Breaking the Wall

Week starting Dec 22, 2013

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
76.82	0.00	4.50	0.00	81.32

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 81.32

Night Sleep Time: 54.00	Nap Time: 0.50	Total Sleep Time: 54.50

Sun, Dec 22, 2013

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. We had a Christmas program with adults and primary age children singing. Julia, Sarah, and I took turns chasing Matthews.

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Mon, Dec 23, 2013

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

A.M. 12 total. Slippery, but at least I could go 7:30 in places. Benjamin felt like he was catching a cold, so he ran only 2 to be safe. Jenny rested - also a cold. Julia did 3, Joseph 3, Jacob 2, William 1.

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 12.00

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Tue, Dec 24, 2013

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

A.M. 12 total. Benjamin did 4, Jenny 2, Julia and Joseph 3, Jacob 2, William 1, Stephen 0.25. Even more slippery than yesterday - in spite of my plowing efforts the trail was an ice skating rink. I could barely average sub-9:00 and to get that I had to speed up to an aggressive tempo pace on the dry stretches.

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 12.00

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.50	Total Sleep Time: 8.50

Comments(1)

Wed, Dec 25, 2013

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
13.06	0.00	0.00	0.00	13.06

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2013-12-25 12:14:37
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
13.063	1:45:09.80	8:03.03
Ran some with the kids and some alone. There was finally enough ice-free space to do some pickups, and I discovered the seriousness of the bruise. It hurts a lot when the pace is sub-7:00, and requires a lot of will power to deal with when going sub-6:00 apparently due to the need for greater range in the hip extension. It seems like I instantly lost 20 seconds per mile or so. Benjamin did 6, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Jacob 2, Joseph 3, William 1.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3.063	26:22.50.	8:36.65	This one was with Benjamin, Joseph, and Jacob. We dropped Jacob off after a little more than 2, and did one more mile on the "little boy" course.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.063	26:22.50	8:36.65
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
9	1:08:58.50.	7:39.83	This is when I did the pickups. I did not think to hit the split button, so they are not showing as separate splits. I did about 1.25 up a small grade in 9:40, then 0.25 into the canyon in 92, then 1 mile down the canyon in 5:50, and another half mile on a slight down grade in 3:00. Total of 3 miles of pickups.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	9.000	1:08:58.50	7:39.83
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	9:48.80.	9:48.80	Did this one with William on the "little boy" course.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.000	9:48.80	9:48.80

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 13.06

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Thu, Dec 26, 2013

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
12.10	0.00	0.00	0.00	12.10

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2013-12-26 08:03:14
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
12.098	1:39:12.90	8:12.06
Ran easy today. Benjamin did 8, Jenny 4, Julia 3, Jacob 2, William 1, Stephen 0.25.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1.02	8:53.90.	8:43.43	Ran alone while waiting for the kids to get ready, but the road was slippery and my bruise was bothering me at the start.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	1.020	8:53.90	8:43.43
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3.078	26:36.50.	8:38.68	This one was with Joseph and Jacob. We first ran a little over 2 on hills with some ice, the dropped Jacob off and ran one more mile on the "little boy course" which is mostly flat, and had little ice in 7:48.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.078	26:36.50	8:38.68
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
8	1:03:42.50.	7:57.81	Ran this one with Benjamin. Considered doing a pickup but decided against it due to the pain from the bruise.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	8.000	1:03:42.50	7:57.81

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 12.10

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

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Fri, Dec 27, 2013

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
10.61	0.00	1.50	0.00	12.11

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2013-12-27 08:43:41
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
12.110	1:38:57.80	8:10.32
This is my first Fast Running Friend post. My Fast Running Friend (an Android app that is running my rooted MotoACTV) can now do this. I just turn on Wifi, then in a browser go the URL it gives me, update the timer/GPS data, and it directly posts to the Fast Running Blog.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
8.11	1:07:35.00.	8:20.00	Benjamin was with me for this leg. Joseph did 3, Jacob 2. Benjamin and I did a pickup for 0.5 in 2:53. My lower spine still hurt from the fall a week ago, so I could not go very fast.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	8.110	1:07:35.00	8:20.00
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
4	31:22.80.	7:50.70	On my own - did a pickup for a mile in 5:53 - the bruise from the fall kept me from going faster - this was all I had. Jenny ran 4 miles, Julia 3, William 1, Stephen 0.25.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	4.000	31:22.80	7:50.70

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 12.11

Night Sleep Time: 7.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.00

Comments(3)

Sat, Dec 28, 2013

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
17.05	0.00	3.00	0.00	20.05

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2013-12-28 08:43:59
Workout Totals
Distance	Time	Pace
20.053	2:34:32.60	7:42.40
This morning when I prayed I felt an impression that I should run full 20 miles. I needed to be told because the bruise has made it necessary to use a lot of will power to get just through 12. I am glad I did listen to this impression - even though it pushed my will power to the limit, I got through the run without aggravation and I learned something about the importance of will power training. Will power has two components - physical and spiritual. E.g. when your blood sugar goes down, it will be much harder to run through pain. I suppose hormonal fluctuations affect the will power a lot. But above it all is the will of the spirit to move, and if it is strong enough, you will move beyond what science would normally expect of you even when physically things are not looking that great. Some kids ran with me and others ran on their own. Benjamin did 8, Jenny 4, Julia and Joseph 3, Jacob 2, William 1.
Leg 1
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
3.053	26:05.20.	8:32.68	This part was with Joseph, Jacob, and Benjamin. We dropped Jacob off after 2 miles on the icy hilly course and ran one more mile on the "little boy" course.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.053	26:05.20	8:32.68
Leg 2
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
5	39:14.40.	7:50.88	This part was with Benjamin. We did a mile pickup.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.000	24:30.40	8:10.13	From the house to the 5 mile turnaround, then back to the magic 2 mile mark. Hit some snow.
2	1.000	5:45.00	5:45.00	Benjamin was setting the pace. He is recovering from a little cold. He said he also had to work too hard for the pace. Possibly the cold weather was also a factor for him.
3	1.000	8:59.00	8:59.00	We hit some snow and ice on this mile, also we were recovering after the pickup, so it was slow.
Leg 3
Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
12	1:29:13.00.	7:26.08	I ran this part alone. This is when the real test of will power came because I had to deal with the bruise in low blood sugar conditions.
Split#	Distance	Time	Pace	Comment
1	3.720	28:57.70	7:47.12	From the house to the 3.5 turnaround which is a little after the Canyon View Park, and a short distance back to the 2 mile mark of the 3 mile tempo course.
2	1.000	5:51.70	5:51.70	Pickup down the canyon from 2 to 3 of the 3 mile tempo course.
3	2.000	16:18.30	8:09.15	To mile 2, then back to 3.5 mark, then back to the start of Split #2.
4	1.000	5:50.60	5:50.60	Same course as Split#2
5	4.280	32:14.70	7:32.03	To mile 2, then back to mile 3, then back home. Learned something about will power to deal with pain when the blood sugar goes down.

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 20.05

Night Sleep Time: 8.00	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 8.00

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Totals

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
76.82	0.00	4.50	0.00	81.32

Green Crocs 6 Miles: 81.32

Night Sleep Time: 54.00	Nap Time: 0.50	Total Sleep Time: 54.50

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