Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Goodbye 2013. Review of a Nightmarish Year

Raw stats:
17-33 with a 2.47 GPA and 1,754 miles.  The mileage was not terrible but the record is by far my worst showing since starting this blog is 2009.  I set zero personal records but did progress toward a couple milestones:
-3 new states in the half marathon (California, Missouri, West Virginia)
-2 new states in the 10K (Florida and Pennsylvania)
-8 total races (7 out of town).  0 5Ks, 4 10Ks, 4 Half Mary, 0 Fulls

It is clear to me now that the chemical sensitivity was the source of the suckage all year long.  It started off well enough.  I was 7-4 through week 11 with 2 good races in 3 tries.  Then, I got a good medical report in which everything looked fine except for the low magnesium.  I had been taking Paramin in addition to the Thym-Adren without a problem for several years.  Paramin is Cal/Mag citrate supplement with a 5:3 ratio.  I usually took that in the evening and Thym-Adren in the morning.  Since the Thym-Adren contains 41 mg of Cal, I was getting 8 parts Cal to only 3 parts Mag.  That's too unbalanced and explained why the Mag was stubbornly low.  Okay, just add more Mag such that I get nearly a 1:1 ratio.  Presto!  I did that and I was sensational for the next 2 days.  However, it was downhill from there and I never did get back on track, losing 29 out of 39 to end the year.

January:
Despite the 4-0 start, I was shaky.  I was struggling with copper/Vitamin C issues and found that I could not tolerate protein bars with too much copper.  I dodged that bullet before LA but was denied an official sub-90 by a diarrhea attack (moving time was 1:29:52).  It would be my best performance of the year.

February:
The copper issues worsened this month and I found that I needed an exact amount of Vitamin C in the right form too (500 mg of ascorbic acid not Ester-C).  I found that out after race day this time, a half in 1:38 (my worst time in 3 years).  I lost all 4 weeks this month.

March:
Things turned around here with a solid effort at the Silver Comet 10K (40:58), narrowly missing my road PR.  It was becoming apparent that my Cal was high relative to Mag and was feeling the ill-effects.  Adding more Mag seemed like a miracle early but I found that I soon became intolerant to Mag as well as Paramin.  It was not until later that I learned that citrates were the problem.  I ended up not running Rumpshaker and finished the first quarter at 7-6.  It was the last time that I had a winning record.

April:
Continued downhill with a disaster at St. Louis (1:42) and eventually progressed to a point in which I could not tolerate any Paramin.

May:
Quit the magnesium and took thyoid glandulars as a temporary measure.  It provided temporary relief and allowed for a small victory in Florida at the Fiesta 10K (42:22).  It was just a patch to stop the bleeding and soon my body demanded Mag again yet I could not tolerate Paramin.

June:
Got some hope this month after starting transdermal Mag, which I was able to tolerate.

July:
Could no longer tolerate Thym-Adren with transdermal Mag and bombed at Peachtree with a new personal worst of 45:54 for 10K.  Once I stuck with only the Mag gel, I started to improve gradually and if I was able to continue the slow but steady improvement, I would have been in decent shape by the Fall.

August and September:
Transdermal Mag stopped working so I tried Mag malate and Jigsaw Mag.  Despite some initial success, it failed in the end.  I nearly bailed on the Pittsburgh Great Race but chose to run and finished in 43-flat.  On a downhill course, that was only worth about a low 44 but I did manage to enjoy the race and pick up a new state.

October and November:
Went back to the Thym-Adren and saw my dosage trend down with continued sensitivity to copper and Vitamin C.  I managed to hit the formula well when it mattered and managed another small victory in West Virginia (1:35 half) and managed a sub-20 5K with an asterisk in training.

December:
Rock bottom.  Could only tolerate either Mag or Thym-Adren at no more than 2 pills each.  Detox was my only way out and if it had not worked, I would have retired from serious running.  I do have hope going forward since I have felt very much different since the detox.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Comments on the Liver flush experience

The short answer is that it was not as bad as I feared.  I did pretty well in following the protocol but if I am to do it again,  I will do a few things differently. 
First, eating just dry cereal was a little extreme.  You simply need to avoid fats before the detox so I could have had a few juice smoothies with more nutrients and calories.
Second, I broke my fast around 11 AM the next day and probably could have held it together for a few more hours.
Lastly, I took my 3rd epsom salt drink at 7:00 AM instead of 6:00 because I could not get up.  Oh well, I don't think that affected me too much.

