Overall stats on the year: 1,335 miles. 18-19 with a 2.72 GPA. By comparison, last year I had 1,321 miles and a record of only 13-24 with a 2.54 GPA. Barring a serious injury, I will finish better than last year in all categories but I want more. At the very least, I want 1,800 miles and to finish over .500 (26-24) with a GPA above 2.75.
3rd quarter stats:
452 miles. Record was 7-5 with a 2.85 GPA, which is my best showing since Q4 2012 and done amid a TON of upheaval. I scored a CR at Peachtree and a PR on the track in the 5K.
I began the quarter still trying to detox the cadmium and turned to an adrenal glandular for relief as a temporary measure. Predictably, it lost its effectiveness and I was back on Thym-Adren. Soon, that would fail me and I ended up on ADHS, which I have tolerated well. The Cal/Mag battle has been just as difficult. I went from 500 to 750 and back more than once and even had a few days of complete intolerance. I had hoped that taurine would solve the extreme sensitivity and the jury will return with the final verdict by the end of the week. Abstinence from caffeine may be the key to tolerate it.
Quarter 4 will be a lot more race heavy if I am at least somewhat healthy.
10/11- Race for the Cure 5K (local)- probable
10/19- 10K in Bowling Green, KY-probable (State #9 for 10K)
11/1- Monumental Indy half- In. Signed up. (State #20 for half/full)
11/23- Route 66 half- Tulsa- questionable (State #21)
1/15- Red Shoe Run (local 10 mile) or Mobile First Light half
2/28/15- Phoenix Marathon- first BQ attempt. (State #22)
If I do get a decent report from the lab and I can once again tolerate the taurine, I've decided to go "all in" with the marathon training, which includes hiring a coach. He may not approve of so much racing and I may be talked out of Tulsa. I will be skipping Vulcan this year and the Mercedes half next year though I may run the 5K.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
Training 9/29-10/5
9/29- AM- Quickie. 1 mile at Gold's and struggled to a 7:47 finish. I've cut the taurine down to 1000 mg and it's still too much. Cutting it down to 500 now.
PM- Worse. Another 1 mile at Gold's in 8:27. I have a feeling that I may have to discontinue taurine altogether. At the very least, I will be taking a break from it and am also cutting the Cal/Mag down to 500. I'm going to the lab tomorrow. If my Mag RBC is over 6.0, I don't need more than 500 and should not need the taurine. I'm counting this as my rest day but if I was graded, it would have been an "F".
Distance=2.0
9/30- AM- Not feeling much better this morning. I've been off taurine and caffeine for 24 hours now. I need to stay off for 3.5 days before trying taurine again. If I get a bad reaction after that point, I know I need to discontinue it. Went to the lab this morning and did the whole copper panel (ceruloplasmin, zinc, copper, Mag RBC).
PM- Gold's 5 in 39:18 (7:52 pace). Lame workout. I was working hard all the way and could not even manage to hit my usual easy pace. To my credit, I did manage a negative split and hit 7:30 in Mile 5. I'm not even trying taurine until Thursday night at which time, I should have the lab results back. I should know the answer by Friday morning.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
10/1- Encouraging. Took my morning Mag dose and tightened up badly but took 500 mg of Tauring and got somewhat better. I was afraid to take any more. Gnome run on Lakeshore. Cut it short but finished a decent standard issue run. 5 miles in 37:50 (7:34 pace) with a significant negative split. Did 7:20s over the last 3 but was still working too hard.
PM- Coach advised against doubles but I really needed to test myself. A 2nd Cal/Mag pill tighten me up badly. A 2nd taurine pill was not a miracle but it was a net positive effect. Did 3 miles at the Shak at a pace in the 7:20s. GPS cut off after 2 miles in 14:38 but was slipping a bit. Only my 2nd full day off caffeine and I have been progressing steadily.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=8.0
10/2- Got some not so good news on the blood test so I panicked and took some SBF, which was a bad call. Again, taurine negated most of the ill-effects but it was still not very good. 3 miles at tempo effort and my time was 21:43 (7:14 pace). Managed only marathon pace and was more than a minute per mile off my PR. Grading is harder on a tempo day.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
10/3- Improvement. 3 miles in 19:54 (6:38 pace). Still weak. Felt better after I finished the high copper protein bar so I picked up a bottle of copper at the health foods store at lunch. It was not an instant disaster but over the last hour at the office, I could not do anything and was struggling just to stay awake.
PM- Got home and popped a Thym-Adren to even out the ratio and felt slightly better. Taurine helped further so I decided to do a small test on Wisteria. I struggled to a 7:47 finish for 1 Mile. What to make of this debacle? The 5:1 zinc/copper ratio will not work for me, at least not right now. I could try 7.5:1 or another form of copper but it's possible that I just can't take copper in single mineral form. Taurine may help but won't negate all of the ill-effects.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=4.0
10/4- It's official. Copper in single mineral form is a disaster for me. All I can do now is copper rich foods and possibly Vitamin A and/or be more aggressive in my never ending quest to balance my oxidation rate. Did not even attempt the group run and don't feel up to doing anything today.
PM- Forced myself to do a junk run on Wisteria. It was awful but I covered 2 miles at glacial pace. I did not time it but would not be surprised if it was over 20 minutes.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
10/5-AM- Lakeshore 3 in 27:29 (9:10 pace). Splits were 8:28-9:08-9:53. Added a half mile cool. This was done after being off copper for 26 hours. No further comments needed.
PM- Improvement. 10 laps at Spain Park in a time of 19:09 (7:40 pace). I was a full kilometer behind my recent 5K PR. Pathetic! The bright spot was a strong negative split (9:59-9:10) and I dipped to 1:43 on the last lap (6:52 pace). I should be able to handle a standard issue workout by tomorrow.
Grade:E/2 credits/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Not one but two collapses in the same week. I have not won more than 3 in a row since January of last year. I know that taurine works ONLY if I strictly limit caffeine. Copper does not work at all as a single mineral supplement. I must rely on Vitamin A and copper rich foods to bring up ceruloplasmin and am not real confident it will be enough. Choline/Inositol is an option if ADHS + Cal/Mag is not enough. In about 6-8 weeks, I might finally know how this will all play out.
Distance=30.0/ GPA=12.6/8= 1.58
YTD: 1,358 miles. Record: 18-20 with a 2.69 GPA.
PM- Worse. Another 1 mile at Gold's in 8:27. I have a feeling that I may have to discontinue taurine altogether. At the very least, I will be taking a break from it and am also cutting the Cal/Mag down to 500. I'm going to the lab tomorrow. If my Mag RBC is over 6.0, I don't need more than 500 and should not need the taurine. I'm counting this as my rest day but if I was graded, it would have been an "F".
Distance=2.0
9/30- AM- Not feeling much better this morning. I've been off taurine and caffeine for 24 hours now. I need to stay off for 3.5 days before trying taurine again. If I get a bad reaction after that point, I know I need to discontinue it. Went to the lab this morning and did the whole copper panel (ceruloplasmin, zinc, copper, Mag RBC).
