2/29- Another up and down day. Woke up to go to the bathroom around 3:30 AM and felt pretty decent. By 6:00 however, I badly needed Lithium so I took a pill and headed to Gold's.
AM- 2 mile quickie in a solid 13:40 (6:50 pace). Don't think I could have held that pace for another mile but this certainly would have been within the 5% range. Only difference from yesterday was cutting out the Mag glycinate.
PM- Had an afternoon low around 2:00 and felt no better after popping my 2nd dose of Lithium. In fact, I was much worse. Could not run at all this evening. Actually, I did try at Lakeshore and quit after 1 Mile in 9:06, which is only 30 seconds faster than Comrades pace.
Distance= 3.0
I am sending in my hair sample tomorrow but will probably not get the results until near the end of March. If the Lithium is not up to snuff and I can't tolerate it or ATP, I'm afraid that I am doomed.
3/1- Unplanned rest day. Took the Lithium in the morning and was so bad that I had to leave work early after doing little-nothing. I was fighting just to stay awake but to my credit, I did not turn to caffeine. Got home around noon and slept for most of the afternoon. Cut off my hair sample, which is good because I need a haircut. I'm done with Lithium until further notice. I can still tolerate B-12. Stay tuned for a more detailed post.
3/2- AM- Attempted to run with the group and got dropped just a half mile in. Ended up with 2 miles in 18:04 (9:02 pace) with splits of 8:25-9:39. OUCH!
PM- Perhaps another faint glimmer of hope. I was not productive at work but at least I made it through the day. Legs were just about as sore as if I finished a half mary when I hit Gold's for a better with or without test (ugh)
1 Mile with no extra B12- 9:20, barely held Comrades pace at the end.
1 Mile with 1 extra B12- 8:00 (MINUS 80). Even pace
1 Mile with 2 extra B12- 7:10 (MINUS 50). A little bit of kick left.
The fact that I benefited from extra B-12 suggests that my Lithium is up to snuff. I'll explain later. Tomorrow, I will try just a trace of it in the evening and expect a swift negative response, which should clear by the morning.
Distance=5.0
3/3- 4 miles in 29:54 (7:29 pace). Was shooting for 5 but was still pleased to go beyond my usual 3. Loaded on B-12 and actually lost count of how many I took. In theory, I should be able to take as much as I need if Lithium is up to snuff but I may have triggered a bit of a detox reaction. Urine smells strongly of sulfur but I often felt a little better afterwards. As for the workout, I felt almost normal in the 1st mile but faded thereafter. Splits were 7:00-7:18-7:42-7:54 and had to rally at the end to secure the sub-30. Still cannot tolerate ANY Lithium pills.
Distance=4.0
3/4- Cut my B-12 down to 8 pills, which probably split the difference between 3/2 and 3/3. 5 miles in 35:54 (7:11 pace). Best time of the year and a sizable improvement over yesterday. Still struggled on the back half (17:30-18:24) but I held the pace better than yesterday. I actually have a chance for my first successful long run tomorrow.
Distance=5.0
3/5- Fifth time this year that I showed up at a group run and the fifth time that I hit the wall early. Felt decent for the first mile and one person actually commented that I was looking good. Then it suddenly cut off around 1.5 miles in. Called it a day after 2.5 miles in 22:05 (8:50 pace) with the last half mile at over 10 minute pace. Fortunately, there is an explanation. I took mega B-12 in the morning when I should have taken divided doses. Still, I should not have been THIS bad. With the warm up, this goes in the books as 3 miles. Need 10 tomorrow just to hit 30.
Distance=3.0
3/6- FAILED again. Attempt was at Vestavia's track today so I could bail without the walk of shame. Called it quits after 3 miles in 23:42 (7:54 pace) and was pretty well spent. Splits were 7:43-7:55-8:04. I did stop to pop a B-12 after each mile and this time, I don't think it had much of an impact. It may have actually prevented a worse fade at the end. Upon further review, the mega B-12 was NOT the culprit yesterday. ADHS was because it contains a trace of Lithium. There you have it. Less than 7 days ago, I needed Lithium to function. Now, I cannot function with it! Nothing surprises me anymore. I took an extra pill when I got home and got CONSIDERABLY WORSE immediately thereafter.
