Breaking the Wall

Week starting Jun 28, 2026

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15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

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

 

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 52.49 Year: 1576.49
Saucony Type A Lifetime Miles: 640.15
Bare Feet Lifetime Miles: 450.37
Nike Double Stroller Lifetime Miles: 124.59
White Slip Resistant Crocs Lifetime Miles: 3464.44
White Slip Resistant Crocs 2025 Lifetime Miles: 615.95
Totals
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
58.671.003.000.0062.67
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Mon, Jun 29, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-06-29 08:27:13
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:53.90Pace7:59.39
10 total, easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:10.60Pace8:35.30ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance2.000Time15:25.90Pace7:42.95ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.
Leg 3:
Distance0.500Time4:52.60Pace9:45.20ZoneEasy Miles
With Julia and Matthew.
Leg 4:
Distance2.500Time18:37.90Pace7:27.16ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 5:
Distance1.000Time8:25.70Pace8:25.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, part with Andriy
Leg 6:
Distance1.000Time7:39.20Pace7:39.20ZoneEasy Miles
Always on the run
Leg 7:
Distance1.000Time7:42.00Pace7:42.00ZoneEasy Miles
Alwauys on the run.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Tue, Jun 30, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.220.000.000.0010.22

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-06-30 09:14:56
Workout Totals: Distance10.222Time1:23:48.80Pace8:11.96
10+ total. Matthew and Stephen did a 600. Matthew ran 1:46, Stephen 1:51. Matthew raced Bella over the last 200 and it helped a lot. He sped up from 37.8 in the previous 200 to 34.8.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time8:50.40Pace8:50.40ZoneEasy Miles
To the track.
Leg 2:
Distance0.222Time1:46.40Pace7:59.28
Giving splits to Matthew.
Split 1:Distance0.070Time0:33.80Pace8:02.86ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.070Time0:33.80Pace8:02.86
Split 2:Distance0.079Time0:37.80Pace7:58.48ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.149Time1:11.60Pace8:00.54
Split 3:Distance0.073Time0:34.80Pace7:56.71ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.222Time1:46.40Pace7:59.28
Leg 3:
Distance1.000Time8:45.70Pace8:45.70ZoneEasy Miles
Back to the house.
Leg 4:
Distance6.000Time48:58.60Pace8:09.77ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Matthew, part alone.
Leg 5:
Distance1.000Time7:40.90Pace7:40.90ZoneEasy Miles
Always on the run.
Leg 6:
Distance1.000Time7:46.80Pace7:46.80ZoneEasy Miles
Always on the run.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Wed, Jul 01, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.001.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-07-01 09:13:16
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:40.70Pace7:58.07
10 total. Mostly easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time17:31.90Pace8:45.95ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.
Leg 2:
Distance6.000Time47:07.80Pace7:51.30ZoneEasy Miles
Do not remember much about this.
Leg 3:
Distance1.000Time7:40.30Pace7:40.30ZoneEasy Miles
Always on the run.
Leg 4:
Distance1.000Time7:20.70Pace7:20.70ZoneMarathon Pace Miles
With Stephen.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Thu, Jul 02, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.000.000.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-07-02 09:44:31
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:19:34.60Pace7:57.46
10 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1:
Distance3.000Time22:20.10Pace7:26.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 2:
Distance5.000Time38:58.70Pace7:47.74ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.
Leg 3:
Distance2.000Time18:15.80Pace9:07.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Bella, and Leigha.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Fri, Jul 03, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
7.000.003.000.0010.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-07-03 09:34:30
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:17:10.80Pace7:43.08
Total of 10. Did a 3 mile tempo run down the canyon. Benjamin paced me. Got 19:01 with the splits of 6:16, 6:22, 6:23. It was warm at the start and got warmer as we desended and it got a bit later in the day. I started feeling it towards the end.
Leg 1:
Distance0.980Time8:14.80Pace8:24.90ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2:
Distance3.000Time19:01.30Pace6:20.43ZoneThreshold Miles
Tempo run.
Leg 3:
Distance4.020Time34:21.10Pace8:32.71ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin.
Leg 4:
Distance2.000Time15:33.60Pace7:46.80ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Sat, Jul 04, 2026
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
12.450.000.000.0012.45

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-07-04 09:08:15
Workout Totals: Distance10.453Time1:27:39.40Pace8:23.15
Total of 12+. Matthew did a workout with the help of Mary, Bella, and Leigha. First he ran 800 in 2:28. He started out at 35 for the first 200, then slowed down eventually to 41 and then the girls appeared and started a bit in front of him for the last 200. He was able to speed up to 34.9 as he raced them. Mary ended up with 37.8, Bella 36.5, Leigha 37.0.

Then after a long rest he did 400 in 68.8 with almost perfectly even splits. This time Mary, Bella, and Leigha raced him over the last 100 with a small head start. Mary got 17.8, Leigha 17.0, Bella 16.5. I did not time his last 100, but he passed Bella, so it had to have been sub-16.

For Matthew this was a PR in both distances.

This workout again demonstrated that he is being held back by a mental block. The question is how to unlock it for more than just 200 meters. Maybe organize a relay where he races each sister invidually.
Leg 1:
Distance1.000Time8:47.90Pace8:47.90ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2:
Distance0.309Time2:28.10Pace7:59.29
Split 1:Distance0.073Time0:35.00Pace7:59.45ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.073Time0:35.00Pace7:59.45
Split 2:Distance0.077Time0:37.00Pace8:00.52ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.150Time1:12.00Pace8:00.00
Split 3:Distance0.086Time0:41.20Pace7:59.07ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.236Time1:53.20Pace7:59.66
Split 4:Distance0.073Time0:34.90Pace7:58.08ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.309Time2:28.10Pace7:59.29
Leg 3:
Distance0.144Time1:08.80Pace7:57.78
Split 1:Distance0.072Time0:34.30Pace7:56.39ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.072Time0:34.30Pace7:56.39
Split 2:Distance0.072Time0:34.50Pace7:59.17ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance0.144Time1:08.80Pace7:57.78
Leg 4:
Distance1.000Time10:00.70Pace10:00.70ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 5:
Distance2.000Time17:39.10Pace8:49.55ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 6:
Distance6.000Time47:34.80Pace7:55.80ZoneEasy Miles
Fast Running Friend Workout - 2026-07-04 21:21:32
Workout Totals: Distance2.000Time15:33.40Pace7:46.70
Leg 1:
Distance2.000Time15:33.40Pace7:46.70ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Totals
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
58.671.003.000.0062.67
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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