PM- Gold's 5 in 39:18 (7:52 pace). Lame workout. I was working hard all the way and could not even manage to hit my usual easy pace. To my credit, I did manage a negative split and hit 7:30 in Mile 5. I'm not even trying taurine until Thursday night at which time, I should have the lab results back. I should know the answer by Friday morning.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
10/1- Encouraging. Took my morning Mag dose and tightened up badly but took 500 mg of Tauring and got somewhat better. I was afraid to take any more. Gnome run on Lakeshore. Cut it short but finished a decent standard issue run. 5 miles in 37:50 (7:34 pace) with a significant negative split. Did 7:20s over the last 3 but was still working too hard.
PM- Coach advised against doubles but I really needed to test myself. A 2nd Cal/Mag pill tighten me up badly. A 2nd taurine pill was not a miracle but it was a net positive effect. Did 3 miles at the Shak at a pace in the 7:20s. GPS cut off after 2 miles in 14:38 but was slipping a bit. Only my 2nd full day off caffeine and I have been progressing steadily.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=8.0
10/2- Got some not so good news on the blood test so I panicked and took some SBF, which was a bad call. Again, taurine negated most of the ill-effects but it was still not very good. 3 miles at tempo effort and my time was 21:43 (7:14 pace). Managed only marathon pace and was more than a minute per mile off my PR. Grading is harder on a tempo day.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
10/3- Improvement. 3 miles in 19:54 (6:38 pace). Still weak. Felt better after I finished the high copper protein bar so I picked up a bottle of copper at the health foods store at lunch. It was not an instant disaster but over the last hour at the office, I could not do anything and was struggling just to stay awake.
PM- Got home and popped a Thym-Adren to even out the ratio and felt slightly better. Taurine helped further so I decided to do a small test on Wisteria. I struggled to a 7:47 finish for 1 Mile. What to make of this debacle? The 5:1 zinc/copper ratio will not work for me, at least not right now. I could try 7.5:1 or another form of copper but it's possible that I just can't take copper in single mineral form. Taurine may help but won't negate all of the ill-effects.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=4.0
10/4- It's official. Copper in single mineral form is a disaster for me. All I can do now is copper rich foods and possibly Vitamin A and/or be more aggressive in my never ending quest to balance my oxidation rate. Did not even attempt the group run and don't feel up to doing anything today.
PM- Forced myself to do a junk run on Wisteria. It was awful but I covered 2 miles at glacial pace. I did not time it but would not be surprised if it was over 20 minutes.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
10/5-AM- Lakeshore 3 in 27:29 (9:10 pace). Splits were 8:28-9:08-9:53. Added a half mile cool. This was done after being off copper for 26 hours. No further comments needed.
PM- Improvement. 10 laps at Spain Park in a time of 19:09 (7:40 pace). I was a full kilometer behind my recent 5K PR. Pathetic! The bright spot was a strong negative split (9:59-9:10) and I dipped to 1:43 on the last lap (6:52 pace). I should be able to handle a standard issue workout by tomorrow.
Grade:E/2 credits/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
Not one but two collapses in the same week. I have not won more than 3 in a row since January of last year. I know that taurine works ONLY if I strictly limit caffeine. Copper does not work at all as a single mineral supplement. I must rely on Vitamin A and copper rich foods to bring up ceruloplasmin and am not real confident it will be enough. Choline/Inositol is an option if ADHS + Cal/Mag is not enough. In about 6-8 weeks, I might finally know how this will all play out.
Distance=30.0/ GPA=12.6/8= 1.58
YTD: 1,358 miles. Record: 18-20 with a 2.69 GPA.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Training 9/22-9/28
9/22- New week. Same great result. 7 miles on Lakeshore in 49:43 (7:06 pace). Felt very strong again. As usual, it was a fast start followed by a bit of a slow down in Miles 4-5. Finished with back to back 7:06s in Miles 6-7.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/23- Good interval session at Vestavia. 10x400 with 2:00 R in sets of 5. Averaged a 78.0 (5:12 pace). That's a good indicator for the sub-5:15 Mile and I felt slightly less than fresh too. Got heckled with the usual "Run Forrest Run." Splits were (79-79-78-78-77) (79-78-79-79-74). Glad that I got them all under 80 but I had hoped to get closer to 70 on the closer. Strong overall.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=4.0
9/24- Perfect sunny and 75 weather. Trak Shak 7.5 in 54:03 (7:12 pace). I'm beginning to expect these types of workouts from myself. I was doing great through 5.5 but was strugg-a-ling a bit over the last 2 miles. Slipped to 7:30ish pace over that span but I knew I was well ahead of pace so it didn't matter. A bit of soreness in the foot and the hips today so I may be stronger now but I am not indestructible. I think I need to reduce the taurine. PLEASE NO MORE SENSITIVITY!
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
Note to dog owners:
Please keep your dog on a short leash so you don't take up the whole trail. If you let your dog run loose, don't be upset if somebody tells you politely to keep the dog on a leash. I can't stop on a dime if one runs out in front of me.
9/25- AM. Skipped the morning taurine dose. We'll see if the soreness diminishes by afternoon. I don't think it's training related because I feel more lethargic. When I over-reach and am healthy, it's more of a dazed and dreamy feeling. I must confess that I had a mini-relapse on caffeine last weekend and early this week but took C to ward off that issue. Perhaps caffeine is interfering with the processing of taurine. That doesn't make much sense but not a lot does with my system.
PM- 2 mile warm up followed by Lakeshore 5 in 36:57 (7:23 pace). Standard issue run. I hoped to turn it into a fast finish workout but I could get no lower than 6:35 pace early in Mile 5 so I shut it down and just cruised it in. I've been back off caffeine for 48 hours and took a big load of taurine and I don't think I tightened up much. That's good news. Paces will have to slow down if I am to maintain 50ish MPW.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/26- Rough last night. Taurine alone didn't seem to hurt me but after I took the Cal/Mag, I woke up in the middle of the night extremely sore. Another dose of taurine made it worse. ADHS knocked out some of the stiffness. 2 nasty diarrhea episodes in the morning but felt better after each one. What to make of this? I don't know but I don't like it. 2 weeks ago, taurine helped prevent ill-effects from too much Mag. Now, it makes it worse. Hopefully, I just need to reduce the taurine and I'll be fine. I'll be very interested to know my Mag status on next week's test. If the RBC is over 6, I can cut the Mag down to 500, in which case, my need for taurine will diminish.
Amid the drama, it was a planned rest day but I decided to do a Mile junk run on Wisteria. Ran it at standard effort and clocked a solid 7:12. That calms my nerves a bit. Need a respectable long run to win this week but I'll give myself 2 chances.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.0
Update: Learned that taurine "enhances magnesium's effect"
9/27- Failed the first attempt. Crashed 4 miles into the group run. Again, that REALLY MAKES ME LOOK BAD to the group, most of whom don't know about my issues and likely would not believe it if I told them the full extent. Trudged on for another mile then had a short walk of shame back to my car. Totaled 5 miles in 39:39 (7:55 pace) with splits of 8:01-7:27-7:24-7:32-9:12. I will consider this my easy weekend day and try to re-group for a long run tomorrow.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Update: I did not take any Cal/Mag or taurine for 24 hours prior to the workout. Took 500 of Cal/Mag when I got home and began feeling somewhat better. Took 500 mg taurine and also felt okay. I need a "C" tomorrow to win the week.
