Breaking the Wall

April 19, 2024

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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:	870.94
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:						1312.70

Thu, Oct 09, 2008

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
11.34	0.00	0.00	0.00	11.34

A.M. 8 with Derek in 1:01:38. Talked about steeple chase in the middle, and US economy towards the end. We both found it rather odd that in our economy significantly more people market, sell, advertise, write legal contracts, sue, manage money, etc, than engineer or manufacture products. So perhaps what we are experiencing is a natural consequence of the imbalance, and it is just things going back to where they should have been in the first place.

P.M. 1 with Julia in 10:56, 0.34 with Joseph in 3:46, 2 with Benjamin in 17:15, first 1.5 with Jenny in 13:14. Jacob did 2x100.

Five Fingers - 1478.13 miles.

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

Comments

From air darkhorse on Thu, Oct 09, 2008 at 20:28:46

No, This is the result of sheer greed and stupidity. This is complimented by irresponsible monetary policy for many years on the part of Alan Greenspan and the Fed. There are other big reasons of course such as people living beyond their means. Now we get see hyperinflation similar to Germany during the 1920s.

From air darkhorse on Thu, Oct 09, 2008 at 20:32:51

Where is Paul Volcker when we need him...

From Sasha Pachev on Thu, Oct 09, 2008 at 21:49:29

Steve - maybe we are talking in essence about the same thing. I just like to study things at a very low level. One example. A client wants me to sign a 20 page contract to do maybe 5 hours of work for him. Why in the world do they bother preparing 20 pages of contract? 30 years ago it would have been a handshake agreement. Greed? Yes. Stupidity? Yes. Everybody is afraid of getting sued and is going over the board to protect themselves. Because we as a nation have lost basic honesty, a healthy measure of a thick skin, and a some serious amount of common sense, we cannot breathe anymore without a fear of a law suit and it sure costs us in a multitude of ways. That is just one example of how increasing levels of greed and stupidity put a strain on the economy. It all adds up, and then the camel back breaks, and boom, we have a crisis.

From kobyhud on Thu, Oct 09, 2008 at 23:49:52

Sorry to take the conversation off topic. =)

But I see that you have put almost 1500 miles on your five fingers. I have looked at getting a pair and wanted to know how they feel on rougher dirt roads and the like.

From Michelle on Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 15:55:00

Sasha,

I've tried to add favorites to my blog and used two different browsers, safari and flock but it will only place Lybi and the rest that I type don't show up. Any suggestions?

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 17:48:28

Michelle:

Go to the Support Forum paste exactly what you are typing into the favorite blogs fields. For future reference, always use the support forum when asking for technical help. That way if I am not available, somebody else can get to it.

From adamr on Fri, Oct 10, 2008 at 22:50:43

sasha, nate pennington joined the blog. that's a good hit for the site.

From James W on Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 18:10:31

I am curious - have you though any more about taking a FRB contingent to the LA Marathon? Sounds like Holt may be going, Dustin is considering it, and Lybi and I are planning on going with our family (if things work out with the friends we would stay with). I was just wondering if anyone else was still considering it. Granted, it is still 4 months away, but it never hurts to plan ahead . . . and I am very impressed at the number of miles you have put on your FiveFingers. I recall your having mentioned that there is a hole in one of them, but that it was not getting any bigger.

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