Time for Spring Training and I'm looking forward to it. This will be the third and final post on this subject. I've done quite a bit of research on past, present and future candidates and find it quite interesting. There's even a forum to debate on the subject.
First, I want to address the previous posts in which I declared that I was "on the fence" about a few candidates. I've come to a decision and here it is:
Jeff Bagwell- YES. Short of 500 HRs but looks very strong on OPS. Innocent until proven guilty on the steroid charges but suspicion remains. I cannot vote for McGriff and against Bagwell.
Mike Piazza- NO. Admitted using Andro, which I believe to be a cover for harder drugs as was the case with McGwire. Fell of sharply after testing began.
Alex Rodriguez- NO. Been implicated in another scandal after admitting to doping for 3 years. I don't care if he breaks Bonds' record, my mind is made up.
Here's a typical profile of a player who falls just short (significant support but below the 75% threshold) Also known as the Hall of Very Good:
-comes up to the bigs at 23 and is good immediately.
-7 year peak from 26-32 in which he is superstar caliber.
-drops off a bit from 33-37 but remains an above average player.
-falls off at 38 and at best is ordinary and is sometimes released because he can barely hit .200. He may hang on for another year or 2 as a platoon player but it's sad to see that from a star player. Retire before that happens.
How do you get over top? I've addressed that a bit before but I want to expand on it.
1. Longevity. In rare cases, a player does not fall off at 38 and can remain productive until age 41. By productive, I mean that a player can still hit .270ish with 15-20 HRs. He plays 3 years longer and is able to compile another 400 hits and 50 home runs, putting him over the magic milestones. They should be given credit for that. That's why Dave Winfield made it and Dave Parker did not. Same with pitchers. If you can still help your team as a #3-4 starter at 40+, stick around. I believe Tommy John belongs and possibly Jim Kaat. Jamie Moyer? NO. If you stick around for 3 extra years as a fringe 5th starter or a platoon player hitting .250 with little power, that does not impress me. Those guys need 3,000 hits or other milestones. Chipper Jones will likely get in despite falling short but he was still good even in his last year.
2. Longer peak year period. Let's say that you can have a 10 year peak (25-34) in which you are among the best in the game. Hit 360 homers in 10 years, then you only need to average 20 for the other 7 to get to 500. By contrast, if you can only sustain excellence for 6-7 years, you need 25 HRs per year to make 500, which is tough to do at 37 or 38.
3. Extreme dominance in a short career. Hit 50 homers per year for a 6 year period and do it clean. You're probably in even if you are only average for another 6-8 years. Those cases are rare and when they do drop off 33-36, they're still better than the peak of a borderline HOFer and go down as among the best to ever play.
Now, I'd like to evaluate a few others that I neglected before.
1. Jeff Kent- close YES. His power number are under par for 1B or OF but for a 2nd baseman, he's one of the best offensively and compares favorably to Ryne Sandberg. I predict that he gets in but not on the first ballot.
2. Alan Trammell- Tough NO. Trammell was a class act and I like that he only played for one team. Some people compare him to Barry Larkin, who got in on the 3rd ballot. Trammell is usually around 30%. I also would have voted for Larkin and against Trammell. Larkin has a slight edge in HR and BA and nearly a 50 point edge in OPS. Larkin is clearly superior. Trammell needed 2,500 hits and/or 200 homers. If only he had stayed healthy near the end, he's in. There's a fine line between HOF careers and close but no cigar. I agree that the bar must be kept high. Students who score 88% are short of an "A" by only 1 question per 50 point test but there must be a cut off that separates good from great.
3.Vladamir Guerrero- YES. Shorter but excellent career. Short of 500 HRs and only 2,590 hits but his .318 BA and .553 slugging is very impressive. Slightly better than Bagwell. I predict that he too will get in but not on the first ballot.
4. Icharo- YES. Late start to career so he may not get to 3,000 hits. He's 38 and needs 3 more decent years to hit 3,000. With a .322 BA, great defense and speed, he's in and will likely make it on the first ballot.
5. Omar Vizquel- Tough NO. Compiler who has played until 45 and has been a platoon player for the past 5 years. He's a career .272 hitter with no power. Ozzie Smith got in based on defense and Vizquel was very strong in that area as well but Smith was arguably the best fielder ever at any position. Vizquel is not in that class. He needed 3,000 hits and came up just short.
Underrated players:
I think all of these player fell a little bit short but deserved a longer look than they got.
1. Harold Baines- Stayed on the ballot for 4 years but never got to 10%. He finished with 2,866 hits and 389 home runs. Here's how close he was: He was robbed of about 100 hits and 20 home runs by 2 player strikes during his career. With 3,000 hits and 400 homers, you've got to put him in. I'd put him in with 2,950+ hits but as it is, he's just short. A knock on him is that he was primarily a DH. He didn't help his team with good fielding but did not hurt it by poor fielding. It is only a mild impediment in my book.
2. Al Oliver- 2,743 hits and a .303 BA yet he was one and done at less than 5%. Also hurt by the strike in '81, which prevented him from 2,800. All he needed was 2 more years as a .270 hitter and he still finishes at .300 with 3,000 hits. Again, you've got to put him then but as it is, he's just short.
3. Lou Whitaker- Comparable to HOFers Joe Morgan yet he too was one and done. Morgan made it on the first ballot with a slash line of .271/.392/.427 with 2517 hits and 268 HRs. Whitaker's line was .276/.363/.426 with 2,369 hits and 244 HRs. Morgan did have a superior career but certainly not so much that it's 1st ballot vs one and done. I'm not sure Whitaker deserves induction but I hope he gets a good look from the Veteran's Committee.
