Breaking the Wall

Week starting Jul 06, 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:

Click to donate

to Ukraine's Armed Forces

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
72.66	0.75	6.25	1.25	80.91

Black Crocs Miles: 48.73	Nike Double Stroller Miles: 16.50

Night Sleep Time: 43.50	Nap Time: 1.00	Total Sleep Time: 44.50

Sun, Jul 06, 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. It was a Fast Sunday. Took a nap in the afternoon then went for a walk in the evening with the family.

Yesterday we found a replacement for our stroller for only $35 on KSL and I actually like this one better than the one that got stolen. It is lighter and fits through more doors at the church. Sarah joked that we should put out some items we want to be upgraded out so that they would get stolen as well.

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 1.00	Total Sleep Time: 9.00

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Mon, Jul 07, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.50	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.50

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-07-07 07:48:46
Workout Totals: Distance12.500Time1:43:11.40Pace8:15.31
Total of 12.5. Benjamin did 9, Jenny 4, Julia 2, Joseph and Jacob 3, William 1, Stephen 0.5.
Leg 1:Distance3.000Time26:01.00Pace8:40.33
With Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin. Pushed Matthew and Stephen in the stroller.
Leg 2:Distance6.000Time47:48.80Pace7:58.13
With Benjamin.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time7:17.10Pace7:17.10
Alone.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time7:01.50Pace7:01.50
Alone.
Leg 5:Distance1.000Time9:39.80Pace9:39.80
With William.
Leg 6:Distance0.500Time5:23.20Pace10:46.40
With Stephen.

Black Crocs Miles: 12.50	Nike Double Stroller Miles: 3.00

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

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Tue, Jul 08, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.35	0.75	0.00	0.00	12.10

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-07-08 07:53:19
Workout Totals: Distance12.100Time1:35:36.20Pace7:54.07
Total of 12. Benjamin did 9, Jenny and Julia 2, Joseph and Jacob 3, William 1, Stephen 0.5. Stephen set a new record for 0.5 without holding the hand - 5:18. Joseph held 6:00 pace for 0.75 down the canyon, and Jacob managed 6:10 pace. They are now one step closer to making a breakthrough in the mile.
Leg 1:Distance1.600Time13:52.90Pace8:40.56
Warm-up with Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Leg 2:Distance0.750Time4:37.40Pace6:09.87
Paced Jacob for 0.75 down the canyon. He ran the splits of 95, 91, 91. Benjamin paced Joseph with the splits of 92, 92, 86 - 4:30. The purpose of the workout was to help Joseph and Jacob learn to believe they can run fast for the whole mile. They were both doubtful, as the splits indicate, but eventually believed.
Leg 3:Distance0.750Time7:11.60Pace9:35.47
Cool-down to the car.
Leg 4:Distance6.000Time47:15.80Pace7:52.63
With Benjamin
Leg 5:Distance1.000Time6:55.10Pace6:55.10
Alone.
Leg 6:Distance0.500Time5:18.40Pace10:36.80
With Stephen. He set a new record for 0.5 without holding the hand. His splits were 2:40/2:38. I told him he could spank me as much as he wanted if he could catch up, and he took me up on the offer - thus a new record.
Leg 7:Distance1.500Time10:25.00Pace6:56.67
Alone.

Black Crocs Miles: 12.10

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

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Wed, Jul 09, 2014

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 - 2014-07-09 07:42:37
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:36:14.40Pace8:01.20
Total of 12. Benjamin did 9, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Joseph 4, Jacob 3, William 1, Stephen 0.5. I pushed Matthew in the stroller for the first 4 miles.
Leg 1:Distance3.000Time26:08.90Pace8:42.97
With Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time8:57.80Pace8:57.80
With Joseph, Julia, and Benjamin.
Leg 3:Distance5.000Time37:20.40Pace7:28.08
With Benjamin.
Leg 4:Distance2.500Time18:42.20Pace7:28.88
Alone.
Leg 5:Distance0.500Time5:05.10Pace10:10.20
With Stephen.

