1/27- AM. AWFUL! 1 mile in 7:54 and had to rally at the end just to get a sub-8. I feel more wired/tired, which suggests it could be a taurine issue. I will be most unhappy if that's the case. I thought I was done with that stuff back in 2010. I'll find out today.
PM- 2 miles in 15:40 (7:50 pace). Not much better than this morning's debacle but I did get a couple of answers. I can rule out the taurine issue since I was no better after drinking a forbidden Red Bull. It's either a Thym-Adren excess or too much Vitamin D from the Cal pills. If it is the latter, I can reduce the dose but that means that I will also have to reduce the Mag. It can't be a processing issue because I just did Round 2 of the detox 7 days ago. It does make some sense if the Thym-Adren is trending down because BOTH Cal and Mag lower tissue sodium. If I were taking all Thym-Adren or a Cal/Mag that I could not process, I'd still need mega doses. Not so now at least I hope. I won't know until the medical report comes in but again, good workouts are a good sign.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=3.0
Update: I don't really feel any worse after taking my Cal/Mag tonight. I bet it's the Thym-Adren. I took 6 on Sunday and dropped it to 4.5 today. Down to 3 tomorrow. Perhaps the detox has increased the effectiveness of these pills.
1/28- AM- A big improvement. 3 miles in 21:55 (7:18 pace) with even splits. I am not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot. The Thym-Adren may go back up to 4 and the hip remains a bit sore.
PM- Snow. Got off work at 11 AM along with the rest of the city. I was fortunate just to get home safely. I could not care less about my workout right now. Even tomorrow looks iffy.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=3.0
1/29- Unplanned rest day that for once had nothing to do with my medical issues. I remain snowed in and the temp today is expected to top out just below 30F so there won't be much melting. Roads are too icy to run anyway and the gym is closed too. It was warmer in Anchorage, Alaska than Pensacola, Florida yesterday.
My normal 15 minute commute took 3 hours on the way home as the roads were basically a sheet of ice. I had to park my car in the parking lot of a nearby office building because it could not make it up the steep hill to my apartment complex. It won't get back above freezing here until noon tomorrow so that's when I will be able to go out.
Update: My Thym-Adren dosage continues to drop, which is a concern. I will attempt to reduce my Cal/Mag dosage. As long as I can continue to take both, even in small doses, I still have a chance.
1/30- Birmingham is nearly back to normal today and I am improving as well. The main workout was a short tempo and I clocked a 19:39 for 3 miles (6:33 pace). Splits were 6:25-6:35-6:39. but I just didn't feel quite "right." Average performance overall. I cut both the Cal/Mag AND the Thym-Adren dosage today. I am down to just 2 Thym-Adren and 350 mg of Cal/Mag, which was too aggressive. I did feel better on another half of Thym-Adren. If I am back to a place in which 2 pills are not enough but 3 are too many, I will be VERY ANGRY! Fortunately, I am betting that will not happen. My Cal/Mag dosage likely causes the Thym-Adren dose to go up and down. I've got 2 weeks to get all this straight. If Mercedes had been today, I would have suffered a ghastly fade in the last 6 miles. As for the hip, the discomfort is still there but is gradually improving.
Tacked on another easy 4 on the 'mill.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=7.0
1/31- 6 miles at goal marathon pace. Finished with a time of 43:23 (7:14 pace) not including 2 stops after Mile 1 and Mile 2. Felt like 3 Thym-Adren pills were not quite enough during the day and despite a 7:18 opening mile, it didn't feel quite right. Popped a 4th pill and ran a 6:55 on the same effort and felt great. Ran the next 4 non-stop at easier effort in 29:10. I've got a good formula for the time being but it is unlikely that it will hold steady for another 16 days. If I take 750 mg. of Cal/Mag, I only need 2 Thym-Adren. On 350, I need 4. Which do I need to target? The high Na and K or the low Cal and Mag? The medical report will answer that question and I will adjust from there if need be.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0 (144 miles on the month)
2/1- Unplanned rest day. I have aggravated the hip injury. I thought I could jump back into training after the prolotherapy but not surprisingly, I need another treatment. My appointment is scheduled for the 18th and I will try to move it up to the 11th. I could probably force a couple miles but I think it's best to rest until I am pain free. Forget about a decent showing at Mercedes now. What to do?
1) Downgrade to the 5K and hope for a respectable time (20:xx)
2) Run the half but pace Nick to a sub-1:50 (8:24 pace)
3) Defer until next year.
EDIT: No option to defer this year! #2 is my only option and will do it only if I am pain free.
PM- I feel horrible today and it's not all emotional either. Believe it or not, the Thym-Adren must be lowered again to 3 pills. I'm sure that my critics will point to my fast training pace but I still maintain that it had nothing to do with this injury. When your chemistry is in a state of flux, it is extremely difficult to regulate the pills. Your muscles feel tight all the time and connective tissues don't heal properly. Thus, you are very vulnerable to tendon and ligament injuries even if you cut your mileage and/or intensity. As for the hip pain, it is very localized just below my waist on the right side and hurts more going up and down hills. Long distance seems to put more stress on it than speed or tempo work, which is why I could handle a 3 miler but not a 6 miler. Dr. Johnson said the source of the problem is the IT-band origin and my research supports that position.
Update: I had planned to wait until the end of February to send in the hair sample but given what's been going on, I had better do it in 2 weeks. I tried a Fructosin pill today and got no reaction to it, which likely rules out Mag deficiency as well as liver processing issues
Grade:F/2 credits/distance=0.5
2/2- Just a walk with a couple of strides of running. Still painful. Thym-Adren down to 3.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0.5
Weekly summary:
At a loss for words right now. Obviously disappointed but don't know what to make of the dosage going down. I'm still cheating on caffeine. I doubt if it's hurting me but it's certainly not helping. One thing that will change is that I've got to be outside unless the weather is really bad. Even though I change directions indoors, the tight turns can't be good for the hip. The hair sample will be sent in 2 weeks, not 4. I will try detox again next weekend but doubt that the Thym-Adren goes back up.
Distance=20.0/ GPA=13.4/8= 1.67
YTD: 145 miles. 2-2 record with a 2.47 GPA that will only get worse.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
Greatest quarterbacks of the Super Bowl era
Totally off-topic here but I trust that football fans will enjoy this post.
Let me preface this by saying that in my view, the most important stat is won-loss record especially in big games. If you rack up over 100 yards in the 4th quarter against the Prevent defense, that does not impress me much. Also, when you throw it 45-50 times every game, you better have over 300 yards passing or else you're not moving the ball down field. Also, I am unimpressed by high completion percentages. Throwing the ball to the open man behind the line of scrimmage and watching him break a tackle for a 3 yard gain on a 3rd and long accomplishes nothing.
The quarterback rating system has been used for many years to standardize performances and is based on 4 key statistical categories: 1. completion percentage, 2. yards/attempt, 3. touchdown pass rate, 4. interception rate. It's a good but flawed system of evaluation. IMO, the two key stats that contribute most to winning football games are yards/attempt and touchdown/turnover ratio. The passer rating system does not take into account fumbles or sacks and ignores yards gained on the ground as well as rushing touchdowns. Moreover, a completion for negative yards would yield a passer rating of 79.6, which is double the 39.8 for an incomplete pass. As far as interceptions, some hurt far more than others. A "pick 6" near your own goal line counts as no worse than a deep ball that is intercepted 30 yards down field on a 3rd and long play, which is almost as good as a punt. The total QBR system is a better measure as it gives more weight to plays of greater importance and counts sacks, fumbles and rushing performances but has only been around since 2006.
