training 5/17-5/23 (possible race)

5/17- Yesterday was awful and I didn't feel much better when I woke up today. I did get better as the day progressed and by the time the work day ended, I felt about average. Mountain Brook 400 was the first workout of the day. I warmed up with 200s in 45 and 38 then got set. I felt just a tad sluggish and just didn't have that top gear that I need to break 60. I didn't see the split at 200 but I thought I saw 45.xx at 300 but that was probably 47. I thought I held the form but crossed the line with a time of 62.74. That's my best time of the year by a healthy margin but it's 1.5 seconds down on last year's time and 2.75 (11/mile) away from my goal. I think the strength is there (short distance endurance) but the top end speed may be lacking. I'll plan to do Johnny's workout again and sneak in some 200s at the end.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=0.5
Less than 1 hour later:
Lakeshore 5 in 38:58 with a nice smooth, relaxed and even pace (7:48 average). Felt good.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.0

5/18- Felt about the same as yesterday. Bad morning but improved as the day progressed and was about average when the work day ended. Johnny's workout was 8x400 plus an 800 for dessert. I was the youngest there by far so nobody was within 15 seconds in any quarter. First half, I was holding back and only ran 80-77-79-78 (5:14) then picked up the pace in the 2nd half: 75-74-73-69 (4:51). My 800 was a hard fought 2:40 with back to back 80 laps (5:20). My overall pace was a solid 5:06. I then walked a lap and tried to run some 200s but my speed was gone and I only managed 2 in 33s. Solid but not outstanding performance.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.0

5/19- New formula today. No Trava Cor and 2 glutamine. Felt great all day and just had to test myself in a hard effort. Trak Shak 5 in an awesome 32:53 (6:35 pace). That's a course PR by 31 seconds! 1st half: 16:15, 2nd half: 16:38. Splits: 6:17-6:28-6:54-6:47-6:26. Passed 5K in 20:18 (best time of the year at that distance). Not sure if this formula will work long term but I will do it again before my race on Saturday. Yes, I'm running it. I'm in MUCH better shape than my race results indicate and I've got to get a good time on my record. I think I've got a shot at a PR.
Grade:A+/2 credits/distance=6.0

5/20- Planned rest day. Took Trava Cor again last night and only 1 glutamine and saw the sluggish feeling return. No, this is not natural fatigue from 2 straight hard days. It's a different feeling. Just kind of blah though I could still run fairly well if I wanted to. I'm going with Trava Cor again early in the evening. It should clear my system within 24 hours. Race time is 36 hours away and potential ill-effects from not taking it should not appear until 48 hours. Can I get by with 2 glutamine and no TravaCor? That depends on whether my GABA or serotonin is the biggest problem and I don't know that for sure without a medical report which would not arrive for 2 weeks. I'll get this fixed. If I feel as well as yesterday, the 59.9 is mine and so is the 19:12 5K. My current PR was set way back in 1998.

5/21- 2 mile test run on the 'mill (15:55) followed by some strides around the parking lot. Just wanted to assess my form before tomorrow. I felt better than before Nashville and better than last Friday but not as well as Wednesday. I fully expect a sub-20. If the Trava Cor has not completely cleared my system yet, it certainly will by the morning. Again, my all time PR is more than 11 years old and I'm going into a race with a legitimate shot at it.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=2.5

5/22- Run for Wishes 5K in 20:09 (best time of the year). Glutamine knocked me out later in the afternoon. That's right. I did the same thing I did Wednesday. It was magic then but poison just 4 days later. I can't take this anymore!!
Grade:B-/3 credits/distance=4.0
P.M.- Struggled through a 2 mile shake out run in 16:15 but it was not as bad as I expected. Some of the poison has cleared my system and I should be back feeling well by tomorrow.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=2.0

5/23- AM- Needed a quick workout so I opted for a single 400 at Hoover rather than the 200 intervals. I didn't expect to do it today and wasn't disappointed. Temp was near 85 but that probably didn't hurt me in a sprint. 4 other things did. No spikes, no competition, not fresh, poison was not completely out of my system. All things considered though, I was quite pleased. I was away well and passed 200 in 29.xx. Thinking I had a shot, I really pushed the turn but tied up badly in the homestretch. Time was 62.04 (best of the year). I am now just over 8 seconds per mile from my goal. If everything comes together and all the conditions are right, I believe that I could do it right now even without competition.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=0.5
PM- felt an upsurge of energy around noon so I got the idea to give it another shot. I waited until 5 when it cooled off and headed to Vestavia. Went out a little more conservative and hit the 200 just before it turned 30. I was at 45.xx at 300 but my legs had turned to jello and hung on for a 61.64 finish (best time of the year). That's exactly 1.5 seconds shy of my PR. I am now within 6.5 seconds/mile. This time, I was a little disappointed. I thought I had a chance but realistically, yesterday's race and the morning trial certainly took something out of me. I then summoned my remaining energy for 2 200s in 30.1 and 30.4. I finished the workout with a 2.5 mile cool down at 8:30 pace. Starting to feel weird again. If I take the right pills tonight, I should be fine by morning.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=3.5
Weekly summary:
Decent week overall but again, my patience is wearing thin. My race performance was an improvement over last week but still sub-par compared with my training. This week was unusually low mileage and unusually high in intensity. Next week will be different.
Distance= 29.0/ GPA= 49.9/16= 3.12