4. Julio Franco- Another one and done player with impressive and unique credentials. .298 BA, 2,586 hits and he could still hit .270 at the age of 47. With a .300 BA and 3,000 hits, you've got to put him in even as a compiler without a ton of power. He lost 1 year playing in Japan and 2 more playing in Korea and should get at least some credit for that. If he had spent those years in MLB instead, I believe he may have hit .300 and would certainly have made 3,000 hits. He's over 4,000 if you include all of his time in professional baseball. I may even go as far as a YES on this one.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Training 2/25-3/3
2/25- Overall, this was the best I've felt this month but that is faint praise. Fast finish 5 miler with an overall time of 34:58 (6:59 pace) with a 6:20 in Mile 5. There are 2 more discouraging developments. First, the ankle needs prolo and I hope Dr. Johnson is free this week. Second, 5 pills were not quite enough. I wanted to do 6-7 miles but the foot was starting to bother me. I'm afraid to do speed work. I felt good early but around Mile 3-4, I was still running a decent pace but was feeling too loose and anxious.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=6.0
2/26- Easy 7.5 in 55:14 (7:22 pace). Actually enjoyed the workout for the first time in a long time. Foot pain has diminished a bit but it's still there. I did get an appointment with Dr. Johnson tomorrow. I am back up the full dose of Thym-Adren, which was a disaster less than 1 week ago. WHAT THE _________!!!?? I attribute it to tight restrictions on sugar and taking the Fructosin consistently. I feel good about this formula for now but am not confident about 2 months from now. I could get the medical report in as little as 2 weeks from now and predict a modest improvement.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
2/27- NIGHTMARE! I just can't plug all the leaks. I think I've got the Thym-Adren squared away but now the Vitamin C and copper has flared up again. All I had time for was a short run. I tried to run in at tempo pace and died after a 6:30 1st mile. Hung on for another one at 7:50 then quit. Drove up to Nashville for prolo and it was not bad.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/28- Last day of the month from hell. I am too sore from the prolo to run today so I'm taking my planned rest day. Perhaps the fructose malabsorption is interfering with the Vitamin C absorption. I need to take the Fructosin consistently in spite of the high cost ($45/month). As for the copper, 2 mg is the daily value and only 1 mg. can make a difference between a good day and a bad one. Again, WHAT THE ___________!!!?? Sure, I'm angry but anybody else would be as well. I still have a chance to break the losing streak with a strong weekend. Outside of the sore ankle, I feel pretty decent today and may be able to do a gentle run tomorrow.
3/1- First signs of Spring have come as the trees are beginning to get a few buds but we're in a cold snap with temps barely into the 40s with a chance of snow tomorrow. I stayed indoors for an easy 6 in a decent time of 45:24 (7:34 pace). Slight fade in the 2nd half (22:33/22:51). Ankle was too tender for a quality session but I felt otherwise okay during the run. Not good but okay! I probably would have struggled in a tempo but grading is more lenient on easy days. I need a strong weekend to break the losing streak but barring a sudden sickness, I will be over 2.0 for the first time in 3 weeks.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
3/2- Temps in the 30s with wind and yes, snow flurries. Good day to stay in and run an easy 6. It was a good one. Came through 5 in exactly 36:40 with a pace of 7:20 (+/- 2 sec) each mile then turned it up in Mile 6 with a 6:37 to finish in 43:17 (7:13 avg pace). Ankle is still just a little tender but I don't think it hurt me. I have cut the Vitamin C down to 1,000 mg and may go down to 500 because I was still just a tad loose today. At this pace, it didn't hurt me but I'm still not sure how I would do in a tempo. Added a half mile cool. Should hit 40 again. I only need a "B" tomorrow to get a win this week.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
3/3- Trak Shak 8 and 3 so it was a hilly route. I wasn't quite in tip top form but pretty strong overall. I think that I will go down to 500 mg. of Vitamin C but that means that I must avoid copper in my protein bars. Yes, even 15% DV can make a difference. Finished with a time of 78:44 for the 11 miles (7:10 pace) with my last mile in 6:45 and last 800 in 3:09. Added a half mile cool. I have broken the losing streak.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary:
Lenient grading for much of the week but it's a win nonetheless. Win #5 on the year. The official formula is 500 mg. of C, 8 Thym-Adren pills, 2 Fructosin and 1-2 Paramin. I could very well go on a hot streak for the next 6-8 weeks but what are the chances that this will work 3 months from now? Slim-none. I expect to get the medical report in 10-14 days.
Distance= 40.0/ GPA= 24.8/8= 3.10
YTD: 348 miles/ Record: 5-4. Cum. GPA= 25.00/9= 2.78
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=6.0
2/26- Easy 7.5 in 55:14 (7:22 pace). Actually enjoyed the workout for the first time in a long time. Foot pain has diminished a bit but it's still there. I did get an appointment with Dr. Johnson tomorrow. I am back up the full dose of Thym-Adren, which was a disaster less than 1 week ago. WHAT THE _________!!!?? I attribute it to tight restrictions on sugar and taking the Fructosin consistently. I feel good about this formula for now but am not confident about 2 months from now. I could get the medical report in as little as 2 weeks from now and predict a modest improvement.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
2/27- NIGHTMARE! I just can't plug all the leaks. I think I've got the Thym-Adren squared away but now the Vitamin C and copper has flared up again. All I had time for was a short run. I tried to run in at tempo pace and died after a 6:30 1st mile. Hung on for another one at 7:50 then quit. Drove up to Nashville for prolo and it was not bad.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/28- Last day of the month from hell. I am too sore from the prolo to run today so I'm taking my planned rest day. Perhaps the fructose malabsorption is interfering with the Vitamin C absorption. I need to take the Fructosin consistently in spite of the high cost ($45/month). As for the copper, 2 mg is the daily value and only 1 mg. can make a difference between a good day and a bad one. Again, WHAT THE ___________!!!?? Sure, I'm angry but anybody else would be as well. I still have a chance to break the losing streak with a strong weekend. Outside of the sore ankle, I feel pretty decent today and may be able to do a gentle run tomorrow.