The fast:
I did get a bit of a hunger headache and I was hurting as a result of not taking any supplements but I never really felt faint.  No worse than expected.  I may have been okay taking some Mag but not Thym-Adren.

Epsom salts:
Was not as foul tasting as I feared.  I used filtered water and kept it cold, which helped.  I did have to go to the bathroom after the second dosage but it wasn't too uncomfortable.

The cleansing drink:
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil plus a 1/2 cup of grapefruit juice and a few squirts of lemon juice.  I mixed it in a Gatorade bottle, shook it up then drank it.  I expected that it would make me want to gag but it turned out to be okay.  The taste of the grapefruit juice overwhelmed the olive oil.

Night:
The biggest complaint is the nausea but in my case, it wasn't so bad.  I had trouble getting to sleep and did make 1 bathroom trip but nothing came out.

Morning:
I woke up actually feeling at peace with my situation, which is amazing given how much is at stake.  Part of me was accepting that I may be screwed and nothing more could be done.  I expected to be running for the toilet early but I was getting concerned that I was not.  It was not until after my 2nd epsom salt drink that I could go.  To my relief,  I saw 2-3 small green stones floating on top.  About an hour later, I had to go again and this time, I saw more than a dozen stones.  Most were small and green with a couple tan stones mixed in.  The size was larger than a sesame seed but slightly smaller than a peanut.  Some people are able to pass much larger stones but I was still pleased to get something out.  I had to go a couple more times during the day but only got about 2-3 more out.

Final thought:
Again, I'm not expecting a miracle one shot cure.  I just want improvement.  One shot of prolotherapy did not cure long-standing groin pain but it did improve.  The fact that something came out is a good sign.  It is common for patients to get more out on the 2nd or 3rd cleanse.  If my tolerance for supplements does improve, yes I will do this again.  I will start the detox on a Friday night rather than a Saturday so I will not be worthless all weekend.  At the end of the day, I really don't care if anything comes out or not, I just want to be less sensitive to these pills.  I'll have a better idea in another day or two.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Causes of Sensitivity and Liver Flush Protocol

As I posted earlier, the liver is the central processing unit for vitamins and minerals.  Though unconfirmed, I believe that it is also responsible for processing of synthetic medications.  Let's first look at my history, which may have led to my sensitivity and instability:

I took Accutane for 2-3 months.  Accutane is a powerful anti-acne drug and I have read that it is basically a toxic dose of Vitamin A, which is a fat soluble vitamin.  Where is the excess stored?  You guessed it.  The liver.  I will say that 85-90% of patients recommend Accutane and get through the treatment with little more than dry skin.  I will not say that this is the source of all my problems but websites have linked it to adrenal fatigue.  I believe that I had a congenital weakness in that area, which explains why I could not tolerate it while most others can.

I was misdiagnosed with hypothyroidism and was on Synthroid for nearly 4 years.  Towards the end of this treatment, the sensitivity had become apparent.  After being cut off cold turkey, which was a very dangerous thing for my quack doctor to do, a single dose made me feel a lot better.

I took a powerful herbal supplement for adrenal fatigue over the course of 3 years purely for symptom relief in order to survive graduate school at Clemson.  It was the wrong type of supplement for my body chemistry.  It succeeded temporarily but left me worse off than I had been before.

I was misdiagnosed with clinical depression and upped the dosage after it did not help my chronic fatigue.  I remained very sensitive to my herbal adrenal supplement.

When I finally started the hair test protocol in 2006, it was necessary to take boatloads of glandular supplements, minerals and amino acids.  Though it was imperative that I take all those pills, it had to be hard on my liver to process all that material.

Current state:
I need Magnesium and Thym-Adren to get in balance.  Without either of them, my adrenals will spiral out of control and will eventually slip back into adrenal exhaustion.  As of now, I can only take one or the other and must alternate the days.  Any more than 2 pills per day will cause my body to stiffen up badly.  If I were really getting closer to balance, I would be getting stronger, not weaker.
Does this have anything to do with the fructose malabsorption that I experienced last summer?  Probably not.  I can actually tolerate sugar fairly well now that I boosted my magnesium.  If I cannot process any of the pills that I need to get in balance, I am screwed.  I'll have to quit running and go back to anti-depressants with little hope of long-term relief because they do not affect the adrenals.  If I am forced down that route, I will go with the dopamine based drug Wellbutrin, not SSRIs.  Needless to say, I will try just about anything to reduce this sensitivity to key supplements.