PM- 3 mile Trak Shak loop as a test run in 21:39 (7:13 pace) with relatively even splits. That's more like it! Still didn't feel great but it was much better than the morning debacle. Tacked on another mile as a cool down. Need 14 tomorrow to hit 50 on the week but if I can do 10+ at a pace below 8:00, that will be good enough for the "C" that I need to win.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=4.0
9/28- Lakeshore run. Met the minimum standard for a long run with 10 miles in 76:52 (7:41 pace) plus a Mile cool. Improved over yesterday but still not feeling great. 1st half: 37:40, 2nd half: 39:12. Miles 7-9 were all a hair above 8:00 but did not collapse and came back strong with a 7:15 split in Mile 10. Average performance. Maybe a bit lenient on the grading but I deserved the win this week.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=11.0
Weekly summary:
More upheaval and more tweaks may be needed but still a nice win overall. I went 7-5 in the 3rd quarter, which is my first winning quarter since Q1 2013. I'm looking into hiring a coach if I decide to go "all in" for the marathon. If I am to do so, it will be Coach Will from Running Lane. Of course, it all depends on my health. If I am not stable, I am uncoachable because I am too inconsistent and often unable to do scheduled workouts. Clinched a 2.0 on the year and have finally pulled ahead of last year's pace in all categories
Distance=47.0/ GPA= 25.5/8= 3.19
YTD: 1,328 miles. Record: 18-19 with a 2.73 GPA
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/23- Good interval session at Vestavia. 10x400 with 2:00 R in sets of 5. Averaged a 78.0 (5:12 pace). That's a good indicator for the sub-5:15 Mile and I felt slightly less than fresh too. Got heckled with the usual "Run Forrest Run." Splits were (79-79-78-78-77) (79-78-79-79-74). Glad that I got them all under 80 but I had hoped to get closer to 70 on the closer. Strong overall.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=4.0
9/24- Perfect sunny and 75 weather. Trak Shak 7.5 in 54:03 (7:12 pace). I'm beginning to expect these types of workouts from myself. I was doing great through 5.5 but was strugg-a-ling a bit over the last 2 miles. Slipped to 7:30ish pace over that span but I knew I was well ahead of pace so it didn't matter. A bit of soreness in the foot and the hips today so I may be stronger now but I am not indestructible. I think I need to reduce the taurine. PLEASE NO MORE SENSITIVITY!
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
Note to dog owners:
Please keep your dog on a short leash so you don't take up the whole trail. If you let your dog run loose, don't be upset if somebody tells you politely to keep the dog on a leash. I can't stop on a dime if one runs out in front of me.
9/25- AM. Skipped the morning taurine dose. We'll see if the soreness diminishes by afternoon. I don't think it's training related because I feel more lethargic. When I over-reach and am healthy, it's more of a dazed and dreamy feeling. I must confess that I had a mini-relapse on caffeine last weekend and early this week but took C to ward off that issue. Perhaps caffeine is interfering with the processing of taurine. That doesn't make much sense but not a lot does with my system.
PM- 2 mile warm up followed by Lakeshore 5 in 36:57 (7:23 pace). Standard issue run. I hoped to turn it into a fast finish workout but I could get no lower than 6:35 pace early in Mile 5 so I shut it down and just cruised it in. I've been back off caffeine for 48 hours and took a big load of taurine and I don't think I tightened up much. That's good news. Paces will have to slow down if I am to maintain 50ish MPW.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/26- Rough last night. Taurine alone didn't seem to hurt me but after I took the Cal/Mag, I woke up in the middle of the night extremely sore. Another dose of taurine made it worse. ADHS knocked out some of the stiffness. 2 nasty diarrhea episodes in the morning but felt better after each one. What to make of this? I don't know but I don't like it. 2 weeks ago, taurine helped prevent ill-effects from too much Mag. Now, it makes it worse. Hopefully, I just need to reduce the taurine and I'll be fine. I'll be very interested to know my Mag status on next week's test. If the RBC is over 6, I can cut the Mag down to 500, in which case, my need for taurine will diminish.
Amid the drama, it was a planned rest day but I decided to do a Mile junk run on Wisteria. Ran it at standard effort and clocked a solid 7:12. That calms my nerves a bit. Need a respectable long run to win this week but I'll give myself 2 chances.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.0
Update: Learned that taurine "enhances magnesium's effect"
9/27- Failed the first attempt. Crashed 4 miles into the group run. Again, that REALLY MAKES ME LOOK BAD to the group, most of whom don't know about my issues and likely would not believe it if I told them the full extent. Trudged on for another mile then had a short walk of shame back to my car. Totaled 5 miles in 39:39 (7:55 pace) with splits of 8:01-7:27-7:24-7:32-9:12. I will consider this my easy weekend day and try to re-group for a long run tomorrow.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Update: I did not take any Cal/Mag or taurine for 24 hours prior to the workout. Took 500 of Cal/Mag when I got home and began feeling somewhat better. Took 500 mg taurine and also felt okay. I need a "C" tomorrow to win the week.
PM- 3 mile Trak Shak loop as a test run in 21:39 (7:13 pace) with relatively even splits. That's more like it! Still didn't feel great but it was much better than the morning debacle. Tacked on another mile as a cool down. Need 14 tomorrow to hit 50 on the week but if I can do 10+ at a pace below 8:00, that will be good enough for the "C" that I need to win.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=4.0
9/28- Lakeshore run. Met the minimum standard for a long run with 10 miles in 76:52 (7:41 pace) plus a Mile cool. Improved over yesterday but still not feeling great. 1st half: 37:40, 2nd half: 39:12. Miles 7-9 were all a hair above 8:00 but did not collapse and came back strong with a 7:15 split in Mile 10. Average performance. Maybe a bit lenient on the grading but I deserved the win this week.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=11.0
Weekly summary:
More upheaval and more tweaks may be needed but still a nice win overall. I went 7-5 in the 3rd quarter, which is my first winning quarter since Q1 2013. I'm looking into hiring a coach if I decide to go "all in" for the marathon. If I am to do so, it will be Coach Will from Running Lane. Of course, it all depends on my health. If I am not stable, I am uncoachable because I am too inconsistent and often unable to do scheduled workouts. Clinched a 2.0 on the year and have finally pulled ahead of last year's pace in all categories
Distance=47.0/ GPA= 25.5/8= 3.19
YTD: 1,328 miles. Record: 18-19 with a 2.73 GPA
Monday, September 15, 2014
Training 9/15-9/21
9/15- AM- 1 mile junk run around the block. Felt loose but was breathing heavy on the hills.
Update:Very interesting observation last night. I loaded on Cal/Mag (1000 mg) and I did tighten up a bit. I responded by taking an extra taurine pill and began feeling better. The final answer is oh so very close now. Did the problems last week have anything to do with taurine at all or was it all about the caffeine? If I load on taurine without caffeine, will I suffer any ill-effects? If that answer is no, I am golden! Odds are that if I limit my Cal/Mag to less than 500, I won't need any taurine but it won't be enough to get me in balance. If I can tolerate 2,000 mg of taurine without a problem, I should be able to take as many pills as necessary. I'm loading on taurine now and will be very interested to see how I will respond this evening.
PM- 5 miles at Gold's at moderate effort. Finished in 34:19 (6:52 pace). That's just inside sub-90 pace for a half mary. Based on how I felt, another 8 at that pace does not seem insurmountable especially if fresh. Legs were slightly heavy but this was my third straight day running sub-7 pace. The best news on the day is NO ill-effects from loading on taurine. YES!!!
