Breaking the Wall

Week starting Oct 01, 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:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	2724.68
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
48.90	0.00	7.00	5.30	61.20

Red Crocs Miles: 61.18

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

Sun, Oct 01, 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. Watched the General Conference.

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

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Mon, Oct 02, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
8.78	0.00	1.50	0.75	11.03

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-02 07:32:34
Workout Totals: Distance11.025Time1:22:12.90Pace7:27.43
A little more than 10 total for me. Paced Sarah through a 3 mile tempo down the canyon in 23:33, then did 2 mile cruise and kick tempo in 11:05 with the cruise 1.5 at 5:37 pace, and the last 0.5 in 2:39.6. It was cold today, both Sarah and I were slower than I thought we should have been. I also did a quarter uphill kick in the canyon in 78.7. Not sure how it compares to the uphill course by my house, probably about the same. The difference is that the canyon has a steady 1-2% grade, while the course by my house starts out flat, then has a short steep downhill drop (9%), then has 3-6% climb for the last 260 meters. So the last 260 meters are definitely slower, but the first 140 get you going. Usual distances for the kids.
Leg 1:Distance0.500Time4:37.80Pace9:15.60
Warm-up with Sarah.
Leg 2:Distance3.000Time23:33.90Pace7:51.30
Sarah's tempo run down the canyon. Splits 7:50, 7:56, 7:47.
Leg 3:Distance2.375Time17:51.40Pace7:31.12
To the start of the 2 mile tempo.
Leg 4:Distance2.000Time11:05.00Pace5:32.50
Cruise and kick tempo.
Split 1:Distance1.500Time8:25.40Pace5:36.93 Cumilative:Distance1.500Time8:25.40Pace5:36.93
Cruise.
Split 2:Distance0.500Time2:39.60Pace5:19.20 Cumilative:Distance2.000Time11:05.00Pace5:32.50
Kick.

Leg 5:Distance2.650Time21:05.50Pace7:57.55
Cool-down with a fast quarter uphill in the canyon.
Split 1:Distance2.000Time15:57.50Pace7:58.75 Cumilative:Distance2.000Time15:57.50Pace7:58.75
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:18.70Pace5:14.80 Cumilative:Distance2.250Time17:16.20Pace7:40.53
Fast quarter.
Split 3:Distance0.400Time3:49.30Pace9:33.25 Cumilative:Distance2.650Time21:05.50Pace7:57.55

Leg 6:Distance0.500Time3:59.30Pace7:58.60
With Matthew.

Red Crocs Miles: 11.03

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

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Tue, Oct 03, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.46	0.00	1.50	2.61	10.57

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-03 09:48:27
Workout Totals: Distance10.570Time1:33:04.20Pace8:48.31
8 total in the morning. Did a 2 mile coast and kick tempo in 10:51 (8:15, 2:35) + uphill quarter in 77.3. Cross-country 3 K in the evening. Times: myself 11:14 Joseph 11:35 Jacob 12:00 William 13:31 Jenny 13:31 Julia 14:08 Stephen 15:46 Sarah 17:36 Matthew 17:52
Leg 1:Distance4.030Time30:13.50Pace7:30.00
Warm-up.
Leg 2:Distance2.000Time10:51.40Pace5:25.70
Tempo down the canyon
Split 1:Distance1.500Time8:15.80Pace5:30.53 Cumilative:Distance1.500Time8:15.80Pace5:30.53
Split 2:Distance0.500Time2:35.60Pace5:11.20 Cumilative:Distance2.000Time10:51.40Pace5:25.70

Leg 3:Distance2.030Time14:28.00Pace7:07.59
Cool-down with uphill kick at the end
Split 1:Distance1.780Time13:10.70Pace7:24.21 Cumilative:Distance1.780Time13:10.70Pace7:24.21
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:17.30Pace5:09.20 Cumilative:Distance2.030Time14:28.00Pace7:07.59