Distance=3.0
Looking ahead to next week:
ADHS will be cut out for sure and All in One may be temporarily out as well.
I want to try the Thym-Adren again with and without the B-12. I ought to know in just 1 day.
Finished with 23 miles on the week.
Monday, February 29, 2016
Monday, February 22, 2016
Expected Performance Variability
How much do performances vary before it raises a red flag that something may be wrong?
Naturally, you cannot expect to match your personal record every time out especially if it is paced perfectly and you have close competition near the end. My standard “margin of error” is no more than 5% slower at every distance from the half marathon down given similar training, topography and weather conditions.
A runner with a 5K PR of 20:00 should average about 20:15 with an “off day” being in the 20:45 range. Given that the above 3 ingredients remain constant, a sub-21 should happen every time barring sickness, injury or starting out “stupid fast”.
A runner with a 1:40:00 half marathon PR should average between 1:41-1:42 and still be able to break 1:45 on an “off day.” The marathon is an entirely different animal so more variability is to be expected.
Now, let’s put that 5% variability into a world class perspective. Imagine if one of the favorites for a gold medal in the 10,000 meters gets lapped by the eventual winner. It would certainly be a surprise to the viewers but if the athlete is only 4% off their peak (1 lap out of 25), that’s exactly what will happen.
Usain Bolt came into the London Olympics in 2012 as the world record holder at 9.58 seconds. Suppose that he had an “off day” the morning of the semi-finals and was 5% off his game. He would have clocked a 10.06 and failed to qualify for the final. That would have been considered the choke of the century if the greatest of all time was eliminated in the semi-finals. A 5% decline represents the difference between a world record and the fringe of world class.
As for me, even with my diminished fitness level over the last 12 months, I have still managed to clock a time of 20:42 for 3 miles on 2 occasions. I ought to average about 21-flat and be no worse than 21:45 on a bad day. Instead, I average just under 24 minutes and have days in which I cannot break 9 minutes for 1 Mile running all out. It should be obvious that something is seriously wrong and if you read this blog with any regularity or see me training, you know it.
I know there are many others out there in their late 30s or early 40s that have experienced a sudden decline in performance. I cannot emphasize enough that your age is not the problem. Do not give up. From age 35-40, performance is expected to decline by about 0.5% per year. That’s roughly 2 seconds per mile over the course of 12 months. It is a headwind that can be overcome with an improved fitness level especially at the longer distances. I know several runners who remained strong competitors well into their 50s. Meb Keflezghi qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in the marathon just before turning 41. I also saw a highlight video of an old Comrades Marathon in which 7 of the top 10 finishers were over 35 and 4 were 40+.
Training 2/22-2/28
2/22- AM, Reduced the Lithium dosage from 6 pills to 4 and improved to 21:58 for 3 miles (7:19 pace), Yesterday's 3 mile split was 23:13 so this is a MINUS 25. Splits were 7:12-7:20-7:26, which is fairly typical for that distance. Interesting observation: Dosage still felt a little high this morning but I seem to deplete it very quickly. I may need to take a divided dose. If I am significantly poorer in the evening session, I will know that's the case. I could be VERY close to finding equilibrium.
PM- Not surprisingly, my energy began to fade by mid-afternoon. Tried to run with no additional pills and struggled for a 7:45 opening mile while running nearly all out. Popped 2 more Lithium pills and immediately improved to the 7:30 range. Tacked on an additional 4 miles in 30:11 (7:33 pace) for an overall time of 37:56 for 5 miles. Struggled a little on the back half but the pace never slipped beyond 7:40. Reaction: Divided doses of Lithium is a winner. B-12 in divided doses with the Lithium may also be helpful.