With the rule changes to open up the passing game and proliferation of the West coast offense, passing stats have tremendously improved over the years. Back in the early 70s, a 70 passer rating with a 50% completion rate and a 1:1 TD/INT ratio would have been acceptable, maybe even better than average. Nowadays, those numbers will get you sent to bench quickly. Thus, it is very difficult to compare quarterbacks of different eras which is why I limited this to the Super Bowl era. Without further ado, here is my top 10 list.
10. John Elway- slightly over-rated in my opinion. Racked up over 50,000 yards but had a rather ordinary 79.9 rating along with 3 Super Bowl losses in the '80s, 2 of which were blowouts. Still, you can't argue with a 5-1 record in AFC championship games, clutch performances in the 4th quarter and yes, those last 2 Super Bowl wins cement Elway as among the greatest.
9. Troy Aikman- Regular season stats are nothing special but went 3-0 in the Super Bowl and was terrific in all 3 big games. The presence of Emmitt Smith would bring down his yards and touchdowns but again, I value won-loss record over stats.
8.Kurt Warner- One of my personal favorites and definitely one of the most under-rated quarterbacks of all time. Finished with an impressive 93.7 rating (8th best in history), 2 MVPs and led 2 previously moribund franchises to the Super Bowl. Won just 1 of 3 Super Bowl appearances but played well enough to win all 3. Was drafted by Green Bay and was cut in favor of Ty Detmer. Also lost his job during his career to Mark Bulger, Eli Manning and the legendary Matt Leinart. You can't help but shake your head over that.
7. Dan Marino- Held all the major passing records including yards and touchdowns before Favre came along. Also had a quick release and took very few sacks. Of course the knock on Marino is that he never won a Super Bowl and only even got there once. Though his Dolphin teams were almost always competitive, they were rarely championship caliber, which is why he does not rank higher on this list.
6. Steve Young- Joe Montana was a hard act to follow in San Francisco but Young did quite well for himself. Retired as the highest rated passer ever (96.8). Won his only start in the Super Bowl but could have won at least 1 more if he had started in favor of Montana in '89. Numbers would be much more impressive if not for spending 5 years as Montana's backup and beginning his career with a horrible Tampa Bay Bucs team.
5. Terry Bradshaw- Another one of my personal favorites. Even for his era, his statistics were nothing special and he was surrounded by Hall of Fame talent. That said, he is one of only 2 quarterbacks to win 4 Super Bowls without a defeat. Could the Steelers have won those games with their backup QB? I don't think so. Did not win the starting job for good until his 5th year and was called dumb due in large part to his southern accent. That's something I can relate to on a personal level. Career was cut short by an elbow injury and had at least 3 more good years left.
4. Brett Favre- Holds just about every passing record. 2 Super Bowl appearances including 1 victory and 1 near miss. Packer teams were almost always contenders with Favre behind center. Legacy is clouded a bit by waffling on retirement several times but certainly among the all time greats.
3. Tom Brady- 3 Super Bowl wins in 5 appearances as well as 8 AFC championship appearances. Record as a starting QB stands at a remarkable 148-43. This came from a 6th round draft pick who may not have even gotten a shot if not for an injury to Drew Bledsoe.
2. Peyton Manning- He's on track to break Favre's records. The knock on him is that he's only a .500 winning quarterback in the playoffs. He's got a chance to prove those doubters wrong with a win over Seattle in 2 weeks. If he can do that and become the 1st QB to lead 2 different franchises to a Super Bowl victory, he's got a case for #1 all time.
1. Joe Montana- 4-0 record in the Super Bowl and never threw a single interception in the big game. I don't believe he ever fumbled either. Only knock on him is that he had injury problems near the end of his career. This came from a 3rd round pick who did not win the starting job at Notre Dame until midway through his junior year.
Honorable mentions:
Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers may join this elite group when their careers are over.
I'd also like to note the best of the pre-Super Bowl era:
Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton played in both eras and was 1 ring short of joining this list.
Let me preface this by saying that in my view, the most important stat is won-loss record especially in big games. If you rack up over 100 yards in the 4th quarter against the Prevent defense, that does not impress me much. Also, when you throw it 45-50 times every game, you better have over 300 yards passing or else you're not moving the ball down field. Also, I am unimpressed by high completion percentages. Throwing the ball to the open man behind the line of scrimmage and watching him break a tackle for a 3 yard gain on a 3rd and long accomplishes nothing.
The quarterback rating system has been used for many years to standardize performances and is based on 4 key statistical categories: 1. completion percentage, 2. yards/attempt, 3. touchdown pass rate, 4. interception rate. It's a good but flawed system of evaluation. IMO, the two key stats that contribute most to winning football games are yards/attempt and touchdown/turnover ratio. The passer rating system does not take into account fumbles or sacks and ignores yards gained on the ground as well as rushing touchdowns. Moreover, a completion for negative yards would yield a passer rating of 79.6, which is double the 39.8 for an incomplete pass. As far as interceptions, some hurt far more than others. A "pick 6" near your own goal line counts as no worse than a deep ball that is intercepted 30 yards down field on a 3rd and long play, which is almost as good as a punt. The total QBR system is a better measure as it gives more weight to plays of greater importance and counts sacks, fumbles and rushing performances but has only been around since 2006.
With the rule changes to open up the passing game and proliferation of the West coast offense, passing stats have tremendously improved over the years. Back in the early 70s, a 70 passer rating with a 50% completion rate and a 1:1 TD/INT ratio would have been acceptable, maybe even better than average. Nowadays, those numbers will get you sent to bench quickly. Thus, it is very difficult to compare quarterbacks of different eras which is why I limited this to the Super Bowl era. Without further ado, here is my top 10 list.
10. John Elway- slightly over-rated in my opinion. Racked up over 50,000 yards but had a rather ordinary 79.9 rating along with 3 Super Bowl losses in the '80s, 2 of which were blowouts. Still, you can't argue with a 5-1 record in AFC championship games, clutch performances in the 4th quarter and yes, those last 2 Super Bowl wins cement Elway as among the greatest.
9. Troy Aikman- Regular season stats are nothing special but went 3-0 in the Super Bowl and was terrific in all 3 big games. The presence of Emmitt Smith would bring down his yards and touchdowns but again, I value won-loss record over stats.
8.Kurt Warner- One of my personal favorites and definitely one of the most under-rated quarterbacks of all time. Finished with an impressive 93.7 rating (8th best in history), 2 MVPs and led 2 previously moribund franchises to the Super Bowl. Won just 1 of 3 Super Bowl appearances but played well enough to win all 3. Was drafted by Green Bay and was cut in favor of Ty Detmer. Also lost his job during his career to Mark Bulger, Eli Manning and the legendary Matt Leinart. You can't help but shake your head over that.
7. Dan Marino- Held all the major passing records including yards and touchdowns before Favre came along. Also had a quick release and took very few sacks. Of course the knock on Marino is that he never won a Super Bowl and only even got there once. Though his Dolphin teams were almost always competitive, they were rarely championship caliber, which is why he does not rank higher on this list.
6. Steve Young- Joe Montana was a hard act to follow in San Francisco but Young did quite well for himself. Retired as the highest rated passer ever (96.8). Won his only start in the Super Bowl but could have won at least 1 more if he had started in favor of Montana in '89. Numbers would be much more impressive if not for spending 5 years as Montana's backup and beginning his career with a horrible Tampa Bay Bucs team.
5. Terry Bradshaw- Another one of my personal favorites. Even for his era, his statistics were nothing special and he was surrounded by Hall of Fame talent. That said, he is one of only 2 quarterbacks to win 4 Super Bowls without a defeat. Could the Steelers have won those games with their backup QB? I don't think so. Did not win the starting job for good until his 5th year and was called dumb due in large part to his southern accent. That's something I can relate to on a personal level. Career was cut short by an elbow injury and had at least 3 more good years left.