3/1- First signs of Spring have come as the trees are beginning to get a few buds but we're in a cold snap with temps barely into the 40s with a chance of snow tomorrow. I stayed indoors for an easy 6 in a decent time of 45:24 (7:34 pace). Slight fade in the 2nd half (22:33/22:51). Ankle was too tender for a quality session but I felt otherwise okay during the run. Not good but okay! I probably would have struggled in a tempo but grading is more lenient on easy days. I need a strong weekend to break the losing streak but barring a sudden sickness, I will be over 2.0 for the first time in 3 weeks.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
3/2- Temps in the 30s with wind and yes, snow flurries. Good day to stay in and run an easy 6. It was a good one. Came through 5 in exactly 36:40 with a pace of 7:20 (+/- 2 sec) each mile then turned it up in Mile 6 with a 6:37 to finish in 43:17 (7:13 avg pace). Ankle is still just a little tender but I don't think it hurt me. I have cut the Vitamin C down to 1,000 mg and may go down to 500 because I was still just a tad loose today. At this pace, it didn't hurt me but I'm still not sure how I would do in a tempo. Added a half mile cool. Should hit 40 again. I only need a "B" tomorrow to get a win this week.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
3/3- Trak Shak 8 and 3 so it was a hilly route. I wasn't quite in tip top form but pretty strong overall. I think that I will go down to 500 mg. of Vitamin C but that means that I must avoid copper in my protein bars. Yes, even 15% DV can make a difference. Finished with a time of 78:44 for the 11 miles (7:10 pace) with my last mile in 6:45 and last 800 in 3:09. Added a half mile cool. I have broken the losing streak.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary:
Lenient grading for much of the week but it's a win nonetheless. Win #5 on the year. The official formula is 500 mg. of C, 8 Thym-Adren pills, 2 Fructosin and 1-2 Paramin. I could very well go on a hot streak for the next 6-8 weeks but what are the chances that this will work 3 months from now? Slim-none. I expect to get the medical report in 10-14 days.
Distance= 40.0/ GPA= 24.8/8= 3.10
YTD: 348 miles/ Record: 5-4. Cum. GPA= 25.00/9= 2.78
Monday, February 18, 2013
Training 2/18-2/24
2/18- HORRIBLE! 5.5 mile recovery run with Kelly. I did enjoy the company even though I felt like total crap. I did not time it but the pace was said to be near 9 minutes and my legs could barely even handle that. By contrast, I can usually handle an 8 minute pace the day after a half. Formula today was 4 Thym-Adren and 2 Thymus which will not work. It will have to be one or the other. I'm going with the Thymus because it does not contain copper, just the glandular substance. On the day after a race, I will never give myself less than a "C" that's what I get today. I'm sending in my hair sample tomorrow.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/19- AM- I sure hope that last night was the low point. I had a terrible night complete with a panic attack, injury fear (pain just below ankle) and a nightmare involving a bizzare professor and extended unemployment while living near New Orleans (not a fan of that city either). Since I switched to all Thymus (7th adjustment of 2013), I'm taking no copper and thus have no need for Vitamin C. Woke up early with no alarm and went out and ran 1 mile before work in a pathetic time of 6:26.0. Effort was 90-95%. The only good news is that the ankle pain does not appear to be an injury. I will run again this evening. No grade this morning.
PM- Dare I say that help is on the way? Easy 5 in 37:41 (7:32 pace). Not good by any stretch but certainly an improvement over 12 hours ago. Legs and ankle were sore but the body was fairly comfortable. 1st half: 18:38, 2nd half: 19:03 so it was a mild fade but too severe. It is a victory that the Thymus appears to be effective. I am off both copper and Vitamin C as of tomorrow. Back in '09, I had a problem with zinc and chromium inhibiting each other. I quit both of them and it worked. Need to get the sugar consumption back down too and need a good night sleep tonight without a bizarre dream.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/20- Forget what I said about maybe getting better. I slept 10 hours last night, which seemed to help. I felt awful when I woke up but that's not unusual after a night off without the pills. I took 1 Thymus and got a little better then took 2 more pills and got MUCH WORSE! I am ready to declare the Thymus plan to be a failure. That leaves me with no other option except the Thym-Adren and Vitamin C. So here comes my 8th adjustment in as many weeks: Switch to Ester-C, which is supposedly better for fast oxidizers than ascorbic acid. Take as much as I need and not worry about a potential copper deficiency until it comes up. Again, I can take pre-emptive action to prevent a flare up on a race day. I will probably take my planned rest day or junk workout this evening rather than try to do a real workout and probably get an "F" on the day. Either way, I'm probably looking at my 4th consecutive loss unless I can get a miracle turnaround by the weekend.
Note to my readers: Some of you may be disappointed in my attitude as of late but my response is that this blog is designed to show a day to day picture of life with chemical instability and sometimes it ain't pretty. I refuse to sugarcoat it. IT SUCKS!
Another thought on the race: I was still good enough for 24th in my age group out of nearly 200 but that doesn't make me feel any better. My pace was nearly a minute per mile slower than my capability. It would be like Usain Bolt struggling to break 11 seconds in the 100 meters. He'd still be very fast in comparison with the average person but if you were to see him lose to a high school kid, you'd know something was wrong.
PM- 1 mile Trak Shak loop in a blistering 8:30.7. I could not go much faster. At least this gives me a base to track improvement from here. I threw the Thymus in the trash and blew $57 on it. I expect to be better tomorrow. I picked up some Ester-C at the store. The ankle is still sore but it's no worse when running. May need a shot of prolo for this. Oh joy! This counts as my rest day so it won't hurt the GPA but it goes on my record as an "F"
Grade:F/0 credits/distance=1.0
2/21- AM. 2 miles hard in a time of 14:50 (7:25 pace) with a significant negative split (7:34/7:16). That's still BAAAUHD! I should be well under 12 minutes at a hard effort. 1st day on Ester-C with the Thym-Adren. I will run again in the evening.