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/16- Ate a high copper protein bar and felt somewhat sluggish but got better after drinking OJ. Workout was a strong 6 miler in 42:26 (7:04 pace). Slowed down on the back half but that was by design after seeing a 6:54 split for Mile 2. In terms of effort, I definitely dialed it down a notch from yesterday but was only 12 ticks slower over an extra Mile. It is still in my best interest to avoid both excess copper and Vitamin C right now.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/17- AM Run with the Gnomes. It was the usual Brookwood-Lakeshore 7 mile run. I went naked for the first 4.5 because of a GPS malfunction but the next 2.5 was done in 18:40 (7:28 pace), which was probably on par with the rest of the workout. I was strugg-a-ling a bit at the end but this was still decent overall. Another "A" was too much to ask after an evening session the previous day. Hit 1,250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/18- Wanted an interval workout but the track was closed due to a JV football game. Decided not to chance it at another track and ran a tempo instead. 5 miles in 31:47 (6:21 pace). Very strong! Once again, I've proven that faster paces on my easy days do NOT hurt me in quality sessions. I took off hard (15:45) then was content to just hang on (16:02). Am I in sub-40 shape for 10K? Another 1.2 @ 6:36 would have been a tough ask today but if I had rested yesterday and was fully fresh, it's mine! Added a Mile cool.
Grade:A/2 credit/distance=6.0
9/19- Planned rest day. Hope to go 13+ tomorrow.
9/20- Run with the sub-3 Gnomes. Not sure of the exact time because of GPS issues. I do know that I passed 10 miles @ 7:09 pace hit some downhill then ran the last 2.5 on Lakeshore after a drink stop @ 6:47. I figure I was just about 15 miles with a short cool down back to O'Henry's. VERY strong performance. The only downer was that it was not quite good enough to stick with the group all the way. I got dropped after 9 miles but came back after the drink stop. I'm going to win this week. BIG. Signed up for the Phoenix marathon at the end of February.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=15.0
9/21- AM- Resolute Social Run. Route was a 5 miler through Highland Park and part of the Mercedes course. Felt great early then my legs reminded me about yesterday's workout around Mile 3. Still, it was a pretty strong workout overall. Finished in a time of 36:50 (7:22 pace). Only Mile 4 was over 7:30 and it was all uphill. Tacked on a Mile cool.
PM- Popped off another 4 just because I felt like it. Finished in 28:32 (7:08 pace) and I could not believe how easy it felt. I hit 3 miles in 21:10 then aimed for over 7:30 but still clicked off a 7:22 to finish.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
One of my best weeks on record. If the taurine continues to be successful, I see no reason why I cannot keep this going. I have matched last year's win total in week 36.
Distance=50.0/ GPA= 30.1/8= 3.76
YTD: 1,281 miles. Record: 17-19 with a 2.70 GPA
Update:Very interesting observation last night. I loaded on Cal/Mag (1000 mg) and I did tighten up a bit. I responded by taking an extra taurine pill and began feeling better. The final answer is oh so very close now. Did the problems last week have anything to do with taurine at all or was it all about the caffeine? If I load on taurine without caffeine, will I suffer any ill-effects? If that answer is no, I am golden! Odds are that if I limit my Cal/Mag to less than 500, I won't need any taurine but it won't be enough to get me in balance. If I can tolerate 2,000 mg of taurine without a problem, I should be able to take as many pills as necessary. I'm loading on taurine now and will be very interested to see how I will respond this evening.
PM- 5 miles at Gold's at moderate effort. Finished in 34:19 (6:52 pace). That's just inside sub-90 pace for a half mary. Based on how I felt, another 8 at that pace does not seem insurmountable especially if fresh. Legs were slightly heavy but this was my third straight day running sub-7 pace. The best news on the day is NO ill-effects from loading on taurine. YES!!!
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/16- Ate a high copper protein bar and felt somewhat sluggish but got better after drinking OJ. Workout was a strong 6 miler in 42:26 (7:04 pace). Slowed down on the back half but that was by design after seeing a 6:54 split for Mile 2. In terms of effort, I definitely dialed it down a notch from yesterday but was only 12 ticks slower over an extra Mile. It is still in my best interest to avoid both excess copper and Vitamin C right now.
Grade:A/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/17- AM Run with the Gnomes. It was the usual Brookwood-Lakeshore 7 mile run. I went naked for the first 4.5 because of a GPS malfunction but the next 2.5 was done in 18:40 (7:28 pace), which was probably on par with the rest of the workout. I was strugg-a-ling a bit at the end but this was still decent overall. Another "A" was too much to ask after an evening session the previous day. Hit 1,250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/18- Wanted an interval workout but the track was closed due to a JV football game. Decided not to chance it at another track and ran a tempo instead. 5 miles in 31:47 (6:21 pace). Very strong! Once again, I've proven that faster paces on my easy days do NOT hurt me in quality sessions. I took off hard (15:45) then was content to just hang on (16:02). Am I in sub-40 shape for 10K? Another 1.2 @ 6:36 would have been a tough ask today but if I had rested yesterday and was fully fresh, it's mine! Added a Mile cool.
Grade:A/2 credit/distance=6.0
9/19- Planned rest day. Hope to go 13+ tomorrow.
9/20- Run with the sub-3 Gnomes. Not sure of the exact time because of GPS issues. I do know that I passed 10 miles @ 7:09 pace hit some downhill then ran the last 2.5 on Lakeshore after a drink stop @ 6:47. I figure I was just about 15 miles with a short cool down back to O'Henry's. VERY strong performance. The only downer was that it was not quite good enough to stick with the group all the way. I got dropped after 9 miles but came back after the drink stop. I'm going to win this week. BIG. Signed up for the Phoenix marathon at the end of February.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=15.0
9/21- AM- Resolute Social Run. Route was a 5 miler through Highland Park and part of the Mercedes course. Felt great early then my legs reminded me about yesterday's workout around Mile 3. Still, it was a pretty strong workout overall. Finished in a time of 36:50 (7:22 pace). Only Mile 4 was over 7:30 and it was all uphill. Tacked on a Mile cool.
PM- Popped off another 4 just because I felt like it. Finished in 28:32 (7:08 pace) and I could not believe how easy it felt. I hit 3 miles in 21:10 then aimed for over 7:30 but still clicked off a 7:22 to finish.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=10.0
Weekly summary:
One of my best weeks on record. If the taurine continues to be successful, I see no reason why I cannot keep this going. I have matched last year's win total in week 36.
Distance=50.0/ GPA= 30.1/8= 3.76
YTD: 1,281 miles. Record: 17-19 with a 2.70 GPA
Monday, September 8, 2014
Taurine review
Taurine is a calming amino acid that is intended to regulate electrolytes within the cells. Patients have reported that it has greatly improved their chemical sensitivity. It is also supposedly good for the liver and the adrenals.
History:
I did take taurine regularly from 2007-Fall 2010. I was EXTREMELY sensitive to it. 1,000 mg. worked to near perfection. 900 or 1100 did not work. My doctor had never seen anything like that before in 20 years of practice. Fortunately, it was NOT a moving target. The magic dose stayed constant at 1,000. Still, I was thrilled to get off that stuff. Actually, I was forced off and was completely intolerant to it throughout 2011 and for the first half of 2012. I was sluggish after drinking a Red Bull because it contains too much taurine. Was I sensitive to anything else when I was on the taurine? Yes, I had trouble with chromium and zinc but no problems with Thym-Adren, ADHS or Cal/Mag. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter if I am sensitive to other stuff. As long as I can tolerate Thym-Adren OR ADHS PLUS Cal/Mag, I WILL GET IN BALANCE!
