and Jacob.
Split 1:Distance0.000Time2:30.00Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time2:30.00Pace0:00.00
Split 2:Distance0.000Time0:04.20Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time2:34.20Pace0:00.00

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 14.72

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
59.46	1.25	8.53	0.00	69.24

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 69.24

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

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