4. Brett Favre- Holds just about every passing record. 2 Super Bowl appearances including 1 victory and 1 near miss. Packer teams were almost always contenders with Favre behind center. Legacy is clouded a bit by waffling on retirement several times but certainly among the all time greats.
3. Tom Brady- 3 Super Bowl wins in 5 appearances as well as 8 AFC championship appearances. Record as a starting QB stands at a remarkable 148-43. This came from a 6th round draft pick who may not have even gotten a shot if not for an injury to Drew Bledsoe.
2. Peyton Manning- He's on track to break Favre's records. The knock on him is that he's only a .500 winning quarterback in the playoffs. He's got a chance to prove those doubters wrong with a win over Seattle in 2 weeks. If he can do that and become the 1st QB to lead 2 different franchises to a Super Bowl victory, he's got a case for #1 all time.
1. Joe Montana- 4-0 record in the Super Bowl and never threw a single interception in the big game. I don't believe he ever fumbled either. Only knock on him is that he had injury problems near the end of his career. This came from a 3rd round pick who did not win the starting job at Notre Dame until midway through his junior year.
Honorable mentions:
Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers may join this elite group when their careers are over.
I'd also like to note the best of the pre-Super Bowl era:
Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas and Fran Tarkenton. Tarkenton played in both eras and was 1 ring short of joining this list.
Training 1/20-1/26
1/20- AM. Detox recovery. Glad that I have the day off for MLK day. I feel like it was a little harder than last time because I had a bit more nausea but in the end, I passed a lot more stones. They're all green but the color is a little darker and the size is also a bit larger. It's a beautiful 60 degree day outside but I won't be able to do much. If I am to run this afternoon, it will have to be at the gym or Hoover HS with a toilet available each lap. I've recently learned of a supplement called GB-3 that is a liver cleanser, which could be worth a try. It's from the makers of Thym-Adren. Speaking of which, if I can tolerate Thym-Adren + Magesium, I still believe I have a chance of getting in balance. If not, I won't and my life will always suck.
PM- Hoover 5 mile in a moving time of 38:39 (7:44 pace). Splits were 19:09-19:30. Again, this was an improvement over the previous day and it was done on only 4 Thym-Adren pills. A note of concern is that my hip was hurting pretty badly toward the end. I still think that pain will diminish as I get closer to balance. If I sent in my sample now, my bet would be as follows:
-low Cal, normal Mag, high Na, normal K. That means that my thyroid is more hyper than my adrenals and I am prone to inflammation. Lenient grading today. We'll see how I do when I re-introduce Cal/Mag with the Thym-Adren.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/21- Well, good news is that the detox was successful. Once again, I can take the Magnesium and Thym-Adren together, which keeps alive my hopes of someday getting in balance. Bad news is that I have sustained a full-blown injury to the hip. The pain is on the outside near the top and is fairly localized. It's probably a tendon issue. Today, it is too painful to even attempt a run. Prolotherapy is scheduled for Thursday morning.
What went wrong this time? The hip actually started bothering me back in early December during what was probably my lightest training since starting this blog. At the time, I was alternating low doses of Magnesium with Thym-Adren, never being able to take both together. I am sure that I got WAY out of balance during that time. How bad were my numbers? I'll never know because my hair sample got lost in the mail. Simple fact is the farther our of balance you are, the more vulnerable you are to damaged connective tissue and thus you will be prone to injuries. Every injury that I sustained occurred at a time in which I was either unable to take the key pill or could only take a limited dose. If I am balanced and can take what I need without a problem, I can handle 50-60 MPW and am not injury prone.
In January, things appeared to be improving but I could usually feel a bit of discomfort on occasion. The final dagger hit me when I tried to run through the detox when I had been taking fewer pills. Next time I detox, I will take my normal supplements or I will not attempt to run.
How long will I be out? I'm not sure but will have a better idea by the end of the week. I would not be surprised if I need multiple treatments. The knee injury in 2010 felt worse than this one and cost me 3 weeks. Either way, I am questionable for Mercedes and can probably forget about a good time. I might end up pacing Nick.
As for the grading, I get one or two freebies per year so that the yearly GPA is based on 50 weeks of training. After that point, a missed week of training for any reason goes in the books as an automatic zero.
1/22- Hopes of a miracle overnight were quashed as soon as I woke up this morning. My final thought is that I'm glad that this did not become a full scale injury a month ago. If that had happened, I would have quit and may not have even tried the detox. When I do come back, I will stick to Mile-5K training. Lastly, I will get to see what a break from running will do to my numbers. Will it hasten the progress toward balance? I doubt it but we'll see.
1/23- Prolotherapy is today and it's going to hurt. Heading up to Nashville to see Dr. Johnson. Between the trip up there, the treatment and the trip home, it's pretty much a full day's work. Good news is that my pills appear to be stable after the detox. 6 Thym-Adren and a 1:1 Cal/Mag ratio (500 mg each). I can adjust that depending on the results of the hair test, which will be sent in about 5 weeks. I may attempt to run as early as Sunday but more likely, it will take another treatment.
1/24- Prolo was not as bad as I had feared and I am cautiously hopeful of a return to the roads next week. The post-shot pain kicked in hard immediately thereafter and has already begun to die down.
1/25- Not much more to report. I am walking normally now but the hip remains too sore to run.
PM- Went to Gold's Gym in Inverness (Hwy 280) out of boredom. No indoor track there so I jumped on the 'mill and jogged a painful mile. The hip was sore but able to withstand the pounding.
Hopped on a stationary bike and cranked out 10 miles in 33:40 (18.2 mph) and felt decent while doing it.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=1.0
1/26- Good news is that I am able to run 3 days post-prolo!
Bad news is that my chemistry has shifted again so it was an experiment day. I think I have excess Cal relative to Mag now. 750 of each did not work before round 2 of detox but appears to be my best option now.
Mile 1- 8:41- 750 Cal/0 Mag
Mile 2- 7:53- 750 Cal/250 Mag
Mile 3- 7:21- 750 Cal/500 Mag
Mile 4- 6:56- 750 Cal/750 Mag
Despite the strong finish, my body still does not feel "right" The Thym-Adren may have to drop to 4 pills. I REALLY don't want to drop below that.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=4.0
Weekly summary:
Horrible week overall but it's a freebie. The shift in chemistry demonstrates precisely why I need to run almost every day. If I can do that, I'll adjust when necessary and won't have to endure more than a rough day or two. No more freebies until July.
Distance=10.0/ GPA= None
YTD: 125 miles. 2-1 with a 2.74 GPA.
PM- Hoover 5 mile in a moving time of 38:39 (7:44 pace). Splits were 19:09-19:30. Again, this was an improvement over the previous day and it was done on only 4 Thym-Adren pills. A note of concern is that my hip was hurting pretty badly toward the end. I still think that pain will diminish as I get closer to balance. If I sent in my sample now, my bet would be as follows:
-low Cal, normal Mag, high Na, normal K. That means that my thyroid is more hyper than my adrenals and I am prone to inflammation. Lenient grading today. We'll see how I do when I re-introduce Cal/Mag with the Thym-Adren.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/21- Well, good news is that the detox was successful. Once again, I can take the Magnesium and Thym-Adren together, which keeps alive my hopes of someday getting in balance. Bad news is that I have sustained a full-blown injury to the hip. The pain is on the outside near the top and is fairly localized. It's probably a tendon issue. Today, it is too painful to even attempt a run. Prolotherapy is scheduled for Thursday morning.