The taurine intolerance seemed to be fading because I could drink the occasional ill-advised Red Bull without a problem. Also, the problems with the taurine were pre-detox. There are several pills that I can take now that I could not before the detox.
Result:
Before starting the taurine, I developed a complete intolerance to Thym-Adren but fortunately, I CAN take the ADHS and it is working quite well. I am not sensitive to it either. An extra pill or two does not seem to effect me. The Cal/Mag is a different story. I need an exact amount of each and it MUST be a 1:1 ratio. 500 of each worked sometimes and when it did a 600/500 did NOT and neither did a 600/600. It was also a moving target. The magic number has fluctuated from 750 to 500 and back within the last 2 weeks. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!
On Wednesday night, I took 2 taurine capsules (500 mg each) and felt no ill-effects. The next day, I broke my all-time 5K PR with a 19:09 solo performance. That proves that when I hit my formula on the nose, I'm as good as I've ever been. If I could avoid all these bad days and train consistently, I believe I would be looking at an 18:09 instead. Unfortunately, the good feeling was short-lived and I was sluggish by the weekend. The good news is that it sure looks like it SOLVED THE OTHER SENSITIVITY ISSUES. I popped a zinc and a Thym-Adren, which are 2 pills that I could not tolerate at all. I felt no worse when I was on the taurine. Also, I could load on Cal/Mag (over 1,000 mg) and I also felt no worse afterwards.
Prognosis:
I have no choice other than to take a break from the taurine after an awful performance today. I am still hopeful that I can tolerate low dose taurine or take it on an as needed basis only when the chemical sensitivity to Cal/Mag flares up. If I cannot take 750 of Cal/Mag, I am in trouble. If I cannot take 500, I am screwed.
Questions:
How much taurine will I be able to tolerate long-term?
If it is less than 500 mg taurine (1 pill/day), will that be enough to stave off the Cal/Mag issues?
If that answer is YES, I've got this WON!
If no, it's not hopeless. I may still get along at 500 mg Cal/Mag but it won't be optimal.
If I cannot take any taurine and become more intolerant to Cal/Mag, I am screwed.
I expect to know the answer one way or the other very soon.
UPDATE:
BIG NEWS! I woke up the next morning after writing this with bleeding gums, which is almost a sure sign of Vitamin C deficiency. Perhaps the taurine was not a problem after all. Perhaps it was. Nevertheless, I am going cautious with it. No more than 500 mg/day.
As for the Vitamin C issue, the culprit may be too much copper relative to zinc in the ADHS. Actually, it's the same amount as the Thym-Adren but the ratio of Zn/Cu in the ADHS is 10:1 vs 20:1 in the Thym-Adren.
IF I can tolerate the taurine, switching back to Thym-Adren is an option.
IF I can tolerate the taurine, adding zinc with the ADHS to make the ratio 20:1 is an option.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE TAURINE!
End of week update: So far so good on the low dose taurine. It appears that caffeine was the culprit in the Vitamin C deficiency. 500 mg of taurine per day is A-OK.
Mini-rant:
I am SO sick of people complaining about trivial things that are little more than a temporary inconvenience in their lives. If you are happily married, have healthy children, a decent job and have no health problems yourself, ask yourself if you'd like to live out my train wreck. I don't think so.
History:
I did take taurine regularly from 2007-Fall 2010. I was EXTREMELY sensitive to it. 1,000 mg. worked to near perfection. 900 or 1100 did not work. My doctor had never seen anything like that before in 20 years of practice. Fortunately, it was NOT a moving target. The magic dose stayed constant at 1,000. Still, I was thrilled to get off that stuff. Actually, I was forced off and was completely intolerant to it throughout 2011 and for the first half of 2012. I was sluggish after drinking a Red Bull because it contains too much taurine. Was I sensitive to anything else when I was on the taurine? Yes, I had trouble with chromium and zinc but no problems with Thym-Adren, ADHS or Cal/Mag. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter if I am sensitive to other stuff. As long as I can tolerate Thym-Adren OR ADHS PLUS Cal/Mag, I WILL GET IN BALANCE!
The taurine intolerance seemed to be fading because I could drink the occasional ill-advised Red Bull without a problem. Also, the problems with the taurine were pre-detox. There are several pills that I can take now that I could not before the detox.
Result:
Before starting the taurine, I developed a complete intolerance to Thym-Adren but fortunately, I CAN take the ADHS and it is working quite well. I am not sensitive to it either. An extra pill or two does not seem to effect me. The Cal/Mag is a different story. I need an exact amount of each and it MUST be a 1:1 ratio. 500 of each worked sometimes and when it did a 600/500 did NOT and neither did a 600/600. It was also a moving target. The magic number has fluctuated from 750 to 500 and back within the last 2 weeks. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!
On Wednesday night, I took 2 taurine capsules (500 mg each) and felt no ill-effects. The next day, I broke my all-time 5K PR with a 19:09 solo performance. That proves that when I hit my formula on the nose, I'm as good as I've ever been. If I could avoid all these bad days and train consistently, I believe I would be looking at an 18:09 instead. Unfortunately, the good feeling was short-lived and I was sluggish by the weekend. The good news is that it sure looks like it SOLVED THE OTHER SENSITIVITY ISSUES. I popped a zinc and a Thym-Adren, which are 2 pills that I could not tolerate at all. I felt no worse when I was on the taurine. Also, I could load on Cal/Mag (over 1,000 mg) and I also felt no worse afterwards.
Prognosis:
I have no choice other than to take a break from the taurine after an awful performance today. I am still hopeful that I can tolerate low dose taurine or take it on an as needed basis only when the chemical sensitivity to Cal/Mag flares up. If I cannot take 750 of Cal/Mag, I am in trouble. If I cannot take 500, I am screwed.
Questions:
How much taurine will I be able to tolerate long-term?
If it is less than 500 mg taurine (1 pill/day), will that be enough to stave off the Cal/Mag issues?
If that answer is YES, I've got this WON!
If no, it's not hopeless. I may still get along at 500 mg Cal/Mag but it won't be optimal.
If I cannot take any taurine and become more intolerant to Cal/Mag, I am screwed.
I expect to know the answer one way or the other very soon.
UPDATE:
BIG NEWS! I woke up the next morning after writing this with bleeding gums, which is almost a sure sign of Vitamin C deficiency. Perhaps the taurine was not a problem after all. Perhaps it was. Nevertheless, I am going cautious with it. No more than 500 mg/day.
As for the Vitamin C issue, the culprit may be too much copper relative to zinc in the ADHS. Actually, it's the same amount as the Thym-Adren but the ratio of Zn/Cu in the ADHS is 10:1 vs 20:1 in the Thym-Adren.
IF I can tolerate the taurine, switching back to Thym-Adren is an option.
IF I can tolerate the taurine, adding zinc with the ADHS to make the ratio 20:1 is an option.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE TAURINE!
End of week update: So far so good on the low dose taurine. It appears that caffeine was the culprit in the Vitamin C deficiency. 500 mg of taurine per day is A-OK.
