Breaking the Wall

Top of Utah Half Marathon

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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:	72.31	Year:	3105.12
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
48.30	0.12	21.11	0.00	69.53

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 51.37	Joybees 1 Miles: 2.00

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

Sun, Aug 21, 2022

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. Stake Conference in the morning in the English ward, then went to the Russian branch. Nap in the afternoon. Talked to Julia late in the evening.

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

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Mon, Aug 22, 2022

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.94	0.12	0.00	0.00	12.06

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-22 07:13:10
Workout Totals: Distance12.060Time1:34:26.90Pace7:49.89
12 total, easy pace for everybody, usual distances. Not sure if Benjamin did his mile pickup.
Leg 1: Distance8.000Time59:23.40Pace7:25.43ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph and Jacob.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time16:14.40Pace8:07.20ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin.
Leg 3: Distance2.060Time18:49.10Pace9:08.11
With Mary and Bella, part with Sarah.
Split 1:Distance0.936Time8:49.80Pace9:26.03ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance0.936Time8:49.80Pace9:26.03
Split 2:Distance0.124Time0:48.90Pace6:34.35ZoneMarathon Pace Miles Cumilative:Distance1.060Time9:38.70Pace9:05.94
Split 3:Distance1.000Time9:10.40Pace9:10.40ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.060Time18:49.10Pace9:08.11

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 12.06

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

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Tue, Aug 23, 2022

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
8.69	0.00	6.00	0.00	14.69

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-23 08:57:10
Workout Totals: Distance14.690Time1:52:46.10Pace7:40.59
14+ total. Did 2x3 down the canyon, 17:58, 17:43. Paced William in the first one. We served as rabbits for Benjamin and Jacob. Benjamin started 3:00 behind, Jacob and Joseph 2:00. Joseph dropped out after 1.75. Jacob struggled, but still ran 16:18 (5:15, 5:26, 5:37). Benjamin did 14:38 (4:52, 4:54, 4:52). Benjamin did not want to run the second interval, but I talked him into it giving him an easier target of 15:30 (5:10 pace). He ran 14:57 (4:56, 4:59, 5:02). I was his rabbit with 2:00 head start. He passed me right after 2 miles. I cheered him with a Ukrainian patriotic song. He was moving so fast that I had time for only one line of it before he was out of hearing range. Finally he is starting to climb out of his spasm hole. I think his 5:02 was due more to fatigue than a spasm - though he felt something. He was able to close with 73. When he had a real spasm before, he had no kicking speed.
Leg 1: Distance0.980Time8:02.50Pace8:12.35ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 2: Distance3.000Time17:58.10Pace5:59.37ZoneThreshold Miles
Leg 3: Distance3.000Time27:25.70Pace9:08.57ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 4: Distance3.000Time17:43.30Pace5:54.43ZoneThreshold Miles
Leg 5: Distance2.650Time23:41.40Pace8:56.38ZoneEasy Miles
Leg 6: Distance2.060Time17:55.10Pace8:41.89
Split 1:Distance0.936Time8:25.60Pace9:00.17ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance0.936Time8:25.60Pace9:00.17
Split 2:Distance0.124Time0:51.00Pace6:51.29ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance1.060Time9:16.60Pace8:45.09
Split 3:Distance1.000Time8:38.50Pace8:38.50ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.060Time17:55.10Pace8:41.89

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 14.69

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

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Wed, Aug 24, 2022

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.31	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.31

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-24 07:16:23
Workout Totals: Distance8.000Time1:01:53.40Pace7:44.18
12 total for me. Easy runs, usual distances for everybody.
Leg 1: Distance8.000Time1:01:53.40Pace7:44.18ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph and Jacob, I think part with William.

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-24 20:36:14
Workout Totals: Distance4.310Time38:05.80Pace8:50.35

Leg 1: Distance0.250Time2:47.00Pace11:08.00ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha, Mary, Bella, Benjamin, and Maddy.
Leg 2: Distance2.060Time18:02.30Pace8:45.39
With Bella.
Split 1:Distance0.936Time8:29.20Pace9:04.02ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance0.936Time8:29.20Pace9:04.02
Split 2:Distance0.124Time0:51.20Pace6:52.90ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance1.060Time9:20.40Pace8:48.68
Split 3:Distance1.000Time8:41.90Pace8:41.90ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.060Time18:02.30Pace8:45.39

Leg 3: Distance2.000Time17:16.50Pace8:38.25ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary.

