6/24- Big day for me. I LOADED on transdermal magnesium and it seems that the websites claim of no danger of an overdose may be true after all. The only issue that I had was a bit of an itch and a rash where I put a lot of lotion on the skin. I don't think it's a concern. I can cut back on it and be okay. In terms of energy, there were no issues and I felt slightly better overall. I read on a TMG review that it often takes 4-6 weeks to fully take effect. I'm fine with that. Fructosin was a quick fix but this is not. I feel more stable with gradual improvements anyway.
The workout: Sticky-icky weather so it was a Gold's Gym 5 mile tempo and my time is down to 34:14 (6:51 pace). 1st half: 16:54, 2nd half: 17:20. That's a full 90 seconds better than yesterday (18/mile) but a FAR CRY from the 31:40 that I ran back in March. Peachtree is in only 10 days and it's gonna suck!
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=5.5
6/25- Body is tired and sore but it's clearly unrelated to the pills. As is usually the case when I over-reach with my training, I don't feel the depression and blahs. Instead, I feel dazed and dreamy. When I called on my body to perform, it actually responded fairly well. Not a killer workout today but a decent sprint session at Hoover HS. 5x200 with long recoveries. Times were 34.8-33.9-31.8-32.9-31.6. An average of 33-flat or roughly 4:25 pace. In tip top shape, I'd be at or just under 4:00. Closed with 6x100 fast and controlled but untimed followed by a cool. Sprinters like conditions to be warm and dry NOT warm and humid.
5th day on the TMG and I have not collapsed yet. The rash on the stomach is still there however. It doesn't hurt or itch but it is very unsightly. I can try an oil based product if it doesn't go away soon.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=2.0
6/26- Trak Shak 5.5 in 40:12 (7:19 pace). Strong performance. Legs were tired and sore and I expected to see paces near 7:40 and was quite surprised to see 7:20. Effort was about 3.5/10. The rash has not fully cleared though it may have faded a bit. No real concern. I can try oil or take some type of anti-allergy treatment. More good news is that I seem to be less dependent on the Thym-Adren. I still take the same mega dose but it seems like today, I would not have been horrible if I missed a dose. Man, it would be so great to not be locked in to taking X # of pills or else every day!
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
6/27- Planned rest. 7th day on the TMG and so far, I am not showing any sign of collapse. I want to test tomorrow. Rash is almost completely gone.
6/28- Well, the collapse did happen today but early signs point to it being due to excess Thym-Adren, NOT the magnesium. I read a hard to believe claim that the TMG supposedly helps stabilize and balance cell chemistry, which could explain my body's sudden rejection of mega doses of Thym-Adren. Why is it that the pill form raised Na and K but the TMG seems as if it may be having the opposite effect? Again, I won't know until the medical report, which will be sent in about a month. I've been pretty good about avoiding caffeine despite a couple slips and have been consistent with the Fructosin as well.
AM- Quit on a Mile time trial after an 86 second first lap and a rapidly slowing pace. Jogged a cool down for a total of 1 Mile. Came home for lunch and took an extra Thym-Adren, which caused me to feel even worse. Hoping for no further ill-effects from another application of the TMG.
PM- I was horrible but I knew it coming into the workout. I just wanted to meet the minimum criteria for a workout and did. 3 miles easy at Gold's in a time of 25:49 (8:36 pace). Planning an aggressive cut to the Thym-Adren dosage tomorrow but may have to skip the Gnome run.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance=4.0
6/29- Ran with the Gnomes. Cut the dose from 8 pills down to 6 and it was not aggressive enough. I might cut it to 4 tomorrow. 10 miles in 84:41 (8:28 pace) on a murderous route that included 2 trips up and down Red Mountain. Probably would have been in the mid-high 1:40s on a flat half mary. Decent improvement and I hope to build on it tomorrow.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=10.0
6/30- Lakeshore 5 in 37:41 (7:32 pace). Relatively comfortable weather conditions out there at 7 AM. Pleased with the further incremental improvement. I did cut the Thym-Adren down to 4 pills and there will be further cuts tomorrow. There is a chance of getting off this stuff and I'm not excited. I will not believe it until I get a decent medical report.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Very mediocre week overall. I said win or else and I lost but it was due to excess Thym-Adren. What will happen next week? The first half is over and I just want to get back to .500 by year's end.
Distance=32.0/ GPA= 16.8/8= 2.10
YTD: 954 miles. 10-15 with a 2.64 GPA.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
Transdermal Magnesium (LAST LAST RESORT)
Without a doubt, the magnesium has been the source of the suckage since March and it has gotten progressively worse in recent weeks. Here's what's been happening.
-If I take a Cal/Mag or Mag alone every day even at small doses, I will not be able to tolerate it. My body will tighten up something awful and I will be overwhelmed by fatigue and depression.
-If I stop it, I will likely feel better for 3-5 days then I will need it again because I feel awful.
-If I take a larger dose, I will immediately feel terrible then get better for a few days and manage a few decent workouts but none will be even close to the level it was when I was in PR form.
-It does seem like my tolerance does seem to be affected by my sugar consumption but it was far too unstable.
-Drinking water alone has failed and I most likely will not stick with it. The only thing that could work even remotely decent would be to set up a plan in which I take it every other day or 3rd day but either way, it's far too unstable and unlikely to remain steady.
