Breaking the Wall

Week starting Nov 26, 2006

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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:

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 133.01 Year: 776.88
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: 1312.70
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
63.784.500.000.0068.28
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
9.002.500.000.0011.50

10 miles on the Provo River Trail in the morning. We are supposed to be closing on the sale of our house and the purchase of the new house, and moving, so I have been somewhat stressed lately. I think it showed today a bit.

Started out at 8:00 pace which soon became 7:05-7:10, HR 127-129. After 3 miles sped up to 6:35-6:40, HR 138-140. Then ran a tempo 2.5 portion from the Utah Lake to Geneva Road in 14:40. HR drifted up to 156, and climbed to 161 when I sped up to 5:40 pace on the last quarter. The pace felt hard. Part of the problem was being overdressed for the weather, part can be blamed on having been sick. But there is still a part that is not accounted for. I will blame it on the cumulative effect of the stress of moving that has been building up over the last week.

Ran with the kids in the afternoon. After the first half Jenny was complaining that 9:00+ pace was too fast. I told her when your mind gets soft, soft pace feels hard, when you harden the mind, hard pace feels soft. She took the initiative to push the pace on the last 600, hitting first 200 in 1:02, and then the last 400 in 1:52, which dropped Abby and really made Benjamin work.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Comments(2)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
8.002.000.000.0010.00

Ran in the morning with Ted. We decided to chase the 7:00 guy with 2 miles to go, ran 6:15, 6:09 the last two miles, total time for 8 miles 55:34. Snow on the road.

Ran with the kids in the evening.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
10.250.000.000.0010.25

Today is our wedding aniversary. Sarah and I have been married 10 years. She is getting a new house for a present.

Ran on the Provo River Trail starting from BYU with Ted in the morning. Dropped him off at 7, ran another 1.5. Slippery roads, and cold - 19 F.

Spent most of the afternoon preparing the websites and the home office for the move. This has been quite an adventure so far.

Ran with the kids in the evening.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Comments(1)
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.500.000.000.0011.50

Ran 10 miles with Ted on the Provo River trail in the morning in 1:08:33. We started out at 7:30 pace, and gradually sped up to sub 6:40 after the first 4. For the first time in a month felt relaxed at 6:40 pace.

Ran with the kids in the evening. Busy day preparing for the move.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.500.000.000.0011.50

Ran with Ted early in the morning on the Provo River Trail. 10 miles in 1:14:23. Still felt good in spite of the lack of sleep associated with preparing for the move.

Ran with the kids in the evening.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
13.530.000.000.0013.53

Had some boxes to take to the new house, and decided to kill two birds with one stone. Met Ted at the new house, and had him help me unload the boxes. Ted is a great guy. He can be easily talked into going longer and faster, and he helps you unload the boxes. What greater friend can you ask for?

Then we ran from the new house to the end of the trail and back. An interesting coincidence that may be interpreted as a sign from God that we are in the right house - it is exactly 5.00 miles from the house to the end of the trail. We stayed ahead of the 7:00 guy and finished in 1:09:14.

Came back home, and Sarah told me about her dream. She dreamt that she went to the new house and found both Ted and me asleep. We collapsed from getting up early and running day after day. Her dream was not that far away from reality.

Came home, did some computer work to prepare for the move. Had to figure out how not to firewall myself out of access to my the systems of my clients without letting the whole world in. Hit a few glitches then found a clever solution (Sasha's Hack TM).

Ran with the kids. Then it was time to get the moving van. Ran with Benjamin 2.53 miles to get it. The move happened very fast with the help of the Elders Quorum from our local LDS congregation.

We unloaded at the new house, and then it was time to take the moving van back. It refused to go. Talk about an ox in the mire. Called U-Haul, they send the towing truck. Then went to the old house to get the computers. By the time I was done it was 3 am. Long day.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Add Comment
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
63.784.500.000.0068.28
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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