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
20.300.000.000.0020.30

A.M. 15.1 in 1:46:50 in Crocs. 11.1 of it with Jeff. Ran 0.9 via a short cut to his house, then with him, then dropped him off and ran 3 more. I think I have the blistering issue resolved, possibly the Crocs stretched out. My lower calves felt a bit fatigued, though, so I think I'll give them a break tomorrow and run in my racing flats instead. Plus it would really be bad to end up with a broken Croc 8 miles away from the house while Benjamin needs to get to his race soon.

The Crocs are still in good shape, the wear marks on the front did not get bigger, and no wear marks on the heel appeared. You can still read "Made in China" on the bottom of the sole, as well as No Boundaries TM. No, this is not a joke, an April Fool's day joke, although it does sound like one, I really have been running in a pair of $5 Crocs, Jeff being a witness.

Here goes the shoe counter, let's have some fun:

Crocs - 45.1 miles.

I am curious if they can handle 500. Already 9% there.

P.M. 1 with Julia in 9:39, 1.5 with Jenny in 12:30, 0.7 with no running partners in 4:58, and 2 with Benjamin in 18:32. Pushed Jacob and Joseph in the stroller for all segments except Benjamin's. Wore Crocs.

 

Crocs - 50.3 miles.

Night Sleep Time: 7.75Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.75
Comments
From Cody on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 13:15:56

Maybe steve will start stocking Crocs at his running store....

From Paul Petersen on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 14:05:29

You can also try the airwalk "crocs" for comparison.

From josse on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 15:01:47

I just realized what you meant by crocks, your crazy! I want to see this on tues.

From Tom on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 15:42:00

I'm loving the Croc running experiment, perhaps the beginnings of the next running fad in the making.

From Superfly on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 17:27:58

Sasha would be a great marketing name for a guy trying to sell Croc's. I think you need to stick with this and maybe pick up a real sponsor. Someone needs to submit this to Croc's corporate offices.

From jamesm on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 18:32:33

What possible reason could there be to run in crocs?

From wheakory on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 18:40:56

I have a pair of crocs and they are comfortable. That's amazing Sasha the running your able to do in the crocs. Pretty cool experiment. Good luck reaching 500 miles.

From Sasha Pachev on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 19:10:08

I wanted a quick way to check if there was any value to barefooted running. Doing strides on grass was not good enough - too short. Running on grass for a long time - well, I've done that before without much of a result, did not feel any different. I wanted to see what barefoot felt like on asphalt but I did not want to cut myself stepping on glass, etc.

And in the process I discovered a nice side effect. In reality, Crocs are at least not slower than regular racing flats, and might be even faster. But you look like complete beach bum in them. So if you need to freak out the competition, that would work great. The entire time they are thinking, this guy is a weirdo, he knows nothing about running, he should not be here with us, he should be jogging at the back of the pack. And you are still with them two thirds into the race. So they start thinking, I am having a bad race if this weirdo can keep up. And they just quit. And let you pull away.

From MarcieJ on Fri, Mar 14, 2008 at 19:14:09

I agree with Clyde, you could really become a spokesmodel for them, like Jared and Subway, the next thing is Sasha and Crocs! Imagine if you won a race wearing them, it could set you up for life:)

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