OBVIOUSLY, SOMETHING MUST CHANGE. Last Last resort is transdermal magnesium.
What is that and how can it help?
Transdermal magnesium is a clear gel that is applied directly to the skin then is to be rubbed in just like suntan lotion. The advantage is that it is absorbed directly into the cells without passing through the intestinal and digestive tract. Certainly sounds good on the surface.
Potential negatives:
I have been aware of this product since April so why did I not try it sooner? The reason is that it could be very difficult to regulate and given my history of instability in which 1/2 pill can make a huge difference, I had reason to be gun shy. In fact, there is NO directions such as "tablespoon twice per day." It simply says to "Apply generously to the skin." According to the website, the "skin has a unique ability to regulate" and thus there is "no danger" of taking too much. What? I find that very hard to believe. In fact, it is my understanding that magnesium in any form will raise Na and K so too much could be very dangerous. However, given my lack of other options, I don't have much of a choice. Early results appear to be somewhat promising.
If this fails:
In all likelihood, I am done. There are no other options that I am aware. I have said many times that I would gladly trade my talent for freedom from symptoms and I stand by it. I will train through to Peachtree and run it seriously but after that, it's questionable. If I cannot recover my form by then or it becomes clear that the transdermal magnesium is a failure, I'm taking 4-6 weeks off and after that, it will be touch and go. I have NOT enjoyed my running at all these past 3 months and have not been cold this long since before the adrenal fatigue diagnosis in 2006.
Why I don't want to quit running:
Tons of reasons. I will only do it if medical report shows that I am back to full blown adrenal exhaustion or all options have been exhausted. If it's the latter case, I'm not sure it will be a net benefit. Maybe, I can manage by taking fewer Thym-Adren but that is NOT confirmed. Getting off magnesium would be very iffy at best and I feel that the chances are slim that I will stabilize there.
The positives are iffy and negatives are almost a certainty:
1. I will be less in tune with my body and will not know how out of whack I am, which could lead to problems at work.
2. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin will almost certainly fall, forcing me back on more pills.
3. When relatively free from symptoms, I love it. I love the training as well as the competitions, which includes traveling to various destinations.
4. Much of my social life revolves around the group runs on Wednesday and Saturday.
5. Dreams of a book deal will die. I've been averaging close to 40 page views per day over the past 2 months and I'm betting most of my readers do not even know me. I don't have any illusions of a best seller but I do expect that it will draw some interest well beyond my friends and family. I am friends with another Birmingham Christian author who is one of my biggest fans and if I can get an endorsement from a pastor and/or a well known alternative medicine practitioner, that will further boost the sales. That said, I cannot in good conscience, write about treatment protocol that failed me. Thus, it is contingent on my healing.
Final thought:
My Bible study leader says that Satan is attacking me especially hard because he knows that my calling, once fulfilled will do much for the Kingdom. Therefore, he is pulling out all the stops to prevent it from happening. God has the power to stop the relentless attacks and it's high time that He does. I will serve Him no matter what but I may never fully recover from such a huge disappointment.
-If I take a Cal/Mag or Mag alone every day even at small doses, I will not be able to tolerate it. My body will tighten up something awful and I will be overwhelmed by fatigue and depression.
-If I stop it, I will likely feel better for 3-5 days then I will need it again because I feel awful.
-If I take a larger dose, I will immediately feel terrible then get better for a few days and manage a few decent workouts but none will be even close to the level it was when I was in PR form.
-It does seem like my tolerance does seem to be affected by my sugar consumption but it was far too unstable.
-Drinking water alone has failed and I most likely will not stick with it. The only thing that could work even remotely decent would be to set up a plan in which I take it every other day or 3rd day but either way, it's far too unstable and unlikely to remain steady.
OBVIOUSLY, SOMETHING MUST CHANGE. Last Last resort is transdermal magnesium.
What is that and how can it help?
Transdermal magnesium is a clear gel that is applied directly to the skin then is to be rubbed in just like suntan lotion. The advantage is that it is absorbed directly into the cells without passing through the intestinal and digestive tract. Certainly sounds good on the surface.
Potential negatives:
I have been aware of this product since April so why did I not try it sooner? The reason is that it could be very difficult to regulate and given my history of instability in which 1/2 pill can make a huge difference, I had reason to be gun shy. In fact, there is NO directions such as "tablespoon twice per day." It simply says to "Apply generously to the skin." According to the website, the "skin has a unique ability to regulate" and thus there is "no danger" of taking too much. What? I find that very hard to believe. In fact, it is my understanding that magnesium in any form will raise Na and K so too much could be very dangerous. However, given my lack of other options, I don't have much of a choice. Early results appear to be somewhat promising.
If this fails:
In all likelihood, I am done. There are no other options that I am aware. I have said many times that I would gladly trade my talent for freedom from symptoms and I stand by it. I will train through to Peachtree and run it seriously but after that, it's questionable. If I cannot recover my form by then or it becomes clear that the transdermal magnesium is a failure, I'm taking 4-6 weeks off and after that, it will be touch and go. I have NOT enjoyed my running at all these past 3 months and have not been cold this long since before the adrenal fatigue diagnosis in 2006.
