Breaking the Wall

Week starting Dec 05, 2021

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:	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
64.00	0.00	3.00	5.00	72.00

Amoji 2 Miles: 52.00	Amoji 3 Miles: 20.00

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

Sun, Dec 05, 2021

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. Went to church. This time only Joseph and Stephen stayed home, the rest of us were healthy.

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

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Mon, Dec 06, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.00	0.00	0.00	1.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-12-06 09:26:12
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:34:58.40Pace7:54.87
12 total. Did a mile pickup with Jacob down the canyon in 5:52. Joseph was sick today, did not run. Otherwise, easy runs usual distances.
Leg 1: Distance4.000Time31:54.00Pace7:58.50ZoneEasy Miles
With William and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance8.000Time1:03:04.40Pace7:53.05
With Jacob.
Split 1:Distance3.480Time28:13.60Pace8:06.67ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance3.480Time28:13.60Pace8:06.67
Split 2:Distance1.000Time5:52.10Pace5:52.10ZoneVO2 Max Miles Cumilative:Distance4.480Time34:05.70Pace7:36.63
Split 3:Distance3.520Time28:58.70Pace8:13.95ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time1:03:04.40Pace7:53.05

Amoji 2 Miles: 12.00

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

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Tue, Dec 07, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.00	0.00	0.00	3.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-12-07 09:05:29
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:30:04.10Pace7:30.34
12 total. Did 3 miles down the canyon in 17:44 (5:54, 5:54, 5:56). I was Jacob's rabbit, but he was not having a good day and could not catch me. He had a target of 16:00, but I think he was slightly weaker physically, and it mentally destroyed him. His first two miles were good - 5:21, 5:25, and then he just could not find the energy to run anything faster than 6:00 for the last mile, and ended up with 16:46. Joseph was able to run 1 mile today. William did 6 easy. Otherwise, easy pace usual distances for the kids. Benjamin did a workout to try to simulate the quad cramp. So he would just start out at 5:00 and run until the cramp. Then rest and try again. On the first interval he made it to a bit past 2 miles. On the second a bit past 1 mile. On the third just 1 mile.
Leg 1: Distance0.980Time8:34.70Pace8:45.20ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up with Jacob and William.
Leg 2: Distance3.000Time17:44.90Pace5:54.97ZoneVO2 Max Miles
Tempo run.
Leg 3: Distance8.020Time1:03:44.50Pace7:56.87ZoneEasy Miles
Distance/cool-down, part with Jacob.

Amoji 2 Miles: 12.00

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

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Wed, Dec 08, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
9.00	0.00	3.00	0.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-12-08 10:04:12
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:31:08.80Pace7:35.73
12 total. Paced Matthew through our rabbit chase 3 miles down the canyon. It was very exciting today. Matthew and I started first, then William 30 seconds later, then Jacob 2:30 after William. Matthew ran a PR of 19:09 with the splits of 6:19, 6:31, 6:19, last quarter in 89. William got 18:27 with the splits of 6:15, 6:00, and 6:12. He caught us shortly before the 2 mile mark, but Matthew was a feisty meat and almost closed the gap with 0.5 to go, but then William sped up and pulled away. Jacob ran a small PR of 16:09 with the splits of 5:25, 5:24, 5:20, last quarter in 78. He was just a step behind myself and Matthew at the end. Joseph was able to run 1 mile in 8:04. Otherwise usual distances, easy pace.
Leg 1: Distance0.980Time8:34.80Pace8:45.31ZoneEasy Miles
Warm-up.
Leg 2: Distance3.000Time19:09.00Pace6:23.00ZoneThreshold Miles
Pacing Matthew.
Leg 3: Distance8.020Time1:03:25.00Pace7:54.44ZoneEasy Miles
Part with Jacob, part alone.

Amoji 2 Miles: 12.00

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

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Thu, Dec 09, 2021

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 - 2021-12-09 09:41:04
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:35:27.00Pace7:57.25
12 total. A very wet run. Easy pace, usual distances for the kids except for Joseph, who did 2 miles I think.
Leg 1: Distance4.000Time31:57.00Pace7:59.25ZoneEasy Miles
With William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance8.000Time1:03:30.00Pace7:56.25
With Jacob.
Split 1:Distance4.010Time32:14.70Pace8:02.47ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance4.010Time32:14.70Pace8:02.47
Split 2:Distance3.990Time31:15.30Pace7:50.00ZoneEasy Miles Cumilative:Distance8.000Time1:03:30.00Pace7:56.25

Amoji 2 Miles: 12.00

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

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Fri, Dec 10, 2021

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 - 2021-12-10 13:29:21
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:40:55.00Pace8:24.58
12 total. Slippery run, we got a lot of snow. Averaging 8:00 required a heroic effort. Amoji strap broke again 4 miles into the run. Too bad the strap on Amoji is so flaky for me - otherwise it is a great shoe. Joseph did 5. Otherwise usual distances. "Easy" pace. I have been feeling a significant amount of pain at the top of the tibia on the right side. It is runnable, though, and is not getting worse if I run easy. So I think I will just keep the mileage and keep running easy with occasional mile pickups for the next week or two, then reevaluate.
Leg 1: Distance4.000Time34:08.20Pace8:32.05ZoneEasy Miles
With Matthew, William, Jacob, and Stephen.
Leg 2: Distance3.000Time26:52.80Pace8:57.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Joseph, Jacob, and Julia.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time7:58.80Pace7:58.80ZoneEasy Miles
With Jacob.
Leg 4: Distance4.000Time31:55.20Pace7:58.80ZoneEasy Miles
Alone.

Amoji 2 Miles: 4.00	Amoji 3 Miles: 8.00

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

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Sat, Dec 11, 2021

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.00	0.00	0.00	1.00	12.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-12-11 10:43:06
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:35:56.80Pace7:59.73
12 total. Did all of it on the trail in St. George on the way to San Diego. The knee pain was bothering me. I ran with a limp, but toughed it out. Did a mile with Matthew in 6:07. Could barely keep up in the first 3 quarters, then he lost steam and it was easier for me, but not that easy. Jacob paced William through that mile in 5:53, then did it in 5:13 towards the end of his run. Jacob did 10, Stephen, Matthew, and William 3, Bella 0.5, Mary 1.5. Joseph stayed at home, did 6 miles I think. Benjamin did 16, tried his tempo workout at 5:00 pace to failure until reaching the total of 4, was still getting spasms, his longest interval was only 2 miles. We are suspecting the root cause, or at least a major aggravating factor to be running on cement. So he is going to move his easy runs to grass next week.
Leg 1: Distance0.500Time4:34.80Pace9:09.60ZoneEasy Miles
With Bella, Jacob, William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 2: Distance1.500Time13:00.10Pace8:40.07ZoneEasy Miles
With Mary, Jacob, William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 3: Distance1.000Time8:35.10Pace8:35.10ZoneEasy Miles
With Jacob, William, Stephen, and Matthew.
Leg 4: Distance1.000Time6:07.40Pace6:07.40ZoneVO2 Max Miles
With Matthew.
Leg 5: Distance8.000Time1:03:39.40Pace7:57.43ZoneEasy Miles
Most with Jacob, part with Sarah, part alone.

Amoji 3 Miles: 12.00

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
64.00	0.00	3.00	5.00	72.00

Amoji 2 Miles: 52.00	Amoji 3 Miles: 20.00

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

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