I don't read People magazine or the celebrity gossip because "it's garbage." I am also sick of all the Michael Jackson coverage on the news pre-empting the normal programming. Now, I am not so callous that I don't care that he's dead. Jackson had a hard life and it's a shame that he went through so much. I'm no fan of psychologists because their counseling does absolutely nothing to help chemical imbalances but it's obvious that he needed professional help. If Jackson ever had the same medical tests that I had, I would look like the picture of perfect health by comparison. I can see how people can become addicted to pain medication and if I was not a Christian, I believe that I would have become addicted to something.
Now on to the rant. I am sick of the media coverage not only about Michael Jackson but of all celebrites. These people may be very talented in just one area of life but outside of that, they could be morons. I'd wager that they are more likely to be morons than the average person. After my race on Saturday, my buddy Nick and I were hanging out by the pool in my apartment complex and listened to several minutes worth of conversation among 3 women who appeared to be roughly our age. It centered around how the hairstyles of Ashlee Simpson and Lindsay Lohan made them more attractive. Who cares? Nick and I just looked at each other and shook our heads. Today, I happened to see on Yahoo that Britney Spears dyed her hair brown. Again, who cares? It's pretty pathetic that so many young people look up to these morons. I could rant for quite awhile about the immaturity of many people in their 20s but that's another subject. Was I ever immature? At 19-21, yes I was but when I finished graduate school at the age of 24, I found it more and more difficult to relate to 18-21 year old undergrads. To anyone who sees these celebs as role models or heroes, here is a list of some real heroes:
-Parents who would do anything for their children because of their unconditional love.
-Lifeguards who save people from drowning. The random person who sees a baby fall into a pool and jumps in to save the life.
-Firefighters who risk their lives to pull people out of a burning building
- Military personnel who put their lives on the line in their service to this great nation.
-Great teachers who inspire young kids to do something great with their lives.
How many of these true heroes ever make the national news? Many firefighters died on 9/11 in an effort to find survivors. I don't know anything about any of these people or the families that they left behind yet the the following information is widely accessible about celebrites: rumors about who they are dating, their favorite foods and drinks and their fashion choices. Give me a break.
Monday, June 29, 2009
training 6/28-7/4
6/28- Went from symptoms of taking too much chromium to symptoms of not taking enough in just 36 hours. Low strength isn't enough. Full strength is too much. I can't take this anymore! Body quit on me after just 1.5 miles then tried to do a very easy warm down at 9:00 pace and I could not even do that. Pathetic.
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=2.0
6/29-Took full strength chromium and got back to where I was on race day. 6 miles on Lakeshore trail in 43:17 (7:13 pace). Average performance. Nearly an all out effort to run tempo pace. Good start but got slower with each mile. 1st half of trail in 17:32, 2nd half in 18:10 followed by a weak 7:35 6th mile. Probably would have been under 60 for 8 miles so not bad overall. On pace for about a 45-flat 10K which is well short of my peak. Felt a bit off form. Need to raise the Serine dosage or switch to Calm-PRT. No doubt that I need the full strength chromium and something stronger to slow my adrenals.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=6.0
6/30-Johnny's speed session. This is more like myself. (200-400)x4 plus an 800 for dessert.
200s were all 33-35. 400s were 75-73-72-63. 800 was a 2:33 (best time of the year). That last 400 felt a lot easier than last week and I finished it faster than I started, proving that last week's 62 was no fluke. High hopes that taurine + Serine is the final answer.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=4.0
7/1- Tied up in traffic and got to the Trak Shak late. Did the 8 mile course in 61:48 (7:42 pace) solo for a new course PR. Got heckled and got called "crazy" so I'm living up to my name. Temp was around 90. Pushed it pretty hard from the start and felt strong until the last hill then hung on fairly well. Took more taurine. Is this the final breakthrough that I have been praying for?
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
7/2- Probably a mistake to run today. 3 miles easy at Veteran's Park. Overall pace was just over 7:30 though it was faster than that early. Started too fast and paid the price. Quit the workout at the first sign of a struggle. I may have to start at easier effort now that my legs are used to the speed training. I like the fact that I had the energy to even feel like starting that fast but I was beat up after ward and felt hyperthyroid. Performance was fair overall.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.5
7/3- 400 meter time trial in 62.50. I timed myself in 62.9 last Tuesday so this does go in the books as my fastest time since '99. Got out under 15, slipped a little in the midsection but still came through 300 in 46. Legs felt too loose in the last 100 and could not accelerate like I did on Tuesday. I left everything out there on that lap too because I tried to run some 300s after it and managed only 2 weak efforts followed by a cool down.
Final thought: 2.51 seconds away or a full 10 seconds per mile. That's like dropping from a 5:10 to a 5:00 mile, which would be very tough, but I did not rest the day before and clearly did not have my "A" stuff out there. I'll take another shot at this after a rest day next week. I don't want this to be an obsession but I will make it an official goal.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=1.5
7/4- Good hard long run with John. Started out around 7:45 for the first half then hit the trail and picked up the pace. Left John behind after a 7:10 then maintained it for another 3. Not quite PR stuff today but pretty solid overall. Finished 8+ miles in 61 minutes.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.5
Weekly summary:
I ran all 7 days this week, which is rare for me. I still need to tweak the formula. Calm-PRT appears to be too strong and Taurine is not a magic cure but should put me on the right track. Lower mileage than usual but all of it was at 7:45 or better (even the F workout). Very much up and down and a bit of an emotional roller coaster. My next medical report won't be for another 3 months and I want to stick with this formula until that time.
Distance=33.5/ GPA: 35.4 /12= 2.950
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=2.0
6/29-Took full strength chromium and got back to where I was on race day. 6 miles on Lakeshore trail in 43:17 (7:13 pace). Average performance. Nearly an all out effort to run tempo pace. Good start but got slower with each mile. 1st half of trail in 17:32, 2nd half in 18:10 followed by a weak 7:35 6th mile. Probably would have been under 60 for 8 miles so not bad overall. On pace for about a 45-flat 10K which is well short of my peak. Felt a bit off form. Need to raise the Serine dosage or switch to Calm-PRT. No doubt that I need the full strength chromium and something stronger to slow my adrenals.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=6.0
6/30-Johnny's speed session. This is more like myself. (200-400)x4 plus an 800 for dessert.
