Detox Update-3

I’ve done very little training over the last several days due to family commitments, but I have learned quite a bit.  Once again, in theory, I have a path to balance.  The problem is that my theories have never worked out in practice.  I tried 3 neuro treatments despite not expecting much.  Here are the results:

5-HTP (Serotonin)- Non-factor

Mucuna Prureins (Dopamine)- Worse.  More overstimulated.

Tyrosine +C (Adrenaline)- Worse. More Overstimulated.

My neuros are okay.  I am nearly certain.  I might consider a thyroid test but once again, I’m pretty sure that would also come back normal.  The only thing I can do is stick to my current formula and hope improvements will come with time.

TRS- Mega doses are required.  I feel MUCH better immediately after taking it.  It is the one treatment that I cannot do without.  I take 10 sprays in the morning and 10 sprays in the evening.  That’s actually down from 15 last week and it may come down further down the road.  I did one interval workout that sealed the deal.  Though unsure of the exact distance, it was probably about 400 meters and here were the results:

Opener- 2:14.  5 sprays- 1:57.  10 sprays- 1:45.  15 sprays- 1:44.7

Only fractionally better from 10-15.  I’m cutting that to 10.  The problem is that it does wear off around lunchtime when I take it first thing in the morning.  I must hold off until late afternoon or I will go broke.  It’s very expensive.  Maybe a cut to 5 sprays x 2 is in my future.

Problems Tolerating the TRS?

That is almost certainly attributed to Sulfur.  Just avoid the sulfur containing amino acids from all sources and I should have no trouble tolerating TRS. 

Need for Methylation, Sarcosine and Maca:

If I miss a day or two, it’s okay.  I can get away with it.  Hell, I won’t even notice it on the first day and probably not on the second day either.  Anything beyond that is asking for trouble however.  I learned the hard way that a week off Maca led to awful symptoms.  I may be able to quit the DIM however.  Again, that is sure a lot better than where I was when I need an exact cocktail every single day or else.

Magnesium and ADHS:

I probably won’t notice if I took a whole week off that stuff but I know that I’d have trouble if I quit it permanently.  I thought about adding back Selenium but I expect that would be a non-factor.  TRS does the same job of eliminating Arsenic. 

I am prepared for the possibility of a plateau FAR below my peak or continuing to get worse in spite of doing everything right.  I do have one last option.  That is removal of my titanium dental implant.  I got it in Spring 2013 and a quick read through reveals that my downturn began before that but accelerated thereafter.  A hair test can reveal the extent of the toxicity.  It’s possible that it’s not an issue at all.  I’d also be interested in the status of my other toxic metals.

Spain and Morocco Trip Plan

This trip is still a few years away, but it could be LOTS of fun.  I can add 3 to my Century Club tally without completely breaking the bank.  Here’s how:

Fly into Tangier, Morocco on the Mediterranean coast.  It will be a 17-21 hour trip with the layovers and will probably take 3 flights out of Atlanta but the prices are surprisingly affordable.  I found a couple deals on Kayak for between $1000-1200 round trip.  Not bad.  I will also be able to save about $400-500 because I will NOT have to rent a car.  There is good taxi service at fixed prices between the airport and my hotel.  As is the case in sub-Saharan Africa, I can get a 4-star hotel on the beach for a 2-star price.

There won’t be much surf on the Mediterranean coast, but I’ll be wiped out from the 5-hour jet lag so I’ll want to take it easy for the first day anyway.  I’ll enjoy a walk on the beach, a camel ride and a stroll through town.  Later on, I’d like to sip a mint tea from Café Hafa overlooking the sea and hike up Parc Rmilat for breathtaking views.  On a clear day, you can see Europe from the top.  Hercules Cave is also a must see.  I do have the option of taking a train to Casablanca or pretty much any other city from Tangier but that would require a separate trip.  Supposedly, there is excellent surf further south on the Atlantic coast but that will be experienced in Spain this time.  

From my hotel in Tangier, I can walk to catch a 1 hour ferry to Tarifa, Spain.  I can assume that there will be plenty of taxis that can take me to my hotel.  Playa Bolonia is one of the nicest beaches that I have seen on YouTube and add to that, 4-6 foot waves are the norm.   Both mountains and views of Africa can be seen from the shore That will be AWESOME. 