Liver flush protocol:
-Dry cereal for breakfast and lunch with no food or drink after 2 PM
-16 oz of water mixed with epsom salts in 2 servings (6PM and 8PM)
-Drink a concoction of olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice and lemon juice at 10 PM.
-Go straight to bed.
-Drink 2 more epsom salt mixes no sooner than 6 AM and 8 AM.
-Lots of trips to the bathroom and supposedly you will be amazed by what comes out.
Do a YouTube search for Liver Flush if you'd like to know more.

I will post the results tomorrow.


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Liver Detox Preview

UPDATE: 10/16/14- The liver flush was successful in that it did allow me to tolerate key pills but I remain way too sensitive.  I've started on a supplement called glutathione, which has helped others with this condition.  Early signs are promising.  I did have some environmental allergies but the primary complaint was extreme sensitivity to supplements such that just a half a pill of the wrong product would cause me to fall apart.

If you have followed this blog even casually for any length of time, you know that even a half of a pill, whether too many or too few, can make the difference between a good day (10-15 miles @ sub-7:30 pace) and a terrible one (< 3 miles @ 9:00+ pace).  Sometimes, I go to bed fatigued and lethargic and wake up anxious and overstimulated.  That would not be so bad if the magic formula stayed constant but it seems to be changing on an almost weekly basis, resulting a my good days being few and far between.  If not for running, I would not be so well in tune with my body and likely would not have any good days.  When the formula is stable, I will run well almost every time out and feel good overall.  There have been a  few times in which I did not have to take any pills at all, most notably the first quarter of 2012.  During that time, I marched through "killer" workouts with relative ease and broke my personal records at every distance that I attempted, often by wide margins.

I am not the only one dealing with this.  It is a phenomenon known as multiple chemical sensitivity.  When patients report this to their doctors, the response is usually something to the effect of this: "Switch to a different brand or a different form (ex. magnesium malate instead of citrate) or find another type of supplement (herbs vs. glandulars vs. minerals) that is intended to have the same effect on your overall chemistry." That isn't very reassuring.  You may find another pill that works but at the end of the day, the chemical sensitivity is still there and then, what if you cannot tolerate the other pill?  What must you do if you know what is wrong with your chemistry and you know the pills necessary to fix it but your body rejects everything that you try?

It is true that fast oxidizers such as myself have highly permeable cell membranes that cannot easily regulate what goes in and out but when a patient gets closer to balance, this problem should improve.  That has not happened in my case.  Even in an extreme fast oxidizer, there is no reason why a single dose should make this much of a difference.  It is obvious that I have a major problem with the processing of vitamins and minerals.  According to a reliable source, it is the liver that is the central processing unit for vitamins and minerals.  Thus, improving the health of the liver may reduce the chemical sensitivity.  Some people blame my lower volume/higher quality training style for all my ills.  I hope this puts that issue to rest once and for all. First, an average of 40 MPW is hardly extreme even at faster paces.  Second, even if I did over train, it has absolutely nothing to do liver toxicity.  In fact, intense exercise actually helps flush out the toxins.

Other symptoms:
I still have a good build for a runner but my weight has been creeping up a bit this up this year.  I'm only a few pounds above my target weight of 155 lbs. but it seems to have nothing to do with my diet.  If I take too many pills, my weight will jump as much as 5 lbs in a single day.  Then, when I don't take any, it goes back down immediately.  Some fluctuation is normal but not like that.  Pardon the pun but this gives weight to my theory of the liver's inability to process key minerals.  I'll be tasteful with the next one.  Often, especially if I take one too many pills, it seems like I cannot fully empty my bladder.

 What to do about it?  The conservative measure is to eat a clean diet.  As it is, I rarely drink alcohol and have not had a soda in a nearly 5 months.  In fact, I've completely lost the taste for that poison.  When it comes to caffeine, I have gone off and on.  In the past, abstinence has helped but this year, it has not made much of a difference.  My primary source of caffeine is Red Bull, which contains less sugar, no high fructose corn syrup and only as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.  Certainly, it's not good for me but it could be worse.  Still, I've got to get off it once and for all.  I do NOT have a problem with cholesterol or triglycerides.