What went wrong this time? The hip actually started bothering me back in early December during what was probably my lightest training since starting this blog. At the time, I was alternating low doses of Magnesium with Thym-Adren, never being able to take both together. I am sure that I got WAY out of balance during that time. How bad were my numbers? I'll never know because my hair sample got lost in the mail. Simple fact is the farther our of balance you are, the more vulnerable you are to damaged connective tissue and thus you will be prone to injuries. Every injury that I sustained occurred at a time in which I was either unable to take the key pill or could only take a limited dose. If I am balanced and can take what I need without a problem, I can handle 50-60 MPW and am not injury prone.
In January, things appeared to be improving but I could usually feel a bit of discomfort on occasion. The final dagger hit me when I tried to run through the detox when I had been taking fewer pills. Next time I detox, I will take my normal supplements or I will not attempt to run.
How long will I be out? I'm not sure but will have a better idea by the end of the week. I would not be surprised if I need multiple treatments. The knee injury in 2010 felt worse than this one and cost me 3 weeks. Either way, I am questionable for Mercedes and can probably forget about a good time. I might end up pacing Nick.
As for the grading, I get one or two freebies per year so that the yearly GPA is based on 50 weeks of training. After that point, a missed week of training for any reason goes in the books as an automatic zero.
1/22- Hopes of a miracle overnight were quashed as soon as I woke up this morning. My final thought is that I'm glad that this did not become a full scale injury a month ago. If that had happened, I would have quit and may not have even tried the detox. When I do come back, I will stick to Mile-5K training. Lastly, I will get to see what a break from running will do to my numbers. Will it hasten the progress toward balance? I doubt it but we'll see.
1/23- Prolotherapy is today and it's going to hurt. Heading up to Nashville to see Dr. Johnson. Between the trip up there, the treatment and the trip home, it's pretty much a full day's work. Good news is that my pills appear to be stable after the detox. 6 Thym-Adren and a 1:1 Cal/Mag ratio (500 mg each). I can adjust that depending on the results of the hair test, which will be sent in about 5 weeks. I may attempt to run as early as Sunday but more likely, it will take another treatment.
1/24- Prolo was not as bad as I had feared and I am cautiously hopeful of a return to the roads next week. The post-shot pain kicked in hard immediately thereafter and has already begun to die down.
1/25- Not much more to report. I am walking normally now but the hip remains too sore to run.
PM- Went to Gold's Gym in Inverness (Hwy 280) out of boredom. No indoor track there so I jumped on the 'mill and jogged a painful mile. The hip was sore but able to withstand the pounding.
Hopped on a stationary bike and cranked out 10 miles in 33:40 (18.2 mph) and felt decent while doing it.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=1.0
1/26- Good news is that I am able to run 3 days post-prolo!
Bad news is that my chemistry has shifted again so it was an experiment day. I think I have excess Cal relative to Mag now. 750 of each did not work before round 2 of detox but appears to be my best option now.
Mile 1- 8:41- 750 Cal/0 Mag
Mile 2- 7:53- 750 Cal/250 Mag
Mile 3- 7:21- 750 Cal/500 Mag
Mile 4- 6:56- 750 Cal/750 Mag
Despite the strong finish, my body still does not feel "right" The Thym-Adren may have to drop to 4 pills. I REALLY don't want to drop below that.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=4.0
Weekly summary:
Horrible week overall but it's a freebie. The shift in chemistry demonstrates precisely why I need to run almost every day. If I can do that, I'll adjust when necessary and won't have to endure more than a rough day or two. No more freebies until July.
Distance=10.0/ GPA= None
YTD: 125 miles. 2-1 with a 2.74 GPA.
Friday, January 17, 2014
B-6 intolerance and the solution
Throughout my history, there have been several times in which I could not take B-6 at all as well as times in which I could take it without a problem. Based on my research, I can point to two causes:
1) a very low Calcium/Potassium ratio (below 1.5 on the hair test vs an ideal of 4.0).
2) Liver toxicity or congestion
Let's look at #1- The Livestrong website gave me this information and it was backed up by my experience. When I first started the program, a product called Limcomin was recommended but I could not tolerate it. At that time, my Cal/K ratio was about 1.2. Some B-6 was okay but any more than about 200% of my DV caused problems. Symptoms included worsening fatigue, sore muscles and depression. Fortunately, the above supplement was not absolutely necessary. I successfully treated Stage 3 adrenal fatigue with SBF, Thym-Adren, Paramin and Vitamin C. For the next year- 18 months, I found that I could take B-6 without a problem.
Later, when on neurotransmitter support after I had totally beaten adrenal fatigue, my B-6 intolerance kicked in far worse than before. This presented a greater problem because all NeuroScience products contained B-6. This time, my symptoms of B-6 intolerance were more severe. In addition to the fatigue and abnormal soreness, I had severe anxiety and heart palpitations so much that I could literally see my heart "try to jump out of my chest" Again, I had the good fortune of being able to find substitute products and eventually beat the neurotransmitter imbalances. I took taurine and GABA for inhibitory support as well as tryosine+C for excitatory support. At the time of my most severe B-6 intolerance, my Mag, Na and K all shot up big time, which is common for patients who had just recently escaped adrenal fatigue. Thus, with Calcium remaining low and Potassium high, my ratio was quite unbalanced.
Third, in the Spring of 2013 after I tried increasing Mag citrate, I got the idea to add B-6, which proved to be a disaster. Then, the hair test showed a Cal/K ratio near 1.0.
If I had known about the link between B-6 intolerance and a low Ca/K ratio, I would have taken more Cal but again never take more than 2 parts Cal to 1 part Mag. If I had done that, I may have been able to tolerate the Neuroscience products but in the end, it still worked out.
#2- Thanks to the Magnesium Advocacy Group on Facebook, I confirmed that the liver is responsible for the processing of B-6 so if there is a lot of clutter and toxins in there, you will not be able to process it and your symptoms will be the usual fatigue, depression and muscle aches. The solution here is simple: DO THE HULDA CLARK LIVER CLEANSE! Go ahead and look it up on You tube but the basic protocol is epsom salt water and olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice.
Going forward:
I already feel somewhat better after only 12 hours off the B-6. Because Jigsaw Mag contains B-6, it is on my banned list at this time. If I take plain Mag malate without the B-6, I will probably be okay at least for the next 2 weeks. A word of strong caution is that chemical sensitivity is a progressive disease. Right now, I can probably take Mag malate with the Thym-Adren. If left untreated, my system will reject the Mag malate, leaving me on Thym-Adren only. The next step is that it will begin to reject the Thym-Adren forcing me to limit the doses and effectively prevent any chance of getting in balance. The final step is the point in which the system cannot process any supplements and even have trouble with certain foods.
I still declare the detox a MAJOR SUCCESS and it is NOT A SURPRISE that I need to do it again. Most patients report doing it once a month for maybe 6 months to a year then it's more like 2-3 times per year thereafter. I think it is best to do the cleanse about 2 weeks prior to a big race. If I go too close, I risk diarrhea. Too far and I risk a relapse. Overall, I don't feel too bad about where I am. I will need all A's this weekend to win week #3. Still, if you had told me a month ago that I would be 2-1 after 3 weeks of 2014, I would have been mighty pleased. I probably don't have to worry about the exact 3:2 ratio after all. In fact, I would not be surprised if an extra Cal makes me feel slightly worse.
1) a very low Calcium/Potassium ratio (below 1.5 on the hair test vs an ideal of 4.0).
