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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to Ukraine's Armed Forces

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

Fri, May 30, 2008

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
19.80	0.40	0.00	0.00	20.20

A.M. Ran with Jeff, Daniel, and Matt. Jeff ran 10, Daniel 8, Matt ran 10 as well but he started from his house and we found him later. So I ran the last 5 miles alone. Total time was 1:54:31.

Matt at one point wondered if VPB was a special running term he did not know and he even Googled it. He thought maybe it was some kind of a speed workout. It sure is if your training partners do not wait for you. So I did my VPB speed workout today, about 0.4 at 5:40 pace.

Interestingly enough, a search for VPB on Google finds my blog, but does not find the definition. So maybe if I define it again we could improve the relevancy of the search and help those who are confused. Definition: VPB = Virtual Private Bathroom, or in other words a bush. It does not stand for Virtual Potty Break, the break is very real, it is the privacy that is virtual.

P.M. 1 mile with Julia in 9:46, 1.5 with Jenny in 13:17, 2 with Benjamin in 16:35, 0.7 alone.

Five Fingers - 206.63 miles.

Night Sleep Time: 7.50	Nap Time: 0.00	Total Sleep Time: 7.50

Comments

From jona on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 15:35:21

Sasha, I see your "Five Fingers" have 200 + miles on them, how many miles to those typically get, and can you give us an update or final on your crocks?

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 15:42:22

Crocs developed holes that were too big for my comfort by 510 miles, so I retired them. If somebody paid me to take them further, I could have, though. I do not know how long Five Fingers are supposed to last. They appear OK after 200 miles with the exception of a small hole in the fabric on top of one big toe. But I have to say that Crocs are super-cushioned shoes compared to Five Fingers.

From Jon on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 16:03:57

Sasha- one of the main sponsors of the Bolder Boulder is crocs. Maybe you can contact them and see if they will sponsor you if you win the race wearing crocs!

http://www.bolderboulder.com/site3.aspx

From jona on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 17:20:03

I was going to say that you should hit croc's up as a sponsor. What great advertising!

From cgbooth23 on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 17:39:18

thanks for the update on VPB, well needed definition!

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 17:49:37

Crocs just offered me 4 free pairs for a video of me wearing them. They showed no special interest in me winning a race. I figured it was not worth the time.

From Lulu on Fri, May 30, 2008 at 23:35:18

So glad no one thought that VPB stood for ventricular premature beats. Surely your search turned up a cardiology journal article or two...

From jeffmc on Sat, May 31, 2008 at 16:21:17

I looked up my time online from when I ran the Sound to Narrows while "completely out of shape" and it ends up that it was faster then I thought. I finished in 44:29 in 2003.

From josse on Sat, May 31, 2008 at 16:54:44

You could wear your FBR shirt and it would be great advertising.

From Lybi on Sat, May 31, 2008 at 17:08:17

Sasha, you should do the video/shoe thing! They probably want to see how it works, and if there is a possibility of making crocs that are better suited for running. So, in the name of science! And Josse is right--it would be great advertising for the blog, too.

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