I've determined that I must go radical with the detox plan.  The recommended plan can be seen by doing a YouTube search for liver flush.  It first involves a short fast then drinking 2 mixtures of epsom salts and water followed by a nasty formula of olive oil mixed with grapefruit and lemon juice before bed.  Then, you have to drink 2 more servings of epson salts and water early the next morning.  They say that you will be amazed by what comes out the next day.  It is common to see dozens of large gallstones released from the liver and gallbladder. I may have to repeat this and/or take a liver supplement.

A lot of people will call this quackery but they say the same thing about hair testing.  Mainstream medicine could not help me so I have no respect for the point of view that all alternatives are quack.  I could go on and on about what's wrong with giving out drugs like candy but that's another rant.  I'm sure it will taste awful but I want y'all to imagine the most foul thing out there to drink.  If there was even a reasonable chance that it would improve my condition, I'd drink anything.  Surveys show that the vast majority of people that have gone through detox would recommend it.  One such survey showed that 76% rated the experience positively, only 2% negatively and 22% say that it made little difference.  That's better than almost any prescription.  I'm also betting that many of those 22% did not follow the plan as intended.

Emotional state:
My life does suck but it could be worse.  At least I can work a steady job and live independently.  I have a good family and friends who care about me.  Most days, I am able to run several miles at a decent pace.  The days that I cannot are the exception rather than the rule.  Many people that have advanced adrenal fatigue would love to be doing as well as I am.  I have 3 friends who cannot work because of disabilities.  All are women in their mid 30s-early 40s.  Every time I read CureZone or other health message boards, my heart feels sick over what others are going through. The only reason that I am not disabled is because I have been able to follow the hair test protocol fairly well.  Then again, there is the fear that things will continue to get worse especially if I cannot process any of the pills that I need.  I know exactly what I need to get in balance and it is Magnesium and Thym-Adren.  Right now, I can only take one or the other.  If it becomes neither, I could be doomed.

Hope for the future:
I am a man of faith and do believe in miracles.  If this does work out and I can somehow tolerate the pills that I need to get in balance and I am able to run up to my capabilities, there will be a book deal out of this for sure.  I have little doubt that it will sell fairly well too considering that this blog now has over 30K page views.  Combine my knowledge of body chemistry with my interpretation of Scripture and we could be looking at a difference not only in this life but also eternity.  I don't even care about the money.  In fact, I don't even plan to keep much of it.  I pledge to use a large portion of the proceeds to buy diagnostic tests for disabled patients who cannot afford it because they are too sick to work.  I know that God is able because I have heard testimonies of people healed from diseases that meant certain death but is He willing?  If the answer is no, He is not only letting me down but also everyone who would benefit from my knowledge.
I still pledge to serve Him no matter what and will report back with the outcome of the detox.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Training 12/23-12/31

12/23- 1 Mile at Gold's in an even 8:00 before heading home.  Never felt good during the run and faded badly at the end.  2 Thym-Adren may have worked but I tried an enzyme supplement that clearly hurt me.
I have a last ditch plan to solve this instability so stay tuned.  I believe that it is a liver issue and the plan is detox.  The doctor finally called me back and I have not received the medical report because the lab NEVER RECEIVED IT!
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=1.0

12/24- Planned rest day

12/25- Planned rest day.

12/26- Very poor performance at Gold's.  3 miles in 23:37 (7:52 pace) on a magnesium day.  Tomorrow is a Thym-Adren day.  Started off pretty well but the pace steadily slowed after the first half mile.  Splits were 7:30-7:54-8:13.  I hope to do the detox this weekend.  I need 2 grapefruits and 1 lemon to mix the key concoction.  If I can't do it this weekend, next weekend for sure.  I do not expect an instant miracle cure but based on what others have reported, there is a realistic chance of improvement in my tolerance for key supplements.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=3.0

12/27- Thym-Adren day and I was only slightly better.  Same old tired 3 mile run at Gold's in a time of 22:57 (7:39 pace) running nearly all out.  Pace was much more even this time around (7:37-7:43-7:37).  Simply put, 2 pills simply won't cut it but I cannot process any more right now.  The detox is a "go" for tomorrow.  I have purchased all the necessary items.  I have to fast for several hours so I'm off to get a steak dinner.
 Grade:C/1 credit/distance=3.0

12/28- Detox.  No supplements allowed.  I can only eat dry cereal until 2 PM then it's nothing to eat or drink with the exception of the detox drinks.  No running today.

