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