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
9.750.200.300.0010.25

A.M. Ran with Mike. Did a 500 in 1:44 (post-VPB), got home with 8.25 on the odometer. Then added 2 with Benjamin in 15:07 with the last mile in 6:19 and the splits of 1:41, 1:37, 1:33, 1:28. I finally got Benjamin to overcome a mental block with this workout where you start at a brisk pace and then keep getting faster with every quarter. Jenny and Julia ran 2. Jenny took Jacob for 0.5.

P.M. Took a nap in preparation for the race tomorrow. My new job (I now work for Percona) does allow me to work on the blog as much anymore, so do not be surprised if I am slow to respond sometimes, but I still work from home, and can squeeze in a nap when I really have to. It has been a great blessing to find this job when my main client ran out of money and dropped my consulting services.

Benjamin took Joseph for 0.5. I rollerbladed.


Gold Crocs 1 Miles: 10.25
Night Sleep Time: 7.00Nap Time: 2.00Total Sleep Time: 9.00
Comments
From Steve Piccolo on Fri, Aug 06, 2010 at 15:57:59 from 155.101.243.223

Hi Sasha. Are you training or racing tomorrow? If training, may I join you? If so, what time and where and what type of workout are you planning?

From Sasha Pachev on Sat, Aug 07, 2010 at 17:15:08 from 192.168.1.1

Steve:

Too late now, but if you want to run with me next week, I'll be leaving my house around 6:10 most days in the AM. 339 N 1120 W in Provo. Call 801-788-4608 in advance the night before to let me know you are coming as I may not always check my e-mail soon enough. We will have Mike and Daniel with us on some of the days for part of the run.

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