12/29- 4x1 Mile at Gold's.  I started the workout on zero pills but I took 1 Mag during each interval.  Splits were 8:50-8:04-7:23-6:27.  This is encouraging.  I got significantly better after each pill and showed the greatest improvement after pill #3.  Tomorrow is big.  It's a Thym-Adren day and I will see if I can tolerate more than 2 pills.  If so, I will see if I can tolerate at least a trace of Mag.  I am just 3 miles shy of 1,750 on the year.
Grade:C/2 credit/distance=4.0

12/30- Thym-Adren day.  1 mile in 7:25 on 2 pills.  Popped another 2 pills and this time, I DID NOT TIGHTEN UP!  I found another gear and covered the next 3 miles in 20:43 (6:54 pace).  Next, I sprayed on some Mag chloride then proceeded to clock a 5:56 mile on tired legs.  I declare that the detox has been a success.  I will not be retiring tomorrow.  I may still be sensitive but at least I can tolerate the pills again.  Passed 1,750 miles on the year.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=5.0

12/31- 2 mile quickie in 14-flat (7:00 pace).  Felt good but a bit overstimulated.  I have increased my dosage but it's not as high as it was before.  I should be able to tolerate as much as I need.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=2.0

Weekly summary:
Nightmare year is over.
Distance=18.0/ GPA= 16.7/8= 2.09
Year totals were 1,754 miles. 17 wins-33 losses with a 2.47 GPA.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Training 12/16-12/22

12/16- Woke up feeling awful then got worse after taking 1 Thym-Adren.  Time to switch back to magnesium.  I plan on running this evening just to see how bad I am.  Struggled at work too.
PM- Lame 3 miles in 23:40 (7:53 pace).  Even pace and actually thought it would be worse.  Nevertheless, I am switching back to the Mag.  Half mile cool.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.5

12/17- Horrible and it sucked too!  3.5 miles in 31:14 (8:56 pace).  Felt terrible when I woke up then overshot the balance point by taking too much Mag.  I called the doctor's office today and left a message to send the medical report if they have it.  14 days until the year is over.  I will declare myself semi-retired if it doesn't turn around by then and it is looking bleak.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance=3.5

12/18- Horrible but did not suck quite as much as yesterday.  On 3 Mag pills, I was dizzy and saw stars for about 10 seconds.  On 4 pills, I was better but after a protein bar, which contained more Mag, I was noticeably worse.  Survived another lame 3 miles at Gold's in a time of 23:50 (7:57 pace) with pretty even splits (11:53/11:57).  I managed to stay off caffeine with little more than a mild headache.  Another 2-3 days off it can only help.  Weight was up to 162 (not good).  It is possible that I am trending off the Mag, in which case, the medical report had better be good otherwise I am officially screwed. No word from the doctor's office so I take that to mean that it is in the mail.  I will try to get by on 3 Mag tomorrow.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0

12/19- Finally, a run that was NOT horrible.  5 miles in an even 37:30 (7:30 pace) with an even pace.  Effort was moderate with a pretty even pace (7:24-7:34).  Nothing from the doctor.  Tomorrow for sure assuming that it was mailed yesterday morning.  I was much better than yesterday as a result of cutting the Mag from 4 pills to 3 and actually enjoyed this workout.  Weight: -1 to 161.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0

12/20- Tempo effort.  Lakeshore 5 in 35:28 (7:06 pace).  Even pace (17:42/17:46).  This was far short of my normal tempo pace but am showing continued improvement on lowered doses.  I was down to only 2 pills today.  No medical report yet again.  I will probably have to wait until early next year.  Added a mile cool.
Grade:C/2 credit/distance=6.0

12/21- Down to 1 Mag and it may have been 1 too many.  2 miles on Lakeshore in a pitiful 16:20 (8:10 pace) with splits of 7:45-8:35.  I might be better in the afternoon after it begins to clear.  This will be my one freebie this week.