2) Liver toxicity or congestion
Let's look at #1- The Livestrong website gave me this information and it was backed up by my experience. When I first started the program, a product called Limcomin was recommended but I could not tolerate it. At that time, my Cal/K ratio was about 1.2. Some B-6 was okay but any more than about 200% of my DV caused problems. Symptoms included worsening fatigue, sore muscles and depression. Fortunately, the above supplement was not absolutely necessary. I successfully treated Stage 3 adrenal fatigue with SBF, Thym-Adren, Paramin and Vitamin C. For the next year- 18 months, I found that I could take B-6 without a problem.
Later, when on neurotransmitter support after I had totally beaten adrenal fatigue, my B-6 intolerance kicked in far worse than before. This presented a greater problem because all NeuroScience products contained B-6. This time, my symptoms of B-6 intolerance were more severe. In addition to the fatigue and abnormal soreness, I had severe anxiety and heart palpitations so much that I could literally see my heart "try to jump out of my chest" Again, I had the good fortune of being able to find substitute products and eventually beat the neurotransmitter imbalances. I took taurine and GABA for inhibitory support as well as tryosine+C for excitatory support. At the time of my most severe B-6 intolerance, my Mag, Na and K all shot up big time, which is common for patients who had just recently escaped adrenal fatigue. Thus, with Calcium remaining low and Potassium high, my ratio was quite unbalanced.
Third, in the Spring of 2013 after I tried increasing Mag citrate, I got the idea to add B-6, which proved to be a disaster. Then, the hair test showed a Cal/K ratio near 1.0.
If I had known about the link between B-6 intolerance and a low Ca/K ratio, I would have taken more Cal but again never take more than 2 parts Cal to 1 part Mag. If I had done that, I may have been able to tolerate the Neuroscience products but in the end, it still worked out.
#2- Thanks to the Magnesium Advocacy Group on Facebook, I confirmed that the liver is responsible for the processing of B-6 so if there is a lot of clutter and toxins in there, you will not be able to process it and your symptoms will be the usual fatigue, depression and muscle aches. The solution here is simple: DO THE HULDA CLARK LIVER CLEANSE! Go ahead and look it up on You tube but the basic protocol is epsom salt water and olive oil mixed with grapefruit juice.
Going forward:
I already feel somewhat better after only 12 hours off the B-6. Because Jigsaw Mag contains B-6, it is on my banned list at this time. If I take plain Mag malate without the B-6, I will probably be okay at least for the next 2 weeks. A word of strong caution is that chemical sensitivity is a progressive disease. Right now, I can probably take Mag malate with the Thym-Adren. If left untreated, my system will reject the Mag malate, leaving me on Thym-Adren only. The next step is that it will begin to reject the Thym-Adren forcing me to limit the doses and effectively prevent any chance of getting in balance. The final step is the point in which the system cannot process any supplements and even have trouble with certain foods.
I still declare the detox a MAJOR SUCCESS and it is NOT A SURPRISE that I need to do it again. Most patients report doing it once a month for maybe 6 months to a year then it's more like 2-3 times per year thereafter. I think it is best to do the cleanse about 2 weeks prior to a big race. If I go too close, I risk diarrhea. Too far and I risk a relapse. Overall, I don't feel too bad about where I am. I will need all A's this weekend to win week #3. Still, if you had told me a month ago that I would be 2-1 after 3 weeks of 2014, I would have been mighty pleased. I probably don't have to worry about the exact 3:2 ratio after all. In fact, I would not be surprised if an extra Cal makes me feel slightly worse.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Training 1/13-1/19
1/13- Experimentation day just like after the detox.
AM- 2 mile quickie in 14:55 (7:27 pace) but did not feel well at all on only 6 Thym-Adren. Too overstimulated. Took a Cal pill after the workout.
PM- Same 2 miler and showed slight improvement. Time was down to 14:44 (7:22 pace) but the effort was more comfortable. Popped a 2nd Cal pill.
#2- This one was significantly better. The same moderate effort yielded a time of 13:58 (6:59 pace) and felt I could have gone on for at least 4 more.
#3- Taking an extra 1.5 Thym-Adren made me feel slightly worse. Stopped at 1 mile in 7:38 but was getting a little better towards the end. Could have kept going but elected not to do so.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
Health status:
Lots of questions were answered today but a few remain. First, I can take no more than 6 Thym-Adren and that dosage could be going down to as low as 4. I still don't know if it's due to a shift in my chemistry or an issue with processing but I'd lean towards the former. I wasn't horrible in run #3 and before the detox, an extra pill would have put me over 8:00 for 1 mile.
Second, I need more Calcium but don't know how much or more importantly, the ratio of Cal/Mag. Calcium does decrease cell membrane permeability and also lowers tissue Na and K, which is good for me but too much can also lower Mag, which is bad for me. 250 of Cal won't cut it and neither will 500. I'd prefer to take 750 of each (1:1 ratio) and it is recommended that you take 5mg of Mag per lb of body weight, which would be 750-800 for me. However, if I feel best on 750/500 (3:2 ratio) or 1000/500 (2:1 ratio), so be it. You should never take a Cal/Mag ratio higher than 2:1. When I was on the Paramin and Thym-Adren, I was getting almost 2.75 parts Cal/1 Mag and suffered as a result. Somewhere between a 1:1 and a 2:1 ratio will likely give me the best result. Let's hope that I can find a ratio that works and stick with it. I'm still 6 weeks out from sending another hair sample to the lab.
1/14- Took 750/500 last night with good results. Lakeshore 6.5 in 48:05 (7:24 pace) on a nice clear 50 degree evening. Splits were 23:57-24:08 and I did deliberately slow down at the end because I was way under 7:30 pace. Good job overall but I'm not sure how I'd do on a tempo. We'll see how I do on 750 of each.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/15- I knew before the workout that a 1:1 ratio would not work for me. I hoped to be able to slog through the workout in spite of it, which I did. It wasn't pretty but I finished 5 miles at Gold's in a time of 38:20 (7:40 pace). Pace fell off badly after the halfway point but I managed to keep Mile 4 and 5 below 8:00 despite very stiff calf muscles toward the end. Splits were 18:40-19:40. Overall, I was significantly worse on 1:1 than 3:2. Tomorrow, I'm going with the 2:1 and will attempt a quality workout.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/16- AM. Took the 2:1 ratio. Workout was a short tempo. 3 miles in 20:40 (6:53 pace). An improvement over yesterday but clearly a long way from my old form. A full 5K would have been about 21:25, which is pretty baaauhd. I should be able to go sub-20 every day that I am even moderately fresh. This is worrisome. I am officially concerned but not in a panic mode yet. This was only the first day on the 2:1 and there is still a chance that I'll be fine by the weekend.
PM- I am officially in trouble now. I felt worse as the day progressed and was unproductive at work. Attempted an easy workout but quit after just 1 Mile at garbage pace. It does appear that the 3:2 ratio will work best for me but I felt worse again after taking those Cal/Mag pills even in the right ratio. One last resort is Vitamin C, which is worth a shot. If that fails, it is most definitely a processing issue. I am not due for another detox for 2 weeks so if that's the case, it's going to be rough until then. I'll have to quit the Cal/Mag and stay on the Thym-Adren if my system cannot tolerate both.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=4.5
Update: Learned that it could be the Jigsaw that's causing the problems and I may be able to take the plain malate. Even if that's the case, it is likely indicative of a liver issue.
1/17-This was a scheduled rest day but I wanted to make up some of the shortfall from yesterday. 2 miles in 16:04 (8:02 pace) with splits of 7:55-8:09 and I could not go much faster. This was actually an improvement over yesterday evening's debacle. I will try plain malate tonight and hope for an incremental improvement but it seems unlikely that I will be able to go long.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=2.0
1/18- AM- Plain malate has failed me. 1.5 miles at Gold's in a time of 15:45 (10:30 pace). It's either go with the Thym-Adren alone for 2 weeks and probably watch my tolerance for it go down OR do the detox early. I'm doing the detox early. There is no danger in doing it too soon after the last cleanse. I'll do it again 2 weeks later to make sure I'm sharp for Mercedes. Again, I expect that over time, the interval between detoxes will increase.