Mini-rant:
I am SO sick of people complaining about trivial things that are little more than a temporary inconvenience in their lives. If you are happily married, have healthy children, a decent job and have no health problems yourself, ask yourself if you'd like to live out my train wreck. I don't think so.
Training 9/8-9/14
9/8- It has been confirmed that taurine was the reason I was sluggish last weekend. Extra pills confirmed it. Not surprisingly, it has yet to fully clear and I SUCKED today. 3 miles in 25:21 (8:27 pace) with a last mile in 9:05 before quitting. I may be able to tolerate taurine on an as needed basis. I'll get a final answer one way or the other very soon. Oddly, I'm fairly peaceful on the emotional front. Nothing more that I can do. Good news is that the tender ankle is now pain free so I have dodged a bullet there.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance=3.0
9/9- AM-Despite the drama, I was much improved after taking some Whole Food Vitamin C. 3 miles in 20:54 (6:58 pace). It was not easy however. I was working pretty hard at the end.
PM- I took some more C at work and added some low dose zinc and WAY overshot the balance point. By the time I got home, I could not run at all. Then, I popped 1 taurine pill as THE test to guard against chemical sensitivity. I felt better within minutes. YES! Workout was the Canterbury 5 mile loop in 35:52 (7:10 pace). Strong start but faded to the 7:20s toward the end. Solid overall.
I really overloaded on C and yes, I could still feel some ill-effect but that's okay. A little bit of sensitivity is actually a good thing because it lets you know when you are off-track. A slow oxidizer who takes a day's dose of adrenal suppressants SHOULD be a bit weakened but a SINGLE dose of the wrong pill should NEVER make a difference between a great day and a terrible one. How about taking what is supposedly good for you but your system still rejects it? That my friends, is a NIGHTMARE!
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=8.0
Update: If this taurine does work out and I can handle a low dose every day, I MAY NOT EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY SYSTEM REJECTING A TREATMENT PLAN THAT IS RIGHT FOR MY CHEMISTRY! If for whatever reason, the Cal/Mag + adrenal supps is not enough, I can add something else without fear of it failing me. Same with the low ceruloplasmin.
I have 2 options to prevent what happened last night from happening again:
-zinc and Vitamin C or some combination of the 2.
Given my already borderline low serum copper, I'd lean towards more zinc.
-I am due for another ceruloplasmin test in 3 weeks and will adjust if need be from there.
9/10- Zinc is not the answer. I was AWFUL this morning after only 15 mg of extra zinc. Once again, taurine negated most of the ill-effects. I did find that 500 wasn't quite enough and 1000 was a bit too much. Not good. Still, I managed a decent workout today. Trak Shak 5.5 mile loop in 40:35 (7:23 pace). Mild fade at the end but pace never slowed beyond 7:33. Felt a tad sluggish but still pretty solid overall. Tomorrow, I'm cutting the ADHS from 6 pills back down to 4. I'll take Vitamin C if need be and no more than 500 taurine. There is a chance that C may not be needed if I take the taurine. I've also learned thanks to the MAG group that Vitamin A increases ceruloplasmin. That's worth a try for at least the next 3 weeks.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/11- AM-Tried and failed a morning speed session. Quit after I could not break 40 in a 200. I will try to re-group this afternoon. 4 ADHS won't cut it and taurine does not protect against missed doses.
PM- Lame 3 miler in 22:51 (7:37 pace). Gave up on a tempo after a half mile then just settled into a jog. Did pick it up enough in Mile 3 to secure a sub-23. Extra taurine afterwards made little difference so it's possible that it never was a problem. Caffeine is the culprit. I felt significantly worse after drinking half a KickStart (low sugar caffeinated drink). I could not quit before because it didn't help the sensitivity. Now, I know I can quit because I have to! It is possible that it was the caffeine and not just the copper that was depleting my Vitamin C. If I can stay off it, I may not even need the Whole Food C after all.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=4.0
9/12- Travel day and a planned rest.
9/13- Solid 5 miler on Jefferson/Peters trail. Finished in 34:48 (6:58 pace) with relatively even split (17:20-17:28). I was putting forth tempo effort at the end to maintain the sub-7 pace, which is not real good. Still, decent overall. Took 250 of Vitamin C last night and felt a little stiff in the calves. Took some more after the workout and felt slightly worse. There you have it. If I abstain from caffeine, I not only do not need C, it will make things worse. If I do use caffeine, I NEED it. Just another day in the life of me.
Grade:B+/1 credits/distance=5.0
9/14- Short run was all I had time for but it turned out to be a pretty strong tempo for my 34th birthday. Finished 3 miles in a time of 18:54 (6:18 pace) with splits of 6:16-6:19-6:19. That's the equivalent of a 5K in 19:33 and I'm fine with that. Considering my recent 19:09 PR, my average for 5K should be in the 19:30s and I should be sub-20 every stinking time (<5 p="" percent="" variance="">Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
A loss was expected in a week with lots of upheaval. I will not tolerate this any longer. Taurine seems to be working well and I will be very interested in the ceruloplasmin results. I am confident that I will be successful in staying off caffeine and Vitamin C.
Distance= 30.0/ GPA= 23.0/8= 2.88
YTD: 1,231 miles. Record: 16-19 with a 2.67 GPA
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance=3.0
9/9- AM-Despite the drama, I was much improved after taking some Whole Food Vitamin C. 3 miles in 20:54 (6:58 pace). It was not easy however. I was working pretty hard at the end.
PM- I took some more C at work and added some low dose zinc and WAY overshot the balance point. By the time I got home, I could not run at all. Then, I popped 1 taurine pill as THE test to guard against chemical sensitivity. I felt better within minutes. YES! Workout was the Canterbury 5 mile loop in 35:52 (7:10 pace). Strong start but faded to the 7:20s toward the end. Solid overall.
I really overloaded on C and yes, I could still feel some ill-effect but that's okay. A little bit of sensitivity is actually a good thing because it lets you know when you are off-track. A slow oxidizer who takes a day's dose of adrenal suppressants SHOULD be a bit weakened but a SINGLE dose of the wrong pill should NEVER make a difference between a great day and a terrible one. How about taking what is supposedly good for you but your system still rejects it? That my friends, is a NIGHTMARE!
Grade:B+/2 credit/distance=8.0
Update: If this taurine does work out and I can handle a low dose every day, I MAY NOT EVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY SYSTEM REJECTING A TREATMENT PLAN THAT IS RIGHT FOR MY CHEMISTRY! If for whatever reason, the Cal/Mag + adrenal supps is not enough, I can add something else without fear of it failing me. Same with the low ceruloplasmin.
I have 2 options to prevent what happened last night from happening again:
-zinc and Vitamin C or some combination of the 2.
Given my already borderline low serum copper, I'd lean towards more zinc.
-I am due for another ceruloplasmin test in 3 weeks and will adjust if need be from there.