PM- Once again, I was baaaauhd! 4 miles indoors in a lame 30:52 (7:43 pace). 1st half was 14:44, 2nd half was 16:08. The wall hit me at Mile 3 and it felt pretty much like Mile 23. Better than yesterday but that is faint praise. I'm going to lose my 4th in a row and I'm not out of the woods yet with the ankle soreness.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/22- Last chance to do a "tempo" and it was a very weak effort. Nearly all out effort yielded a time of 35:58 for 5 miles (7:12 pace). That's a good marathon pace but for a tempo, I should be 6:30 or better so this was very poor. However, it was a significant improvement over yesterday. I would have been well over 39 yesterday. Today, I broke 36. I attribute this improvement to reducing the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6. Why am I trending down again? Is it because I am getting closer to balance or do I have a another deficiency? I'll find out in about 3 weeks. I think I have ruled out neuro deficiencies and I do think that I am getting enough C. Above 7:00 pace on a tempo is normally unacceptable but I'm lenient with the grade because of the improvement. Added a mile cool.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/23- Slept in and ran solo. Many Gnomes were racing this weekend anyway. I was unsure of how I would perform. Lakeshore 10 at moderate effort in a time of 77:21 (7:44 pace). I stayed with 6 Thym-Adren pills and took extra Vitamin C and was still sluggish. May try for 5 tomorrow. I'm okay with going as low as 3 but no lower. I tried a drink that contained tyrosine and had a negative reaction so I'm 90% sure that I'm okay neurologically. Overall, this was a fair performance.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=10.0
2/24- Felt horrible in the morning because the tyrosine was still in my system. I was willing to endure another rough day to rule out neurological problems. Felt a bit better by the afternoon. 3 miles on Wisteria in a time of 23:48 (7:56 pace). Very poor.
Run #2- 2 miles in 14:24 (7:12 pace) so that takes me up to 5 on the day in an overall time of 38:12 (7:38 avg). That's still quite lame but run #2 was noticeably better.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
I managed to beat last week's GPA and managed decent mileage but was once again under 2. This is one of my worst slumps on record. To meet my training goal for the year, I need to go 34-8 the rest of the way. The next race on the calendar is the Silver Comet 10K in 2 weeks. That is looking doubtful. If the medical report is not much better, I will have no idea why I am trending down.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 15.7/8= 1.96
YTD: 308 miles. Record: 4-4, Cum. GPA = 21.90/8= 2.74
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/19- AM- I sure hope that last night was the low point. I had a terrible night complete with a panic attack, injury fear (pain just below ankle) and a nightmare involving a bizzare professor and extended unemployment while living near New Orleans (not a fan of that city either). Since I switched to all Thymus (7th adjustment of 2013), I'm taking no copper and thus have no need for Vitamin C. Woke up early with no alarm and went out and ran 1 mile before work in a pathetic time of 6:26.0. Effort was 90-95%. The only good news is that the ankle pain does not appear to be an injury. I will run again this evening. No grade this morning.
PM- Dare I say that help is on the way? Easy 5 in 37:41 (7:32 pace). Not good by any stretch but certainly an improvement over 12 hours ago. Legs and ankle were sore but the body was fairly comfortable. 1st half: 18:38, 2nd half: 19:03 so it was a mild fade but too severe. It is a victory that the Thymus appears to be effective. I am off both copper and Vitamin C as of tomorrow. Back in '09, I had a problem with zinc and chromium inhibiting each other. I quit both of them and it worked. Need to get the sugar consumption back down too and need a good night sleep tonight without a bizarre dream.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/20- Forget what I said about maybe getting better. I slept 10 hours last night, which seemed to help. I felt awful when I woke up but that's not unusual after a night off without the pills. I took 1 Thymus and got a little better then took 2 more pills and got MUCH WORSE! I am ready to declare the Thymus plan to be a failure. That leaves me with no other option except the Thym-Adren and Vitamin C. So here comes my 8th adjustment in as many weeks: Switch to Ester-C, which is supposedly better for fast oxidizers than ascorbic acid. Take as much as I need and not worry about a potential copper deficiency until it comes up. Again, I can take pre-emptive action to prevent a flare up on a race day. I will probably take my planned rest day or junk workout this evening rather than try to do a real workout and probably get an "F" on the day. Either way, I'm probably looking at my 4th consecutive loss unless I can get a miracle turnaround by the weekend.
Note to my readers: Some of you may be disappointed in my attitude as of late but my response is that this blog is designed to show a day to day picture of life with chemical instability and sometimes it ain't pretty. I refuse to sugarcoat it. IT SUCKS!
Another thought on the race: I was still good enough for 24th in my age group out of nearly 200 but that doesn't make me feel any better. My pace was nearly a minute per mile slower than my capability. It would be like Usain Bolt struggling to break 11 seconds in the 100 meters. He'd still be very fast in comparison with the average person but if you were to see him lose to a high school kid, you'd know something was wrong.
PM- 1 mile Trak Shak loop in a blistering 8:30.7. I could not go much faster. At least this gives me a base to track improvement from here. I threw the Thymus in the trash and blew $57 on it. I expect to be better tomorrow. I picked up some Ester-C at the store. The ankle is still sore but it's no worse when running. May need a shot of prolo for this. Oh joy! This counts as my rest day so it won't hurt the GPA but it goes on my record as an "F"
Grade:F/0 credits/distance=1.0
2/21- AM. 2 miles hard in a time of 14:50 (7:25 pace) with a significant negative split (7:34/7:16). That's still BAAAUHD! I should be well under 12 minutes at a hard effort. 1st day on Ester-C with the Thym-Adren. I will run again in the evening.