PM- 3 miles in 27:24 (9:08 pace). Improved by a full 82 seconds per mile for double the distance. I attribute that solely to getting some of the forbidden pills out of my system and will likely improve further tomorrow. However, another crash will be just around the corner if the toxicity is left untreated. I am prepared for the detox tomorrow and this time, I am not afraid.
Grade:F/2 credits/distance=4.5
1/19- Vestavia 3 mile in an even 24:00 (8:00 pace). Took all magnesium today, which is safe for a detox day. It's just after noon now so I've got to tough it out until bed time. I will pre-hydrate so I can take the Epsom salt water but it's no food or drink at all after 2 PM.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Many weeks in 2013 looked very similar to this one. If not for the detox, I would continue to show gradual improvement but would endure another crash in about a week when my system could process fewer and fewer pills. Overall, my record does not look too bad through 3 weeks and I expect to get back on the winning track next week.
Distance=33.0/ GPA= 13.8/8= 1.73
YTD: 115 miles. 2-1 with a 2.74 GPA
AM- 2 mile quickie in 14:55 (7:27 pace) but did not feel well at all on only 6 Thym-Adren. Too overstimulated. Took a Cal pill after the workout.
PM- Same 2 miler and showed slight improvement. Time was down to 14:44 (7:22 pace) but the effort was more comfortable. Popped a 2nd Cal pill.
#2- This one was significantly better. The same moderate effort yielded a time of 13:58 (6:59 pace) and felt I could have gone on for at least 4 more.
#3- Taking an extra 1.5 Thym-Adren made me feel slightly worse. Stopped at 1 mile in 7:38 but was getting a little better towards the end. Could have kept going but elected not to do so.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
Health status:
Lots of questions were answered today but a few remain. First, I can take no more than 6 Thym-Adren and that dosage could be going down to as low as 4. I still don't know if it's due to a shift in my chemistry or an issue with processing but I'd lean towards the former. I wasn't horrible in run #3 and before the detox, an extra pill would have put me over 8:00 for 1 mile.
Second, I need more Calcium but don't know how much or more importantly, the ratio of Cal/Mag. Calcium does decrease cell membrane permeability and also lowers tissue Na and K, which is good for me but too much can also lower Mag, which is bad for me. 250 of Cal won't cut it and neither will 500. I'd prefer to take 750 of each (1:1 ratio) and it is recommended that you take 5mg of Mag per lb of body weight, which would be 750-800 for me. However, if I feel best on 750/500 (3:2 ratio) or 1000/500 (2:1 ratio), so be it. You should never take a Cal/Mag ratio higher than 2:1. When I was on the Paramin and Thym-Adren, I was getting almost 2.75 parts Cal/1 Mag and suffered as a result. Somewhere between a 1:1 and a 2:1 ratio will likely give me the best result. Let's hope that I can find a ratio that works and stick with it. I'm still 6 weeks out from sending another hair sample to the lab.
1/14- Took 750/500 last night with good results. Lakeshore 6.5 in 48:05 (7:24 pace) on a nice clear 50 degree evening. Splits were 23:57-24:08 and I did deliberately slow down at the end because I was way under 7:30 pace. Good job overall but I'm not sure how I'd do on a tempo. We'll see how I do on 750 of each.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/15- I knew before the workout that a 1:1 ratio would not work for me. I hoped to be able to slog through the workout in spite of it, which I did. It wasn't pretty but I finished 5 miles at Gold's in a time of 38:20 (7:40 pace). Pace fell off badly after the halfway point but I managed to keep Mile 4 and 5 below 8:00 despite very stiff calf muscles toward the end. Splits were 18:40-19:40. Overall, I was significantly worse on 1:1 than 3:2. Tomorrow, I'm going with the 2:1 and will attempt a quality workout.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/16- AM. Took the 2:1 ratio. Workout was a short tempo. 3 miles in 20:40 (6:53 pace). An improvement over yesterday but clearly a long way from my old form. A full 5K would have been about 21:25, which is pretty baaauhd. I should be able to go sub-20 every day that I am even moderately fresh. This is worrisome. I am officially concerned but not in a panic mode yet. This was only the first day on the 2:1 and there is still a chance that I'll be fine by the weekend.
PM- I am officially in trouble now. I felt worse as the day progressed and was unproductive at work. Attempted an easy workout but quit after just 1 Mile at garbage pace. It does appear that the 3:2 ratio will work best for me but I felt worse again after taking those Cal/Mag pills even in the right ratio. One last resort is Vitamin C, which is worth a shot. If that fails, it is most definitely a processing issue. I am not due for another detox for 2 weeks so if that's the case, it's going to be rough until then. I'll have to quit the Cal/Mag and stay on the Thym-Adren if my system cannot tolerate both.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=4.5
Update: Learned that it could be the Jigsaw that's causing the problems and I may be able to take the plain malate. Even if that's the case, it is likely indicative of a liver issue.
1/17-This was a scheduled rest day but I wanted to make up some of the shortfall from yesterday. 2 miles in 16:04 (8:02 pace) with splits of 7:55-8:09 and I could not go much faster. This was actually an improvement over yesterday evening's debacle. I will try plain malate tonight and hope for an incremental improvement but it seems unlikely that I will be able to go long.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=2.0
1/18- AM- Plain malate has failed me. 1.5 miles at Gold's in a time of 15:45 (10:30 pace). It's either go with the Thym-Adren alone for 2 weeks and probably watch my tolerance for it go down OR do the detox early. I'm doing the detox early. There is no danger in doing it too soon after the last cleanse. I'll do it again 2 weeks later to make sure I'm sharp for Mercedes. Again, I expect that over time, the interval between detoxes will increase.
PM- 3 miles in 27:24 (9:08 pace). Improved by a full 82 seconds per mile for double the distance. I attribute that solely to getting some of the forbidden pills out of my system and will likely improve further tomorrow. However, another crash will be just around the corner if the toxicity is left untreated. I am prepared for the detox tomorrow and this time, I am not afraid.
Grade:F/2 credits/distance=4.5
1/19- Vestavia 3 mile in an even 24:00 (8:00 pace). Took all magnesium today, which is safe for a detox day. It's just after noon now so I've got to tough it out until bed time. I will pre-hydrate so I can take the Epsom salt water but it's no food or drink at all after 2 PM.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Many weeks in 2013 looked very similar to this one. If not for the detox, I would continue to show gradual improvement but would endure another crash in about a week when my system could process fewer and fewer pills. Overall, my record does not look too bad through 3 weeks and I expect to get back on the winning track next week.
Distance=33.0/ GPA= 13.8/8= 1.73
YTD: 115 miles. 2-1 with a 2.74 GPA
Monday, January 6, 2014
Message #73- Soul Detox
I don't normally post these messages here but I feel led to do so this time. Depending on how this is received, I may or may not post these here in the future:
Mark 2:17- On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but
sinners.”
-Matthew13:7- Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
-Hebrews 12:1- Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us
throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us
As
many of you know, 2013 was not a good year for me. For most of the
year, my body was rejecting key nutrients intended to get my body in
balance. I have since learned that the liver is the central processing
unit for vitamins, minerals and probably synthetic medications. I have a
long history of prescription drug use as well as heavy use of dietary
supplements so it would not be a surprise to learn that my liver was
cluttered with toxins and that congestion interfered with the processing
of key minerals. So as a last ditch effort, I went through a weekend
detox program just before New Year's Day that included a fast and
several cleansing drinks. If I could not
process the key supplements, I would have certainly slipped back into
adrenal exhaustion with little-no hope of recovery. In the end, the
detox was tough but manageable and I have seen a big improvement in my
tolerance for the pills as well as my overall health.