PM- Wisteria 2 mile in 15:12 (7:36 pace).  Down half in 7:20, Up half in 7:52.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=4.0

12/22- AM- First attempt to run when off the pills was a disaster.  Quit after 1 mile in 7:53 and fading.  I confess that I am almost relieved by this revolting development.  I now know that I am not in balance so I won't be upset when I get the medical report.  It's back to the Thym-Adren and I will alternate it the Mag.  I may switch back in 1-3 days.  Weight:-4= 157 lbs. Back in the target range.

PM- Thym-Adren seemed to help early but surprise surprise, I overshot the balance point by taking 3 pills.  2 pills may have worked.  As it is, I hit Mile 1 of a planned tempo in 7:19 fading fast so I punted and ran another mile in 9+ as a cool down.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=3.0

Weekly summary:
Future looks bleak.  I will try alternating Mag and Thym-Adren next week and if that doesn't work, it's over.  I will admit defeat.  GPA has dropped below 2.50 on the year.
Distance= 28.0/ GPA= 11.1/8= 1.39

Monday, December 9, 2013

Training 12/9-12/15

12/9- AM- Took 2 Thym-Adren and no Cal/Mag this morning.  Result was a lame workout but not a pathetic one.  3 miles in 23:45 (7:55 pace) with a slight negative split.  That triple yesterday's distance at a pace nearly 1 minute faster.

PM- Took 2 more Thym-Adren later in the day.  Legs were heavy but it was a pretty solid session for a planned easy day.  Still, a quality session would not have been pretty.  Finished 6 miles in a time of 45:06 (7:31 pace) and showed restraint in not going for the sub-7:30.  Just a slight fade (22:28-22:38) but that's even enough.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=9.0
Update: No medical report and it's usually here by now.  Perhaps the lab was closed over Thanksgiving.  It appears that taking the Cal/Mag instead of the Thym-Adren has not affected the downward trend.  However, a downward trend is good news ONLY IF my numbers are better.  I'm morbidly curious about what a 5th pill will do and if it's bad, it should clear by tomorrow.

12/10- No big surprise.  The 5th pill was a mistake.  Back down to 4 today and should have been more aggressive with the cut.  Lame interval session at Vestavia.  8x400 in 85 (5:40 pace) (range was 82-89).  That's weak.  I should be doing this in 75 seconds each.  I'm cutting myself some slack.  It was 40 degrees and windy plus I've done no interval work in more than 2 months.  It did feel good to finally run at sub-6 pace.  I was never tired but just could not access my top gears.
Grade:C+/2 credit/distance=3.0

12/11- The downward trend continues and IT HAD BETTER BE BECAUSE MY NUMBERS ARE COMING IN LINE!  Cut the dosage down to 3 and felt better overall than yesterday.  Workout was decent.  5K time trial in 20:38 (6:38 pace).  Splits were 6:34-6:43-6:42-39.  1st half: 10:18, 2nd half: 10:20.  Pretty darn even if you ask me.  That's slightly slower than my 20:27 last week but I'm okay with this one.  Again, I probably would have been better on a lower dose.  I think I could go sub-20 now if I hit the pills perfectly.  The last 48 seconds will come when I recover the lost fitness.  Weight is back under 160, which is a good thing.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.0

12/12- Good day for me.  Took half a day off work to go to the DMV to register the car so I got a chance to run in the daylight outside.  Lakeshore 5 at easy effort in a strong 36:19 (7:16 pace) with a slight negative split (18:14/18:05).  Added a mile cool at a pace not much slower.  Dosage was 2.5 pills and I hit it perfectly.  2 pills= over-stimulation, 3 pills= lethargic.  If my dose was 2.5 on Monday, it would not have been enough and 2.5 will likely be too much by the weekend.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0

12/13- Easy 5 at Gold's in 35:13 (7:03 pace).  Down to 2 pills and it was perfect!  Added a mile of fartlek with the last 200 @ 4:30 pace then a half mile cool on the 'mill.  OUTSTANDING!
Grade:A+/1 credit/distance=6.5

12/14- Should have cut the dose to 1.5 today.  Ended up just doing a junk run on Lakeshore.  2 miles in 14:20 (7:10 pace) with splits of 7:18-7:02.  Added a half mile cool.  I could have gotten through a double digit run but it would have been very painful.  Better to put it off until tomorrow.  It will be colder but sunny.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=2.5