PM- Once again, I was baaaauhd! 4 miles indoors in a lame 30:52 (7:43 pace). 1st half was 14:44, 2nd half was 16:08. The wall hit me at Mile 3 and it felt pretty much like Mile 23. Better than yesterday but that is faint praise. I'm going to lose my 4th in a row and I'm not out of the woods yet with the ankle soreness.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/22- Last chance to do a "tempo" and it was a very weak effort. Nearly all out effort yielded a time of 35:58 for 5 miles (7:12 pace). That's a good marathon pace but for a tempo, I should be 6:30 or better so this was very poor. However, it was a significant improvement over yesterday. I would have been well over 39 yesterday. Today, I broke 36. I attribute this improvement to reducing the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6. Why am I trending down again? Is it because I am getting closer to balance or do I have a another deficiency? I'll find out in about 3 weeks. I think I have ruled out neuro deficiencies and I do think that I am getting enough C. Above 7:00 pace on a tempo is normally unacceptable but I'm lenient with the grade because of the improvement. Added a mile cool.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/23- Slept in and ran solo. Many Gnomes were racing this weekend anyway. I was unsure of how I would perform. Lakeshore 10 at moderate effort in a time of 77:21 (7:44 pace). I stayed with 6 Thym-Adren pills and took extra Vitamin C and was still sluggish. May try for 5 tomorrow. I'm okay with going as low as 3 but no lower. I tried a drink that contained tyrosine and had a negative reaction so I'm 90% sure that I'm okay neurologically. Overall, this was a fair performance.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=10.0
2/24- Felt horrible in the morning because the tyrosine was still in my system. I was willing to endure another rough day to rule out neurological problems. Felt a bit better by the afternoon. 3 miles on Wisteria in a time of 23:48 (7:56 pace). Very poor.
Run #2- 2 miles in 14:24 (7:12 pace) so that takes me up to 5 on the day in an overall time of 38:12 (7:38 avg). That's still quite lame but run #2 was noticeably better.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
I managed to beat last week's GPA and managed decent mileage but was once again under 2. This is one of my worst slumps on record. To meet my training goal for the year, I need to go 34-8 the rest of the way. The next race on the calendar is the Silver Comet 10K in 2 weeks. That is looking doubtful. If the medical report is not much better, I will have no idea why I am trending down.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 15.7/8= 1.96
YTD: 308 miles. Record: 4-4, Cum. GPA = 21.90/8= 2.74
Monday, February 11, 2013
Copper and Vitamin C issues
EDIT (8/16/13):
I am pleased to report that this issue has been well controlled for the past several months. If I take my fully DV of copper in supplement form, I need 500 mg of Vitamin C to balance it out. If I take less copper, I need less C and vice versa.
EDIT (4/2/14):
The copper had consistently read low on my hair test (usually about 1.5 vs. ideal of 2.5) but it is obvious now that I had a hidden toxicity all along. The Hulda Clark liver detox freed the copper from my liver and now it has spilled into my tissues. Vitamin C is still a good option. Other minerals that have been helpful to others include magnesium, molybdenum and selenium.
EDIT (10/28/14)
I've learned quite a bit since my last edit. In addition to the hair test, I recommend a serum copper and ceruloplasmin test. Copper bound to ceruloplasmin is a good thing. Too much unbound copper is toxic. In order to determine your unbound copper, multiply ceruloplasmin by 3 and subtract it from total copper. Ceruloplasmin should be 25-35. Unbound copper should be between 5-15. I endorse sulfur containing amino acids to reduce unbound copper. To raise ceruloplasmin, consider Whole Food C (not ascorbic acid) and/or Liver Beef.
Another post by my alter-ego: Dr. J. Here it is.
In December of 2012, I began trending off the Thym-Adren in spite of the fact that my medical report indicated off the scale imbalances, revealing the need for mega doses. The only problem was that I could not tolerate the one pill that has been proven to effective in getting me towards balance. There had to be some reason why I could not take it without stiffening up something awful. I surmised that I had a hidden copper toxicity or bio-unavailability. Vitamin C is a powerful copper antagonist so I began taking some of it to combat the problem. Presto! I could tolerate as much Thym-Adren as I needed and despite a few hiccups, I had a good month in January (4-0/3.37).
Then all of a sudden, the Vitamin C stopped working and my body reacted to it as if it was toxic. That's right. It was working beautifully through the end of week 4. I was fine on 1/28, a little flat the next day and downright BAD on 1/30. Simply reducing the dose was not enough. I had to avoid it in any form. In week 6, I drank a bottle of orange juice with my breakfast and tightened up so badly that when I tried to touch my toes, I could barely get past my knees.
I now believe that my original diagnosis of a copper toxicity was not quite correct. More likely, it was a Vitamin C deficiency brought on in part by excess copper. The tell tale sign is usually bleeding gums, which was present in my case at times but it was not too severe. The Vitamin C supplementation proved to be effective in resolving that deficiency. However, as I stated before, Vitamin C is a powerful copper antagonist. Thus, too much of it will deplete copper to dangerously low levels if taken long-term. Odds are that I am a bit low in both copper and C. That may explain why Vitamin C was good for me then became toxic all of a sudden. The copper over-rode the C issue. Treating one will make the other worse. Ouch!
The nightmare:
I've already taken a few days worth of copper to get that value back up and should be able to stay off it long-term. There is a fear that the Vitamin C deficiency could come back even if I avoid copper as much as possible. If that happens, taking C is a quick fix but in any form (including fruits and juices), it can trigger the copper deficiency again.