200s were all 33-35. 400s were 75-73-72-63. 800 was a 2:33 (best time of the year). That last 400 felt a lot easier than last week and I finished it faster than I started, proving that last week's 62 was no fluke. High hopes that taurine + Serine is the final answer.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=4.0
7/1- Tied up in traffic and got to the Trak Shak late. Did the 8 mile course in 61:48 (7:42 pace) solo for a new course PR. Got heckled and got called "crazy" so I'm living up to my name. Temp was around 90. Pushed it pretty hard from the start and felt strong until the last hill then hung on fairly well. Took more taurine. Is this the final breakthrough that I have been praying for?
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
7/2- Probably a mistake to run today. 3 miles easy at Veteran's Park. Overall pace was just over 7:30 though it was faster than that early. Started too fast and paid the price. Quit the workout at the first sign of a struggle. I may have to start at easier effort now that my legs are used to the speed training. I like the fact that I had the energy to even feel like starting that fast but I was beat up after ward and felt hyperthyroid. Performance was fair overall.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.5
7/3- 400 meter time trial in 62.50. I timed myself in 62.9 last Tuesday so this does go in the books as my fastest time since '99. Got out under 15, slipped a little in the midsection but still came through 300 in 46. Legs felt too loose in the last 100 and could not accelerate like I did on Tuesday. I left everything out there on that lap too because I tried to run some 300s after it and managed only 2 weak efforts followed by a cool down.
Final thought: 2.51 seconds away or a full 10 seconds per mile. That's like dropping from a 5:10 to a 5:00 mile, which would be very tough, but I did not rest the day before and clearly did not have my "A" stuff out there. I'll take another shot at this after a rest day next week. I don't want this to be an obsession but I will make it an official goal.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=1.5
7/4- Good hard long run with John. Started out around 7:45 for the first half then hit the trail and picked up the pace. Left John behind after a 7:10 then maintained it for another 3. Not quite PR stuff today but pretty solid overall. Finished 8+ miles in 61 minutes.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.5
Weekly summary:
I ran all 7 days this week, which is rare for me. I still need to tweak the formula. Calm-PRT appears to be too strong and Taurine is not a magic cure but should put me on the right track. Lower mileage than usual but all of it was at 7:45 or better (even the F workout). Very much up and down and a bit of an emotional roller coaster. My next medical report won't be for another 3 months and I want to stick with this formula until that time.
Distance=33.5/ GPA: 35.4 /12= 2.950
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Race to the Courthouse 5K report
Another non-improvement from last year. I finished almost 30 seconds short of my post-high school PR and a full minute from my all time PR. My buddy Nick came in from Atlanta that evening and I had some last minute stuff to take care of before he arrived. I woke up automatically around 5:30 and my legs felt stiff as a board from not taking any chromium the day before. I ended up going with the full strength chromium and a half of manganese. It turned out to be too much. The morning was uneventful and we were out the door in plenty of time after some light food and fluids. The race was held in downtown Birmingham, Ala-dam-bama and I figured it would be about as flat of a course as you would find in the area. I was probably right about that. No steep hills. Just a few mild inclines that might slow you down a tad. I'd rate this course as a 3 on a scale of 1-10 in terms of difficulty.
Organization was very poor. We had to sign up first then the bib numbers were not even ready so we had to go back to the car and stow our Gatorade then come back to get the bib. To make a long story short, we had to wait in line twice finally finished the process with only 15 minutes to go until race time. As I warmed up, I could tell that I was just a little off form and probably should have gone without the manganese and/or lower strength chromium. THIS IS WHY I NEED A SECOND OPINION ON MY MEDICAL REPORT. Taking one pill (or less) should NOT make a difference between a PR and a debacle. My health is unacceptable and I will not tolerate this any longer.
In regards to today's performance, it was not a debacle, but average at best. If I did not take anything, it would have been disasterous. I did not have a working GPS, so I followed Dave from behind to get a good feel for the pace. I was shooting for around 6:10 for the first mile. About half mile into in, my breathing was already labored. Dave was pulling ahead of me and it was not long until he was out of my sight. I finally hit the mile mark in 6:20. Okay, I'm still on pace for a sub-20 but I was certainly not feeling it. We came up the bridge and followed it with a downhill. By this point, I was running my top speed and struggling to keep up with my 1st mile pace. About halfway through, I was feeling the lactic acid buildup and I knew that this was not my day. Temps were in the low 80s with hot sun and no shade so I'm sure that sapped my strength as well. Fortunately, this part of the course was relatively flat and straight. I hit the 2 mile mark in 12:53 for a weak 6:33 2nd mile. A runner was gaining on me and passed me with about a half mile to go. I thought that if I could stay with him, I could outkick him at the end and although there would be no PR, a monster finishing kick could still bring me home under 20. It was not to be. I knew that I would not catch him and would be over 20. Also, the home stretch was up a slight incline so my finishing kick was relatively weak. Unoffically, I was either fifth or sixth overall, which says more about the weakness of the field than my performance. Unofficially, I came in at 20:14, worse than last's year best time and barely faster than my April 5K on a much tougher course. No runner's high at the end, just abnormally stiff legs. As I've said on my medical report, I have made almost no improvement in the last 6 months. If I don't do something about this hyperthyroid/adrenals, this is as good as it is going to get. This is unsatisfactory. If I can't get faster because I have reached my limit as far as my level of talent, that's fine. If my efforts continue being sabotaged by chemical imbalances, I feel that much of life's blessings (not just running) are being stolen from me. I'm taking it back. It belongs to me!
Official results: According to the website, I was 4th overall with a time of 20:14.6. Perhaps the man who passed me towards the end was a bandit. In any event, even a 5th place finish out of 200+ runners is not so bad. I was told by at least 2 people that I was too hard on myself and I will go on record and say that they are right. Unofficial Splits: 6:20-6:33-6:36-45. No ghastly fade despite hurting.
