Breaking the Wall

April 18, 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
Tue, Aug 03, 2021
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTotal Distance
11.250.000.000.7512.00

Fast Running Friend Workout - 2021-08-03 06:12:38
Workout Totals: Distance12.000Time1:34:01.50Pace7:50.12
12 total in between the kids' races in Humble, TX. Part of it their warm-up/distance.

William, Joseph, and Jacob ran the 1500. 82 F 80% humidity more or less. Results and analysis:

52 #3086 William Pachev 08 Orem, UT 5:20.85 1
1:02.352 (1:02.352) 2:29.080 (1:26.729) 3:56.519 (1:27.439)
5:20.849 (1:24.330)

Missed his PR by 2 seconds, but I like how he ran. Consistent splits in spite of a jack-rabbit start by the competition leaving him dead last in the first 200 meters or so, found a kick at the end. I could tell that his thought process was positive. This is a good first step towards recovery.
66 #3083 Joseph Pachev 05 Orem, UT 4:45.06 1
56.616 (56.616) 2:13.239 (1:16.623) 3:29.901 (1:16.663)
4:45.051 (1:15.150)

A step forward, and I like how he ran. He has been having growth related hip pain lately. For a while he could not run faster than 6:00 pace, or do it for a long time. He has been very frustrated, and giving up a lot. But when he fell he would eventually arise, and he arose to be able to run a small nominal PR (he has run 5:02 1600, which converts to 4:41). The splits were Joshua Cheptegei with a pacing light level of consistency. This was achieved in spite of his competition leaving him dead last with a sizeable gap over the first 300 meters, and then having go through packs that have slowed down.
35 #3082 Jacob Pachev 06 Orem, UT 4:26.83 2
52.810 (52.810) 2:04.573 (1:11.764) 3:16.174 (1:11.601)
4:26.824 (1:10.650)

Jacob ran an excellent race and outperformed my expectations with a 12 second PR. I predicted 4:32 before the race. The splits were again Joshua Cheptegei with pacing lights consistent. During the course of the race he went from last at 100 meters to taking the lead from 900 to 1100 before getting outkicked and finishing third in his heat. This run bodes well for his 3000 on Saturday, maybe a chance for top 8.

I was very impressed with how the boys were able to be that consistent in spite of the racing pressure. I taught them to run as if the competition was not there until the last lap. So imagine this - a teen wearing Crocs steps out onto the track in a high profile race in front of a crowd and runs even splits according to his ability that day to get the best time he has in him. His competition leaves him embarrassingly last at the start, he had heard a couple of comments about his Crocs, but he does not care - just runs his pace, passes many, does not yield to the peer pressure to slow down when he hits roadblock packs of runners that started too fast for their fitness. I have never seen our kids do this with this level of perfection 3 in a row. Something special happened today.

I have wondered why we keep bringing our kids to national meets. It is expensive, exhausting, and time consuming. I would say if the only thing that comes from it is that they learn how to follow the plan and do their best in spite of the pressure, that alone would make such trips worth it.

Benjamin did 9+3 with 1K in 2:56, this time measured correctly.
Leg 1:
Distance12.000Time1:34:01.50Pace7:50.12
Split 1:Distance1.800Time15:27.00Pace8:35.00ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance1.800Time15:27.00Pace8:35.00
Split 2:Distance0.250Time1:25.00Pace5:40.00ZoneVO2 Max Miles
Cumilative:Distance2.050Time16:52.00Pace8:13.66
Split 3:Distance3.200Time24:30.00Pace7:39.38ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.250Time41:22.00Pace7:52.76
Split 4:Distance0.500Time2:51.30Pace5:42.60ZoneVO2 Max Miles
Cumilative:Distance5.750Time44:13.30Pace7:41.44
Split 5:Distance6.250Time49:48.20Pace7:58.11ZoneEasy Miles
Cumilative:Distance12.000Time1:34:01.50Pace7:50.12
 

Brown Crocs 4 Miles: 12.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00
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