Breaking the Wall

Week starting Aug 06, 2017

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

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
62.52	0.00	14.00	2.50	79.02

Red Crocs Miles: 78.52	Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 0.50

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

Sun, Aug 06, 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. Fast Sunday. Went to church.

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

Add Comment

Mon, Aug 07, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.55	0.00	0.00	0.00	13.55

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-07 05:49:15
Workout Totals: Distance13.550Time1:46:40.80Pace7:52.38
Usual runs for everybody. A bit more distance for me. Joseph ran early - was headed out to Bear Lake for the scout camp. Julia did her 3 miles OK finishing in 7:38 uphill and a total time of 23:24.
Leg 1:Distance1.000Time7:28.80Pace7:28.80
With Joseph.
Leg 2:Distance4.000Time31:38.90Pace7:54.73
With Jacob.
Leg 3:Distance3.050Time24:42.10Pace8:05.93
With William - part with Stephen, part with Jenny.
Split 1:Distance2.040Time16:51.80Pace8:15.98 Cumilative:Distance2.040Time16:51.80Pace8:15.98
With Stephen.
Split 2:Distance1.010Time7:50.30Pace7:45.64 Cumilative:Distance3.050Time24:42.10Pace8:05.93
Jenny joined us.

Leg 4:Distance5.000Time38:42.30Pace7:44.46
With Jenny.
Leg 5:Distance0.500Time4:08.70Pace8:17.40
With Matthew

Red Crocs Miles: 13.55

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

Add Comment

Tue, Aug 08, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
3.78	0.00	10.00	0.00	13.78

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-08 08:15:36
Workout Totals: Distance13.780Time1:31:27.70Pace6:38.24
Kids ran their usual distances on their own today. I did a workout - warm up to the Press Building, then an out and back tempo 10 mile tempo on the trail (5 up/5 down), then back to the house. Total time was 1:00:50 (6:05 average). Splits: 6:13, 6:20, 6:25, 6:31, 6:20, 5:49, 5:48, 5:51, 5:49, 5:44 This was a tough workout and I did it out of plain fear. I am getting older. In some ways my memory is getting worse, but I am able to see a larger time span as a whole and evaluate some things with a better perspective. So I vividly remembered what the last 10 K of Top of Utah feels like and wanted to be prepared for it. I also vividly remembered that when I am not yet fit, going over 20 for the long run makes me even less fit, and so does a longer than 10 mile tempo. So I decided to do a mid-week 10 mile tempo, something I had not done in a while. Logistically I could not make it happen without doing half of it uphill. I was reluctant but I just bit the bullet and went for it.
Leg 1:Distance1.640Time12:18.20Pace7:30.12
Warm-up.
Leg 2:Distance10.000Time1:00:50.60Pace6:05.06
Tempo run.
Leg 3:Distance1.640Time14:13.10Pace8:40.18
Back to the house.
Leg 4:Distance0.500Time4:05.80Pace8:11.60
With Matthew.

Red Crocs Miles: 13.78

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

Comments(1)

Wed, Aug 09, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.54	0.00	0.00	0.00	10.54

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-09 08:10:12
Workout Totals: Distance10.540Time1:21:49.20Pace7:45.77
Total of 10.5. Paced Sarah through 2 miles down the canyon in 14:57.8 (7:41,7:16) - her first time under 15:00 on that course. Then ran some more distance. Kids ran mostly on their own except I ran with Jacob (5) and Matthew. Joseph was at the Bear Lake, I assume he ran there. Matthew set a new PR in 800 on the track without the holding the hand - 4:01.7. His splits by 100 were 26,29(55),29,32(1:56),28,34(2:58),30,33. He has matured a lot emotionally in the last 4 months, and was emotionally steady most of the way except for the occasional rough patches from which he was able to recover - except for the rough patch in the last 100 meters. Compared to 4 months ago this is night and day - back then he would lose it around 200 meters in a 400 and never recover. In terms of talent, he might be our first sub-8:00 miler before turning 5. However, this will depend on how he will mature emotionally in the next few months.
Leg 1:Distance1.020Time9:32.40Pace9:21.18
With Sarah - warmup.
Leg 2:Distance2.000Time14:57.80Pace7:28.90
Sarah's tempo run.
Leg 3:Distance2.020Time14:38.50Pace7:14.90
To the house.
Leg 4:Distance5.000Time38:38.80Pace7:43.76
With Jacob to the car.
Leg 5:Distance0.500Time4:01.70Pace8:03.40
With Matthew.

Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 0.50	Red Crocs Miles: 10.04

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

Add Comment

Thu, Aug 10, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
8.09	0.00	0.00	2.50	10.59

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-10 08:57:19
Workout Totals: Distance10.590Time1:17:30.10Pace7:19.10
Did a workout with Jacob 2x1000 down the canyon with 400 recovery (3:20.9/3:19.4), then ran more distance to make it 10 with 2000 in 6:38.8 down the canyon at the end. Otherwise, usual distances for the kids, except Jenny ran only 5 miles due to some fatigue. Total of a little more than 10.5 for me. Joseph ran at the scout camp. William did 4.
Leg 1:Distance4.040Time30:48.90Pace7:37.65
Workout with Jacob. William ran alongside as well but did not do the workout except for the first quarter.
Split 1:Distance0.520Time4:48.20Pace9:14.23 Cumilative:Distance0.520Time4:48.20Pace9:14.23
Split 2:Distance0.625Time3:20.90Pace5:21.44 Cumilative:Distance1.145Time8:09.10Pace7:07.16
Split 3:Distance0.250Time2:33.20Pace10:12.80 Cumilative:Distance1.395Time10:42.30Pace7:40.43
Split 4:Distance0.625Time3:19.40Pace5:19.04 Cumilative:Distance2.020Time14:01.70Pace6:56.68
Split 5:Distance2.020Time16:47.20Pace8:18.61 Cumilative:Distance4.040Time30:48.90Pace7:37.65