Why I don't want to quit running:
Tons of reasons. I will only do it if medical report shows that I am back to full blown adrenal exhaustion or all options have been exhausted. If it's the latter case, I'm not sure it will be a net benefit. Maybe, I can manage by taking fewer Thym-Adren but that is NOT confirmed. Getting off magnesium would be very iffy at best and I feel that the chances are slim that I will stabilize there.
The positives are iffy and negatives are almost a certainty:
1. I will be less in tune with my body and will not know how out of whack I am, which could lead to problems at work.
2. Neurotransmitters such as dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin will almost certainly fall, forcing me back on more pills.
3. When relatively free from symptoms, I love it. I love the training as well as the competitions, which includes traveling to various destinations.
4. Much of my social life revolves around the group runs on Wednesday and Saturday.
5. Dreams of a book deal will die. I've been averaging close to 40 page views per day over the past 2 months and I'm betting most of my readers do not even know me. I don't have any illusions of a best seller but I do expect that it will draw some interest well beyond my friends and family. I am friends with another Birmingham Christian author who is one of my biggest fans and if I can get an endorsement from a pastor and/or a well known alternative medicine practitioner, that will further boost the sales. That said, I cannot in good conscience, write about treatment protocol that failed me. Thus, it is contingent on my healing.
Final thought:
My Bible study leader says that Satan is attacking me especially hard because he knows that my calling, once fulfilled will do much for the Kingdom. Therefore, he is pulling out all the stops to prevent it from happening. God has the power to stop the relentless attacks and it's high time that He does. I will serve Him no matter what but I may never fully recover from such a huge disappointment.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Training 6/17-6/23
6/17- Day 1. Not expecting a dramatic improvement right off the bat but I was a good deal better than yesterday. 5 miles on Lakeshore after a nice cooling rain. It was a little steamy at the end but not too bad at all. Finished in 37:23 (7:29 pace) with pretty even splits. 1st half: 18:35, 2nd half: 18:48. When I'm in top form, this should be effortless. Today, it required moderate but not tempo effort. Decent start to the week.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0
6/18- Day 2. Gold's 6 mile in 42:26 (7:04 pace). Started out near 7:00 pace, gradually slowed to 7:15 then found a 2nd wind around 4.5 miles and slammed a 6:41 last mile. Still have a ways to go. This was tempo effort and roughly 20-25 seconds slow per mile but pleased with the incremental improvement. Hence, the lenient grading. Weight remains on the high side at 159 but on the surface, it looks to be good weight. It's okay to be a little heavy when training for shorter stuff but I really don't want to gain any more.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=6.5
6/19-Day 3. A bit of a step backward but still okay. Trak Shak 7.5 in 57:30 (7:40 pace). Hot and hilly route. I was on 7:30 pace through 5 then faded on the hills at the end. Legs did not feel loose and was feeling "weird" after taking my last dose of Thym-Adren. I'm going to try to reduce the dosage. Not sure what to make of that. I suppose it makes some sense. Magnesium raises Na and K and now that I'm not taking it, I need less Thym-Adren. I'm perfect with the diet and have not missed any Fructosin doses. Too much Thym-Adren may be causing the weight gain.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=7.5
6/20- Day 4. Planned rest day but I may opt for some strides or a junk run this evening to see how I feel on fewer pills.
PM- Terrible day. Could not run in the evening even if I wanted to. Took a trace of magnesium and got a little better then took a little more and got worse. I went to the store and picked up some transdermal magnesium. Thanks to Carrie for reminder! If this does not work out, I am quitting after Peachtree. I'd hate to see it come to that but I don't have much of a choice.
6/21- AM- Spain Park Mile time trial in 7:57.1. Kicked hard just to break 8. Last 400 was 1:52. If I had run this one yesterday evening, it would have been over 10.
PM- Gold's 4 mile in an overall time of 30:54 (7:44 pace). 1st half in 15:47, 2nd half: 15:07. There was about a 5 minute break after Mile 2 in which I applied some transdermal Mag. It was encouraging that I was able to increase the pace so well. Mile 4 was a 7:25. Clinched a GPA of 1.25 for the year. Very hollow victory.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
6/22- BTC social. Ran it with Greg and Jeff. It was basically the Trak Shak 8 route with a minor alteration at the end followed by a 2 mile add on. Finished in a time of 76:53 (7:41 pace). Continued steady improvement. Pretty even pace with 9 of 10 miles below 8:00. Slight fade at the end but there was a nasty climb in the last half mile. Low-mid 70s and sunny but manageable humidity.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=10.0
6/23- AM. Lakeshore 5 in 35:44 (7:09 pace) at tempo effort. Mixed feelings about this one. Overall, the quality of the workout and the way I felt was pretty comparable to yesterday but not significantly better and I do feel that at this stage, I should be a little better every day. I did have one mixed drink yesterday and do not feel that it hurt me. Yesterday's 10 may have. Without the transdermal Mag, I would have been awful today. Faded a bit at the end but temps were creeping up by the time I finished. 1st half: 17:34, 2nd half: 18:10. I will try to increase the "dosage" of it and see what if any effect that it has. If I load on it without ill-effects, the website's claim of no danger of an overdose will bear much weight. I am 1 mile short of 40 on the week and may do an ungraded junk run this evening.