Distance=8.0 (good start)
2/23- Gold's 3 in 23:30 (7:50 pace). Extra B-12 was NOT the answer and the splits tell the tale (7:18-7:42-8:30). Felt decent early but as the B-12 kicked in, I felt more and more sluggish. Starting tomorrow, it is 1 B-12 with 3 Lithium in the morning and the same in the evening. The Lithium dose may be cut down the road. Let's hope this is finally the answer.
Distance=3.0
2/24- AM. 3 mile time trial at Gold's on 3 Lithium+ 1 B-12 and I will take the same thing before the evening session. It worked this time. Finished in 20:51 (6:57 pace), which is just 9 seconds shy of my post-35 PR and well within the range of variability. Splits were 6:50-7:02-6:59.
UPDATE: I have ordered the hair test kit and am not expecting a huge improvement in my numbers given that I have only been on Lithium and B-12 for 4 weeks and only on mega doses for 10 days. Still, any improvement AT ALL would be a big boost in confidence. I think I can expect to see a lot more movement 2 months later.
PM- 4 miles in 29:52 (7:28 pace). Moderate effort and an even pace all the way with plenty left at the end. The current formula is working well but I will not be the least bit surprised if I have to reduce the Lithium dosage in the near-future. I could have gone longer and harder this session but it's not wise to jump right back into serious training after a lost year. The last thing I need right now is an injury.
Distance=7.0 (18 already this week)
I don't want the weekly total to be much above 30.
2/25- Planned rest day. Lithium dosage needs to be reduced and I did not need to run to know it. Tomorrow, it will be cut from 6 pills to 4 and it will be taken in divided doses.
2/26- A bit concerned now. Cut the Lithium as planned and it still felt like it was too much. Legs actually had some power but I tired easily. Ran the first mile in 6:55 without really trying but I could feel the energy fading. Just slow jogged 2 more but did finish with a tough uphill. I will attempt the long run tomorrow and I am 0 for 3 on the year so far.
Distance= 3.0
2/27- Make it 0 for 4. Collapsed after an opening mile in 7:55 then just slow jogged it back. Mile 2 was 10:48 for an overall time of 18:43 (9:21 pace). I wasn't going all out in Mile 2 but no, I could not have gone much faster. This proves beyond doubt that the Lithium must be cut. The evening dose will be 1 pill and who knows, I may be a little better.
Distance=2.0
If the Lithium is still not up to snuff on the hair test, I must re-consider amalgam removal.
PM- After the second dose of Lithium (only 1 pill), I went out to Vestavia for 1 Mile simply hoping for any improvement at all. I got it with a 7:27 Mile with a relatively even pace (3:42-3:45). I had some running left in me this time but I'm saving it for tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
Observation: I've noticed that I am sweating more and have a much stronger body odor than usual. I showered at noon and was stinky again by 4 PM. Hopefully, that's only temporary and probably a sign of detox. 2 key tests coming up: The Lithium BETTER be up to snuff and the sulfates BETTER be under control as well. Good news is that I did tolerate a little methyl today.
2/28- Lakeshore run on a beautiful morning. Unfortunately, my performance was anything but beautiful. Aimed for 7 miles at a slow 8:30 pace. Held it for about 1.5 miles then gradually slowed further. Quit after 3 miles in 26:27 (8:49 pace).
I've heard this advice more times than I can count: Just slow your training paces and you'll be able to do more miles. I DID THAT TODAY! I still couldn't hack it. Sorry, it's a nice theory but it just doesn't work for me in practice. Splits were 8:34-8:46-9:07 and by Mile 3, I was running nearly all out. Since I was marginally better than yesterday, I will stick with the 2 Lithium pills in divided doses with B-12. I did add a bit of Mag glycinate to my usual malate last night and an extra dose later on seemed to confirm that it did hurt me. Sticking to malate but I did want to test that theory.
Distance=3.0
Weekly distance= 27.0 (highest of the year)
I will aim for 35 next week.
