Breaking the Wall

Week starting Aug 18, 2024

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:

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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
53.50	0.00	15.11	0.00	68.61

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

Mon, Aug 19, 2024

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 - 2024-08-19 09:03:23
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:35:20.10Pace7:56.68
12 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1: Distance5.000Time38:48.40Pace7:45.68ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance5.000Time39:09.70Pace7:49.94ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time9:25.90Pace9:25.90ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time7:56.10Pace7:56.10ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella.

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

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Tue, Aug 20, 2024

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.00	0.00	2.00	0.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2024-08-20 07:24:52
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:35:12.40Pace7:56.03
Did a 2 mile tempo run in 11:44 down the canyon (5:49, 5:55). Matthew ran 11:33 kicking in 78 over the last 0.25. Jacob paced Matthew, and then ran the last mile in 5:15 to finish in 16:48. Benjamin did 3 in 14:55 (4:57, 5:03, 4:55). Had some leg cramping but was able to run through it. Total of 12 for me.
Leg 1: Distance0.980Time8:23.50Pace8:33.78ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time11:44.60Pace5:52.30ZoneThreshold Miles
Tempo run.
Leg 3: Distance2.020Time17:54.00Pace8:51.68ZoneEasy Miles
Cool-down.
Leg 4: Distance5.000Time39:29.20Pace7:53.84ZoneEasy Miles
More distance.
Leg 5: Distance1.000Time9:18.70Pace9:18.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 6: Distance1.000Time8:22.40Pace8:22.40ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella.

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

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Wed, Aug 21, 2024

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 - 2024-08-21 09:21:59
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:37:24.40Pace8:07.03
12 total, easy pace.
Leg 1: Distance5.000Time39:46.70Pace7:57.34ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance5.000Time39:49.40Pace7:57.88ZoneEasy Miles
Do not remember if I ran this alone or with Benjamin.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time9:22.70Pace9:22.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time8:25.60Pace8:25.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella.

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

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Thu, Aug 22, 2024

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

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2024-08-22 08:32:39
Workout Totals: Distance10.000Time1:21:20.70Pace8:08.07
10 total. Easy pace. Tapering for the Top of Utah Half.
Leg 1: Distance5.000Time39:25.90Pace7:53.18ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew if I remember right.
Leg 2: Distance3.000Time23:39.70Pace7:53.23ZoneEasy Miles
Maybe with William.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time9:38.10Pace9:38.10ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time8:37.00Pace8:37.00ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella.

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

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Fri, Aug 23, 2024

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 - 2024-08-23 09:44:37
Workout Totals: Distance6.000Time46:31.10Pace7:45.18
6 total. Easy pace.
Leg 1: Distance6.000Time46:31.10Pace7:45.18ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.

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

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Sat, Aug 24, 2024

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
3.50	0.00	13.11	0.00	16.61

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2024-08-24 06:21:44
Workout Totals: Distance16.609Time1:56:49.50Pace7:02.03
Top of Utah Half, 1:24:45, 25th overall, 7th master. Did the best that I could to honor the memory of Steve Anderson, who passed away from a blood clot shortly before the race. We stayed with him the night before this race many times, almost every year over the last 10 years. I raced him on this course 10 years ago. It is a sobering reality that you could be healthy in every way except one, and that one - the weakest link in the chain - could kill you. However, the plan of God is that we leave this earth sooner or later according to His will, or perhaps we should say approval. He works with us, but it is He who makes the final decision. I will likely return home some time over the next 70 years. My prayer is that when I return I will have done what I was called to accomplish in mortality. Benjamin improved a bit with his stumbling problem and was able to run 1:15:19. He even won prize money - $50 for the 5th place. He stumbled in the middle, but was able to run the uphill mile in 5:40 followed by the closing 5:09 mile. So at least the last two miles he ran at a competitive pace. Jacob ran 1:18:16. He ran reasonably well to 10 miles then struggled over the last 5K.
Leg 1: Distance1.500Time13:11.70Pace8:47.80ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2: Distance13.109Time1:24:45.50Pace6:27.94
Race.
Split 1:Distance1.000Time6:07.60Pace6:07.60ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time6:07.60Pace6:07.60
Split 2:Distance1.000Time6:17.40Pace6:17.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance2.000Time12:25.00Pace6:12.50
Split 3:Distance1.000Time6:22.20Pace6:22.20ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance3.000Time18:47.20Pace6:15.73
Split 4:Distance1.000Time6:27.10Pace6:27.10ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance4.000Time25:14.30Pace6:18.58
Split 5:Distance1.000Time6:16.40Pace6:16.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance5.000Time31:30.70Pace6:18.14
Split 6:Distance1.000Time6:25.10Pace6:25.10ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance6.000Time37:55.80Pace6:19.30
Split 7:Distance1.000Time6:23.80Pace6:23.80ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance7.000Time44:19.60Pace6:19.94
Split 8:Distance0.950Time5:59.80Pace6:18.74ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance7.950Time50:19.40Pace6:19.80
Split 9:Distance1.050Time6:58.80Pace6:38.86ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance9.000Time57:18.20Pace6:22.02
Split 10:Distance1.000Time6:36.40Pace6:36.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance10.000Time1:03:54.60Pace6:23.46
Split 11:Distance1.000Time6:46.70Pace6:46.70ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance11.000Time1:10:41.30Pace6:25.57
Split 12:Distance1.000Time7:11.70Pace7:11.70ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:17:53.00Pace6:29.42
Split 13:Distance1.000Time6:17.00Pace6:17.00ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance13.000Time1:24:10.00Pace6:28.46
Split 14:Distance0.109Time0:35.50Pace5:25.69ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance13.109Time1:24:45.50Pace6:27.94

Leg 3: Distance1.000Time10:02.30Pace10:02.30ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time8:50.00Pace8:50.00ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella.

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
53.50	0.00	15.11	0.00	68.61

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

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