PM- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria in the heat of the day. No comment.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Win # 10 on the year thanks to lenient grading. I don't feel like I deserved it but it counts. This week really was no better than the previous 3 but I lucked out because the weekly debacle happened to fall on my planned rest day. It's win or else next week. It seems unlikely that I will have to quit running but I may be relegated to recreational status if the last resort is not as effective as I hoped.
Distance=40.0/ GPA=24.2/8= 3.03
YTD: 922 miles. Record: 10-14 with a 2.67 GPA.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0
6/18- Day 2. Gold's 6 mile in 42:26 (7:04 pace). Started out near 7:00 pace, gradually slowed to 7:15 then found a 2nd wind around 4.5 miles and slammed a 6:41 last mile. Still have a ways to go. This was tempo effort and roughly 20-25 seconds slow per mile but pleased with the incremental improvement. Hence, the lenient grading. Weight remains on the high side at 159 but on the surface, it looks to be good weight. It's okay to be a little heavy when training for shorter stuff but I really don't want to gain any more.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=6.5
6/19-Day 3. A bit of a step backward but still okay. Trak Shak 7.5 in 57:30 (7:40 pace). Hot and hilly route. I was on 7:30 pace through 5 then faded on the hills at the end. Legs did not feel loose and was feeling "weird" after taking my last dose of Thym-Adren. I'm going to try to reduce the dosage. Not sure what to make of that. I suppose it makes some sense. Magnesium raises Na and K and now that I'm not taking it, I need less Thym-Adren. I'm perfect with the diet and have not missed any Fructosin doses. Too much Thym-Adren may be causing the weight gain.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=7.5
6/20- Day 4. Planned rest day but I may opt for some strides or a junk run this evening to see how I feel on fewer pills.
PM- Terrible day. Could not run in the evening even if I wanted to. Took a trace of magnesium and got a little better then took a little more and got worse. I went to the store and picked up some transdermal magnesium. Thanks to Carrie for reminder! If this does not work out, I am quitting after Peachtree. I'd hate to see it come to that but I don't have much of a choice.
6/21- AM- Spain Park Mile time trial in 7:57.1. Kicked hard just to break 8. Last 400 was 1:52. If I had run this one yesterday evening, it would have been over 10.
PM- Gold's 4 mile in an overall time of 30:54 (7:44 pace). 1st half in 15:47, 2nd half: 15:07. There was about a 5 minute break after Mile 2 in which I applied some transdermal Mag. It was encouraging that I was able to increase the pace so well. Mile 4 was a 7:25. Clinched a GPA of 1.25 for the year. Very hollow victory.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
6/22- BTC social. Ran it with Greg and Jeff. It was basically the Trak Shak 8 route with a minor alteration at the end followed by a 2 mile add on. Finished in a time of 76:53 (7:41 pace). Continued steady improvement. Pretty even pace with 9 of 10 miles below 8:00. Slight fade at the end but there was a nasty climb in the last half mile. Low-mid 70s and sunny but manageable humidity.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=10.0
6/23- AM. Lakeshore 5 in 35:44 (7:09 pace) at tempo effort. Mixed feelings about this one. Overall, the quality of the workout and the way I felt was pretty comparable to yesterday but not significantly better and I do feel that at this stage, I should be a little better every day. I did have one mixed drink yesterday and do not feel that it hurt me. Yesterday's 10 may have. Without the transdermal Mag, I would have been awful today. Faded a bit at the end but temps were creeping up by the time I finished. 1st half: 17:34, 2nd half: 18:10. I will try to increase the "dosage" of it and see what if any effect that it has. If I load on it without ill-effects, the website's claim of no danger of an overdose will bear much weight. I am 1 mile short of 40 on the week and may do an ungraded junk run this evening.
PM- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria in the heat of the day. No comment.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Win # 10 on the year thanks to lenient grading. I don't feel like I deserved it but it counts. This week really was no better than the previous 3 but I lucked out because the weekly debacle happened to fall on my planned rest day. It's win or else next week. It seems unlikely that I will have to quit running but I may be relegated to recreational status if the last resort is not as effective as I hoped.
Distance=40.0/ GPA=24.2/8= 3.03
YTD: 922 miles. Record: 10-14 with a 2.67 GPA.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Committed to 30 days drinking water only
EDIT: I abandoned this plan after 4 days after a relapse. This plan proved to be both ineffective and unnecessary. Caffeine is the worst for me. I can handle rare alcohol and sugars but am wise to limit consumption. Total abstinence from everything but water was not enough to prevent symptoms of magnesium deficiency.
Well there you have it. It's pretty much a last resort.
I have had multiple theories about what is causing this (my worst slump since starting this blog) but I am now pretty confident that I have it nailed down. Let's start with some history:
Back in February, I started downhill despite the fact that my medical report would later show a big improvement in my thyroid and adrenal function. The problem was my blood sugar ratio (Ca/Mg) at 30/2. I started on more magnesium back in March and was sensational for the first few days. I did go downhill a bit after that first week but I usually wasn't horrible and had plenty of "decent" workouts. I thought that perhaps I was not performing my best because the magnesium was not being absorbed properly. Here is what happened:
1. Tried a B-complex, which proved to be a bad call because it contained 2 forbidden ingredients (choline and inositol), which was partially to blame for my terrible race in St. Louis.