PM- Not surprisingly, my energy began to fade by mid-afternoon. Tried to run with no additional pills and struggled for a 7:45 opening mile while running nearly all out. Popped 2 more Lithium pills and immediately improved to the 7:30 range. Tacked on an additional 4 miles in 30:11 (7:33 pace) for an overall time of 37:56 for 5 miles. Struggled a little on the back half but the pace never slipped beyond 7:40. Reaction: Divided doses of Lithium is a winner. B-12 in divided doses with the Lithium may also be helpful.
Distance=8.0 (good start)
2/23- Gold's 3 in 23:30 (7:50 pace). Extra B-12 was NOT the answer and the splits tell the tale (7:18-7:42-8:30). Felt decent early but as the B-12 kicked in, I felt more and more sluggish. Starting tomorrow, it is 1 B-12 with 3 Lithium in the morning and the same in the evening. The Lithium dose may be cut down the road. Let's hope this is finally the answer.
Distance=3.0
2/24- AM. 3 mile time trial at Gold's on 3 Lithium+ 1 B-12 and I will take the same thing before the evening session. It worked this time. Finished in 20:51 (6:57 pace), which is just 9 seconds shy of my post-35 PR and well within the range of variability. Splits were 6:50-7:02-6:59.
UPDATE: I have ordered the hair test kit and am not expecting a huge improvement in my numbers given that I have only been on Lithium and B-12 for 4 weeks and only on mega doses for 10 days. Still, any improvement AT ALL would be a big boost in confidence. I think I can expect to see a lot more movement 2 months later.
PM- 4 miles in 29:52 (7:28 pace). Moderate effort and an even pace all the way with plenty left at the end. The current formula is working well but I will not be the least bit surprised if I have to reduce the Lithium dosage in the near-future. I could have gone longer and harder this session but it's not wise to jump right back into serious training after a lost year. The last thing I need right now is an injury.
Distance=7.0 (18 already this week)
I don't want the weekly total to be much above 30.
2/25- Planned rest day. Lithium dosage needs to be reduced and I did not need to run to know it. Tomorrow, it will be cut from 6 pills to 4 and it will be taken in divided doses.
2/26- A bit concerned now. Cut the Lithium as planned and it still felt like it was too much. Legs actually had some power but I tired easily. Ran the first mile in 6:55 without really trying but I could feel the energy fading. Just slow jogged 2 more but did finish with a tough uphill. I will attempt the long run tomorrow and I am 0 for 3 on the year so far.
Distance= 3.0
2/27- Make it 0 for 4. Collapsed after an opening mile in 7:55 then just slow jogged it back. Mile 2 was 10:48 for an overall time of 18:43 (9:21 pace). I wasn't going all out in Mile 2 but no, I could not have gone much faster. This proves beyond doubt that the Lithium must be cut. The evening dose will be 1 pill and who knows, I may be a little better.
Distance=2.0
If the Lithium is still not up to snuff on the hair test, I must re-consider amalgam removal.
PM- After the second dose of Lithium (only 1 pill), I went out to Vestavia for 1 Mile simply hoping for any improvement at all. I got it with a 7:27 Mile with a relatively even pace (3:42-3:45). I had some running left in me this time but I'm saving it for tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
Observation: I've noticed that I am sweating more and have a much stronger body odor than usual. I showered at noon and was stinky again by 4 PM. Hopefully, that's only temporary and probably a sign of detox. 2 key tests coming up: The Lithium BETTER be up to snuff and the sulfates BETTER be under control as well. Good news is that I did tolerate a little methyl today.
2/28- Lakeshore run on a beautiful morning. Unfortunately, my performance was anything but beautiful. Aimed for 7 miles at a slow 8:30 pace. Held it for about 1.5 miles then gradually slowed further. Quit after 3 miles in 26:27 (8:49 pace).
I've heard this advice more times than I can count: Just slow your training paces and you'll be able to do more miles. I DID THAT TODAY! I still couldn't hack it. Sorry, it's a nice theory but it just doesn't work for me in practice. Splits were 8:34-8:46-9:07 and by Mile 3, I was running nearly all out. Since I was marginally better than yesterday, I will stick with the 2 Lithium pills in divided doses with B-12. I did add a bit of Mag glycinate to my usual malate last night and an extra dose later on seemed to confirm that it did hurt me. Sticking to malate but I did want to test that theory.