From Tarifa, I’ll want to take a 17-mile ride into the British enclave of Gibraltar.  The Rock is a must see there and a couple English pubs could be cool.  If the trip ended there, it would be epic but I’d still want that quintessential Spain experience in Seville, which is only a short 2 hour bus ride away.   I’d probably only spend a night and a day there.  A simple walking tour of the city and a night out would be pretty cool.  I’d want to see the biggest cathedral, the plaza and possibly the bull fighting arena.  I could choose to fly back from either Gibraltar or Seville.  Both appear to be reasonably priced as well.  Madrid is fairly close by but once again, I can’t see everything. 

Language barrier:

English will serve me just fine in Gibraltar.  The rest of the trip would require at least some knowledge of Spanish in Spain (different from Mexican Spanish) plus French in Morocco.  My skills in both are improving thanks to Duo Lingo. 

Best time to go:

I’m thinking September.  It’s a Mediterranean climate so that means mild but rainy winters while summer and early Fall are warm and dry.  Surf is normally calmer in Tarifa in the summer but picks back up starting in September.  I can expect 80 degree high temperatures with less than 1 inch of rain per month in Tangier.  Tarifa will be sunny and 75 with a water temp around 70.  That’s a bit chilly but on par with New England in August, which was still fairly comfortable. 

Solo Trip:

Yes, I would feel comfortable on my own, but I would prefer a companion.  I found a site called Get a Friend for Life, which connects solo travelers with companions to split costs of lodging.  When it’s time, I’ll put this trip out there and see if there is any interest.  I’ll bet that there will be.   

Training 8/12-8/18

I had to write last week off as a total loss.  Sulfur was the culprit and CBS/NOS pills were not enough to counteract it.  That means no Taurine from any source and no Glutamine either.  DIM and Maca are question marks but I do hope that I will be able to quit both of them.  They are expensive.

8/12- DAY 1- I am back on MEGA doses of TRS (15 sprays in the morning+ 15 in the afternoon).
I felt better after taking the morning dose but it wore off shortly after lunch.  1/3 mile intervals at Gold's.  It's good that I can take that much.  The more I take, the faster the toxins come out.
Opener- 3:54 (11:42 pace)
7 sprays- 3:20 (10:00 pace)  MINUS 1:42
14 sprays- 2:41 (8:03 pace)  MINUS 1:57.
The official gap is 3:39/mile but the real gap is more than 4:00.  I was not flat out on the last interval because I needed to save some for the 2 miler afterwards.

Did the 2 miles after a 1/4 mile walk break in an abysmal 21:28 (10:44 pace) but did manage a negative split (10:54-10:34).  I'll see a similar pattern as usual.  Both the floor and ceiling will improve but the floor will improve faster, resulting in lower gaps.  Eventually, the mega doses will come down as well.  I predict a sub-30 for 3 miles tomorrow.
Distance=3.0

8/13- DAY 2- AM- Opener in 3:23 (10:09 pace)  MINUS 93.  Closer in 2:27 (7:21 pace).  MINUS 42
As expected, both the floor and ceiling improved but the floor improved by a lot more.  At any rate, the gap has been reduced from 3:39/mile to 2:48.

PM- 3 miles at Gold's in 27:44 (9:15 pace).  MINUS 89.  I'll take it.  Steady improvements with no more relapses and I'll be back to form soon.  I've said it a thousand times.
Distance=4.0

8/14- DAY 3- AM- Opener in 2:58.8 (8:56 pace).  Closer in 2:17.0 (6:51 pace).  The floor improved by 73 and the ceiling came up by 30.  The gap has been reduced to 2:05.

PM- 3 miles in 25:51 (8:37 pace).  MINUS 38.  I predicted that I would be in the 25s today and I was correct.  Improvements will be slower from this point on.  I hope to be under the Mendoza line in 2 days but I'll probably fall short tomorrow.  The gap will probably be 1:30-1:45.
Distance=4.0

8/15- BAFA day.  AM- Opener in an even 2:40 (8:00 pace).  MINUS 56.  Closer in 2:07 (6:21 pace).  MINUS 30.  The gap is down to 99 seconds.  When it drops below 60, I can reduce the dosage.