Organization was very poor. We had to sign up first then the bib numbers were not even ready so we had to go back to the car and stow our Gatorade then come back to get the bib. To make a long story short, we had to wait in line twice finally finished the process with only 15 minutes to go until race time. As I warmed up, I could tell that I was just a little off form and probably should have gone without the manganese and/or lower strength chromium. THIS IS WHY I NEED A SECOND OPINION ON MY MEDICAL REPORT. Taking one pill (or less) should NOT make a difference between a PR and a debacle. My health is unacceptable and I will not tolerate this any longer.
In regards to today's performance, it was not a debacle, but average at best. If I did not take anything, it would have been disasterous. I did not have a working GPS, so I followed Dave from behind to get a good feel for the pace. I was shooting for around 6:10 for the first mile. About half mile into in, my breathing was already labored. Dave was pulling ahead of me and it was not long until he was out of my sight. I finally hit the mile mark in 6:20. Okay, I'm still on pace for a sub-20 but I was certainly not feeling it. We came up the bridge and followed it with a downhill. By this point, I was running my top speed and struggling to keep up with my 1st mile pace. About halfway through, I was feeling the lactic acid buildup and I knew that this was not my day. Temps were in the low 80s with hot sun and no shade so I'm sure that sapped my strength as well. Fortunately, this part of the course was relatively flat and straight. I hit the 2 mile mark in 12:53 for a weak 6:33 2nd mile. A runner was gaining on me and passed me with about a half mile to go. I thought that if I could stay with him, I could outkick him at the end and although there would be no PR, a monster finishing kick could still bring me home under 20. It was not to be. I knew that I would not catch him and would be over 20. Also, the home stretch was up a slight incline so my finishing kick was relatively weak. Unoffically, I was either fifth or sixth overall, which says more about the weakness of the field than my performance. Unofficially, I came in at 20:14, worse than last's year best time and barely faster than my April 5K on a much tougher course. No runner's high at the end, just abnormally stiff legs. As I've said on my medical report, I have made almost no improvement in the last 6 months. If I don't do something about this hyperthyroid/adrenals, this is as good as it is going to get. This is unsatisfactory. If I can't get faster because I have reached my limit as far as my level of talent, that's fine. If my efforts continue being sabotaged by chemical imbalances, I feel that much of life's blessings (not just running) are being stolen from me. I'm taking it back. It belongs to me!
Official results: According to the website, I was 4th overall with a time of 20:14.6. Perhaps the man who passed me towards the end was a bandit. In any event, even a 5th place finish out of 200+ runners is not so bad. I was told by at least 2 people that I was too hard on myself and I will go on record and say that they are right. Unofficial Splits: 6:20-6:33-6:36-45. No ghastly fade despite hurting.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A new goal emerges and another is adjusted
I am still buzzing about that 62 quarter. Particularly impressive was the fact that it was done at the end of a workout and 40 yards ahead of my nearest competitor. I can just imagine how fast I could have been if I was fresh and was either chasing somebody or had someone on my tail. I don't think that it's a stretch to say that I can run a 60. How about a 59.9? Back in high school, I used to do 2-3 speed workouts a week and it seems that my raw speed isn't far off what it was 10 years ago despite higher mileage/slower paced training.
If I want to run a sub-60 quarter, it will probably have to be within the next year or two. I'll be 30 in September 2010 and the window of opportunity for improvement in the sprints is almost closed now. In contrast, I expect my marathon time to improve up until my late 30s.
Here's a training idea: Cut my mileage down to the 30s and run it all at 7:40 pace or faster including the long runs (I'd have to run those without Scott and John) and add a second interval session. Of course, I won't train like this all year round. The Alabama summer is a good time to cut mileage and there are essentially no races in August. I may take a week off in late July and go to the beach for a few days with my buddy Nick. We'll see how I feel. I am excited about the possibility of a sub-60. When I first ran a 60 quarter in high school, my mile time was just under 5:10 and I've got to believe that my endurance is better now. My PR at 10K is better now than it was then and if I raced my teenaged self in the half marathon, I'd finish over a mile ahead.
On my reflections on marathon training post, I made the following lifetime goals:
Mile: 5:20/ 5K: 19:00/ 10K: 40:00/ Half mary: 1:30:00/ Full Mary: 3:10:59
My current times are as follows: 5:26/19:48/42:43/1:36:16/3:43:22.
It is obvious that I have "misunderestimated" my ability in the shorter distances. Heck, I may be able to hit the track and turn in a 5:20 today. I may have "misoverestimated" myself in longer races but that is likely to change when I get my body chemistry in balance.
Adjusted goals: A sub-60 quarter may be a stretch and I don't want it to turn into an obsession but I will upgrade my Mile target to a 5:15 and downgrade my marathon to a 3:15 or 3:20. I am not giving up on Boston but concede that it will be very tough especially on a flat course. I still maintain that I have a decent chance at it on a significant downhill course such as St. George or Tucson. I figure a 3:10 there doesn't count as a PR and is only as good as a flat 3:20.
Fun fact: My fastest mile run under any conditions was a 4:43. Pretty impressive, you say? I had the assistance of gravity in the first mile of a 5K road race. On flat terrain, it was more like a 5:43 and I had another 2.1 miles to go. I do not consider it a PR.
If I want to run a sub-60 quarter, it will probably have to be within the next year or two. I'll be 30 in September 2010 and the window of opportunity for improvement in the sprints is almost closed now. In contrast, I expect my marathon time to improve up until my late 30s.
Here's a training idea: Cut my mileage down to the 30s and run it all at 7:40 pace or faster including the long runs (I'd have to run those without Scott and John) and add a second interval session. Of course, I won't train like this all year round. The Alabama summer is a good time to cut mileage and there are essentially no races in August. I may take a week off in late July and go to the beach for a few days with my buddy Nick. We'll see how I feel. I am excited about the possibility of a sub-60. When I first ran a 60 quarter in high school, my mile time was just under 5:10 and I've got to believe that my endurance is better now. My PR at 10K is better now than it was then and if I raced my teenaged self in the half marathon, I'd finish over a mile ahead.