9/10- Zinc is not the answer. I was AWFUL this morning after only 15 mg of extra zinc. Once again, taurine negated most of the ill-effects. I did find that 500 wasn't quite enough and 1000 was a bit too much. Not good. Still, I managed a decent workout today. Trak Shak 5.5 mile loop in 40:35 (7:23 pace). Mild fade at the end but pace never slowed beyond 7:33. Felt a tad sluggish but still pretty solid overall. Tomorrow, I'm cutting the ADHS from 6 pills back down to 4. I'll take Vitamin C if need be and no more than 500 taurine. There is a chance that C may not be needed if I take the taurine. I've also learned thanks to the MAG group that Vitamin A increases ceruloplasmin. That's worth a try for at least the next 3 weeks.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/11- AM-Tried and failed a morning speed session. Quit after I could not break 40 in a 200. I will try to re-group this afternoon. 4 ADHS won't cut it and taurine does not protect against missed doses.
PM- Lame 3 miler in 22:51 (7:37 pace). Gave up on a tempo after a half mile then just settled into a jog. Did pick it up enough in Mile 3 to secure a sub-23. Extra taurine afterwards made little difference so it's possible that it never was a problem. Caffeine is the culprit. I felt significantly worse after drinking half a KickStart (low sugar caffeinated drink). I could not quit before because it didn't help the sensitivity. Now, I know I can quit because I have to! It is possible that it was the caffeine and not just the copper that was depleting my Vitamin C. If I can stay off it, I may not even need the Whole Food C after all.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=4.0
9/12- Travel day and a planned rest.
9/13- Solid 5 miler on Jefferson/Peters trail. Finished in 34:48 (6:58 pace) with relatively even split (17:20-17:28). I was putting forth tempo effort at the end to maintain the sub-7 pace, which is not real good. Still, decent overall. Took 250 of Vitamin C last night and felt a little stiff in the calves. Took some more after the workout and felt slightly worse. There you have it. If I abstain from caffeine, I not only do not need C, it will make things worse. If I do use caffeine, I NEED it. Just another day in the life of me.
Grade:B+/1 credits/distance=5.0
9/14- Short run was all I had time for but it turned out to be a pretty strong tempo for my 34th birthday. Finished 3 miles in a time of 18:54 (6:18 pace) with splits of 6:16-6:19-6:19. That's the equivalent of a 5K in 19:33 and I'm fine with that. Considering my recent 19:09 PR, my average for 5K should be in the 19:30s and I should be sub-20 every stinking time (<5 p="" percent="" variance="">Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
A loss was expected in a week with lots of upheaval. I will not tolerate this any longer. Taurine seems to be working well and I will be very interested in the ceruloplasmin results. I am confident that I will be successful in staying off caffeine and Vitamin C.
Distance= 30.0/ GPA= 23.0/8= 2.88
YTD: 1,231 miles. Record: 16-19 with a 2.67 GPA
Monday, September 1, 2014
Training 9/1-9/7
9/1- WORST RACE ON RECORD. Franklin Classic 10K in 49:30 (7:57 pace). I took the same formula that only 3 days earlier nearly carried me to a PR but it doesn't work anymore. I had a sense that it was failing over the weekend and should have done a test run yesterday. It was too hot and humid for a good time and the course was tougher than it looked on the map but there's NO WAY that I should have been this bad. I got off to a decent start then the power cut off at 1.2 miles. I fought it for another mile then just jogged it in and walked a couple hills. Cutting the Cal/Mag from 750 to 500 will certainly help but it's highly unlikely that I will remain stable there.
Grade:D/3 credits/distance=7.0
- I have now completed a 10K in 8 different states. Only 2 to go.
Update: I have a theory that my abstinence for sugar and caffeine last week drove down the need for Mag, which is possible. If that's true, it would make me feel a little better about my situation. There is also a chance that a 1:1 ratio may no longer work. Do I go with 500 of each or 750/500? Again, trial and error is all I can do. THIS SUCKS!
As for my 10K in 10 states goal, I have completed the following:
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
There is a race in Bowling Green, Kentucky (4-4.5 hrs) on 10/19. That one is listed as "probable." Because it's a Sunday race, I won't have to miss any work and it will take me up to 9.
For number 10, I could find a low-key race in western North Carolina or eastern Arkansas that is within a fairly easy drive but I want it to be something special. I'm considering these 3:
-Monument Ave (Richmond, VA). Mega race, PR-able course, probably a flight.
-Bolder Boulder (Colorado). Another mega race that attracts world class runners. Not a PR course.
-Something in Texarkana. Smaller race. Tough but manageable drive. One side of the street is in Texas, the other side is in Arkansas and you get to run in both.
When I get to 10 states in the 10K, I will stop as I have with the 5K in 5 states.
9/2- AM- 2 mile test run in 14:08 (7:04 pace). That's the Crazy J that I know. Again, I was out in 7:10 then picked up the pace without trying.
PM- Took 6 sprays of Mag after the morning session (equivalent of half a pill). I could feel just a trace of weakness as a result but not enough to affect my standard issue workout.
6 miles in 44:26 (7:24 pace) with splits of 22:05/22:21 and never went above 7:30 pace. Strong. Formula was 750/560. Tomorrow will be 750/500.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
9/3- VERY POOR. 750/500 is not the answer after all. It's got to be 500 of each. I attempted the Gnome run and held on through 4 miles in a time of 31:44 (7:56 pace) then collapsed and completed a 2.5 mile walk of shame with a few short spurts of jogging. I was late for work as a result.
Experimentation results:
-extra ADHS did not seem to hurt, which is good news.
-just a trace of extra Cal did hurt so that was enough to confirm the culprit.
-Took 250 of each to even out the ratio and felt slightly better.
-I should be taking 750-1000 of each to optimize my numbers but 500 should be enough to at least ward off deficiency. If I can't tolerate 500, I may be screwed.
PM- 1 mile on Wisteria in 7:51 with a slight negative split (3:58-3:53).
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/4- AM- 2 mile test run at moderate effort in a time of 13:25 (6:43 pace). Added taurine and will post an update later.
PM- Roller coaster. Flamed out after 1 Mile in 8:04 then popped some more Cal/Mag. Since I took divided doses yesterday, I was late on it by this evening. Came back in less than 1 hour and ran a 5K in 19:09 (6:09 pace). UNOFFICIAL PR! Here's a mini report:
Took off at an even 6:00 pace but lost a couple seconds in the 2nd quarter mile, passing 800 in 3:03 then my hopes started rising after I actually gained some time in the next half mile, passing the 1 Mile mark in 6:01. I began to believe after seeing another half mile in 3:01 and passed 2500 in 9:23. Now, I had a great shot but I was starting to hurt. The pace slowed in the next 2 laps but I managed to reach the 2 Mile mark in 12:09 for a 6:08 split. All I need is a sub-20 pace the rest of the way and if it came down to the last 200, I knew I could do it. That 3rd mile was pure torture and I wanted to stop several times but with each passing lap, it seemed more and more likely. The pace had slowed and there was nothing more that I could do about it but I knew that if I got to the 3 Mile mark before the watch turned 18:33, it was mine. I got there in 18:30 for a 6:21 split then brought it home in 39.
Sadly, this does not change my attitude about chemical sensitivity. It still sucks! 1 great race or time trial does not mean that I am cured. I could be awful this weekend. The jury is still out on the taurine. I know it will NOT protect me from missed doses but it MAY protect against over doses and allow me to tolerate stuff that I could not take before starting the taurine.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=6.0
9/5- Planned rest day. Feet are a bit sore today but no cause for alarm yet. Good day at work. The boss says I have a chance at a promotion in 6 months. I'll need some luck for it to happen though.
