Breaking the Wall

December 21, 2024

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:	3010.45
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

Thu, Apr 10, 2008

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
19.35	0.00	0.00	0.75	20.10

A.M. Ran with Jeff and Brad. We did our regular hibernation run, except Jeff wanted to shake his legs at 5 K race pace since we are running one this Saturday (Utah Valley). Well, we got carried away on those. I think Jeff just wanted to burn a hole in my Crocs. Our first quarter was 69 instead of planned 75. Our second was 67. On the third one a devil got into Jeff and he hit the first 200 in 31. As if that was not fast enough, he sped up and dropped me. I caught a split of 46 at 300 and complacently eased off to finish in 64. Jeff ended up with 59!

Dropped Jeff off at 10.1, dropped Brad off at 12.1. Ran another 3 miles. Total time for 15.1 was 1:56:48.

Crocs - 404.3 miles.

P.M. 1 with Julia in 11:20, 1.5 with Jenny in 13:20, 0.5 more with Benjamin in 3:36, and 2 more alone in 15:22.

Crocs - 409.3 miles.

Night Sleep Time: 7.75	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.75

Comments

From JohnK on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 19:39:08

I can't believe the Crocs have held up for you so well, 400+ miles and day after day. Have you thought of contacting the manufacturer and doing some paid advertising? I'm serious! I've never owned a pair so don't know what they're like but I'm pretty curious now. What particular model do you have? Do you wear socks with them?

From josse on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 19:54:41

Sasha I don't like the new setup for the discussion board. It is very hard on the eyes. I would strongly advise to change it back.

From Lybi's Mom on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 21:24:13

Hey Sasha. What's with the width of the comment section of Lybi's blog. It was hard to find it because it was all off the screen. Can you fix it?

From Sasha Pachev on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 22:37:54

I can only fix it by removing Kerry's comment, which has a long URL. This is not a new setup. This is the only way most browsers would be willing to display that type of text.

From Lybi's Mom on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 22:46:00

I actually just figured it out myself. I hadn't noticed the long, unbreakable name thing. Oh well. I had to call her to find the comments. I think I will call her and suggest she put a statement in her blogging to tell that you have to scroll sideways to find the comments.

From Lybi's Mom on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 22:50:32

When I was ending blogging that last comment I happened to notice the little ad things the browser puts on. It was definitely not family friendly. You probably don't have any choice over that. Do you have the ability to complain to them?

From Hayden on Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 23:24:07

Hey this is Running Warrior, i have an injury right now, you can check it out on my blog. If you have any advise im open to anything for a fast and good recovery.

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 09:47:28

John - I have actually contacted Crocs (even though my Crocs are not real Crocs, they are No Boundaries, a generic Walmart brand, but I figured I'd have better luck with Crocs than with Walmart), and the only thing I've gotten from them is an e-mail from CSR saying she was forwarding it to the right person.

Hayden - to understand why you got injured double-check the Top Ten Training Mistakes list (link at the top), specifically the stuff about pushing the pace on easy runs and anaerobic speedwork without proper aerobic conditioning. I realize unfortunately being on a high school team you may not have a lot of choice on the latter, but I would still talk to your coach about it. I can talk to him as well if you want me to. On the former (pushing the pace on easy runs), it is all under your control.

To recover from the injury run easy pace (with the girls, if they cannot keep it up, it is too fast) until you feel no pain, and for another week after that. Keep the mileage, though. No less than 8 miles a day unless the pain is getting worse even at a slow pace.

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