On my reflections on marathon training post, I made the following lifetime goals:
Mile: 5:20/ 5K: 19:00/ 10K: 40:00/ Half mary: 1:30:00/ Full Mary: 3:10:59
My current times are as follows: 5:26/19:48/42:43/1:36:16/3:43:22.
It is obvious that I have "misunderestimated" my ability in the shorter distances. Heck, I may be able to hit the track and turn in a 5:20 today. I may have "misoverestimated" myself in longer races but that is likely to change when I get my body chemistry in balance.
Adjusted goals: A sub-60 quarter may be a stretch and I don't want it to turn into an obsession but I will upgrade my Mile target to a 5:15 and downgrade my marathon to a 3:15 or 3:20. I am not giving up on Boston but concede that it will be very tough especially on a flat course. I still maintain that I have a decent chance at it on a significant downhill course such as St. George or Tucson. I figure a 3:10 there doesn't count as a PR and is only as good as a flat 3:20.
Fun fact: My fastest mile run under any conditions was a 4:43. Pretty impressive, you say? I had the assistance of gravity in the first mile of a 5K road race. On flat terrain, it was more like a 5:43 and I had another 2.1 miles to go. I do not consider it a PR.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Training 6/21-6/27 (race week)
6/21-6 miles easy in 47:01 (7:50 pace). Decent easy workout. I hurt more than I should have in the latter stages but when I tried to pick it up at the end, I did have something left. Still too early to tell if new formula will work.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/22- Attempt at 5 mile tempo and came away with a weak 3 in 22:18 (7:26 pace). Another good start and weak finish. Tried to pick it up at the end and had very little left. This does answer the question. The new formula ain't working and I am disgusted. I'll have to go back to the old stuff with little hope of improvement until I find something that does work. I may take a break from running and this time of year is as good as any to do so.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=3.5
6/23- Man, one day can make a lot of difference especially with my screwy medical issues. I loaded on the inhibitories until the chromium dependency returned, which returned me back to where I was before starting the new formula. Took chromium and half a manganese and reported to the track for a group speed workout. (400-400-800) times 2. Then for dessert, an all out quarter mile. I ran pretty even with Dave, while averaging about 80/2:40 for each interval. Then, I let it loose and blew away the competition by 40 yards with a last 400 in 62 (fastest time since '99). Can I run a sub-60 with close competition? If so, I should be around 5:10 for a mile. To break 5, I need balanced body chemistry.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance= 4.5
6/24-Trak Shak 8 easier this time. Didn't plan on running the full distance but Preston convinced me to. Slow start but picked up the pace nicely in the flat section and hung on pretty well on the final hill. Untimed but I know it wasn't a course PR. Still felt pretty good overall.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/25- Planned rest day. Body feels more tired than usual. Hoping to get lucky and be symptom free on race day. It's happened before.
6/27- Race to the Courthouse 5K unofficially 20:14. Average performance.
Grade: B-or C+/4 credits/ distance=3.5
Weekly summary: 2 very good workouts but the rest were fair or poor. I feel a little better about my race than I did after I finished it. I had better get a satisfactory answer on my second opinion or I may have to bag my next race and take a month off.
Distance= 26.0/ GPA= 2.940
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/22- Attempt at 5 mile tempo and came away with a weak 3 in 22:18 (7:26 pace). Another good start and weak finish. Tried to pick it up at the end and had very little left. This does answer the question. The new formula ain't working and I am disgusted. I'll have to go back to the old stuff with little hope of improvement until I find something that does work. I may take a break from running and this time of year is as good as any to do so.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=3.5
6/23- Man, one day can make a lot of difference especially with my screwy medical issues. I loaded on the inhibitories until the chromium dependency returned, which returned me back to where I was before starting the new formula. Took chromium and half a manganese and reported to the track for a group speed workout. (400-400-800) times 2. Then for dessert, an all out quarter mile. I ran pretty even with Dave, while averaging about 80/2:40 for each interval. Then, I let it loose and blew away the competition by 40 yards with a last 400 in 62 (fastest time since '99). Can I run a sub-60 with close competition? If so, I should be around 5:10 for a mile. To break 5, I need balanced body chemistry.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance= 4.5
6/24-Trak Shak 8 easier this time. Didn't plan on running the full distance but Preston convinced me to. Slow start but picked up the pace nicely in the flat section and hung on pretty well on the final hill. Untimed but I know it wasn't a course PR. Still felt pretty good overall.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/25- Planned rest day. Body feels more tired than usual. Hoping to get lucky and be symptom free on race day. It's happened before.
6/27- Race to the Courthouse 5K unofficially 20:14. Average performance.
Grade: B-or C+/4 credits/ distance=3.5
Weekly summary: 2 very good workouts but the rest were fair or poor. I feel a little better about my race than I did after I finished it. I had better get a satisfactory answer on my second opinion or I may have to bag my next race and take a month off.
Distance= 26.0/ GPA= 2.940
Friday, June 19, 2009
Medical report
In short, not a big surprise but I was hoping for better numbers:
Good news first:
- manganese level, though still low, came up nicely since last time.
- I am not at risk for a relapse into adrenal exhaustion. A few people expressed concern about a possible relapse as a result of me training too hard. Very unlikely, at least in the near-term.
Bad news:
- Thyroid still moderately hyperactive as expected. That number did improve slightly but not enough to signify real progress.
- Adrenals are now badly hyperactive (a total 180 from when I started the treatment). This number actually got a little worse since last time.
Slightly better thyroid, slightly worse adrenals= probably a wash overall.
-chromium level actually dropped slightly despite supplementation. I cannot take mega doses of that stuff because it stimulates the adrenals.
