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

Sun, Jun 01, 2008

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

A day of rest. Went to church. Stayed awake. Having to teach in the Elders Quorum helped. This also helped me remember a mission experience. My companion and I sat on the stand during a sacrament meeting rather tired as I hoped that we would have a dynamic speaker that day. Falling asleep on the stand would be rather embarrassing. Then I remembered that I was the speaker. But still I managed to fall asleep during my companion's talk.

Night Sleep Time: 9.00	Nap Time: 1.50	Total Sleep Time: 10.50

Comments

From wheakory on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 13:55:18

Do you feel tired most of the time on Sunday's? I have to get up early on Sunday's to help do our worship music. I haven't had to preach for a while so I don't have too big of a part there too much anymore.

Sasha, I think it's a wonderful discipline you have made not to run races on Sunday. I myself have a problem running a race and missing church on a Sunday. I've done it and felt bad and might do it again, but it does really make me think. It's something that I really have to look hard at and decide what's important. Were not here to just run but to spread God's word and have a deep relationship with him. I wanted to commend you on your choice.

From Sasha Pachev on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 14:07:04

Kory - on Sunday I tell my body to rest, and it is anxious once I let it. So it shuts down pretty good. Sometimes things get busy with church and family, but I make sure to take a nap in the afternoon if at all possible.

From wheakory on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 14:24:01

I think that's my problem even though I don't usually run on Sunday, unless I want the dog to get some exercise my body just shuts down. I feel week and fatigue the whole day regardless if I take a nap or not. Have you experienced this?

From Sasha Pachev on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 14:51:22

Yes, I do feel sluggish, but that is OK. It means your body is taking the required rest. No need to wake it up, let it rest.

From josse on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 15:03:07

I feel this way on sundays, I call it my running hangover. I feel tired, get a bad headache, and just want to sleep. But I think it is very important to take sundays (or at least one day a week) as a day of rest. Our bodies will only thank us.

From wheakory on Mon, Jun 02, 2008 at 15:17:40

It's funny how the nervous system just shuts down when it knows your not going to go aerobic or anaerobic. My body just doesn't want to do much of anything, but there's things I have to get on Sunday, so I don't completely rest. There's always yard work if I don't get it done on Saturday.

Also I eat different on Sunday's where I eat breakfast then a huge meal after church at about 2pm, and then I don't eat the rest of the day, because I'm so full. This might be an affect on my body.

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