12/15- Cut the dosage down to 1.5 and it was not aggressive enough.  I got off to a great start then saw the wheels come off in Mile 3.  I punted from there but could not have gone much faster.  I totaled 6 miles in a time of 46:55 (7:49 pace).  That's acceptable for a planned easy day but on a long run, it won't cut it.  1st half was a strong 21:50, 2nd half was 25:05 with the last half mile over 9 minute pace.  The same thing would have happened yesterday if I had continued.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=6.0

Weekly summary:
An up and down week that ended in another loss.  2 weeks to go in this nightmare of a year but with the dosage going down so rapidly, it appears that there will be a resolution (one way or the other) by the end of the year.  I'm at 2.50 on the year with 2 weeks to go.  Is it too much to ask just to stay above that?  I must call the doctor to check on the medical report.
Distance= 37.0/ GPA= 26.6/10=2.66

Monday, December 2, 2013

Training 12/2-12/8

12/2- Just as I suspected, I need an exact ratio of Cal/Mag.  I am just as sensitive to this stuff as I was to the Thym-Adren.  Today, I took 250 mg of Cal and 4 Mag malate pills (290 mg) and felt pretty good but then I ate a protein bar with another 100 mg of Mag and felt slightly worse.  Workout was a test.  5K time trial in 21:49 (7:02 pace) with a nice negative split (11:06-10:43) and got stronger as the run progressed.  After the run, I put about 5 sprays of Mag chloride on my arm and was noticeably stiffer but got through the cool down unscathed.  Right now, a 1:1 ratio is probably a winner.  I'd be fine with that extreme sensitivity but who knows?  Next week, the ratio could be 3:2 or even 2:1.  THIS SUCKS!
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=4.0

12/3-AM Took slightly more Cal than Mag this morning and showed improvement though nowhere near my best.  I repeated the 5K time trial and my time is down to 20:27 (6:34 pace).  I will run again this evening.
PM- Evened out the Cal/Mag at 500 mg of each by the end of the day and felt nearly perfect when it was time to run.  Lakeshore 6 in 43:07 (7:11 pace) and it felt EASY!  1st half was 21:37, 2nd half was 21:30.  This is the Crazy J of old but one good run is not enough to get my hopes up.  The formula could change tomorrow.  A sub-20 5K is the edge of "competitive shape" for me but it's not enough to do it once then suck the next few days.  I should be capable of it every day that I am fresh because it's a full 15 ticks per mile off my PR.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=9.0

12/4- Just as I predicted, I am shooting at a moving target.  Eventually, I may settle at a 2:1 ratio but not today.  Calcium comes in increments of 250 mgs.  750 was not enough but 1,000 was too much.  I need about a 3:2 or 5:3 ratio now.  Today was 70 degrees outside so I was not about to waste it.  Vestavia 5 in 38:11 (7:38 pace).  This will do for a planned easy day but a quality session would have SUCKED even if I was fresh.  Yesterday's workout didn't hurt me at all.  I've done 15 @ low 7 pace before then came back fine the next day but that was the old Crazy J.  I will try a 5:3 ratio tomorrow.  No word on the medical report but I expect to hear soon.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.5

12/5- I will be very lenient and consider this a rest day.  I felt awful on 750/500 and must reduce it down to 500/300.  Totaled 2.5 miles at a pace over 8:00 and got slower with every step.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=2.5

12/6- Cut it to 500:300 and got the expected modest improvement.
AM- 2 miles in 13:54 (6:57 pace)
PM- 4 miles in 31:57 (7:59 pace)
VERY LAME.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=6.0

12/7- Another lame 4 mile run at Gold's in a time of 30:24 (7:36 pace).  1st half: 14:44, 2nd half: 15:40.  THAT DOES IT!  I'm going back to the Thym-Adren.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=4.0

12/8- Re-learned that Mag+ Thym-Adren even in VERY small quantities is a disaster.  1 mile in 8:44 at Gold's plus a cool on the 'mill.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=2.0

Weekly summary:
3 weeks to go until my deadline and it is looking bleak.  New plan is 3 weeks of Thym-Adren then 1 week of Mag.  Never both together.  Also, whenever I need Cal in addition to Mag, it's time to switch to Thym-Adren.  I've never felt this hopeless before. I don't think I've had a single week all year that has been completely symptom free.  My heart is also hurting as a result of a recent contact: A 27 year old woman with Stage 4 adrenal fatigue who is worse off than I ever was.
Distance=32.0/ GPA=  16.1/8=2.01