Conclusion: 3 years ago, a good day was being able to run for 10-15 minutes slowly before crashing and burning. If you had told me back then that I would be doing as well as I am today, I would not have believed it so I am very thankful. In the past month, only twice have I been forced to cut a planned workout short because my symptoms flared up and those days were "C-" and "D" workouts. "F" workouts have been very rare this year. Still, I feel that my running has plateaued a bit as of late and I know why. My last medical report was done just after my 2008 Performance of the Year (Vulcan 10K in 42:43). If I raced that course again, I would be hard pressed to break 42 even if I had my "A" stuff. Since my latest report reveals little change in my state of health, it should not be a surprise. Any improvements that I have made have been a result of harder and more consistent training, not better chemistry. According to the report, I am experiencing about a 25% energy loss as a result of overactive glandular activity. That figure seems awfully high to me and is likely offset, at least in part, by other things going on in my body. Still, even an across the board 10% improvement would be huge. That would put me under 18 for 5K, 38 for 10K and a half mary in 1:26 but balanced glandular activity will result in greater improvements in longer distance than shorter stuff. My full and half times would improve more than my 5K. Last week, in my group speed workout, I raced a sub-3 marathoner in a quarter mile and smoked him in the last 100. I could never run with him at distances much over 1 Mile. Unbalanced chemistry is a major reason.
Solution:
The old treatment plan is not working and I cannot let it go and accept my current condition. If current trends continue, I am at risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes. I'm not worried about that and I know that whatever happens, God has me taken care of. Also, if I don't take the necessary pills or take 1/2 pill too many for even 2 days, I feel a significant drop in my energy level, resulting in "C" and "D" workouts. If I am on the wrong track for a week, I can forget about running altogether and I'm just trying to get through the day. Obsessing about my health is the very reason that I am doing as well as I am. I make the adjustment after the "C" and "D" workouts to prevent the very low points. Still, is this God's best for me? I think not. There has got to be a better treatment plan and I will start modulator supplements and continue seeking a resolution.
Final thoughts:
I won't lie. I do want to get faster. I feel that with balanced chemistry, I have the talent to run a 3:10 marathon and qualify for Boston, something that is not possible in my current condition. I also feel that the faster I get, the more likely people will listen to what I have to say about hair and neurotransmitter tests. However, I want to assure my readers that running is not my primary motivation. With balanced chemistry, I will be much friendlier to others and even my physical appearance will improve. A few of my friends met me in the early stage of my recovery. When I was relatively free from symptoms, I did not have to tell them that I was feeling better because they could see it. Also, as I stated in a previous post, I promise you that I will not obsess about continuous improvement after I hit my lifetime goals. If I do break 3:10 in the marathon, there will be no drastic increase in training for a sub-3 attempt. In high school, I was obsessed with breaking 5:00 in the mile and was quite unhappy when injury and illness prevented me from doing so. Once again, if it turns out that I do not have what it takes to qualify for Boston even with balanced chemistry, I vow that I will not be bent out of shape over it. There are a lot more important things in life.
Good news first:
- manganese level, though still low, came up nicely since last time.
- I am not at risk for a relapse into adrenal exhaustion. A few people expressed concern about a possible relapse as a result of me training too hard. Very unlikely, at least in the near-term.
Bad news:
- Thyroid still moderately hyperactive as expected. That number did improve slightly but not enough to signify real progress.
- Adrenals are now badly hyperactive (a total 180 from when I started the treatment). This number actually got a little worse since last time.
Slightly better thyroid, slightly worse adrenals= probably a wash overall.
-chromium level actually dropped slightly despite supplementation. I cannot take mega doses of that stuff because it stimulates the adrenals.
Conclusion: 3 years ago, a good day was being able to run for 10-15 minutes slowly before crashing and burning. If you had told me back then that I would be doing as well as I am today, I would not have believed it so I am very thankful. In the past month, only twice have I been forced to cut a planned workout short because my symptoms flared up and those days were "C-" and "D" workouts. "F" workouts have been very rare this year. Still, I feel that my running has plateaued a bit as of late and I know why. My last medical report was done just after my 2008 Performance of the Year (Vulcan 10K in 42:43). If I raced that course again, I would be hard pressed to break 42 even if I had my "A" stuff. Since my latest report reveals little change in my state of health, it should not be a surprise. Any improvements that I have made have been a result of harder and more consistent training, not better chemistry. According to the report, I am experiencing about a 25% energy loss as a result of overactive glandular activity. That figure seems awfully high to me and is likely offset, at least in part, by other things going on in my body. Still, even an across the board 10% improvement would be huge. That would put me under 18 for 5K, 38 for 10K and a half mary in 1:26 but balanced glandular activity will result in greater improvements in longer distance than shorter stuff. My full and half times would improve more than my 5K. Last week, in my group speed workout, I raced a sub-3 marathoner in a quarter mile and smoked him in the last 100. I could never run with him at distances much over 1 Mile. Unbalanced chemistry is a major reason.
Solution:
The old treatment plan is not working and I cannot let it go and accept my current condition. If current trends continue, I am at risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes. I'm not worried about that and I know that whatever happens, God has me taken care of. Also, if I don't take the necessary pills or take 1/2 pill too many for even 2 days, I feel a significant drop in my energy level, resulting in "C" and "D" workouts. If I am on the wrong track for a week, I can forget about running altogether and I'm just trying to get through the day. Obsessing about my health is the very reason that I am doing as well as I am. I make the adjustment after the "C" and "D" workouts to prevent the very low points. Still, is this God's best for me? I think not. There has got to be a better treatment plan and I will start modulator supplements and continue seeking a resolution.