Distance=3.0
Weekly distance= 27.0 (highest of the year)
I will aim for 35 next week.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Training 2/15-2/21
Update:
As of 2/16 at 8:00 PM, I am re-committing to drinking nothing but water for the next 21 days. No cheating no matter what happens. I suspect that caffeine and beer are both impacting my sulfate intolerance. I have a tendency to cheat when I relapse because I think: "I'm already messed up. What difference will it make." That stops. No more excuses. I'm not convinced that this is the answer but it can only help. I am due for another hair test at the end of the month. 22 minerals will be tested but I am only concerned about the 2 that were in the red zone last time (Lithium and B-12), Any improvement at all would be considered a victory.
2/15- Planned rest day. That drive home in the rain was tough
2/16- Felt decent in the morning then took some methyl donors at lunch and it was downhill from there. 1 Mile on Wisteria in 9:17. I expect to be back under the Mendoza line tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
2/17- Day 1. Morning was rough but improved as the day progressed. I had to urinate a lot and that could be a sign of detox. Did better than expected today. Lakeshore 3 in 22:17 (7:26 pace). Splits were 11:05-11:12 so I held up pretty well. Nothing to celebrate yet.
Distance=3.0
2/18- Day 2. It was interesting to say the least. Took the usual 1.5 B-12 and was sluggish so I went home for lunch and popped another half. Got a surge of energy and it took me to the other side of the spectrum. A HALF PILL TOOK ME FROM SLUGGISH TO OVERSTIMULATED!! WHAT THE ----? I have 3 options going forward:
1) Maintain the current plan and hope to find equilibrium at 2 pills.
2) Add a trace of methyls to reduce the sensitivity and risk sulfur intolerance
3) Screw it and quit the Lithium and B-12. Back to Thym-Adren.
I'd lean towards option 2. We shall see what the lab tests say.
As for the workout, it was the Jemison-Mountain Brook loop. I hoped to go 5 miles but settled for 4 to salvage the sub-8 overall. Finished in 31:40 (7:55 pace). 1st half was 15:18 (uphill), 2nd half was 16:22 (downhill) and breathing was labored almost from the start.
Distance=4.0
2/19- Day 3. Horrible. Hoped to run a fast 3 mile at Gold's. Called it quits after 1 Mile in 7:11, which doesn't sound too bad but the splits were 2:13-2:24-2:34. I had slipped to 7:45 pace by the end of the Mile running all out. Glutathione is NOT the answer and neither is TMG. I've got to stick to the Lithium and B-12 plan until the end of the month and a 4th option has come up. Add more Lithium. We shall see how it works when I attempt the group run tomorrow. In the past, I would have cheated for sure after a day like this but today, I'm staying strong. I haven't checked my weight recently but I feel a bit less flabby in the midsection.
Distance=1.0
2/20- Day 4 and staying strong on the sugar restrictions. Once I take 2 B-12 pills, my system screams for Lithium. Much to my relief, I did get better after taking a 2nd Lithium pill and better after a 3rd. I had to be cautious with it because I'm wary of mega doses. I did attempt the group run but had to drop out after 3 miles in 28:44 (9:35 pace). Is this my new starting point?
PM- Popped 2 more Lithium pills just to see what would happen and hit Gold's for another 3 miles. Came in under the Mendoza line with a time of 23:51 (7:57 pace) with splits of 8:00-8:07-7:44. Granted, this route was perfectly flat and the morning's was hilly but this was still a MASSIVE improvement (MINUS 1:38/mile) and it was ENTIRELY DUE TO THE 2 EXTRA PILLS. I have no choice but to roll with the mega Lithium for the time being and need 2 B-12 pills for it to work. What will happen tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine. I will say that I have been on Lithium before (circa 2009-2010) and though I did not perform as well as '11 and '12, I was more stable.