PM- 3 miles in 24:15 (8:05 pace).  Everything is going as planned so far.  I fell short of the Mendoza line but ran an even pace.  Compared to yesterday, I was MINUS 32.  Getting below 24 won't be hard.  Getting below 23 should not be hard either.  Under 22?  That could be rough.
Distance=4.0

Southern New England Road Trip

Standard fare for a Crazy J Road trip.  Always on the move with very little idle time.

8/2- Flew out of Atlanta to Boston via Spirit Airlines.  I do NOT recommend them.  I was charged $55 for a carry on bag.  On most other airlines, it fits under the seat and there is no charge.  Not so this time.  At any rate, I arrived on time and got my rental car.  Driving in Boston was a little dicey but I made it to a nearby T-station after some circling around.  It was Blue Line to Government Center then Green Line to Kenmore with a short walk to Fenway Park.  I got there just in time for the 11:00 stadium tour.  That was really cool.  I heard plenty of interesting stories about the oldest stadium in MLB.  I got to view the Visitor's Clubhouse and the press box as well as to sit in the stands on top of the Green Monster.

After a quick lunch across the street, I took the T back to the airport station then hit the road to Connecticut via I-90.  Bad call there.  Take I-95 instead.   Traffic was nasty and I only averaged about 25 mph but once I hit 395, it was smooth sailing to my destination in Groton.  Dinner was a pretty good steak at a diner near the Mystic seaport.  My final stop was Bluff Point Park for sunset.

8/3- After about a 15 minute drive to New London, I arrived in Ocean Beach for my race.  The normal high/low temps for this area are 82/68F and yes, Connecticut can get heat waves in which temps climb over 90.  Today was about average but unfortunately, the race did not begin until 9 AM so that meant it was high noon when the last finishers came plus there was virtually no cloud cover.  I'm normally done with my long runs before 8:30 in the summer so this was hot.  Temps were already pushing 80 by the start and it had climbed higher by the finish.  That said, cooler conditions would not have made much difference.  My formula was off and I melted down after just 3 miles.  I employed a walk/jog strategy to remain as comfortable as possible, which later evolved into more walking than jogging.  Nevertheless, I beat the cutoff with plenty of time to spare and state #42 is in the books.  After a quick dip in the cool water, I hit the road again to Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Ocean Beach, Connecticut

As for the New England beaches, nothing even remotely compares with the Emerald Coast on the FLA/ALA line.  Connecticut is all on the Long Island Sound, which means whiter and softer sand but zero surf.  In Rhode Island and neighboring Massachusetts, sand is grayish and brown near the water, which is not nearly as clear as in the South.  On the plus side, Rhode Island does have pretty consistent surf and felt a tad warmer than Connecticut as well.  It didn't take long before I was comfortable in those cool waters and I got plenty of good waist high rides all the way to the shore.  All in all, it was an enjoyable afternoon.  Dinner was in Newport which was followed by a walk to the beach to see the sunset.

Rhode Island Coast

Newport

8/4- I took a later flight to steal a few more hours in the surf, this time at Horseneck Beach in Massachusetts, about 1 hour from Boston.  Conditions were similar to Rhode Island albeit with a bit more seaweed and a few rocks on the ocean floor.  It was a fun morning but I would have to leave to catch my flight back.  This one was delayed by 90 minutes and I did not get home until midnight.  The next day, I was up at 6:30 and ready for work. 

Final Thoughts:
The rental car expense is the one cost that I dislike the most but on this trip, it was a necessity.  If you plan to stick to Boston, you can simply use the T and stay on the outskirts where hotels are more reasonable.  No doubt, this is the best time of year to visit if you want to hit the beaches.  The risk of a hot weather race was a price that I was willing to pay for time in the surf.  What is my favorite state of the 3 that I just visited?  I've got to say Rhode Island.  It's small but Providence and Newport can be fun at night.  Both New York and Boston are fairly easily accessible and IMO, the best beaches in the region can be found here in what is known as the Ocean State.  I still need Maine and New Hampshire so I'll be up this way again but most likely will stick to northern New England and Canada on those trips.