2. Tried B-6 alone, which ended in disaster. Shortly thereafter, I was forced off both the B-6 and the magnesium.
3. Had to ration my Fructosin supply because of an error in ordering (my fault), which caused sugar intolerance and a decreased tolerance for the Thym-Adren, which is my only hope to get the Na and K back down to normal.
4. Cheated far too often on my diet especially with caffeine, which led to depleted magnesium and caused a deficiency in Vitamin E. Until I learned that from the medical report, I actually had to take stimulants to control the symptoms, which allowed a half decent effort in P'Cola. I knew however that staying on that course would have been disastrous.
What I have found out:
- Abstinence from caffeine has taken care of the Vitamin E issue and not only do I not need it, it becomes like poison to me if I do take it.
-Taking the Fructosin consistently allows me to take as much Thym-Adren as I need.
-Fructosin may have reduced my dependence on Cal/Mag supplements but does not offset cheating on my diet.
-I am deficient in magnesium yet cannot tolerate it in supplement form because it throws my thyroid and adrenals through the roof. Alcohol and sugar both deplete it.
MY ONLY HOPE IS TO DRINK WATER ONLY!
I did do it for 30 days last year and it didn't work only because of the enzyme deficiency, which has been corrected by the Fructosin. Early signs point to magnesium being necessary only if I consume sugared or alcoholic drinks (including caffeine free and fake sugar) but toxic if I can successfully abstain. Quitting alcohol will not be difficult but quitting the fruit smoothies could be a challenge but it's one that I have conquered before.
After I do the 30 days, I may well stick with it but will likely allow myself to cheat on special occasions, which must be no more than once per week.
The final takeaway:
For the first time in several months, I have real hope of a turnaround.
Well there you have it. It's pretty much a last resort.
I have had multiple theories about what is causing this (my worst slump since starting this blog) but I am now pretty confident that I have it nailed down. Let's start with some history:
Back in February, I started downhill despite the fact that my medical report would later show a big improvement in my thyroid and adrenal function. The problem was my blood sugar ratio (Ca/Mg) at 30/2. I started on more magnesium back in March and was sensational for the first few days. I did go downhill a bit after that first week but I usually wasn't horrible and had plenty of "decent" workouts. I thought that perhaps I was not performing my best because the magnesium was not being absorbed properly. Here is what happened:
1. Tried a B-complex, which proved to be a bad call because it contained 2 forbidden ingredients (choline and inositol), which was partially to blame for my terrible race in St. Louis.
2. Tried B-6 alone, which ended in disaster. Shortly thereafter, I was forced off both the B-6 and the magnesium.
3. Had to ration my Fructosin supply because of an error in ordering (my fault), which caused sugar intolerance and a decreased tolerance for the Thym-Adren, which is my only hope to get the Na and K back down to normal.
4. Cheated far too often on my diet especially with caffeine, which led to depleted magnesium and caused a deficiency in Vitamin E. Until I learned that from the medical report, I actually had to take stimulants to control the symptoms, which allowed a half decent effort in P'Cola. I knew however that staying on that course would have been disastrous.
What I have found out:
- Abstinence from caffeine has taken care of the Vitamin E issue and not only do I not need it, it becomes like poison to me if I do take it.
-Taking the Fructosin consistently allows me to take as much Thym-Adren as I need.
-Fructosin may have reduced my dependence on Cal/Mag supplements but does not offset cheating on my diet.
-I am deficient in magnesium yet cannot tolerate it in supplement form because it throws my thyroid and adrenals through the roof. Alcohol and sugar both deplete it.
MY ONLY HOPE IS TO DRINK WATER ONLY!
I did do it for 30 days last year and it didn't work only because of the enzyme deficiency, which has been corrected by the Fructosin. Early signs point to magnesium being necessary only if I consume sugared or alcoholic drinks (including caffeine free and fake sugar) but toxic if I can successfully abstain. Quitting alcohol will not be difficult but quitting the fruit smoothies could be a challenge but it's one that I have conquered before.
After I do the 30 days, I may well stick with it but will likely allow myself to cheat on special occasions, which must be no more than once per week.
The final takeaway:
For the first time in several months, I have real hope of a turnaround.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Training 6/10-6/16
6/10- AM- 2 mile junk run in 15:22 (7:41 pace). Just wanted to make sure that I am improving over yesterday and yes, I am.