Distance=6.0
2/21- Skipped the group run due to rain. Ended up at Gold's. Finished 4 miles in 31:20 (7:50 pace). A modest improvement over yesterday but I was expecting better. Yesterday, I was able to surge at the end. Today, I faded. 1st half: 15:08, 2nd half: 16:12. Odds are that I was overly aggressive with the Lithium and need to back it down. I regret to say that I have cheated with caffeine today but there was a reason. Caffeine depletes Lithium so I should feel better if I took an excess. That DOES appear to be the case today but there was no afternoon session.
Distance= 4.0
-19 miles on the week.
As of 2/16 at 8:00 PM, I am re-committing to drinking nothing but water for the next 21 days. No cheating no matter what happens. I suspect that caffeine and beer are both impacting my sulfate intolerance. I have a tendency to cheat when I relapse because I think: "I'm already messed up. What difference will it make." That stops. No more excuses. I'm not convinced that this is the answer but it can only help. I am due for another hair test at the end of the month. 22 minerals will be tested but I am only concerned about the 2 that were in the red zone last time (Lithium and B-12), Any improvement at all would be considered a victory.
2/15- Planned rest day. That drive home in the rain was tough
2/16- Felt decent in the morning then took some methyl donors at lunch and it was downhill from there. 1 Mile on Wisteria in 9:17. I expect to be back under the Mendoza line tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
2/17- Day 1. Morning was rough but improved as the day progressed. I had to urinate a lot and that could be a sign of detox. Did better than expected today. Lakeshore 3 in 22:17 (7:26 pace). Splits were 11:05-11:12 so I held up pretty well. Nothing to celebrate yet.
Distance=3.0
2/18- Day 2. It was interesting to say the least. Took the usual 1.5 B-12 and was sluggish so I went home for lunch and popped another half. Got a surge of energy and it took me to the other side of the spectrum. A HALF PILL TOOK ME FROM SLUGGISH TO OVERSTIMULATED!! WHAT THE ----? I have 3 options going forward:
1) Maintain the current plan and hope to find equilibrium at 2 pills.
2) Add a trace of methyls to reduce the sensitivity and risk sulfur intolerance
3) Screw it and quit the Lithium and B-12. Back to Thym-Adren.
I'd lean towards option 2. We shall see what the lab tests say.
As for the workout, it was the Jemison-Mountain Brook loop. I hoped to go 5 miles but settled for 4 to salvage the sub-8 overall. Finished in 31:40 (7:55 pace). 1st half was 15:18 (uphill), 2nd half was 16:22 (downhill) and breathing was labored almost from the start.
Distance=4.0
2/19- Day 3. Horrible. Hoped to run a fast 3 mile at Gold's. Called it quits after 1 Mile in 7:11, which doesn't sound too bad but the splits were 2:13-2:24-2:34. I had slipped to 7:45 pace by the end of the Mile running all out. Glutathione is NOT the answer and neither is TMG. I've got to stick to the Lithium and B-12 plan until the end of the month and a 4th option has come up. Add more Lithium. We shall see how it works when I attempt the group run tomorrow. In the past, I would have cheated for sure after a day like this but today, I'm staying strong. I haven't checked my weight recently but I feel a bit less flabby in the midsection.
Distance=1.0
2/20- Day 4 and staying strong on the sugar restrictions. Once I take 2 B-12 pills, my system screams for Lithium. Much to my relief, I did get better after taking a 2nd Lithium pill and better after a 3rd. I had to be cautious with it because I'm wary of mega doses. I did attempt the group run but had to drop out after 3 miles in 28:44 (9:35 pace). Is this my new starting point?
PM- Popped 2 more Lithium pills just to see what would happen and hit Gold's for another 3 miles. Came in under the Mendoza line with a time of 23:51 (7:57 pace) with splits of 8:00-8:07-7:44. Granted, this route was perfectly flat and the morning's was hilly but this was still a MASSIVE improvement (MINUS 1:38/mile) and it was ENTIRELY DUE TO THE 2 EXTRA PILLS. I have no choice but to roll with the mega Lithium for the time being and need 2 B-12 pills for it to work. What will happen tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine. I will say that I have been on Lithium before (circa 2009-2010) and though I did not perform as well as '11 and '12, I was more stable.