Training 7/29-8/4 (Race week)

7/29- Good news and bad news.  The good is that the floor continues to rise rapidly.  I opened with a 2:30 without the TRS (7:30 pace).  Didn't run the closer but I have no doubt that the gap is down to no more than 90 seconds, maybe even as little as 60.  It won't be long until I can get by for a day or two without the TRS. I still need at least 2 large doses per day but the ill-effect of a missed dose are not nearly as severe.

 Bad news is that the ceiling has not come up like I hoped it would.  Did 3 miles at Gold's WITH TRS and started off pretty well but faded early.  Finished in 26:36 (8:52 pace).  It's possible that the long run hit me 2 days later, which is common.  Still, I'm not satisfied with my overall energy levels even with the TRS.  I'm afraid that there is still a missing piece.  I'm willing to try Mucuna (dopamine) and Juice Plus but that's it.
Distance=3.5

7/30- Modest improvement but I was hoping for better.  Finished another 3 miler at Gold's in 25:51 (8:37 pace) MINUS 15 plus a half mile cool.  I knew yesterday that something felt off and today confirmed it.  I was MUCH WORSE after extra TRS today.  That dosage has fluctuated AGAIN!  Nothing should surprise me anymore but I am BEYOND ANGRY!  I probably won't be able to run tomorrow because the mega dose won't clear yet.
Distance=3.5

-Finished with 25 miles on the week.  I'm not going to say anything about the race but I did finish and state #42 is in the books.

Updated Travel Bucket list

Let's start with the US:
Hawaii
San Diego
South Dakota
Pacific Coast Hwy
Arizona

I expect to finish these up by the early part of the next decade.  South Dakota is the only state that I have visited as a child but not as an adult.  The one that I am looking forward to the most is probably the Pacific Coast Hwy because it would involve a lot more than that.  I'd fly into LAX then take 395 up to Yosemite NP.  I'll pass through Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes before I hit Yosemite.  From there, I'll cut west to Santa Cruz and race a half mary then take the PCH back down to LA, passing through Big Sur and Monterrey.  Pretty awesome.

North and Central America:
Newfoundland
Cancun
Cabo San Lucas
Costa Rica

Newfoundland will be tough logistically and will probably require 3 flights but it's necessary for the 10 Canadian provinces goal and it is a beautiful area too.  The rest won't be terribly expensive or time consuming.  Atlanta has reasonably priced direct flights to both Cancun and Costa Rica, which will both be great winter trips.  Cabo will be a bit longer flight but shouldn't break the bank.  I plan to stick to the tourist areas and thus will not have to rent a car.

South America
Ecuador
Chile
Argentina
Brazil

Again, the flights here are not too bad and there will be very little jet lag because there will be only a 1-2 hour time zone difference.  In Brazil, I'll stick to Rio, which is amazingly beautiful.  Chile and Argentina will be done on 1 trip.  Fly to Santiago and take a bus over the Andes to Argentina.  No rental car for either trip.  Ecuador could be a little dicey because attractions are spread out but it would be a nice summer trip.  Because of the high elevation, it's 70 degrees year round.

Asia:
Israel
Japan
Hong Kong
Philippines

Here, it will be pricey and very time consuming with considerable jet lag.  For Israel, I'd want to go with a Marathon Tours group for Jerusalem.  In Japan, Tokyo is a must see but the race is nearly impossible to get into.  I may opt for Osaka for the race.  Hong Kong and the Philippines could be done on one trip. 

Africa:
Cape Town
Durban
Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Diani Beach (Kenya)
Accra (Ghana)
Tangiers (Morocco)

Some of my readers may be surprised by a couple of these but I've done my research and all of them could be very enjoyable trips.  Morocco would be a 1 day visit across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain.  Algeria really looks like a beautiful country but visa restrictions are tight and attractions are spread out.  There is a good race near Kilimanjaro, which would definitely be combined with a trip to the Kenyan beach.  There's no surf there but it has the whitest sand and clearest water that I have ever seen on YouTube.  As is the case in Durban, you can score a 4 star hotel on the beach for a 2 star price and many hotels offer free airport shuttles as well.  Why Ghana?  Very nice beaches in a country that is a stable democracy.  Many African-Americans trace their ancestry back from there and the slave castles can also be toured.  That would be gripping and I do expect to cry.  Flights will be costly but I can save on lodging and not having to rent a car. 