Leg 2:Distance6.000Time42:01.50Pace7:00.25
Alone.
Split 1:Distance4.600Time33:51.80Pace7:21.70 Cumilative:Distance4.600Time33:51.80Pace7:21.70
Split 2:Distance1.250Time6:38.80Pace5:19.04 Cumilative:Distance5.850Time40:30.60Pace6:55.49
Split 3:Distance0.150Time1:30.90Pace10:06.00 Cumilative:Distance6.000Time42:01.50Pace7:00.25

Leg 3:Distance0.050Time0:23.60Pace7:52.00
Matthew - false start. Forgot to go to the bathroom.
Leg 4:Distance0.500Time4:16.10Pace8:32.20
With Matthew for real this time.

Red Crocs Miles: 10.59

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

Add Comment

Fri, Aug 11, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.54	0.00	0.00	0.00	10.54

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-11 07:15:59
Workout Totals: Distance10.540Time1:22:08.00Pace7:47.55
Usual runs with the kids today, except William did 4, and Jenny also did 4 to be fresh for the Uneventful Provo River Half tomorrow.
Leg 1:Distance4.000Time30:48.30Pace7:42.07
With Jacob. Last 2 K with Tyson Lambert from UVU.
Leg 2:Distance2.040Time16:25.40Pace8:03.04
With Stephen.
Leg 3:Distance4.000Time30:49.00Pace7:42.25
With William and Jenny.
Leg 4:Distance0.500Time4:05.30Pace8:10.60
With Matthew.

Red Crocs Miles: 10.54

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

Add Comment

Sat, Aug 12, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
16.02	0.00	4.00	0.00	20.02

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-08-12 07:46:44
Workout Totals: Distance20.020Time2:19:57.70Pace6:59.47
Paced Jenny through the Uneventful Provo River Half in 1:33:53. She held on quite well up until 10 miles keeping up around 7:00 and sometimes hitting sub-7:00 on downhill miles. Her uphill mile was 7:43. After 10 she started experiencing cramps, but did not crash too badly running 7:15 at first and then 7:30 towards the end. Overall a confidence builder for her. I was just hoping she could start at 7:30 and keep it through the first half, then slow down to 8:00 or so. She was very sore afterwards, but that was expected. So this goes to show that someone who runs six days a week for 6 miles a day and has never run more than 7 at once can run a respectable half (relative to the 5 K speed). Definitely better endurance/pace persistence than what I have seen from people who occasionally run 13+, but do not run consistent daily mileage. Afterwards I paced Sarah through a 7:19 mile down the canyon, and ran a 4 mile tempo - 1 mile up, 3 down, splits 6:07,5:49,5:43,5:41. It started getting warm towards the end, plus I had a lot of miles on the odometer, so it was tough. Total of 20.
Leg 1:Distance13.110Time1:33:53.90Pace7:09.74
Pacing Jenny.
Split 1:Distance4.150Time28:40.20Pace6:54.51 Cumilative:Distance4.150Time28:40.20Pace6:54.51
Two triangles at the Vivian Park.
Split 2:Distance2.300Time16:34.80Pace7:12.52 Cumilative:Distance6.450Time45:15.00Pace7:00.93
Letter S at the start of the old highway.
Split 3:Distance1.000Time7:43.40Pace7:43.40 Cumilative:Distance7.450Time52:58.40Pace7:06.63
Mark "16" on the old highway.
Split 4:Distance0.210Time1:28.60Pace7:01.90 Cumilative:Distance7.660Time54:27.00Pace7:06.50
Mark "16" coming back.
Split 5:Distance1.000Time6:55.10Pace6:55.10 Cumilative:Distance8.660Time1:01:22.10Pace7:05.18
Letter "S" coming back.
Split 6:Distance0.200Time1:24.70Pace7:03.50 Cumilative:Distance8.860Time1:02:46.80Pace7:05.15
One triangle by the gate at Nunn's Park.
Split 7:Distance3.000Time21:40.50Pace7:13.50 Cumilative:Distance11.860Time1:24:27.30Pace7:07.26
One triangle by the pedestrian bridge at the mouth of the canyon.
Split 8:Distance1.250Time9:26.60Pace7:33.28 Cumilative:Distance13.110Time1:33:53.90Pace7:09.74
Finish.

Leg 2:Distance0.150Time1:08.20Pace7:34.67
Looking for the "getaway" car.
Leg 3:Distance0.120Time1:06.50Pace9:14.17
Warm-up with Sarah.
Leg 4:Distance1.000Time7:19.40Pace7:19.40
With Sarah.
Leg 5:Distance4.000Time23:20.80Pace5:50.20
Tempo run.
Leg 6:Distance1.640Time13:08.90Pace8:01.04
Back to the house.

Red Crocs Miles: 20.02

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

Add Comment

Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
62.52	0.00	14.00	2.50	79.02

Red Crocs Miles: 78.52	Camouflage Crocs 2 Miles: 0.50

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

Debt Reduction Calculator

Featured Announcements

Most Recent Entries:

New Kids on the Blog
(need a welcome):

Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):