The plan of attack:
-Avoid any forms of copper (including some protein bars) and Vitamin C that is not present in my supplements. I'm already getting nearly my daily value of copper from the day's dose of Thym-Adren, which also contains Vitamin C.
-Stay away from caffeine and beer which deplete Vitamin C.
-Stay away from fruit drinks high in C, which deplete copper.
-That means pretty much just drink water and Gatorade, which has worked well in the past.
-I could switch to another pill but I have my doubts about its effectiveness.
As a last resort, I am open to a break from running. I've always maintained that these imbalances would be there regardless of whether I ran or not and that I'd never be able to manage it so well if not for running but if all else fails, I will take a break.
The good news is that as the body gets closer to balance in a fast oxidizer, tissue copper levels will usually rise without supplementation, which leaves me less vulnerable to problems if I need extra Vitamin C.
Emotional state:
I was pretty angry when I was struggling with my job in 2008 but that was an external circumstance. If you ask me, this is worse. The cycle keeps repeating itself: 6-8 good weeks then I lose 3 or 4 in a row. If/when I get this straight, another issue will probably pop up. Why should I believe any differently? I am having serious doubts about whether or not I can beat this once and for all. I've accepted having to take pills and I'm okay with that. Being unstable is not something that I will tolerate and if this is how my life will go, the anger and bitterness that I feel will only get worse. When it comes to chemical imbalances, happiness is not a choice!
Training 2/11-2/17
2/11- Another modest improvement. 5 miles nearly all out in 35:21 (7:04 pace). Considering that I have been under 32 minutes 3 times at this distance, this sucks. Yesterday, I was done after 3 in 20:48. Today, I came through 3 in 20:37 then hung on for a 7:24 and a 7:20 (easy pace @ hard effort). Adjustment #5 on the year will come tomorrow when I cut out the copper completely. Today, I took the equivalent of 1/2 pill with a protein bar. 1st half: 17:01, 2nd half: 18:20. That sucked too.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.0
2/12- Interesting day. I felt flat out AWFUL all day at work. I knew the problem. Simply cutting out the copper was not enough. I had to go back to Vitamin C. I am low in both. Symptoms of the more severe imbalance will predominate. Both are required to synthesize dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin so that explains the depression. First attempt to run was only 200 meters almost all out in 52 seconds. I drank some OJ and was down to 47.5 seconds so I went home and popped some Vitamin C. Finished another 5 mile test and my time was down to 34:12 (6:50 pace). That's just under 1:30 pace for a half and if I had gone out conservatively, I may have held it for 6.5. Ugly splits again. 1st half: 16:39, 2nd half: 17:33. No cause for celebration. I am still a distressing :30/mile shy of PR form. At least I know what to do if I have problems with Vitamin C. From now on, I will take pre-emptive action on race week to prevent a sudden shift on the weekend. As for the copper, if I get into balance, my risk of copper deficiency will diminish.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/13- I need to tweak a few things but I am on the right track. 4 days out from the race and I think I can expect a "decent" showing. I'll consider this one my tempo on the week. 5 mile test run again and my time is down to 33:23 (6:41 pace). Cut off another 49 seconds. Splits are evening up as well. 1st half: 16:25, 2nd half: 16:58. 35 of the 49 came in the 2nd half. Copper must be kept to a minimum. Instead of increasing C if I feel a little off, I will cut the Thym-Adren. Copper is nearly as toxic this week as C was last week. When the thymus substance comes next week, I may be able to reduce the Thym-Adren significantly. The remainder of the week will be 2 days off then just a few strides on Saturday. Sunday's weather looks to be clear and cold. Passed 250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
2/14- Planned rest day #1. I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY! There I said it. This year is especially painful because I don't feel like I'm any closer to fixing this than I was 3 years ago. I don't want to hurt anyone with my mood swings or get hurt myself by someone who doesn't understand.
2/15- Planned rest day #2. I have no choice but to increase the Vitamin C. I fear that my excitatory neurotransmitters may be low again (adrenaline, dopamine) and I sure hope that C is all I need for that. I REALLY don't want to have to go back to tyrosine because that would neutralize the Thym-Adren. Not real confident 2 days out from race day. Dreamed that I took a wrong turn on my home course, cut through a smokey bar, ran over 2 extra miles and finished in 1:55.
Update: Not a good day. Stiffness in my knees again and I attribute that to the protein bar. Will it clear in time? I'm having to do everything that I did last time that caused the copper deficiency to flare up. Thymus substance has arrived but I'm afraid to make any real changes so close to race day.
2/16- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria. Did not feel well. It's hard to predict anything but it sure is not looking good for tomorrow. I can still get a win this week with an "A-" tomorrow.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=1.0
2/17- Sucked as expected. Barely finished the Mercedes half in a time of 1:38:31 (7:32 pace). I was doing okay through Mile 6 then the wheels came off. I would have dropped out if I had fallen off 2 miles earlier. I looked so bad at Mile 10 that a volunteer asked me if I was okay. I said "No, but I can finish safely." I made no effort at all in the last 5K. I just wanted it to be over. I won't even bother with writing a full report but I will list my splits here:
6:42-6:42-6:56-6:49-7:07-6:58/ (41:14 @ Mile 6) just a hair off 1:30 pace.
7:20-7:34-7:34-8:02 (71:44 @ Mile 10) still on pace for a 1:34
8:15-8:49-8:57-52. Wanted to walk but did not. Last 5K was a pitiful 26:53.
Grade:D+/4 credits/distance=14.0
Weekly summary:
The only good that I can think of about this week is that since it's my 3rd straight loss, based on my history, I am due for a win next week. The thymus substance appears to be effective but the formula will have to be tweaked. With less copper, the need for Vitamin C should decrease, which is good.
I have dropped under 3.0 on the year.