Europe:
Spain
Austria
Switzerland
Germany
Poland
Scotland
Croatia

Lots to see here.  I definitely want to get in touch with my roots in Scotland, Germany and Poland.  Croatia looks beautiful as well.  Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany and Poland can be done in one trip.  Spain is probably the one that I'd most want to see however with its beaches and excellent surf year round.  My two race picks are Glasgow and Berlin. 

Australia:
Melbourne
Sydney
Gold Coast
Great Ocean Road

This is the toughest logistically and likely the most expensive but man, the scenery is AWESOME!.  I'd probably race in Melbourne and drive the Great Ocean Road then fly up to Gold Coast for some surfing on the same trip.  Sydney would require a 2nd trip.

Race goals:
I want 2 in each continent in different countries.  For example, I'd like to race in both Durban and Cape Town but that's only one African country.  That's where Kilimanjaro comes in to play.  Since Australia is only one country, I only need to race in 2 different states (Victoria and NSW or Queensland)

As I've said earlier, a country must be peaceful, stable and not terribly oppressive for me to consider a visit.  Both Cuba and Iran have some amazing scenery with extremely friendly people but until the current political regimes are toppled, both are no-go zones.  South Africa would not be on my list either if apartheid was still in place.  I figure that I can afford to take one such trip per year with my current finances.  I could be well into my 60s yet still have places that I want to see.  Very few people have traveled as much as I have.  I've read that the average American visits only 12 states in their lifetime.  Get out and be more adventurous!

Training 7/22-7/28

7/22- Consider it an unplanned rest day.  Managed just 1 mile in a time over 10 minutes.
Distance=1.0

7/23- 4.5 miles in 42:05 (9:24 pace) plus a half mile cool. Just about back to the new norm.
Distance=5.0

7/24- AM- Took advantage of a rare summer cold front with temps in the mid-60s this morning.  Lakeshore 5 in 44:36 (8:55 pace). plus a cool.  Pace was pretty steady just south of 9 most of the way but did have a little something left.

PM- Trak Shak 3.5 in 29:34 (8:27 pace).  Two days in a row, I've felt considerably better in the afternoon.  I believe it is the mega doses of TRS.  I don't feel as well in the morning because I only got one dose after 12 hours off in the morning but got 2 more doses in the afternoon (1 at lunch and 1 before the run).  Mega Mega doses is my only hope of a semi-respectable showing in Connecticut.
Distance=9.0 

7/25-AM- Test intervals plus a 1 lap cool.
NO TRS- 3:48 at Montreat (11:24 pace).  Only 13 hours after taking my last TRS.
10 sprays- 2:16 (6:48 pace).  MINUS 4:36.
I ran the 2nd interval without methylation support too.  With it, I bet the gap grows to over 5:00.  As has happened in the past, the gap will shrink with time.  Both the floor and ceiling will improve but the floor will rise much faster.  Then, if history is any indication, the process will repeat again and again. 

Dreamed that Trump ran against Bernie Sanders in the election.  The only difference was that Trump was a Democrat and Sanders was a Republican.  I assume they switched ideologies but not personalities.  FWIW, Trump won easily.  Makes sense to me.  The media would love Trump if he was a socialist.

PM- Canterbury 4 in 32:56 (8:14 pace).  Not bad overall but I was really struggling on the back half, which is almost all downhill or level.  Wore myself out on the early hills.  Splits were 16:11-16:45.
Distance=5.0

7/26- Opener- 3:32 (10:36 pace)
Closer- 2:13 (6:39 pace). plus a cool.
The gap is down to 3:57.  That's it for today.  I don't want to increase the weekly mileage too quickly.
Distance=1.0

7/27- Ran an opener in 3:16 (9:48 pace).  MINUS 48.  No closer.  Saved it for the long run.  BTC 12 in 1:47:50 (8:59 pace).  Faded on the back half but never slowed beyond 9:40.  Barring a relapse, I'm looking good for a sub-2 in Connecticut next weekend.  Added a half mile cool.
Distance=13.0

7/28- Opener this morning and my time is all the way down to 2:50 (8:30 pace).  Followed that up with approximately 1.7 miles on Lakeshore at a pace just south of 9.  This was intended to be a recovery jog and I felt surprisingly fresh after yesterday's effort.  That's it for today.  I had plenty more in me but I've already exceeded the mileage quota.
Distance=2.0

-36 miles on the week
YTD-690.  I want to maintain 35 for the rest of the summer then bump it up to 40 in the Fall.