Leg 4:Distance0.250Time2:02.90Pace8:11.60
Warm-up.
Leg 5:Distance2.260Time17:35.60Pace7:47.08
Cross-country race
Split 1:Distance1.860Time11:14.20Pace6:02.47 Cumilative:Distance1.860Time11:14.20Pace6:02.47
my time
Split 2:Distance0.000Time0:21.60Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance1.860Time11:35.80Pace6:14.09
Joseph
Split 3:Distance0.000Time0:24.90Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance1.860Time12:00.70Pace6:27.47
Jacob
Split 4:Distance0.000Time1:31.30Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance1.860Time13:32.00Pace7:16.56
Jenny
Split 5:Distance0.000Time0:36.90Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance1.860Time14:08.90Pace7:36.40
Julia
Split 6:Distance0.400Time3:26.70Pace8:36.75 Cumilative:Distance2.260Time17:35.60Pace7:47.08
Sarah - did some jogging here

Leg 6:Distance0.000Time17:52.80Pace0:00.00
Little kids heat
Split 1:Distance0.000Time13:31.10Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time13:31.10Pace0:00.00
William
Split 2:Distance0.000Time2:15.30Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time15:46.40Pace0:00.00
Stephen
Split 3:Distance0.000Time2:06.40Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance0.000Time17:52.80Pace0:00.00
Matthew

Red Crocs Miles: 10.57

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

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Wed, Oct 04, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.76	0.00	0.00	0.25	10.01

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-04 10:15:14
Workout Totals: Distance10.010Time1:14:08.00Pace7:24.36
Usual runs. Joseph picked up a cold, ran only 2 miles today. Otherwise usual runs for the kids. I did not get good sleep the night before, so the uphill kick was sluggish today - 78.8.
Leg 1:Distance4.000Time29:49.80Pace7:27.45
I think part of this was with Jacob.
Leg 2:Distance6.010Time44:18.20Pace7:22.30
Alone.
Split 1:Distance5.760Time42:59.40Pace7:27.81 Cumilative:Distance5.760Time42:59.40Pace7:27.81
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:18.80Pace5:15.20 Cumilative:Distance6.010Time44:18.20Pace7:22.30
Uphill kick.

Red Crocs Miles: 10.01

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

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Thu, Oct 05, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
6.76	0.00	1.00	0.44	8.20

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-05 08:38:06
Workout Totals: Distance8.196Time1:03:54.40Pace7:47.84
Took Jacob to the track today to do some tests. William and Stephen came along. First we ran the mile with the target being "something faster than 5:54". He ran 5:47.9 and that seemed to be all he had. Then we tested his top speed, and that seemed to be OK - 15.6 in 100 into a mild headwind (I was able to keep up), and 34.1 200 with an 16.9/17.2 split which is OK for being in a state of post-workout fatigue. So there is some problem with speed endurance, it seems. We have seen no problems on his easy runs. His cross-country 3K and 4K performance was not stellar, but not a complete disaster. Need to do some more digging. Maybe the problem will just go away before we discover anything, but still worth a try. Then ran with Joseph - he was up to 4 miles today. Did an uphill kick in 75.4 - Joseph started with me, but then his shoe fell off. Usual distances for the kids except Joseph and Jenny - Jenny is on reduced mileage taking it one day at a time to deal with the school course load.
Leg 1:Distance1.020Time8:53.20Pace8:42.75
Warm-up.
Leg 2:Distance1.000Time5:47.90Pace5:47.90
Jacob's mile.
Leg 3:Distance0.500Time4:56.00Pace9:52.00
Recovery jog.
Leg 4:Distance0.062Time0:15.60Pace4:11.61
100 m with Jacob.
Leg 5:Distance0.124Time0:34.10Pace4:35.00
200 with Jacob.
Split 1:Distance0.062Time0:16.90Pace4:32.58 Cumilative:Distance0.062Time0:16.90Pace4:32.58
Split 2:Distance0.062Time0:17.20Pace4:37.42 Cumilative:Distance0.124Time0:34.10Pace4:35.00