Final thoughts:
I won't lie. I do want to get faster. I feel that with balanced chemistry, I have the talent to run a 3:10 marathon and qualify for Boston, something that is not possible in my current condition. I also feel that the faster I get, the more likely people will listen to what I have to say about hair and neurotransmitter tests. However, I want to assure my readers that running is not my primary motivation. With balanced chemistry, I will be much friendlier to others and even my physical appearance will improve. A few of my friends met me in the early stage of my recovery. When I was relatively free from symptoms, I did not have to tell them that I was feeling better because they could see it. Also, as I stated in a previous post, I promise you that I will not obsess about continuous improvement after I hit my lifetime goals. If I do break 3:10 in the marathon, there will be no drastic increase in training for a sub-3 attempt. In high school, I was obsessed with breaking 5:00 in the mile and was quite unhappy when injury and illness prevented me from doing so. Once again, if it turns out that I do not have what it takes to qualify for Boston even with balanced chemistry, I vow that I will not be bent out of shape over it. There are a lot more important things in life.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Training June 14th-20th
6/14- Easy 6 on Lakeshore just under 8:00 pace. Slowed down a tad in the 2nd half but still decent overall. Hard speed tomorrow.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/15- 8x300 after a 2 mile warm up then a 1/2 mile cooldown. This workout shows precisely that my body chemistry is still quite unbalanced. It was clear early that I had taken too much manganese and doubted that I could even finish the workout based on how I felt warming up. I was shooting for about 57 seconds each and my first 4 were pitiful (70-69-69-68). Yes, I was doing my best and my body refused to cooperate. Then I bounced back in the next 4 probably because it was working its way out of my system and in the last one, I felt almost like myself. (66-64-59-53). An average of 65, which is still a very poor performance. If I had taken the manganese in the morning or had taken a half pill instead of a whole, I probably would have done pretty well. I better get some answers on the medical report due any day now.
Grade:D+/2 credits/distance=4.0
6/16- AM-3 mile tempo at Veterans Park in about 20:00 (6:40 pace), on pace for a sub-21 5K, which is about 30 seconds per mile short of my target. Nice improvement over yesterday but still short of my best stuff. Winded easily and a little stiff in the legs. About average.
PM- slow 4 miles at Vestavia after dinner over 32 and slowed down in the 2nd half.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=7.0
6/17- Trak Shak 8 miler. Gutsy performance. Set a new course PR of 63:06 in 92 degree heat. This course has many nasty hills so that time is pretty good. Ran solo and thought about going slow early and picking it up at the end but those hills will hurt you even if your pace is slow. Improved by more than a minute over last week.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.0
6/18- Veteran's Park 4 (6 times around the lake) in 31:13 (7:48 pace). On pace for a 39-flat 5 miler and that's about standard for an easy day. Temp was 93 with a heat index of 100. If it's over 95/105, I will either wait until after dinner or run indoors even if it is an easy day. If this was a tempo run, I would have waited. B'ham is about 2-3 degrees cooler than Monty in the summer (yes, that does make a difference) and 4-5 cooler in the winter. My northern friends will laugh at this but I'm not looking forward to sub-freezing temps in the evening, which are more common here.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=4.0
6/19-Scheduled off day. Feel good enough to run. Want to push to long run tomorrow and want a good day to finish a sub-par week so far.
6/20- AM- easy 10.5 with Scott in 80+ degree weather. Anxious to test new formula but that will have to wait until after it cools down after dinner around 7 PM.
PM- 2 mile tempo effort in 12:52 (6:20-6:32). Felt great early but by the end of the first mile, it was clearly not my day. No trace of pain in my legs but I was winded very easily. Clearly, the imbalances are hurting me. In a 5K race today, I would have had to battle for a 20:40. In my defense, the morning run probably did take something out of me even if the pace was slow.
Grade: B-/3 credits/ distance=13.5
Weekly summary: Sub-par performances all around. Nothing too horrible or anything that prevented me from running altogether and I did run the mileage that I wanted but I should be doing better. This is my first week below 3.0 since I moved to B'ham. The new formula feels "different" and it is still too soon to say whether or not it will work. I had hoped for a drastic improvement immediately but that's not happening. Next week is a race week so I hope I got the sub-par week out of the way now.
Distance= 42.5/ GPA= 2.609
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/15- 8x300 after a 2 mile warm up then a 1/2 mile cooldown. This workout shows precisely that my body chemistry is still quite unbalanced. It was clear early that I had taken too much manganese and doubted that I could even finish the workout based on how I felt warming up. I was shooting for about 57 seconds each and my first 4 were pitiful (70-69-69-68). Yes, I was doing my best and my body refused to cooperate. Then I bounced back in the next 4 probably because it was working its way out of my system and in the last one, I felt almost like myself. (66-64-59-53). An average of 65, which is still a very poor performance. If I had taken the manganese in the morning or had taken a half pill instead of a whole, I probably would have done pretty well. I better get some answers on the medical report due any day now.
Grade:D+/2 credits/distance=4.0
6/16- AM-3 mile tempo at Veterans Park in about 20:00 (6:40 pace), on pace for a sub-21 5K, which is about 30 seconds per mile short of my target. Nice improvement over yesterday but still short of my best stuff. Winded easily and a little stiff in the legs. About average.
PM- slow 4 miles at Vestavia after dinner over 32 and slowed down in the 2nd half.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=7.0
6/17- Trak Shak 8 miler. Gutsy performance. Set a new course PR of 63:06 in 92 degree heat. This course has many nasty hills so that time is pretty good. Ran solo and thought about going slow early and picking it up at the end but those hills will hurt you even if your pace is slow. Improved by more than a minute over last week.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=8.0
6/18- Veteran's Park 4 (6 times around the lake) in 31:13 (7:48 pace). On pace for a 39-flat 5 miler and that's about standard for an easy day. Temp was 93 with a heat index of 100. If it's over 95/105, I will either wait until after dinner or run indoors even if it is an easy day. If this was a tempo run, I would have waited. B'ham is about 2-3 degrees cooler than Monty in the summer (yes, that does make a difference) and 4-5 cooler in the winter. My northern friends will laugh at this but I'm not looking forward to sub-freezing temps in the evening, which are more common here.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=4.0
6/19-Scheduled off day. Feel good enough to run. Want to push to long run tomorrow and want a good day to finish a sub-par week so far.
6/20- AM- easy 10.5 with Scott in 80+ degree weather. Anxious to test new formula but that will have to wait until after it cools down after dinner around 7 PM.