Rant: Identity Politics

Black people do not have to be Democrats.  White Southerners do not have to be Republicans.  Study the issues and vote for the candidate that you think has the best vision for America.  People will disagree but that must be done with respect and civility.

I do think Trump's tweet about going back to where they came from was stupid, factually incorrect and somewhat offensive.  That said, I do NOT believe that the 4 Congresswomen were targeted for being "women of color."  They were targeted for making ridiculously outrageous statements that were anti-Semitic, anti-American and yes, racist as well.  If worded differently such as "Take a look at the countries that follow your principles such as Venezuela, Cuba or Somalia, perhaps you should move there if you hate America so much."  I would have had no problem with that.  IMO, the worst of the 4 is Ilhan Omar.  Let's take a look at some of these statements.

Rep. Tlaib said that Congress was going to "impeach the motherf---er" and it was met was applause. A Missouri state senator publicly hopes for a presidential assassination.  If a prominent Tea Party conservative had said that about Obama, I am betting that he would be forced to resign in disgrace.  And rightly so.  I don't condone that type of language directed at a President even if I don't like him.  She also begged for leniency for terrorists who tried to join ISIS.  She also said that the Holocaust gave her a calming feeling and that its real tragedy was the creation of the state of Israel.

AOC said that the world will end in 12 years if we don't take radical steps to stop global warming and recently called America in its current state as "garbage."  I could go on and on about her statements I actually think that she is the least dangerous of the 4.  She's just plain stupid and sometimes I wish the media would just ignore her.

Rep. Pressley said that she doesn't want black, brown and queer faces unless they have black, brown or queer voices.  In other words, all racial and "sexual minorities" must think a certain way or they will be ostracized.  I have tremendous respect for black conservatives who risk being cut off by friends or even family members if they come out of the closet as conservatives.  Candace Owens and MikeNificent are my two favorites. White liberals who vote Democrat are VERY rarely called race traitors for voting Democrat.

Rep Omar is openly anti-Semitic and downplayed 9/11 as "some people did something" She flat out refused to condemn al-Qaeda or the Antifa terror attack on the ICE facility, claiming to be offended by the question.  If I were asked to condemn white supremacy, I might be a bit irritated by the question but my response would be a resounding YES!

Now let's suppose that the Democrats nominated a candidate who ran on this platform:
-Increased border security with a tough and lengthy path to citizenship for illegals.
-Legalized abortion but restricted to the point pain capability or at least viability with no federal funding.
-Modest tax increases only on earning above $300K.
  I personally would not vote for that but those are reasonable and mainstream positions that would have a good chance of defeating Trump.  Assuming that the economy stays strong and Trump stays on point with a focus on the issues, I believe that he will win against a far-left candidate.  Right now, I predict it will be Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. 

There is a school of thought that you cannot criticize any "person of color" no matter how outrageous their words or actions.  Foul language and horseplay during class instruction time must also be accepted.  IMO, that is a dangerous and racist viewpoint.  To me, it implies that we cannot expect them to behave a respectful manner because it's "part of their culture" to behave in a rambunctious manner.   If that's not racist, I don't know what is. 

Back in college, I knew a guy who talked loudly in the hallway at 2:00 or 3:00 AM then cried racism when people complained.  I'm quite sure that nobody cared that he was black.  They cared about being awakened in the middle of the night.  A few years ago, I lost a FB friend who refused to condemn calls for "killing crackers" indiscriminately.  Ironically, he is half white himself yet sided with a group that hates race mixing.  He needs psychiatric help.

I do not deny that white racism exists today and I am disgusted by it.  That said, I do NOT believe that in 2019 America, it is a significant barrier to being successful.  Bigotry is not tolerated in mainstream society and if a person is outed as a racist, their reputation could be forever tarnished.  This is not 1959 Alabama.  Attitudes have evolved and to suggest otherwise is offensive to me as an Alabama resident.

