Training 1/1-1/9

1/1- Nothing has changed on New Years Day. Things have gone from bad to worse. At least I know that the thyroid supplements won't work. Can I quit them for good or will I need them again in a few weeks? The workout was one of my worst ever. Parking lot junk run in which I managed to set a new best time of the year at 2 separate distances. My first quarter mile was a blistering 2:12 as part of a sensational Mile in 9:37. No, I could not have gone much faster. One year ago today, I breezed through 26.2 in 3:35 then came back for more the next day.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=1.0

1/2- Hoping for modest improvement and got it today with a 5K pretty much all out. Time was 26:50 (8:35 pace) and set a new best of the year at the shorter distances along the way. 1st 400 was 1:54.8 and the first mile was 8:10. Can't say that I'm pleased but I showed improvement of more than a minute/mile and I'll take that any day. No thyroid caps. ADHS was the only thing I took. Also fighting a bit of a cold. Please let it be just a cold, not the flu or a respiratory infection.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=3.5

1/3- Unplanned rest day after feeling worse in the afternoon. The diagnosis is a bacterial sinus infection. What a way to start the new year!

1/4- 2 separate time trials and 2 more best times of the year. 1 Mile in 6:57.4 with a negative split (3:34/3:23) then I walked a lap and turned in a 400 in 89.6. Still hurting as a result of the sinus infection but the thyroid seems to be improving. Despite the improvement, the grade does not change much because I'm still a LONG way from my goals. I may try to get on the board in the 10K tomorrow.
Grade:D/2 credits/distance=1.5

1/5- Slow and steady climb out of the pit of despair. You can put a 10K time on the board for 2011 and this was my longest run since 12/18. I finished the distance in 50:48 (8:08 pace). Started out at sub-8 pace then faded after 4K. Hustled to finish the first 5K in 24:57 (best time of the year by nearly 2 minutes) then hung on for a 25:51 finish. This was not an all out effort but it was definitely in the tempo range and my pace was nearly a full minute per kilometer or 6 secs per 100 meters slower than my PR. Pleased with the improvement that I've shown in the last 4 days but I've still got a LONG way to go.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=6.5

1/6- 5K time trial. My time is down to 21:55. New best time of the year by 3 minutes and 2 seconds. Splits were 6:55-7:07-7:03-50. That's still 2.5 minutes shy of my best but I get a lenient grade because my improvement has been so great.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=3.5

1/7- Planned rest day but I have some news to share. I'm not getting my hopes up too high but this is a possible victory. Before I took the thyroid caps after Christmas, I was hyper-sensitive to the needed ADHS pills. 2 were not enough, 3 were too many. Now, I can take as many as I need and it's as if I can't get enough. Yesterday, I took 6 with good results. The doc says I may need up to 8 to get my numbers in balance. Despite the low grades, I feel pretty good about this week. Slow and steady improvement is the goal not the roller coaster of great days followed by terrible ones. I sent in my hair test yesterday and I expect only modest improvement. However, I do expect that my thyroid hormones are up to snuff. There is a chance that I could be balanced by the Spring. Again, the key word is a chance. Today was my last day on the Z-pak and so far, I've had minimal diarrhea. Is this shift in chemistry due to antibiotics? Will I have a post-antibiotic reaction?

1/8- Put it on the board for the half marathon. Finished the distance in 1:48:58 (8:18 pace). Not much difference in how I felt since Thursday so the grade remains the same. Started at 8:00 pace then slowed to the 8:30s in the 2nd half. Also set a new standard for 10K at 50:40, a scant 8 second improvement but it's better than nothing. The steady improvements must continue or I will become frustrated. Mercedes is only 5 weeks away and I'm 16 minutes off my PR.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=13.1

1/9- 1 Mile indoors (sub-freezing temps) in 6:20.85. Best time of the year by 35 seconds but I'm still 65 away from where I need to be. At least I am now within a minute of last year's time. Would have been a bit better if not for all those tight turns. Splits were 93-98-97-92. That 400 in 89.6 sure looks soft now but I want to wait and do it outside.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=1.0

Weekly summary:
I'm certainly not pleased with my current condition but I've shown perhaps the greatest sustained improvement over a 9 day period that I ever had. Overall, I've regressed back to 2007 form but this time, there is real hope since I'm likely only fighting a single imbalance that may very well be easily treatable. The grading scale toughens again next week.
Distance=30.0/ GPA= 17.1/12= 1.43