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
7.490.200.000.007.69

A.M. Today is the anniversary of the Soviet Constitution of 1977. Back when I was growing up it was important enough to be holiday and we got a day off from school. I suppose in celebration of that I had a dream about Stalin. I've been having those dreams about once every 3-4 months. The theme is always the same. I am back in the time of his rule, am facing him, and trying to find the courage to defy him in his face. I am scared at first, but then remember that God is behind me and I have no reason to fear.  Once he sees I am not afraid of him, he vanishes in some form. In tonight's version I told him I knew it was 1953 and his days were numbered. I was going to be executed by a firing squad, but the prison nurse said I was very sick and even showed some made-up evidence, and they had a law that you could be executed until you got better. That gave me the three days I needed for Stalin to die.

I wonder why I keep having those dreams, or rather what they mean if they mean anything. My family was affected by Stalin's rule greatly. My mother's father died after about 8 years in the camps. My father's father miraculously survived 18 years. My father's mother was afraid to speak her mind even to her children regarding the subject, and did not do so until after Stalin's death. But not quite right away. Even though she was not too fond of dead bodies, she went to the mausoleum (originally Stalin was put there with Lenin, but then was taken out - Lenin is still there) twice to make sure Stalin was really dead.

Ran 3.08 at Grandview with Jeff in a glorious time of 26:40. That is 8:38 average.

P.M. 2 with Benjamin at Grandview in 15:53. He chased a female soccer player around the field for a while at close to 6:00 pace. But she was taking short cuts, and eventually stopped, so he never got the pleasure of passing her. That was the fastest I've run since the marathon. Then 2 more with Jenny in 18:16. Julia ran 1.53 with us in 14:37. 0.5 with Joseph and Benjamin on the road in 4:54.

Bare Feet Miles: 4.00Water Clogs Miles: 3.59
Night Sleep Time: 7.50Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 7.50
Comments
From Burt on Thu, Oct 08, 2009 at 18:10:14 from 68.76.197.194

I had a dream about Kory last night. You can read about it on his blog.

From JulieC on Sat, Oct 10, 2009 at 18:03:47 from 209.181.148.179

Sasha- I wanted to thank you for the new upgrades to the Course Tool!!!! Thanks. It is so much easier to tell point to point with the property lines and the main roads highlighted yellow. Thank you!!! And wow powerful dreams!! Hope you figure out why and work it through. I tend to dream about what I am stressed about. Since my near breakin a week before SGM (entry on 9/26/09), my sleep patterns have worsened and when I fall asleep I have vivid dreams of thieves/bombers coming and taking me and my family, along with others, hostage. It was like Hitler times as it was happening. Putting people in groups and not caring a bit about lives. I was quoting scriptures and very emotional screaming "NO"!!!. Crazy. I am getting a bit better after talking through my fears with others and of course run and run and run.

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