Y'all
know what's coming now. It's time to apply this to the faith. I've
mentioned 4 key "treatments" to maintain the health of the soul:
-get to church
-read the Bible
-prayer
-fellowship
Take
inventory and consider some of the toxins that you have in your soul
that may be limiting the effectiveness of
the above treatments. It could be unhealthy companionship, bad habits,
a grudge, or unrepentant sin. Whatever the toxin, I will guarantee
that it will hinder your growth as a Christian even if you are
consistent with all 4 activities. Especially when it comes to
unrepentant sin, your soul may arrive at a place in which it rejects the
treatments. Suppose that your pastor is preaching a message about a
certain sin that you have no intention of stopping. Chances are that
you will become dismissive or even defensive to the point that you no
longer wish to hear the Word. Another possibility is that you do not
associate with people who tell you lovingly that you need to repent.
One of the major consequences of sin is that it grieves the Holy
Spirit. If someone that you care about is suffering grief, you will
comfort them. If you were the one that caused it, I'm betting that you
will feel terrible and
apologize multiple times. Now, stop and consider the Holy Spirit and
who it is that you grieve with your sins.
Well,
it's time to throw off anything that hinders your growth. I recognize
that it is easier said than done. The detox protocol caused me a
headache, a trace of nausea and lots of diarrhea but it revealed that I
had a lot of congestion and toxins in my liver. Often, it is not until
you get better that you realize how much the imbalances were holding you
back and the same holds true when cleansing spiritual toxins. I went
through detox
as a last resort but if I continue to have success, I will recommend it
as the FIRST thing to do before starting a natural health plan. Too
often, people turn to Jesus only as a last resort when He should be your
first response.
Training 1/6-1/12
1/6- AM-Thought about a morning run but chose to stay in bed. The plan is a standard issue run today and I should handle it 2 days after the long run. I hope to get a clear answer about continuing the Jigsaw. I will also try C without Mag once this week just to see what happens. Weather will be very cold the next 2 days so it's indoors until at least Wednesday.
PM- Fully recovered from the long run. Easy 6 in 44:30 (7:25 pace). Very strong. Nearly perfect splits (22:14/22:16). Actually felt more energized in the last 2 miles. Cold night ahead that will be followed by a nice warm up.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/7- Not much warmer today. Tempo at Gold's. 5 miles in 32:58 (6:36 pace) plus a cool. Good even pace too. (16:32/16:26) Strong! I believe this is my fastest time at this distance since March of last year. Yes, I was working hard at the end for the sub-33 but I was not wide open. I had another gear available and if this was a race, I think I could have been sub-41 for 10K despite being slightly less than fresh. I want my tempo pace to be roughly 60 seconds faster than my standard issue pace and today, I was 50. I'm on the way. No doubt that Jigsaw Mag + Thym-Adren is the answer but I will try the C tonight. Tomorrow will be above freezing so I may be back outside.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.0
1/8- Trak Shak loop. I don't know the exact distance because the GPS cut off. The loop is roughly 6.5 miles but the watch showed 6 miles in 45:15 (7:33 pace) plus a cool. Hilly route in 40 degree temps, which actually felt pretty nice out there. As for taking the C instead of the Mag, I could feel it but the effects were not severe. Maybe someday I will not have severe ill-effects if I miss a day of all pills. That's what I want. If I am unbalanced, I will need pills but if I am to the point in which I'm not bad if I miss a day and my body does not reject the pills.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/9- AM- Quickie. 1.5 miles in 11:18 (7:32 pace). This one was done before I popped any Thym-Adren pills. Don't get me wrong. I was strugg-a-ling to hit the standard pace and probably would have faded after Mile 3 but the effects were not nearly as severe as before the detox. Only 2 weeks ago, I would have been 8:30 pace without any pills.
PM- 10x400 at Mountain Brook with a 2 min R. Finished with an average of 79.8 (5:19 pace). Splits were (83-78-79-80-80) (79-80-80-82-77). Made the "A" goal by 2 seconds but clearly need more work on speed. In order to threaten a PR in the Mile, I need to do these near 75 with a sub-70 close.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.5
1/10- Planned rest day. I need one. My body is sore but nothing out of the ordinary.
1/11- Delayed onset muscle soreness has hit hard today. I had to postpone my planned long run. The workout was an easy 4 at Vestavia HS in a time of 30:15 (7:34 pace). Faded but did not crash with splits of 14:55-15:20. I should be good to go tomorrow and the weather conditions should be much more favorable.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.0
1/12- Struggled. Had to cut the planned long run short. Finished at 10 miles in 74:38 (7:28 pace) with splits of (36:48/37:50). I was smart to cut it short because if I went for the full 15, I would have been looking at a pace over 8:00 the last 5 miles. Calf muscles are especially sore and I really should be fully recovered from the speed session by now. I may need to cut the dosage of Thym-Adren. When I experiment now, I want a clear yes or no answer but if it's no, I should not feel disabled because of 1 or 2 pills.
PM- 2 mile junk run on Wisteria in a time of 14:37 (7:18 pace). That's good news. The pills are obviously off but I was not horrible.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=12.5
Weekly summary:
This was a winner overall despite the struggles this weekend. I will cut out caffeine AGAIN, cut the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6 and consider a small amount of Vitamin C. Pleased with my tempo and interval session but not my long run. I will do another liver cleanse in 3 weeks. The age old question is as follows: Is my dosage trending down because I am getting closer to balance or is it because my system cannot process it? Again, if it's the latter, the liver flush will help.
Distance=42.0/ GPA= 29.4/9= 3.27
YTD: 82 miles, 2-0 with a 3.25 GPA
PM- Fully recovered from the long run. Easy 6 in 44:30 (7:25 pace). Very strong. Nearly perfect splits (22:14/22:16). Actually felt more energized in the last 2 miles. Cold night ahead that will be followed by a nice warm up.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/7- Not much warmer today. Tempo at Gold's. 5 miles in 32:58 (6:36 pace) plus a cool. Good even pace too. (16:32/16:26) Strong! I believe this is my fastest time at this distance since March of last year. Yes, I was working hard at the end for the sub-33 but I was not wide open. I had another gear available and if this was a race, I think I could have been sub-41 for 10K despite being slightly less than fresh. I want my tempo pace to be roughly 60 seconds faster than my standard issue pace and today, I was 50. I'm on the way. No doubt that Jigsaw Mag + Thym-Adren is the answer but I will try the C tonight. Tomorrow will be above freezing so I may be back outside.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.0
1/8- Trak Shak loop. I don't know the exact distance because the GPS cut off. The loop is roughly 6.5 miles but the watch showed 6 miles in 45:15 (7:33 pace) plus a cool. Hilly route in 40 degree temps, which actually felt pretty nice out there. As for taking the C instead of the Mag, I could feel it but the effects were not severe. Maybe someday I will not have severe ill-effects if I miss a day of all pills. That's what I want. If I am unbalanced, I will need pills but if I am to the point in which I'm not bad if I miss a day and my body does not reject the pills.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/9- AM- Quickie. 1.5 miles in 11:18 (7:32 pace). This one was done before I popped any Thym-Adren pills. Don't get me wrong. I was strugg-a-ling to hit the standard pace and probably would have faded after Mile 3 but the effects were not nearly as severe as before the detox. Only 2 weeks ago, I would have been 8:30 pace without any pills.