Leg 6:Distance0.980Time8:27.10Pace8:37.45
Back to the house.
Leg 7:Distance0.500Time4:09.00Pace8:18.00
With Jacob, William, and Matthew.
Leg 8:Distance4.010Time30:51.50Pace7:41.72
With Joseph.
Split 1:Distance3.760Time29:36.10Pace7:52.37 Cumilative:Distance3.760Time29:36.10Pace7:52.37
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:15.40Pace5:01.60 Cumilative:Distance4.010Time30:51.50Pace7:41.72
Uphill quarter kick.
Split 3:Distance0.000Time0:00.00Pace0:00.00 Cumilative:Distance4.010Time30:51.50Pace7:41.72

Red Crocs Miles: 8.20

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

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Fri, Oct 06, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.80	0.00	3.00	0.25	11.05

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-06 05:54:52
Workout Totals: Distance11.050Time1:18:57.80Pace7:08.76
Ran 10 early in the dark before going to Long Beach with Sarah for her to run the 5 K. Did a 3 mile tempo. At first it was too dark and too cold for me to go much faster than 6:00. Got some light in the last mile and ran it in 5:46. Did the uphill quarter kick in 82.9. Not sure why it was so slow - combination of early and cold, I think. Added another mile in Long Beach when parking the car. Total of 11. Usual distances for the kids.
Leg 1:Distance10.050Time1:11:23.10Pace7:06.18
Split 1:Distance5.020Time38:55.40Pace7:45.22 Cumilative:Distance5.020Time38:55.40Pace7:45.22
Split 2:Distance3.000Time17:39.70Pace5:53.23 Cumilative:Distance8.020Time56:35.10Pace7:03.33
Split 3:Distance1.780Time13:25.10Pace7:32.30 Cumilative:Distance9.800Time1:10:00.20Pace7:08.59
Split 4:Distance0.250Time1:22.90Pace5:31.60 Cumilative:Distance10.050Time1:11:23.10Pace7:06.18

Leg 2:Distance1.000Time7:34.70Pace7:34.70

Red Crocs Miles: 11.05

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

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Sat, Oct 07, 2017

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.34	0.00	0.00	1.00	10.34

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2017-10-07 07:33:19
Workout Totals: Distance10.336Time1:22:38.30Pace7:59.71
In Long Beach. Sarah ran the 5 K in 25:46. Her first mile was 7:24, then 8:15 with a bridge hill, and the third mile was straight out of a nightmare common to runners when all of a sudden the race course becomes some sort of an obstacle course. Except this was not a dream. The course was not as fast as we hoped for - too many bridge hills plus a disaster run through the Aquarium at the end. We should have known better. But Sarah, Julia, and Bella liked the beach. I ran some with Sarah, some with Julia, and did a mile pickup on the beach trail - it had quarter mile markers - in 5:33.9. Total of a bit over 10. Then drove everybody home. LA traffic is awful. Our GPS navigator saved us. But once we got out it was a very pleasant drive and it went by fast.
Leg 1:Distance2.050Time16:57.10Pace8:16.15
Warm-up with Sarah. She has been initiated into the Order of Real Runners. Right before the start she had to go to the bathroom, and of course the line was too long. So after some panic and excitement we found one at a nearby hotel.
Leg 2:Distance3.000Time25:50.10Pace8:36.70
Sarah's race.
Leg 3:Distance5.286Time39:51.10Pace7:32.35
More distance with Julia + a mile pickup.
Split 1:Distance2.748Time21:58.90Pace7:59.95 Cumilative:Distance2.748Time21:58.90Pace7:59.95
Split 2:Distance1.000Time5:33.90Pace5:33.90 Cumilative:Distance3.748Time27:32.80Pace7:20.98
Split 3:Distance1.538Time12:18.30Pace8:00.04 Cumilative:Distance5.286Time39:51.10Pace7:32.35

Red Crocs Miles: 10.33

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
48.90	0.00	7.00	5.30	61.20

Red Crocs Miles: 61.18

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

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