Breaking the Wall

March 28, 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:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 133.01 Year: 776.88
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
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
16.850.003.100.0019.95

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2014-11-29 08:49:50
Workout Totals: Distance19.955Time2:28:40.40Pace7:27.03
Total of 20. Benjamin did 14. Other kids ran their usual distances. Benjamin paced me through a 5000 time trial on the track at Orem High in 17:44.
Leg 1:Distance3.000Time23:01.40Pace7:40.47
With Joseph and Jacob.
Leg 2:Distance2.600Time20:40.90Pace7:57.27
Warm-up with Benjamin.
Leg 3:Distance3.105Time17:44.50Pace5:42.83
5000 time trial at Orem High Track. Benjamin paced me. Splits by 1000 below. This was a good fitness test which I think confirmed the result of the Thanksgiving race - somehow I have lost fitness and need to do something to regain it. I think with age I am getting more sensitive to disruptive events - lack of sleep, not eating meals on time, not doing enough speed work, running to slow on aerobic runs. Over the last year I have observed larger than normal fluctuations in performance in workouts and races that appear to relate to those things.
Split 1:Distance0.621Time3:30.50Pace5:38.97
Cumilative:Distance0.621Time3:30.50Pace5:38.97
Split 2:Distance0.621Time3:32.00Pace5:41.38
Cumilative:Distance1.242Time7:02.50Pace5:40.18
Split 3:Distance0.621Time3:30.70Pace5:39.29
Cumilative:Distance1.863Time10:33.20Pace5:39.88
Split 4:Distance0.621Time3:38.00Pace5:51.05
Cumilative:Distance2.484Time14:11.20Pace5:42.67
Split 5:Distance0.621Time3:33.30Pace5:43.48
Cumilative:Distance3.105Time17:44.50Pace5:42.83
Leg 4:Distance1.250Time10:53.40Pace8:42.72
Cool-down to the house with Benjamin.
Leg 5:Distance7.000Time54:13.00Pace7:44.71
More distance with Benjamin.
Leg 6:Distance3.000Time22:07.20Pace7:22.40
Alone. Death march at the end.

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
Comments
From Kim on Wed, Dec 03, 2014 at 11:35:28 from 160.7.247.191

Hey Sasha....I don't do much socializing on here anymore but I just wanted to let you know that I still love this blog and am very happy that you continue to provide it for us! Merry Christmas to you and your cute family!

From Sasha Pachev on Thu, Dec 04, 2014 at 20:42:24 from 192.168.1.1

Kim - thanks. I forgot to mention in this entry that Nov 29th (the day of the entry) was our 18th wedding anniversary but in an interesting way you seemed to sense that something was up and posted your comment in the right place.

From Kim on Thu, Dec 04, 2014 at 21:02:12 from 160.7.247.191

Well congratulations to you and your cute Sarah! You are a fabulous couple with a great family! Hope to see you all around again sometime.

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