PM- 6 miles indoors. Struggled with every step but got through it with an even pace all the way. Time was 46:26 (7:44 pace). 1st half: 23:15, 2nd half: 23:11. Did not feel much better than I did this morning. This may be my last workout at NEXT fitness because it closes on Wednesday. I will probably end up joining Gold's in Vestavia. It's a little out of the way for me but closer than the Trak Shak or Lakeshore. It's fairly cheap and supposedly has a pretty nice track. As for my performance, it was less than stellar but FAR better than yesterday. Let's see continued improvement tomorrow. 1st full day back off the Paramin.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/11- Speed day. 12x200 at Vestavia with a 1 min. passive R except for a 400 jog after #6. Very consistent splits. I did the first 6 all in the low 36s. 7-11 were in the high 36s. #12 was all out in 32.1. I feel like I am continuing to improve but if I had my "A+" form, it would have been 34-35 with a 29 close. Solid overall. Long cool in which I was barely moving. First 90+ degree day of the year and there will be many more ahead.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=3.0
6/12- AM. Lame 5 miler on Lakeshore and got dropped by the fast Gnomes early. Finished in 39:45 (7:57 pace) in humid conditions and thought about quitting early. Faded badly too. 1st half: 19:21, 2nd half: 20:24. I sure hope that the speed session just took too much out of me.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 38-flat (7:36 pace). Decent workout for my 2nd one of the day. Temp was over 90 but it was not terribly humid. Held the pace pretty well. 1st half was 18:50, 2nd half: 19:10.
Medical update: I had a bad reaction to a Peace tea drink that contains sucralose (fake sugar). Apparently, I cannot handle that stuff but I can handle real sugar as long as I take the fructosin. WEIRD! That's probably what was hurting me today. Overall, a decent double in spite of it.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.5
6/13- Planned rest day. I hope that I can get all the bad stuff out of my system today. It will be a bit cooler tomorrow and I hope to run either a time trial or a downward ladder.
6/14- FAILURE! The bad stuff apparently did not clear. Attempted a Mile and passed 800 in 2:51 and fading fast. I would have been hard pressed just to break 6:00 so I just quit. It would be my best running of the day. Did a 600 in 2:25 and a 400 in 1:39 running all out. Long cool. I cheated on the caffeine on Wednesday (3rd time in 5 days) then took some Vitamin E afterwards. I felt slightly better after 1 pill then got much worse after 2. I feel like giving up now and if things don't turn around by Peachtree, I'm taking a long break.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.5
6/15-Slept in because I knew that I was not up for a long run. Instead I waited until noon and checked out Gold's Gym. The track there appears to be acceptable. It's not banked and has tight turns but long straightaways and it's only 9 laps/mile. Ran 27 laps after a light lifting session in a time of 21:57 (7:19 pace). If the distance is accurate, it's a pretty decent workout after yesterday's debacle.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=3.5
6/16- AM. AWFUL! 1.5 mile stop and go at Vestavia with a pace over 9:00. I had 2 beers yesterday and I'm betting that was the culprit.
PM- Took magnesium before the workout and it was better. 5 miles at Gold's in 39:50 (7:58 pace). Effort was fairly easy most of the way but Miles 3-4 were over 8 and had to rally at the end for the sub-8 pace. 1st half: 19:40, 2nd half: 20:10.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=6.5
Weekly summary:
This latest debacle drops me to 2-10 over the last 12 weeks and those 2 wins were generous. I have a magnesium deficiency as well as a magnesium intolerance. My only option is to drink water only because caffeine, sugar and alcohol all deplete magnesium. I could handle some alcohol at Orange Beach because I had been taking Paramin. Now that I am off it, I must not cheat. Will I ever win again? I'm taking several weeks off if I lose another 2 in a row.
Distance=34.0/ GPA= 19.6/8= 2.45
YTD: 882 miles. 9-14 with a 2.65 GPA. BAAAAD!
PM- 6 miles indoors. Struggled with every step but got through it with an even pace all the way. Time was 46:26 (7:44 pace). 1st half: 23:15, 2nd half: 23:11. Did not feel much better than I did this morning. This may be my last workout at NEXT fitness because it closes on Wednesday. I will probably end up joining Gold's in Vestavia. It's a little out of the way for me but closer than the Trak Shak or Lakeshore. It's fairly cheap and supposedly has a pretty nice track. As for my performance, it was less than stellar but FAR better than yesterday. Let's see continued improvement tomorrow. 1st full day back off the Paramin.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/11- Speed day. 12x200 at Vestavia with a 1 min. passive R except for a 400 jog after #6. Very consistent splits. I did the first 6 all in the low 36s. 7-11 were in the high 36s. #12 was all out in 32.1. I feel like I am continuing to improve but if I had my "A+" form, it would have been 34-35 with a 29 close. Solid overall. Long cool in which I was barely moving. First 90+ degree day of the year and there will be many more ahead.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=3.0
6/12- AM. Lame 5 miler on Lakeshore and got dropped by the fast Gnomes early. Finished in 39:45 (7:57 pace) in humid conditions and thought about quitting early. Faded badly too. 1st half: 19:21, 2nd half: 20:24. I sure hope that the speed session just took too much out of me.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 38-flat (7:36 pace). Decent workout for my 2nd one of the day. Temp was over 90 but it was not terribly humid. Held the pace pretty well. 1st half was 18:50, 2nd half: 19:10.
Medical update: I had a bad reaction to a Peace tea drink that contains sucralose (fake sugar). Apparently, I cannot handle that stuff but I can handle real sugar as long as I take the fructosin. WEIRD! That's probably what was hurting me today. Overall, a decent double in spite of it.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.5
6/13- Planned rest day. I hope that I can get all the bad stuff out of my system today. It will be a bit cooler tomorrow and I hope to run either a time trial or a downward ladder.