PM- 2 mile tempo effort in 12:52 (6:20-6:32). Felt great early but by the end of the first mile, it was clearly not my day. No trace of pain in my legs but I was winded very easily. Clearly, the imbalances are hurting me. In a 5K race today, I would have had to battle for a 20:40. In my defense, the morning run probably did take something out of me even if the pace was slow.
Grade: B-/3 credits/ distance=13.5
Weekly summary: Sub-par performances all around. Nothing too horrible or anything that prevented me from running altogether and I did run the mileage that I wanted but I should be doing better. This is my first week below 3.0 since I moved to B'ham. The new formula feels "different" and it is still too soon to say whether or not it will work. I had hoped for a drastic improvement immediately but that's not happening. Next week is a race week so I hope I got the sub-par week out of the way now.
Distance= 42.5/ GPA= 2.609
Monday, June 8, 2009
training 6/7-6/13
6/7- Too fast easy run at Mountain Brook. Took off at 7:30 pace, way too fast for an easy day esp. after a 16 miler the day before. Didn't dial it back too much and ended up quitting after 4 miles when I planned on 5-6. Overall time was 30:40 (7:40 pace). Penalty for going too fast.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=4.5
6/8- Mountain Brook again after an audit in Irondale. Temp was close to 90 when I started. 8 miles slow this time and ended up only slightly faster than planned. Time was 65:04 (8:08 pace) with even splits (32:28/32:36) with no attempt to speed up at the end. Body started to hurt a bit in the last 2 miles. I shouldn't feel this tired. Hopefully, I'll be refreshed tomorrow. 2 quality days ahead followed by a rest on Thursday.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/9- Vestavia speedwork session with Johnny. 2 mile warmup in 14:55 (7:28 pace) 4x600 in about 2:01-2:02 (5:24 pace) with a 200 meter jog in between. 800 in 2:40 (fastest time of '09), slow 400 to recover. Then, I turned on the speed in a final 400 in 65 (fastest time since 2000)
I think I may be ready to go sub-5:25 right now in the mile. Slow mile cooldown.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/10-Trak Shak 8 miler in 64:22. GPS needs repair so I don't know the exact pace. As I recall, this course is slightly longer than 8 miles so I was probably under 8 overall. A bit of a let down after yesterday's effort but still not too bad especially considering the hills. I paid the price for 2 straight quality days and will rest tomorrow as planned. Could not keep up with Preston in the 2nd half. Concentrated on form at the end and tried to keep my arms down. Average performance overall.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=8.0
6/11- planned rest day
6/12- 1 Mile time trial and I'll post a mini-report. I don't think I was 100% after the 2 straight quality days even after a rest day but still felt that I had the energy to perform well. Short warmup and hasty stretching because I was also trying to beat an approaching storm. In a mile, I usually know after the first 100 meters what kind of day it will be for me. I was out well today. My pace did tail off after the first 200 but from there to the 1200 mark, I ran 4 out of 5 of those 200s at the same pace then kicked hard to the finish for my fastest time since 2004 and narrowly missed my post-high school PR. That will come later in the summer.
Lap by lap splits are as follows:
80 (38/42)- 85 (42/43)-84 (42/42)-77 (40/37). Finished at 5:26.50.
1st half: 2:45, 2nd half- 2:41. Missed a post-high school PR by only 1 second.
Aftermath: Saw lightning just a few minutes after I finished so I left the track and ran my 2.5 mile warmdown at the Hoover Rec. Center. Weight: 148.2 before dinner.
Final thoughts: I need more speedwork, especially long intervals to keep pushing the pace in the mid portion but if I had close competition today, I think that I could have broken 5:20.
Grade: A-/3 credits/ distance=4.0
6/13- Adventurous run today. Slept in past 6:30 due to a power outage the night before so I missed Scott and John. Plan was to go 11-15 on Lakeshore. 2 miles in, it started pouring rain and continued off and on throughout the run. I felt a little sluggish at times but still managed a decent performance overall. Last half mile was a quick 3:23 in the driving rain to finish the 11.5 miler at 1:32-flat, for an even 8 minute pace overall. Dried off and cleaned up.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary: Another good week. I like the way my training is going.
Distance=41.0 GPA: 36.5/11= 3.318
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=4.5
6/8- Mountain Brook again after an audit in Irondale. Temp was close to 90 when I started. 8 miles slow this time and ended up only slightly faster than planned. Time was 65:04 (8:08 pace) with even splits (32:28/32:36) with no attempt to speed up at the end. Body started to hurt a bit in the last 2 miles. I shouldn't feel this tired. Hopefully, I'll be refreshed tomorrow. 2 quality days ahead followed by a rest on Thursday.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/9- Vestavia speedwork session with Johnny. 2 mile warmup in 14:55 (7:28 pace) 4x600 in about 2:01-2:02 (5:24 pace) with a 200 meter jog in between. 800 in 2:40 (fastest time of '09), slow 400 to recover. Then, I turned on the speed in a final 400 in 65 (fastest time since 2000)
I think I may be ready to go sub-5:25 right now in the mile. Slow mile cooldown.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/10-Trak Shak 8 miler in 64:22. GPS needs repair so I don't know the exact pace. As I recall, this course is slightly longer than 8 miles so I was probably under 8 overall. A bit of a let down after yesterday's effort but still not too bad especially considering the hills. I paid the price for 2 straight quality days and will rest tomorrow as planned. Could not keep up with Preston in the 2nd half. Concentrated on form at the end and tried to keep my arms down. Average performance overall.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=8.0
6/11- planned rest day
6/12- 1 Mile time trial and I'll post a mini-report. I don't think I was 100% after the 2 straight quality days even after a rest day but still felt that I had the energy to perform well. Short warmup and hasty stretching because I was also trying to beat an approaching storm. In a mile, I usually know after the first 100 meters what kind of day it will be for me. I was out well today. My pace did tail off after the first 200 but from there to the 1200 mark, I ran 4 out of 5 of those 200s at the same pace then kicked hard to the finish for my fastest time since 2004 and narrowly missed my post-high school PR. That will come later in the summer.
Lap by lap splits are as follows:
80 (38/42)- 85 (42/43)-84 (42/42)-77 (40/37). Finished at 5:26.50.