Distance=31.0/GPA= 14.6/8= 1.83(lowest of the year)
YTD: 268 miles. Record: 4-3. Cum GPA= 2.85
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.0
2/12- Interesting day. I felt flat out AWFUL all day at work. I knew the problem. Simply cutting out the copper was not enough. I had to go back to Vitamin C. I am low in both. Symptoms of the more severe imbalance will predominate. Both are required to synthesize dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin so that explains the depression. First attempt to run was only 200 meters almost all out in 52 seconds. I drank some OJ and was down to 47.5 seconds so I went home and popped some Vitamin C. Finished another 5 mile test and my time was down to 34:12 (6:50 pace). That's just under 1:30 pace for a half and if I had gone out conservatively, I may have held it for 6.5. Ugly splits again. 1st half: 16:39, 2nd half: 17:33. No cause for celebration. I am still a distressing :30/mile shy of PR form. At least I know what to do if I have problems with Vitamin C. From now on, I will take pre-emptive action on race week to prevent a sudden shift on the weekend. As for the copper, if I get into balance, my risk of copper deficiency will diminish.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/13- I need to tweak a few things but I am on the right track. 4 days out from the race and I think I can expect a "decent" showing. I'll consider this one my tempo on the week. 5 mile test run again and my time is down to 33:23 (6:41 pace). Cut off another 49 seconds. Splits are evening up as well. 1st half: 16:25, 2nd half: 16:58. 35 of the 49 came in the 2nd half. Copper must be kept to a minimum. Instead of increasing C if I feel a little off, I will cut the Thym-Adren. Copper is nearly as toxic this week as C was last week. When the thymus substance comes next week, I may be able to reduce the Thym-Adren significantly. The remainder of the week will be 2 days off then just a few strides on Saturday. Sunday's weather looks to be clear and cold. Passed 250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
2/14- Planned rest day #1. I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY! There I said it. This year is especially painful because I don't feel like I'm any closer to fixing this than I was 3 years ago. I don't want to hurt anyone with my mood swings or get hurt myself by someone who doesn't understand.
2/15- Planned rest day #2. I have no choice but to increase the Vitamin C. I fear that my excitatory neurotransmitters may be low again (adrenaline, dopamine) and I sure hope that C is all I need for that. I REALLY don't want to have to go back to tyrosine because that would neutralize the Thym-Adren. Not real confident 2 days out from race day. Dreamed that I took a wrong turn on my home course, cut through a smokey bar, ran over 2 extra miles and finished in 1:55.
Update: Not a good day. Stiffness in my knees again and I attribute that to the protein bar. Will it clear in time? I'm having to do everything that I did last time that caused the copper deficiency to flare up. Thymus substance has arrived but I'm afraid to make any real changes so close to race day.
2/16- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria. Did not feel well. It's hard to predict anything but it sure is not looking good for tomorrow. I can still get a win this week with an "A-" tomorrow.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=1.0
2/17- Sucked as expected. Barely finished the Mercedes half in a time of 1:38:31 (7:32 pace). I was doing okay through Mile 6 then the wheels came off. I would have dropped out if I had fallen off 2 miles earlier. I looked so bad at Mile 10 that a volunteer asked me if I was okay. I said "No, but I can finish safely." I made no effort at all in the last 5K. I just wanted it to be over. I won't even bother with writing a full report but I will list my splits here:
6:42-6:42-6:56-6:49-7:07-6:58/ (41:14 @ Mile 6) just a hair off 1:30 pace.
7:20-7:34-7:34-8:02 (71:44 @ Mile 10) still on pace for a 1:34
8:15-8:49-8:57-52. Wanted to walk but did not. Last 5K was a pitiful 26:53.
Grade:D+/4 credits/distance=14.0
Weekly summary:
The only good that I can think of about this week is that since it's my 3rd straight loss, based on my history, I am due for a win next week. The thymus substance appears to be effective but the formula will have to be tweaked. With less copper, the need for Vitamin C should decrease, which is good.
I have dropped under 3.0 on the year.
Distance=31.0/GPA= 14.6/8= 1.83(lowest of the year)
YTD: 268 miles. Record: 4-3. Cum GPA= 2.85
Monday, February 4, 2013
Training 2/4-2/10
2/4- Easy 6 indoors in a solid 44:48 (7:28 pace). Nearly dead even splits. All were between 7:26-7:30. Good looking run on the surface but an easy day is judged somewhat subjectively based on how I felt. This should have been effortless but I was still too loose. The excess Vitamin C still has not cleared my system. Should be better tomorrow.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/5- Checked out Will's speed group at Oak Mountain HS. It worked out well. I wanted to combine a bit of tempo and harder speed and he gave me what I wanted. 2 miles in 12:30 (6:13-6:17) followed by a 5 minute rest then 4x200 @ 33.5 avg (4:30 pace). 200s were 32-35-34-33. I think that I could have run a 19:45 for 5K in a time trial, which is not bad for being untapered. This was day #2 off the Vitamin C. It feels like I am improving gradually which may be good for the long haul but I may not be at my peak for Mercedes. Solid but unspectacular. 12 days out from race day.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.5
2/6- Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort in a time of 35:56 (7:11 pace). It was nice to have daylight for almost 3 miles. Kind of "not smart" to push it today but I wanted a bit of a test. Third day off Vitamin C and I felt different today. If I remain on this course, I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of several weeks, improvement will be noticeable. I'm a little down on my chances of a fast time at Mercedes and I have a premonition that I'll be forced back on the C soon.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/7- AM- Easy 3 miles indoors in 22:53 (7:38 pace). Not expecting much and was not surprised that I did not feel good. I did tinker with the dosage last night. Just a trace of C will trigger a negative reaction. Is it C in pill form that is bad or do I have a problem with all forms? I'll find out after a bottle of orange juice. If the latter holds true, I will try to go back to the protein bars with copper.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
Update: After drinking a bottle of OJ with my breakfast, I stiffened up badly. Clearly, I have an issue with C in all forms. I have no choice but to add more copper but if I do that for too long, I'll be right back to copper toxicity and Vitamin C deficiency. I've also learned that protein increases copper, which depletes C. Plan #7,000 is to find another breakfast choice that gives me moderate protein and contains a little copper. Plan # 7,001 is to avoid both copper and C and take Thymus glandular alone but I have doubts about the effectiveness of that plan. THIS SUCKS!