6/14- FAILURE! The bad stuff apparently did not clear. Attempted a Mile and passed 800 in 2:51 and fading fast. I would have been hard pressed just to break 6:00 so I just quit. It would be my best running of the day. Did a 600 in 2:25 and a 400 in 1:39 running all out. Long cool. I cheated on the caffeine on Wednesday (3rd time in 5 days) then took some Vitamin E afterwards. I felt slightly better after 1 pill then got much worse after 2. I feel like giving up now and if things don't turn around by Peachtree, I'm taking a long break.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.5
6/15-Slept in because I knew that I was not up for a long run. Instead I waited until noon and checked out Gold's Gym. The track there appears to be acceptable. It's not banked and has tight turns but long straightaways and it's only 9 laps/mile. Ran 27 laps after a light lifting session in a time of 21:57 (7:19 pace). If the distance is accurate, it's a pretty decent workout after yesterday's debacle.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=3.5
6/16- AM. AWFUL! 1.5 mile stop and go at Vestavia with a pace over 9:00. I had 2 beers yesterday and I'm betting that was the culprit.
PM- Took magnesium before the workout and it was better. 5 miles at Gold's in 39:50 (7:58 pace). Effort was fairly easy most of the way but Miles 3-4 were over 8 and had to rally at the end for the sub-8 pace. 1st half: 19:40, 2nd half: 20:10.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=6.5
Weekly summary:
This latest debacle drops me to 2-10 over the last 12 weeks and those 2 wins were generous. I have a magnesium deficiency as well as a magnesium intolerance. My only option is to drink water only because caffeine, sugar and alcohol all deplete magnesium. I could handle some alcohol at Orange Beach because I had been taking Paramin. Now that I am off it, I must not cheat. Will I ever win again? I'm taking several weeks off if I lose another 2 in a row.
Distance=34.0/ GPA= 19.6/8= 2.45
YTD: 882 miles. 9-14 with a 2.65 GPA. BAAAAD!
Monday, June 3, 2013
Training 6/3-6/9
6/3- Drove to Biloxi, MS and was unimpressed with the beaches there. No waves and the water was not as clear either. Lunch at a BBQ place in Mobile then got back to B'ham by 5:30. I relaxed for 30 minutes then hit the gym for an easy 6 in 44:38 (7:26 pace). This one was MUCH easier than my 44:50 last week. 1st half: 22:15, 2nd half: 22:23. Felt smooth and relaxed. Weight is back up to 156 but I'm fine with that. +3 over the weekend but consumed a lot of calories. Tomorrow will be 7 days off caffeine. Good start to the week.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/4- Solid interval session. 10x400 with a 2 min rest. 1st 9 were 81-82 then closed with a 72.8 for a final average of 80.5 (5:22 pace). Showing signs of improvement. My Mile time would probably be near 5:30 now and I may take a shot later in the week. Weather is nice here in the morning and evening but oppressive in the afternoon. I missed an "A-" by only a 1/2 second per lap but I'm in good shape for a convincing win.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.0
6/5- Trak Shak run was rained out so it was another standard issue 6 indoors. Time was 45:19 (7:33 pace). That's a decent time but I was not feeling sharp at all. Struggled in Miles 3-6 but kept the pace in the mid-7:30s. 1st half: 22:32, 2nd half: 22:47. Feels like I need to go back to Paramin after 5 days off it. I am now taking exactly the same stuff as I took during my 7 week winning streak. If I need magnesium again, I will take it only on an as needed basis or 1-2x per week. Weight is back up to 160, which is a sign that my metabolism is off.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/6- Planned rest day. Going bowling with Chilton. Felt better on Paramin but will likely stick to 2 of those pills per day. If I can get up in the morning, I'm doing my Mile time trial tomorrow.
6/7- AM-Spain Park Mile in 5:43.4 (best time of the year). Hollow victory in cutting off 4 ticks from my previous best. I know I'm in better shape than this. Clearly, it's the Cal/Mag. It's a Catch-22 situation. I am low on magnesium but cannot tolerate it until I get the Na and K back down. I'm going down to 1 Paramin.
PM- Easy 5K indoors in 24:55 (7:59 pace). Felt terrible. I tried some extra calcium in the morning and it was not the answer. The only way is to cut the Paramin. I will lose again if my weekend if bad.
Grade:C+/2 credit/distance=5.0
6/8-AM- One of the most demoralizing runs of my life. Passed 3 miles in 22:45 (7:35 pace) then hit the wall and crashed. It took nearly 19 minutes to cover the next 2 miles then I quit and just walked the remainder of the course. Overall moving time was 41:34 (8:19 pace). I am down to 1 Paramin but the excess calcium from yesterday has yet to fully clear. I may try again in the afternoon. This almost guarantees loss #13 on the year and a failure in one of my training goals for 2013. I had hoped for a record of 38-12 after my 34-16 last year. Man, this year has sucked so far!