1st half: 2:45, 2nd half- 2:41. Missed a post-high school PR by only 1 second.
Aftermath: Saw lightning just a few minutes after I finished so I left the track and ran my 2.5 mile warmdown at the Hoover Rec. Center. Weight: 148.2 before dinner.
Final thoughts: I need more speedwork, especially long intervals to keep pushing the pace in the mid portion but if I had close competition today, I think that I could have broken 5:20.
Grade: A-/3 credits/ distance=4.0
6/13- Adventurous run today. Slept in past 6:30 due to a power outage the night before so I missed Scott and John. Plan was to go 11-15 on Lakeshore. 2 miles in, it started pouring rain and continued off and on throughout the run. I felt a little sluggish at times but still managed a decent performance overall. Last half mile was a quick 3:23 in the driving rain to finish the 11.5 miler at 1:32-flat, for an even 8 minute pace overall. Dried off and cleaned up.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary: Another good week. I like the way my training is going.
Distance=41.0 GPA: 36.5/11= 3.318
Monday, June 1, 2009
training May 31st-June 6th
5/31- Hard speedwork at Vestavia. 2 mile warmup in 15:24 (7:42 pace) then the real workout.
16x200 with 1 minute R. Ran the first 15 all between 34-37 seconds (most were 35) then let out all that I had left and motored the last one in 29.6 seconds (fastest time since '01). Overall pace for the intervals was about 4:45 per mile. 1 mile cool down at glacial pace. I think that I am ready for a sub-5:30 attempt very soon, maybe even sub-5:25. The latter would be my fastest time since '99.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/1- Easy 5.6 miles at Lakeshore trail @ 7:47 pace. That's fine considering that it was a morning run and just 12 hours after my speed workout. Started too fast and faded a bit after mile 4 but never felt too uncomfortable during the run. I was beat up afterwards and may need a rest tomorrow. We'll see how I feel.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/2-Easy 6 miles in 46:36 (7:46 pace) at Hoover HS. Very similar stats to yesterday's workout but felt better overall. Ran an even pace and even managed to pick it up slightly at the end without any real discomfort. Could have gone another 4 but I have a potentially hard day tomorrow at the Trak Shak. Splits were 23:20/23:16. Maybe a bit fast for an easy day but this is about 1 minute/mile slower than my PR at this distance and I felt good.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/3-Trak Shak group run. Tried to run with a faster group and got my head handed to me. Battled hard all the way and ended up at 6.4 miles at an average pace of 7:22. This was a near all out effort and ended up around tempo pace. Considering the hills and tired legs, this is acceptable and maybe a little better than average.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=6.5
6/4-planned rest day. Body feels beat up.
6/5- Veterans Park 4 mile @ 8:04 pace according to Garmin. I suspect it was really around 7:50 because Mile 2 was through the woods, which may have messed with the signal. Finished with a lap around the lake at 7:47 pace while maintaining an even effort throughout. Still feeling beat up. The long run may hurt tomorrow. Average performance.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.5
6/6- 16.07 miles @ 8:16 pace. 1st 11 miles with Scott and John then continued on my own for the final 5 . 1st 8 were easy (about 8:30 pace) but it picked up from there. Running alone, I did the first 4 miles just under 8 then managed to run the 16th at half marathon pace (7:23). Followed that with an all out sprint for the last .07 and hit a top speed of 4:11/mi. on flats.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=16.0
Weekly summary: Only one excellent workout but none were rated as fair, poor or failure. I like that consistency. I hope I can maintain this mileage in this training cycle with more speedwork.
Distance=44.0 GPA: 29/9 credits= 3.222
16x200 with 1 minute R. Ran the first 15 all between 34-37 seconds (most were 35) then let out all that I had left and motored the last one in 29.6 seconds (fastest time since '01). Overall pace for the intervals was about 4:45 per mile. 1 mile cool down at glacial pace. I think that I am ready for a sub-5:30 attempt very soon, maybe even sub-5:25. The latter would be my fastest time since '99.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=5.0
6/1- Easy 5.6 miles at Lakeshore trail @ 7:47 pace. That's fine considering that it was a morning run and just 12 hours after my speed workout. Started too fast and faded a bit after mile 4 but never felt too uncomfortable during the run. I was beat up afterwards and may need a rest tomorrow. We'll see how I feel.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/2-Easy 6 miles in 46:36 (7:46 pace) at Hoover HS. Very similar stats to yesterday's workout but felt better overall. Ran an even pace and even managed to pick it up slightly at the end without any real discomfort. Could have gone another 4 but I have a potentially hard day tomorrow at the Trak Shak. Splits were 23:20/23:16. Maybe a bit fast for an easy day but this is about 1 minute/mile slower than my PR at this distance and I felt good.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
6/3-Trak Shak group run. Tried to run with a faster group and got my head handed to me. Battled hard all the way and ended up at 6.4 miles at an average pace of 7:22. This was a near all out effort and ended up around tempo pace. Considering the hills and tired legs, this is acceptable and maybe a little better than average.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=6.5
6/4-planned rest day. Body feels beat up.
6/5- Veterans Park 4 mile @ 8:04 pace according to Garmin. I suspect it was really around 7:50 because Mile 2 was through the woods, which may have messed with the signal. Finished with a lap around the lake at 7:47 pace while maintaining an even effort throughout. Still feeling beat up. The long run may hurt tomorrow. Average performance.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.5
6/6- 16.07 miles @ 8:16 pace. 1st 11 miles with Scott and John then continued on my own for the final 5 . 1st 8 were easy (about 8:30 pace) but it picked up from there. Running alone, I did the first 4 miles just under 8 then managed to run the 16th at half marathon pace (7:23). Followed that with an all out sprint for the last .07 and hit a top speed of 4:11/mi. on flats.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=16.0
Weekly summary: Only one excellent workout but none were rated as fair, poor or failure. I like that consistency. I hope I can maintain this mileage in this training cycle with more speedwork.
Distance=44.0 GPA: 29/9 credits= 3.222
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