Training 2/14-2/20

2/14- Lakeshore 5 in 39:47 (7:57 pace). For the day after a race, I really didn't care about the pace. I would have been fine with a 40+. Felt pretty smooth and relaxed overall despite some stiffness in the hamstring area.
This week must be hard because I've got another race coming up on 2/26. I talked to the doctor today and to make a long story short, I should trust my judgment. If I keep taking chromium, I'll run well but I believe my progress will eventually be stymied at 2009 levels. It's bad enough that I absolutely need ADHS to function and I certainly don't want to be dependent on anything else. I'm going with the choline/inositol in an attempt to reduce my dependence on ADHS. If only I could get a hold of the old formula that did not contain zinc! ARGH.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0

2/15- Good MLR. I will NOT miss these when I shift into speed mode because they just take too long. It was almost 8 PM when I got dinner and arrived at home. Lakeshore 11.5 in 90-flat (7:50 pace). Faded a bit toward the end but still pretty solid overall. Best news is that I reduced ADHS from 8 to 6 by adding choline/inositol. That's still too much zinc. I need to cut it back to 4 at the most. Will I feel as strong on the choline/inositol as I did on the ADHS? Time will tell.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=11.5

Scenic City course:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/1811714
Looks like Mile 9 is tough but pay attention to the scale on the map. It's only a 60 ft. climb over a mile (just over 1%). Get through 9 feeling good then let it loose.

2/16- Great news. The choline/inositol is working and I reduced my ADHS from 6 to 4 today. You might think that since I did so well at Mercedes, why mess with the formula? Simple. If I kept going like I was, I would need more and more chromium and it would get to the point in which 1 pill isn't enough but 2 pills are too much. I've been there before and IT SUCKS! Chromium also stimulates the adrenals, which would keep my numbers stubbornly high and thus my progress would be stymied. Workout was Trak Shak 5 at tempo pace. I was shooting for a sub-7 and clocked a 34:30 (6:54 pace). Good to run with Preston again. Faded in Mile 4 but bounced back nicely at the end. As for the grade, I was a little tough yesterday so I'll be a little lenient this time.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.0

2/17- Feel good enough to run today but I'm taking the planned rest day. Down to 2 ADHS and I think that's where I'll stay. I don't feel as bad when I wake up on the choline/inositol. I've got 3 races in the next 5 weeks:
2/26- Scenic City half mary
3/12- Silver Comet 10K
3/26- Rumpshaker 5K
I think I have a shot at a PR in all 3. I'm leaning towards Statue 2 Statue (local) over Crescent City (New Orleans) for my one and only April race.

2/18- Easy 6.5 on Lakeshore. Time was 51:08 (7:52 pace). Pretty even pace after a quick first mile. I went with no ADHS today and all choline/inositol. I was hoping for a breakthrough and it did not happen but I did manage an average performance. I still felt low on chromium but I've been bad about drinking soda this week and I think that has hurt me. We'll see what happens tomorrow. I need 22 miles this weekend to hit my target.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5

2/19- 15 miles with the group. Route was Trak Shak 8 plus a 2 mile extension followed by the Trak Shak 5 loop so it was pretty hilly and it was getting warm at the end (65 and sunny). I'm not used to that. Legs went dead at 13 but managed to hang on for a 1:59:56, just barely squeaking out a sub-8. That's a pretty decent time on that route so I'll take it.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=15.0

2/20- Excess chromium knocked me out yesterday afternoon and it was not all gone today. Now that I am off the ADHS, I should not need it anymore. Soreness is still there so I had no tempo effort today. I backed off after 3 miles at "in between" pace. Trak Shak 7 in 54:19 (7:46 pace). Very sore.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=7.0

Weekly summary:
Survived a very challenging week. I'm afraid I may pay for this next Saturday so it will be little-nothing next week. I did do what I set out to do which was 50 miles all at sub-8 pace despite cutting it close a couple of times. This breaks the string of consecutive GPA improvements at 6 but it is my 4th straight week above 3.0. To do this in a week in which I adjusted my formula means a lot. Since I am adding more speed, this may be my last 50 mile week until Fall but I certainly will not be slacking. The quality of my workouts will be even higher.
Distance=50.0/GPA= 28.4/9= 3.16