Took a trace of zinc and Thym-Adren and did NOT tighten up!
9/6- SUCKED AGAIN. Hit the wall after 5 miles in my attempted long run. Fortunately, there was no walk of shame this time because I was within 2 miles of my car. Totaled 7 miles in 54:51. That's an overall 7:50 pace but the last 2 were 8:10 and over 9.
Good news is that I took a full zinc and Thym-Adren pill afterwards and really did not get any worse. My theory about increased need for Mag when I'm on sugar and caffeine appears to be correct. Jury remains out on the taurine but early signs are promising. If I can tolerate 750 when I am OFF sugar for a week, then I know it's working. It is possible, however unlikely, that taurine is increasing my system's demand for magnesium.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/7- 6 miles in 45-flat (7:30 pace). Standard issue but had hoped to run 10 at this pace. Just didn't have it in me today. Bad splits too (21:54-23:06). Performance was average at best but I do have a couple pieces of good news. I had an injury scare yesterday with a sore ankle. It's still tender but held up through 6 miles. Second, I loaded on Mag yesterday (1350 mg) and it appears that thanks to the taurine, I can handle it.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
The 5K PR that I ran is the first time I have BEATEN a time that I actually raced in high school. I'm not real excited about it because outside of that I was awful. There may be hope that my chemical sensitivity is fading but there is still the possibility that the taurine will cause new problems. The ankle is still tender and seems to get worse if I ever consume caffeine. Hmm.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 24.1/10= 2.41
YTD: 1,201 miles. Record: 16-18 with a 2.67 GPA.
Grade:D/3 credits/distance=7.0
- I have now completed a 10K in 8 different states. Only 2 to go.
Update: I have a theory that my abstinence for sugar and caffeine last week drove down the need for Mag, which is possible. If that's true, it would make me feel a little better about my situation. There is also a chance that a 1:1 ratio may no longer work. Do I go with 500 of each or 750/500? Again, trial and error is all I can do. THIS SUCKS!
As for my 10K in 10 states goal, I have completed the following:
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
There is a race in Bowling Green, Kentucky (4-4.5 hrs) on 10/19. That one is listed as "probable." Because it's a Sunday race, I won't have to miss any work and it will take me up to 9.
For number 10, I could find a low-key race in western North Carolina or eastern Arkansas that is within a fairly easy drive but I want it to be something special. I'm considering these 3:
-Monument Ave (Richmond, VA). Mega race, PR-able course, probably a flight.
-Bolder Boulder (Colorado). Another mega race that attracts world class runners. Not a PR course.
-Something in Texarkana. Smaller race. Tough but manageable drive. One side of the street is in Texas, the other side is in Arkansas and you get to run in both.
When I get to 10 states in the 10K, I will stop as I have with the 5K in 5 states.
9/2- AM- 2 mile test run in 14:08 (7:04 pace). That's the Crazy J that I know. Again, I was out in 7:10 then picked up the pace without trying.
PM- Took 6 sprays of Mag after the morning session (equivalent of half a pill). I could feel just a trace of weakness as a result but not enough to affect my standard issue workout.
6 miles in 44:26 (7:24 pace) with splits of 22:05/22:21 and never went above 7:30 pace. Strong. Formula was 750/560. Tomorrow will be 750/500.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
9/3- VERY POOR. 750/500 is not the answer after all. It's got to be 500 of each. I attempted the Gnome run and held on through 4 miles in a time of 31:44 (7:56 pace) then collapsed and completed a 2.5 mile walk of shame with a few short spurts of jogging. I was late for work as a result.
Experimentation results:
-extra ADHS did not seem to hurt, which is good news.
-just a trace of extra Cal did hurt so that was enough to confirm the culprit.
-Took 250 of each to even out the ratio and felt slightly better.
-I should be taking 750-1000 of each to optimize my numbers but 500 should be enough to at least ward off deficiency. If I can't tolerate 500, I may be screwed.
PM- 1 mile on Wisteria in 7:51 with a slight negative split (3:58-3:53).
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=6.0
9/4- AM- 2 mile test run at moderate effort in a time of 13:25 (6:43 pace). Added taurine and will post an update later.
PM- Roller coaster. Flamed out after 1 Mile in 8:04 then popped some more Cal/Mag. Since I took divided doses yesterday, I was late on it by this evening. Came back in less than 1 hour and ran a 5K in 19:09 (6:09 pace). UNOFFICIAL PR! Here's a mini report:
Took off at an even 6:00 pace but lost a couple seconds in the 2nd quarter mile, passing 800 in 3:03 then my hopes started rising after I actually gained some time in the next half mile, passing the 1 Mile mark in 6:01. I began to believe after seeing another half mile in 3:01 and passed 2500 in 9:23. Now, I had a great shot but I was starting to hurt. The pace slowed in the next 2 laps but I managed to reach the 2 Mile mark in 12:09 for a 6:08 split. All I need is a sub-20 pace the rest of the way and if it came down to the last 200, I knew I could do it. That 3rd mile was pure torture and I wanted to stop several times but with each passing lap, it seemed more and more likely. The pace had slowed and there was nothing more that I could do about it but I knew that if I got to the 3 Mile mark before the watch turned 18:33, it was mine. I got there in 18:30 for a 6:21 split then brought it home in 39.
Sadly, this does not change my attitude about chemical sensitivity. It still sucks! 1 great race or time trial does not mean that I am cured. I could be awful this weekend. The jury is still out on the taurine. I know it will NOT protect me from missed doses but it MAY protect against over doses and allow me to tolerate stuff that I could not take before starting the taurine.
Grade:A/3 credits/distance=6.0
9/5- Planned rest day. Feet are a bit sore today but no cause for alarm yet. Good day at work. The boss says I have a chance at a promotion in 6 months. I'll need some luck for it to happen though.
Took a trace of zinc and Thym-Adren and did NOT tighten up!
9/6- SUCKED AGAIN. Hit the wall after 5 miles in my attempted long run. Fortunately, there was no walk of shame this time because I was within 2 miles of my car. Totaled 7 miles in 54:51. That's an overall 7:50 pace but the last 2 were 8:10 and over 9.
Good news is that I took a full zinc and Thym-Adren pill afterwards and really did not get any worse. My theory about increased need for Mag when I'm on sugar and caffeine appears to be correct. Jury remains out on the taurine but early signs are promising. If I can tolerate 750 when I am OFF sugar for a week, then I know it's working. It is possible, however unlikely, that taurine is increasing my system's demand for magnesium.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=7.0
9/7- 6 miles in 45-flat (7:30 pace). Standard issue but had hoped to run 10 at this pace. Just didn't have it in me today. Bad splits too (21:54-23:06). Performance was average at best but I do have a couple pieces of good news. I had an injury scare yesterday with a sore ankle. It's still tender but held up through 6 miles. Second, I loaded on Mag yesterday (1350 mg) and it appears that thanks to the taurine, I can handle it.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.0
Weekly summary:
The 5K PR that I ran is the first time I have BEATEN a time that I actually raced in high school. I'm not real excited about it because outside of that I was awful. There may be hope that my chemical sensitivity is fading but there is still the possibility that the taurine will cause new problems. The ankle is still tender and seems to get worse if I ever consume caffeine. Hmm.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 24.1/10= 2.41
YTD: 1,201 miles. Record: 16-18 with a 2.67 GPA.
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