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 12.31

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

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Thu, Aug 25, 2022

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.31	0.00	2.00	0.00	8.31

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-25 08:49:09
Workout Totals: Distance8.310Time1:10:31.20Pace8:29.17
Tapering for the Top of Utah Half. 8 total for me. Benjamin and I paced Matthew through 2 miles down the canyon in 12:08 - new record for him. Splits 6:00, 6:08. Easy runs for everybody else, 8 for Benjamin, 6 for Joseph and Jacob, otherwise usual distances.
Leg 1: Distance0.980Time8:45.30Pace8:56.02ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time12:08.20Pace6:04.10ZoneThreshold Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 3: Distance3.020Time27:55.20Pace9:14.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin and Matthew.
Leg 4: Distance0.250Time3:17.40Pace13:09.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Leigha.
Leg 5: Distance2.060Time18:25.10Pace8:56.46
With Bella.
Split 1:Distance0.936Time8:35.30Pace9:10.53ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance0.936Time8:35.30Pace9:10.53
Split 2:Distance0.124Time0:50.50Pace6:47.26ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance1.060Time9:25.80Pace8:53.77
Split 3:Distance1.000Time8:59.30Pace8:59.30ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance2.060Time18:25.10Pace8:56.46

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 8.31

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

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Fri, Aug 26, 2022

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 - 2022-08-26 08:36:42
Workout Totals: Distance6.000Time48:13.30Pace8:02.22

Leg 1: Distance4.000Time31:57.90Pace7:59.48ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph, Jacob, Stephen and Matthew and Benjamin, I think part with William.
Leg 2: Distance2.000Time16:15.40Pace8:07.70ZoneEasy Miles
With Benjamin in Logan.

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 4.00	Joybees 1 Miles: 2.00

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

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Sat, Aug 27, 2022

Race: Top of Utah Half Marathon (13.109 Miles) 01:19:55, Place overall: 14, Place in age division: 2

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
3.05	0.00	13.11	0.00	16.16

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2022-08-27 05:29:59
Workout Totals: Distance16.159Time1:46:11.90Pace6:34.33
Top of Utah Half Marathon, 1:19:55, 14th overall, 2nd master, $75. Did not think I had another sub-1:20 in me after the events of this year, but was happy to find it one more time. One thing that helped me when I was at the end of the uphill mile 12 was remembering the story of a heavily wounded Ukrainian soldier attempting to sing the Ukraine National Anthem while being transported in an ambulance. I remembered and borrowed some of his strength to make a push that bought me a few seconds - and this was enough to dip under 1:20. Benjamin got 2nd with 1:10:08. 2 miles in 10:07, then a spasm, some recovery to 5:15 pace around 8 miles. Jacob got 10th with 1:18:26 (PR). Ran well to 10 miles (58:25), then ran out of juice, but held on well enough to get a PR. Joseph ran 1:23:19 in his first half marathon, which gave him 20th place. He ran with me for the first 5 miles, and then his heart started skipping beats, so he had to slow down. Apparently we are seeing the fallout of his heart murmur. William did 1.25 down the canyon in 7:10. Otherwise, the kids ran usual distances at an easy pace.
Leg 1: Distance2.050Time17:19.00Pace8:26.83ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2: Distance13.109Time1:19:56.90Pace6:05.92
Race.
Split 1:Distance1.000Time5:59.80Pace5:59.80ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance1.000Time5:59.80Pace5:59.80
Split 2:Distance1.000Time5:57.20Pace5:57.20ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance2.000Time11:57.00Pace5:58.50
Split 3:Distance1.000Time5:56.00Pace5:56.00ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance3.000Time17:53.00Pace5:57.67
Split 4:Distance1.000Time6:00.60Pace6:00.60ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance4.000Time23:53.60Pace5:58.40
Split 5:Distance1.000Time5:52.80Pace5:52.80ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance5.000Time29:46.40Pace5:57.28
Split 6:Distance1.000Time5:49.40Pace5:49.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance6.000Time35:35.80Pace5:55.97
Split 7:Distance1.000Time5:54.20Pace5:54.20ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance7.000Time41:30.00Pace5:55.71
Split 8:Distance2.000Time12:13.30Pace6:06.65ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance9.000Time53:43.30Pace5:58.14
Split 9:Distance1.000Time6:12.40Pace6:12.40ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance10.000Time59:55.70Pace5:59.57
Split 10:Distance1.000Time6:24.90Pace6:24.90ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance11.000Time1:06:20.60Pace6:01.87
Split 11:Distance1.000Time6:48.30Pace6:48.30ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:13:08.90Pace6:05.74
Split 12:Distance0.980Time5:59.70Pace6:07.04ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance12.980Time1:19:08.60Pace6:05.84
Split 13:Distance0.129Time0:48.30Pace6:14.42ZoneThreshold Miles Cumilative:Distance13.109Time1:19:56.90Pace6:05.92

Leg 3: Distance1.000Time8:56.00Pace8:56.00ZoneEasy Miles
Cool-down with Benjamin.

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
48.30	0.12	21.11	0.00	69.53

Beslip Garden Clogs Miles: 51.37	Joybees 1 Miles: 2.00

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

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