 Nobody in their right mind would deny that African-Americans have faced severe injustices in the past.  I've tried with little success to engage with liberals about what policies need to be implemented TODAY to help minority communities.  I'm all for strong enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, leniency for non-violent drug offenders and even giving economically disadvantaged students (of all races) a leg up in college admissions.  I also feel that government sponsored mentor programs for at-risk students would be a good idea.  If kids see an adult who grew up in their environment yet "made it," they might believe in themselves as well.

Whenever Trump holds a rally, he touts the record low unemployment rate among blacks and Hispanics.  It is always met with rousing cheers and applause.  If Trump and his supporters did not want racial minorities to be successful, why would they be so happy to hear that news?  What is my attitude towards "people of color?"  I see you as my equal and you will be treated as such.  I do recognize and appreciate diversity but I view all people as individuals not as members of a particular group.  I will give you praise when it's due but criticize when it's warranted.   As for the blacks that I have met over the years?  Yes, I have liked most of them.  Unfortunately, I have encountered a few that I dislike but skin color is not a factor.  I've met white people that I dislike as well.  I'd wager that my attitude closely matches that of the majority of Trump supporters.

To the far-left, America was founded and built on slavery and white supremacy.  I will not deny that America has problems.  Every civilization in the history of the world has had problems but I also believe that today's America is fundamentally good and capable of improvement.  To the far-left, it is irredeemably unjust and cannot be fixed with anything less than a violent revolution.  It has happened before.  It's called Communism and has led to death camps and mass starvation everywhere that it has been tried.

Training 7/15-7/21

7/15- 2 miles in 17:58 (8:59 pace).  Started off decently well but faded early and it got worse and worse as the run progressed.  Splits were 8:28-9:30 and it had slowed to nearly 10 by the end.  Had to push it in the last lap to secure the sub-9 overall.  I was pretty sure that the TRS was the culprit but wasn't sure if the dose was too low or too high.  It was too low.  I felt better after taking it.  Back up to 5 sprays.
Distance=2.0

7/16- 5x400 at Gold's.  I had taken 5 sprays the previous night and it was obviously NOT enough.
0 sprays- 2:32 (10:08 pace)
2 sprays- 2:20 (9:20 pace)
4 sprays- 2:05 (8:20 pace)
6 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace)
8 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace) fractionally slower.
  Most likely, I need 5 sprays in the morning and the evening!  The crazy thing is that if I was still on the charcoal or the probiotics, I would still need to reduce the TRS.  Got home and ran a lap around Montreat in 2:31 (7:33 pace) AFTER caffeine so I was actually marginally better on it.  I don't think that was the problem last week after all.
Distance=2.0

7/17- Woke up feeling awful without the TRS despite the fact that I had taken 5 sprays just over 12 hours earlier.  I did feel decent during the morning but began fading after lunch.  By the time I got home from work, I only managed a 3:08 lap at Montreat (9:24 pace).  Marginally better with Liver and Glutamine so I don't think that caused the spike in the need for TRS.  Improved to 3:03 (9:09 pace).  Finished the day with 2 miles in 16:56 (8:28 pace) with a negative split (8:37-8:19) AFTER the TRS.  Tomorrow morning, I predict that I will be awful again.
Distance=3.0

7/18- AM- Not as awful as I feared.  Opened with a 2:54 (8:42 pace) lap then improved to 2:24 (7:12 pace) with a stacked deck.  MINUS 90.  That is a night and day difference but it took 5 sprays to do it so if you break it down, it's only 18 per spray.  I expect the gap will continue to diminish but it will be a while before I can go any length of time without the TRS.  Added a lap cool.

PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore after another dose of the sprays.  Finished in 33:20 (8:20 pace).  Tough conditions out there today.  We'll begin seeing relief in about a month.  An improvement over yesterday but I was hoping for better.  Faded considerably on the back half.  I was 16:15 at the half then faded to a 17:05.
Distance=5.0

7/19-AM- Gold's 3 mile in 23:53 (7:58 pace).  Below the Mendoza line but I really had to work for it in that last mile and am not confident that I can handle the longer distances.  Added a cool.  That's it for today.  Weather could be iffy tomorrow so we'll see.
Distance=3.5

7/20- Another FAILED long run.  I knew it would not be pretty so I went out at a conservative 9:40 pace hoping to hold it for 8-10 miles.  I could not even hold it for 2 miles.  Finished with 3 in a time of 32:24 (10:48 pace).   Added a lap at Montreat a couple hours later at a comparable pace.  I'm afraid my need for TRS has spiked again.  Today, it was almost like I didn't take it for a whole day even though I am quite sure that I did.  That could be good news in the long run.  The more sprays I take, the faster the toxins come out.  The bottle will cost me $175/month at the rate I am using it.  I can't afford that long-term and can only hope the need will diminish in time.

PM- This is NUTS!  This time, I DID get benefits from more than 5 sprays at a time.  After 8 sprays this evening, I improved from a 3:13 to a 2:33.  MINUS 2:00 per mile.  Until further notice, I will take as many sprays as I need.  Damn the costs!
Distance=4.5

7/21- 5 miles on Lakeshore in 46:41 (9:20 pace).  Fairly even splits with something left at the end.  Not good by any stretch of the imagination but it was better than yesterday.  It took TEN sprays this morning.  If I had only taken 5, it would have been no better than yesterday.  Maybe even worse.
Distance=5.0

PM- 2 miles at Montreat in 16:31 (8:15 pace).  Feeling a little better.
Distance=2.0

-27 miles on the week.
-YTD-654

Southwest Road Trip Ideas

I did visit Arizona in 2015 but the fun was limited by uncharacteristically bad rainy weather, so I really could not do it justice. I only spent about 30-45 minutes at the Grand Canyon and could not do any hiking in Sedona at all though I did enjoy the Phoenix area.  I think the best way to do this might be 2 separate smaller trips rather than one epic week-long trip. In fact, the full trip would take 9-10 days so it’s definitely a 2-trip proposition.  I would want to do Northern Arizona in early summer and Southern Arizona in mid-late Fall   In terms of racing, I’ve already got Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado so this will be on the back burner until at least 2021.  There is a downhill race in Tucson that looks interesting, but it will not count towards the 50 states. 

Northern Trip

Day 1- Land in Albuquerque.  Head west on I-40 towards Flagstaff with an option to stop at Petrified Forest NP.  Supposedly, this is the most scenic interstate road in America but it will be hard to top I-70 west of Denver in Colorado.   I’ll drive as long as I feel comfortable.  If I don’t make it all the way to Flagstaff, it’s okay.

Day 2- Hike in Sedona. Drive to Grand Canyon.  Arrive by sunset.  I’ll have to pay a premium to get a hotel anywhere near the Grand Canyon but it will be worth it to avoid backtracking.  It’s about 2:15 from Sedona to the South Rim and less than 1 hour from Flagstaff to Sedona.  If I can get to the Grand Canyon at sunset, it could really be awesome.  

Day 3- Fully explore the Grand Canyon.  Drive northeast towards Monument Valley.  Target town is Kayenta

Day 4-  If I make it to Kayenta, it’s only a 3 hour drive to Durango, Colorado.  Stops along the way would include Monument Valley, 4 corners and Mesa Verde.  From Durango, I would definitely want to go up and down the Million Dollar Hwy.

Day 5- Durango back to Albuquerque via 550 for a flight home. 

Southern Trip:

Day 1- Fly into Tucson and hopefully check out Tucson Mountain Park.

Day 2- Drive up and down Mt. Lemmon then cross the border at Nogales (Sonora).  It’s only 1 hour from Tucson to Nogales.  I’ll get a beer and a steak at a bargain price but don’t anticipate staying too long.  From there, I’ll head east on I-10 towards New Mexico.

Day 3- Stop at Guadalupe Mountains NP then cut back to the West Texas town of El Paso.  Scenic Drive and Franklin Mountain State Park are must dos in El Paso.

Day 4- Brief tour of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua).  Kentucky Bar, birthplace of the margarita is a must see in Juarez.  2 different states in Mexico add 2 more to my Century club tally.

Day 5- Back to Tucson for the flight home.