PM- 3 miles on Wisteria at a moderate effort. Finished in 22:34 (7:31 pace) and I know I had 2 more decent miles in me if need be. I did slip up with a forbidden drink at lunch but a one time slip won't hurt me as long as it remains a one time slip. I'm not interested in seeing how close I can get to "the line" without crossing it. At any rate, it was an improvement over the morning and enough to avoid an "F" on the day.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/9-FAILURE! Felt horribly overstimulated immediately after waking up. Attempted a tempo and it sucked. Held the pace near 7:00 for the first half mile then died. Passed 1 Mile in 7:30 then just cooled down for a half mile before adding some junk strides later in the day. I've got an answer for this. It's good news and bad news. The good is that I can quit the Paramin after all. The bad is that my dependence on Fructosin has increased.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
Loss #13 on the year and guarantees a failure on one of my key training goals for 2013. Again, it is a loss that I can accept because I got an answer to a key question. If I take 2 Fructosin each and every day, I should not need any Paramin until further notice. In fact, it is toxic to me. Without Fructosin, I do need it and at precise dosages. I may need to increase the Fructosin dosage. If I have to, I have to but would really prefer not to because it costs so much. There is a chance that I will eventually need magnesium again when my Na and K come down but I will not worry about that now. Since I took thyroid caps in between sending the sample and getting the results, I know I'm still very high (probably in the 70s-80s in Na and 25-30 in K). If only I had quit the Paramin in February, I may have avoided the nightmarish Spring but when I saw the 30/2, I panicked. Lesson learned. The slump could be over soon.
Distance=31.0/ GPA=19.2/8= 2.40
YTD: 848 miles. Record: 9-13. GPA= 2.66
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/4- Solid interval session. 10x400 with a 2 min rest. 1st 9 were 81-82 then closed with a 72.8 for a final average of 80.5 (5:22 pace). Showing signs of improvement. My Mile time would probably be near 5:30 now and I may take a shot later in the week. Weather is nice here in the morning and evening but oppressive in the afternoon. I missed an "A-" by only a 1/2 second per lap but I'm in good shape for a convincing win.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.0
6/5- Trak Shak run was rained out so it was another standard issue 6 indoors. Time was 45:19 (7:33 pace). That's a decent time but I was not feeling sharp at all. Struggled in Miles 3-6 but kept the pace in the mid-7:30s. 1st half: 22:32, 2nd half: 22:47. Feels like I need to go back to Paramin after 5 days off it. I am now taking exactly the same stuff as I took during my 7 week winning streak. If I need magnesium again, I will take it only on an as needed basis or 1-2x per week. Weight is back up to 160, which is a sign that my metabolism is off.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
6/6- Planned rest day. Going bowling with Chilton. Felt better on Paramin but will likely stick to 2 of those pills per day. If I can get up in the morning, I'm doing my Mile time trial tomorrow.
6/7- AM-Spain Park Mile in 5:43.4 (best time of the year). Hollow victory in cutting off 4 ticks from my previous best. I know I'm in better shape than this. Clearly, it's the Cal/Mag. It's a Catch-22 situation. I am low on magnesium but cannot tolerate it until I get the Na and K back down. I'm going down to 1 Paramin.
PM- Easy 5K indoors in 24:55 (7:59 pace). Felt terrible. I tried some extra calcium in the morning and it was not the answer. The only way is to cut the Paramin. I will lose again if my weekend if bad.
Grade:C+/2 credit/distance=5.0
6/8-AM- One of the most demoralizing runs of my life. Passed 3 miles in 22:45 (7:35 pace) then hit the wall and crashed. It took nearly 19 minutes to cover the next 2 miles then I quit and just walked the remainder of the course. Overall moving time was 41:34 (8:19 pace). I am down to 1 Paramin but the excess calcium from yesterday has yet to fully clear. I may try again in the afternoon. This almost guarantees loss #13 on the year and a failure in one of my training goals for 2013. I had hoped for a record of 38-12 after my 34-16 last year. Man, this year has sucked so far!
PM- 3 miles on Wisteria at a moderate effort. Finished in 22:34 (7:31 pace) and I know I had 2 more decent miles in me if need be. I did slip up with a forbidden drink at lunch but a one time slip won't hurt me as long as it remains a one time slip. I'm not interested in seeing how close I can get to "the line" without crossing it. At any rate, it was an improvement over the morning and enough to avoid an "F" on the day.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=8.0
6/9-FAILURE! Felt horribly overstimulated immediately after waking up. Attempted a tempo and it sucked. Held the pace near 7:00 for the first half mile then died. Passed 1 Mile in 7:30 then just cooled down for a half mile before adding some junk strides later in the day. I've got an answer for this. It's good news and bad news. The good is that I can quit the Paramin after all. The bad is that my dependence on Fructosin has increased.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
Loss #13 on the year and guarantees a failure on one of my key training goals for 2013. Again, it is a loss that I can accept because I got an answer to a key question. If I take 2 Fructosin each and every day, I should not need any Paramin until further notice. In fact, it is toxic to me. Without Fructosin, I do need it and at precise dosages. I may need to increase the Fructosin dosage. If I have to, I have to but would really prefer not to because it costs so much. There is a chance that I will eventually need magnesium again when my Na and K come down but I will not worry about that now. Since I took thyroid caps in between sending the sample and getting the results, I know I'm still very high (probably in the 70s-80s in Na and 25-30 in K). If only I had quit the Paramin in February, I may have avoided the nightmarish Spring but when I saw the 30/2, I panicked. Lesson learned. The slump could be over soon.
Distance=31.0/ GPA=19.2/8= 2.40
YTD: 848 miles. Record: 9-13. GPA= 2.66
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