2/8- Planned rest day. I went to GNC to get some new protein bars. I went with PowerCrunch (15 g protein, 0 sugar alcohol, 0% copper) but should have gone with Supreme. I had been taking METRX, which contains 32g of protein and 60% DV of copper. Copper and Vitamin C are direct antagonists of each other and protein increases copper absorption. Here's what I know: If I take the METRX regularly, it will lead to too much copper and a Vitamin C deficiency. If I do not take any protein and avoid copper altogether, I will become deficient in copper and so sensitive to Vitamin C that I will not be able to drink a bottle of OJ without stiffening up. Ideally, I'm looking to go halfway (15 g protein, 25% DV copper) preferably with no sugar alcohols. I would prefer to stay off the C but if I can't drink some juice, that will not be tolerated.
2/9- TERRIBLE! 2 attempts to run. Both times, I faded early after a decent start and was doing over 8:00 pace early in Mile 2 so I quit. If the race had been today, it would have been a DNF.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/10- Not much better. Short tempo indoors. 3 miles in 20:48 (6:56 pace) with splits of 6:38-7:02-7:08. Woke up feeling awful then took a copper pill and overshot the balance point. Took another half when I got back and got worse.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Angry again. This is my history. I often have 6-8 weeks in which it really looks like things are coming together then I lose 3 out of 4. 1 week out from race day and it's a long shot that I'll be in decent form by then. The overall record still looks decent and would have been acceptable in the early years of treatment but not in 2013. What's worse is that I've needed 4 adjustments in 6 weeks and that number will be 5 by next week when I cut out the copper.
Distance= 25.0/ GPA= 17.0/8= 2.13
YTD: 237 miles. Record- 4-2. Cum. GPA= 3.02
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/5- Checked out Will's speed group at Oak Mountain HS. It worked out well. I wanted to combine a bit of tempo and harder speed and he gave me what I wanted. 2 miles in 12:30 (6:13-6:17) followed by a 5 minute rest then 4x200 @ 33.5 avg (4:30 pace). 200s were 32-35-34-33. I think that I could have run a 19:45 for 5K in a time trial, which is not bad for being untapered. This was day #2 off the Vitamin C. It feels like I am improving gradually which may be good for the long haul but I may not be at my peak for Mercedes. Solid but unspectacular. 12 days out from race day.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.5
2/6- Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort in a time of 35:56 (7:11 pace). It was nice to have daylight for almost 3 miles. Kind of "not smart" to push it today but I wanted a bit of a test. Third day off Vitamin C and I felt different today. If I remain on this course, I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of several weeks, improvement will be noticeable. I'm a little down on my chances of a fast time at Mercedes and I have a premonition that I'll be forced back on the C soon.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/7- AM- Easy 3 miles indoors in 22:53 (7:38 pace). Not expecting much and was not surprised that I did not feel good. I did tinker with the dosage last night. Just a trace of C will trigger a negative reaction. Is it C in pill form that is bad or do I have a problem with all forms? I'll find out after a bottle of orange juice. If the latter holds true, I will try to go back to the protein bars with copper.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
Update: After drinking a bottle of OJ with my breakfast, I stiffened up badly. Clearly, I have an issue with C in all forms. I have no choice but to add more copper but if I do that for too long, I'll be right back to copper toxicity and Vitamin C deficiency. I've also learned that protein increases copper, which depletes C. Plan #7,000 is to find another breakfast choice that gives me moderate protein and contains a little copper. Plan # 7,001 is to avoid both copper and C and take Thymus glandular alone but I have doubts about the effectiveness of that plan. THIS SUCKS!
2/8- Planned rest day. I went to GNC to get some new protein bars. I went with PowerCrunch (15 g protein, 0 sugar alcohol, 0% copper) but should have gone with Supreme. I had been taking METRX, which contains 32g of protein and 60% DV of copper. Copper and Vitamin C are direct antagonists of each other and protein increases copper absorption. Here's what I know: If I take the METRX regularly, it will lead to too much copper and a Vitamin C deficiency. If I do not take any protein and avoid copper altogether, I will become deficient in copper and so sensitive to Vitamin C that I will not be able to drink a bottle of OJ without stiffening up. Ideally, I'm looking to go halfway (15 g protein, 25% DV copper) preferably with no sugar alcohols. I would prefer to stay off the C but if I can't drink some juice, that will not be tolerated.
2/9- TERRIBLE! 2 attempts to run. Both times, I faded early after a decent start and was doing over 8:00 pace early in Mile 2 so I quit. If the race had been today, it would have been a DNF.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/10- Not much better. Short tempo indoors. 3 miles in 20:48 (6:56 pace) with splits of 6:38-7:02-7:08. Woke up feeling awful then took a copper pill and overshot the balance point. Took another half when I got back and got worse.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Angry again. This is my history. I often have 6-8 weeks in which it really looks like things are coming together then I lose 3 out of 4. 1 week out from race day and it's a long shot that I'll be in decent form by then. The overall record still looks decent and would have been acceptable in the early years of treatment but not in 2013. What's worse is that I've needed 4 adjustments in 6 weeks and that number will be 5 by next week when I cut out the copper.
Distance= 25.0/ GPA= 17.0/8= 2.13
YTD: 237 miles. Record- 4-2. Cum. GPA= 3.02
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