PM- 10x400 at Mountain Brook with a 2 min R. Finished with an average of 79.8 (5:19 pace). Splits were (83-78-79-80-80) (79-80-80-82-77). Made the "A" goal by 2 seconds but clearly need more work on speed. In order to threaten a PR in the Mile, I need to do these near 75 with a sub-70 close.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=6.5
1/10- Planned rest day. I need one. My body is sore but nothing out of the ordinary.
1/11- Delayed onset muscle soreness has hit hard today. I had to postpone my planned long run. The workout was an easy 4 at Vestavia HS in a time of 30:15 (7:34 pace). Faded but did not crash with splits of 14:55-15:20. I should be good to go tomorrow and the weather conditions should be much more favorable.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=4.0
1/12- Struggled. Had to cut the planned long run short. Finished at 10 miles in 74:38 (7:28 pace) with splits of (36:48/37:50). I was smart to cut it short because if I went for the full 15, I would have been looking at a pace over 8:00 the last 5 miles. Calf muscles are especially sore and I really should be fully recovered from the speed session by now. I may need to cut the dosage of Thym-Adren. When I experiment now, I want a clear yes or no answer but if it's no, I should not feel disabled because of 1 or 2 pills.
PM- 2 mile junk run on Wisteria in a time of 14:37 (7:18 pace). That's good news. The pills are obviously off but I was not horrible.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=12.5
Weekly summary:
This was a winner overall despite the struggles this weekend. I will cut out caffeine AGAIN, cut the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6 and consider a small amount of Vitamin C. Pleased with my tempo and interval session but not my long run. I will do another liver cleanse in 3 weeks. The age old question is as follows: Is my dosage trending down because I am getting closer to balance or is it because my system cannot process it? Again, if it's the latter, the liver flush will help.
Distance=42.0/ GPA= 29.4/9= 3.27
YTD: 82 miles, 2-0 with a 3.25 GPA
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Training 1/1-1/5
1/1- Everything can change on New Year's Day. 10 mile Trak Shak loop (9+ S. Lakeshore) in a time of 72:12 (7:13 pace). I felt great through about 7 miles but struggled a bit in the homestretch. I need to do some more experimentation. Before the detox, I needed Vitamin C when I took mega Thym-Adren. Now, it may be bad for me. I may not be able to take it with Mag but given the choice between the two, I would take the Mag. Overall, this was a good day.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=10.0
1/2- Further experimentation is necessary. Too much vitamin C has been confirmed to be bad for me after the detox. Prior to it, I needed C with mega Thym-Adren. I will see if I can take the Jigsaw along with a bit of Cal. Today, the morning was a little rough but I began feeling better by the afternoon as some of the excess C cleared. Workout went well. Standard issue 6 in 44:50 (7:28 pace). The only reason this is not an "A" is a mild fade (22:15/22:35) but the pace never went over 7:33. Good job.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/3- A bit of sensitivity is actually a good thing because it lets you know when your plan is off-track. I learned today that Cal is not good for me at this time. Neither is Vitamin C. However, the most important pills are Mag + Thym-Adren and I can take both. The only remaining question is whether the Mag will be Jigsaw or plain malate. I did not feel great during the day but was okay when it was time to run. Easy 3 in 22:21 (7:27 pace) plus a Mile cool on the 'mill. I could have gone 6+ easily today but cut it short only because I am planning to go long tomorrow.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=4.0
1/4- Lakeshore 15 in 1:52:06 (7:28 pace). Probably a fair assessment of my current fitness. Almost all the Cal is out of my system now so I have no excuses. Felt great early and passed 11 miles in 80-flat. 2 more 7:15s would have brought me to 13.1 in a low-1:35 but crashed hard after that. Last 3 miles were all over 8 minutes. In a race setting, that last 5K would be a struggle. I'm still good with this one overall and have another 6 weeks until race day and will do another liver cleanse in about 3-4 weeks. I want to see how I do on Jigsaw Mag tonight. Need a "D-" to win.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=15.0
1/5- Gold's 4 in 31:21 (7:50 pace). I'm simply not in the shape that I was in 12 months ago. Back then, I could recover from a hard 15 and run the standard issue workout the next day. I expected to be slow and was not disappointed. Added another slow mile on the 'mill as a cool down. Good news is that the Jigsaw Mag appears to be working for me. That's good because I can take fewer pills and I get more synergistic vitamins than I get with plain malate. I've had a bit of pain on the outside of my hip but I will hold off on prolo. I'm sure that the period in which I could not take Thym-Adren caused my numbers to get way out of balance. For the first week on track, I'm doing pretty well.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
47 miles is my highest 7 day total in nearly 12 months. I've won the opening week for the 5th time in 6 years but one week does not a year make. I had a losing record in 2010 too and started 0-3 in 2011 but ran a solid 1:34 at Mercedes and was in sub-90 shape by December despite several hiccups along the way. Pleased with the week overall but need more variance with the paces.
Distance= 40.0/GPA= 19.3/6= 3.22
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=10.0
1/2- Further experimentation is necessary. Too much vitamin C has been confirmed to be bad for me after the detox. Prior to it, I needed C with mega Thym-Adren. I will see if I can take the Jigsaw along with a bit of Cal. Today, the morning was a little rough but I began feeling better by the afternoon as some of the excess C cleared. Workout went well. Standard issue 6 in 44:50 (7:28 pace). The only reason this is not an "A" is a mild fade (22:15/22:35) but the pace never went over 7:33. Good job.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/3- A bit of sensitivity is actually a good thing because it lets you know when your plan is off-track. I learned today that Cal is not good for me at this time. Neither is Vitamin C. However, the most important pills are Mag + Thym-Adren and I can take both. The only remaining question is whether the Mag will be Jigsaw or plain malate. I did not feel great during the day but was okay when it was time to run. Easy 3 in 22:21 (7:27 pace) plus a Mile cool on the 'mill. I could have gone 6+ easily today but cut it short only because I am planning to go long tomorrow.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=4.0
1/4- Lakeshore 15 in 1:52:06 (7:28 pace). Probably a fair assessment of my current fitness. Almost all the Cal is out of my system now so I have no excuses. Felt great early and passed 11 miles in 80-flat. 2 more 7:15s would have brought me to 13.1 in a low-1:35 but crashed hard after that. Last 3 miles were all over 8 minutes. In a race setting, that last 5K would be a struggle. I'm still good with this one overall and have another 6 weeks until race day and will do another liver cleanse in about 3-4 weeks. I want to see how I do on Jigsaw Mag tonight. Need a "D-" to win.
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=15.0
1/5- Gold's 4 in 31:21 (7:50 pace). I'm simply not in the shape that I was in 12 months ago. Back then, I could recover from a hard 15 and run the standard issue workout the next day. I expected to be slow and was not disappointed. Added another slow mile on the 'mill as a cool down. Good news is that the Jigsaw Mag appears to be working for me. That's good because I can take fewer pills and I get more synergistic vitamins than I get with plain malate. I've had a bit of pain on the outside of my hip but I will hold off on prolo. I'm sure that the period in which I could not take Thym-Adren caused my numbers to get way out of balance. For the first week on track, I'm doing pretty well.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
47 miles is my highest 7 day total in nearly 12 months. I've won the opening week for the 5th time in 6 years but one week does not a year make. I had a losing record in 2010 too and started 0-3 in 2011 but ran a solid 1:34 at Mercedes and was in sub-90 shape by December despite several hiccups along the way. Pleased with the week overall but need more variance with the paces.
Distance= 40.0/GPA= 19.3/6= 3.22
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