Black Crocs Miles: 12.00	Nike Double Stroller Miles: 4.00

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

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Thu, Jul 10, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.63	0.00	1.25	1.25	12.13

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-07-10 07:46:00
Workout Totals: Distance12.133Time1:36:24.00Pace7:56.72
Total of 12. Benjamin and I did a workout 2x1.25 with 0.25 recovery jog in the canyon - first one up, the second one down. Joseph did 4, Benjamin 10, Jacob 3, William 1, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Stephen 0.5. Pushed Matthew in the stroller for 4 miles. Details below.
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time8:49.90Pace8:49.90
With Benjamin, Joseph, and David.
Leg 2:Distance3.000Time25:31.80Pace8:30.60
With Joseph, Jacob, David, and Benjamin.
Leg 3:Distance2.280Time18:28.10Pace8:06.01
More jogging with Benjamin.
Leg 4:Distance1.250Time7:19.20Pace5:51.36
First interval - uphill. The target was 6:00 pace, made it less ambitions because we made a tactical mistake last night placing Matthew to sleep in Benjamin's room as an experiment. The experiment failed - Benjamin did not sleep well. Additionally it was warm and humid. So we decided to make the target pace slower.
Leg 5:Distance0.353Time3:01.90Pace8:35.30
Recovery.
Leg 6:Distance1.250Time6:33.30Pace5:14.64
Downhill. The target on this one was 5:20 pace, and Benjamin was not looking forward to running 30 seconds per mile faster even though it was downhill. To make things worse he got a side ache after the first 200 meters, and we ran an 85 from 200 to 600. Then he recovered, and sped up first to 5:20, and then to 5:00 and we quickly recovered our deficit. Then both of us struggled at the end, but we still managed a 78 final quarter. Overall I was happy with the result for both of us.
Leg 7:Distance1.000Time9:12.00Pace9:12.00
Cool-down.
Leg 8:Distance0.500Time5:36.00Pace11:12.00
With Stephen.
Leg 9:Distance1.500Time11:51.80Pace7:54.53
Alone.

Black Crocs Miles: 12.13	Nike Double Stroller Miles: 4.00

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

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Fri, Jul 11, 2014

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 - 2014-07-11 07:20:40
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:36:10.50Pace8:00.88
Total of 12. 3 with Matthew in the stroller. Benjamin did 9, Jenny 4, Joseph, Jacob, and Julia 3, William 1, Stephen 0.5.
Leg 1:Distance1.500Time11:01.20Pace7:20.80
Alone.
Leg 2:Distance3.000Time26:19.40Pace8:46.47
With Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Leg 3:Distance6.000Time45:29.00Pace7:34.83
With Benjamin.
Leg 4:Distance0.500Time4:36.50Pace9:13.00
With Stephen. This is his record for running with me holding his hand. His splits were 2:27/2:09.
Leg 5:Distance1.000Time8:44.40Pace8:44.40
With William.

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

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Sat, Jul 12, 2014

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
15.18	0.00	5.00	0.00	20.18

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-07-12 08:03:31
Workout Totals: Distance20.180Time2:32:06.20Pace7:32.24
Total of 20. Benjamin did 12, Joseph and Jacob 3, William 1, Stephen 0.5 (new record holding the hand), Julia 3, Jenny 4. Benjamin and I did a 5 mile tempo starting in the canyon and finishing at the house. It was hot by then, both of us struggled, but Benjamin more than me. After that I did a death march to finish the last 4 miles of the 20. Pushed Matthew in the stroller for the first 5.5 miles of the run. Details below.
Leg 1:Distance3.000Time26:20.30Pace8:46.77
With Joseph, and Jacob - pushed Matthew in the stroller.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time8:04.50Pace8:04.50
With William - pushed Matthew in the stroller.
Leg 3:Distance1.000Time7:42.40Pace7:42.40
With Benjamin running and Matthew in the stroller.
Leg 4:Distance0.500Time4:34.00Pace9:08.00
With Benjamin and Stephen running, Benjamin holding his hand, and Matthew in the stroller. We did the splits of 2:22/2:12 - new record for Stephen.
Leg 5:Distance5.500Time44:00.30Pace8:00.05
With Benjamin to the start of the tempo.
Leg 6:Distance5.000Time28:44.90Pace5:44.98
Death-march tempo run with Benjamin from the magic spot near Nunn's park to the house. It was hot. We opened with 5:41, then 5:37, 5:38, 5:46 - starting to suffer from the heat, and the last uphill mile was terrible - 6:03 - combination of uphill and the heat.
Leg 7:Distance4.180Time32:39.80Pace7:48.85
Alone. Death march continued. Considered cutting it short, but said a prayer and felt that I would have the strength to finish the run without negative consequences, so I did.

Nike Double Stroller Miles: 5.50

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

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Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
72.66	0.75	6.25	1.25	80.91

Black Crocs Miles: 48.73	Nike Double Stroller Miles: 16.50

Night Sleep Time: 43.50	Nap Time: 1.00	Total Sleep Time: 44.50

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