PinnedMy journey to a sub-3-hour marathonDiscipline > Goals — A friend told me that breaking the 3-hour marathon mark can be underwhelming. It’s just a number, he said and once you get there, it’s possible to feel empty. Bullshit! Yesterday, at 41 years of age, I ran a 2.57.04 marathon in Southern California and it felt like an achievement…Running8 min read
PinnedA decade ago I had the biggest standoff I’ve ever had with my wife. She demanded we leave Russia.Trust your wife! — I spent most of my teen years away from Russia but Moscow was my home. I was studying abroad — first in the US, then England — but would be back In Moscow for every school break. I missed Moscow during my boarding school years and missed it even more…Life5 min read
PinnedRussia’s war against Ukraine is finally sinking in. Strangely, I’m not escaping my Russian identity.I’ll be the best I can be — For many days and several weeks, I experienced and expressed my shock and pain over the war in Ukraine. The shock wasn’t from watching CNN. It was from hearing my mom cry in anger and despair. We have close relatives in Ukraine. …News3 min read
1 day agoWe need to be excellent at something, or else it can get pretty darkBecause we do — I love running and write a lot about it. My recent results, like my sub 2.50 marathon, reflect how I strive for excellence in my hobby of running. When I tell people about running, I am anything but shy. I brag. Because I can. Because I’ve achieved excellence in running. …Psychology2 min read
2 days agoIf Putin did this, would be the greatest leader in human history?Crime and Punishment, kind of — I’m biased (in the obvious direction — you’d know if you read my stories), but imagine for a minute this outcome. Imagine without taking any sides. You can hate Putin, or you can be pro-Putin. …News3 min read
2 days agoMarathon adviceFrom a proud sub 2.50 marathon runner — In the fall of last year, I ran a 2.57 marathon and recently improved to 2.49. This was a huge improvement over my four-hour marathons a little over a decade ago (I’m forty-two now, so I was in my late twenties then). Back then I didn’t take marathons seriously. My…Running4 min read
4 days agoA year since we got our green cards and it still feels like the honeymoonEnjoying the journey — I know it’s a bit lame to repost my own stories but this one is worth it. To live is to suffer. And then we got our green cards. alexeisorokinstories.medium.com A year ago! Not much to add to the story that I wrote. To live is to suffer… Then a celebration of a lifetime! …America2 min read
5 days agoToday is a great day for music lovers. And I loved this violent movie.A pop culture note! — A pop culture note! Stories about music feel niche because our tastes are very unique. I’d talk with admiration about some artist and someone will think, “Who?” Today was special though. The Smile (think Radiohead/Thom Yorke) Kendrick Lamar Florence + the Machine I listen to all of these freshly released…Music2 min read
6 days agoBecoming an athlete. I’m an athlete.Not a figure of speech — I’m an athlete. For some strange reason, I’m thinking of the movie The Fly. The metamorphosis has been that dramatic. I’m a runner. I’ve always enjoyed running but two years ago I started to run more. I started to run consistently. My consistency became an uncompromisable habit. …Running3 min read
May 12Many of my stories on Russia were overreactions. On the surface. I am not deleting them.The end of Russia — This is the first time my story will consist of links to my own stories. It’s by design. I’m taking a look at how I’ve evolved in my perception of Russia’s war in Ukraine. No shame over how I overreacted in some of them. I’m doubling down on most of…Russia2 min read