Distance=6.0
2/21- Skipped the group run due to rain. Ended up at Gold's. Finished 4 miles in 31:20 (7:50 pace). A modest improvement over yesterday but I was expecting better. Yesterday, I was able to surge at the end. Today, I faded. 1st half: 15:08, 2nd half: 16:12. Odds are that I was overly aggressive with the Lithium and need to back it down. I regret to say that I have cheated with caffeine today but there was a reason. Caffeine depletes Lithium so I should feel better if I took an excess. That DOES appear to be the case today but there was no afternoon session.
Distance= 4.0
-19 miles on the week.
Monday, February 15, 2016
Dallas/Fort Worth Road Trip report
This is never a happy weekend for me and not being able to run Mercedes was a double whammy so I had to get out of town and make the best of it. Why Dallas? It's the closest major city that I have yet to visit and it contained a minor bucket list item. I'm a Carter baby and have visited the library of every president that has served in my lifetime except for George W. Bush.. That would change after the weekend. In addition, I hoped to see the Ft. Worth stockyards, a JFK museum at Dealy Plaza and White Rock Lake.
2/12- I was able to leave work an hour early and hit the road. As planned, I made it to my friend Trent's place on the north side of Jackson, Miss'Sippy. Both of us went to bed early but were up before 7:00 AM the next day. He cooked me some sausage and eggs and fried bananas then I was on my way.
2/13- It was another 6 hours to Ft. Worth and I planned to take an extended look at Shreveport, Loosiana. Shreveport seemed to have a vibrant downtown with several casinos along with a cool outlet mall with a river walk. I didn't do much touring but was impressed by what I saw. From, Shreveport, it was another 20 miles to the Texas border so I stopped at the welcome center for a map and got the obligatory "Don't Mess With Texas" bumper sticker.
I ended up driving a bit beyond Ft. Worth and stopped at a DQ in the town of Weatherford just to get a small taste of West Texas. Yes, it did have a bit of a different feel and flavor to it. Correct me if I'm wrong but anything west of Ft. Worth is considered West Texas, right? At any rate, I was back in Ft. Worth before dinner as planned and drove through a Latino neighborhood on my way to the stockyards. The Ft. Worth Stockyards are the old cattle ranch that has been transformed into a string of bars and restaurants with live music and dancing. It reminded me a bit of Broadway in Nashville with a more cowboy/Western feel to it. It was somewhat depressing to be alone but I did manage to have a bit of fun and enjoyed a good thick ribeye steak for dinner.
2/14- The day began with a quick tour of downtown Ft. Worth and a 30 minute ride on the interstate back to Dallas, where my first stop was the West End and Dealy Plaza. I toured a museum dedicated to JFK, which covered his presidency as well as the assassination. I got to look out the same window as Oswald and walked in the Grassy Knoll as well as the exact spot where Kennedy was shot.
It was now lunchtime and I found a nice BBQ place just a few blocks down the road where I got some tasty ribs and wings Texas style. From there, it was on to Bush-43's library just a few miles north of downtown on the SMU campus. I'm not going to get political here but this was a very well done library that anyone interested in history should appreciate. Most gripping of all was the actual steel from the Twin Towers on display for visitors to touch.
Supposedly, uptown Dallas is where all of the cool bars and shops are located but I missed that part of town. Instead, it turned residential on my way to White Rock Lake, which is the site of numerous races in the Dallas area. It was a 9 mile loop with a paved trail that ran alongside a road with mansions. Very nice. I ended up calling it quits after 3 miles and headed back to Birmingham.
Dinner was in Shreveport and I had initially planned to stay there Sunday night but felt good enough to keep going for another hour. That proved to be a good call because it rained most of the way back on Monday but I did get back by mid-afternoon. It was a lot of driving but worth it.
Overall impression:
Count me as a fan of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. This is the 4th time that I have visited the state of Texas and came away with a favorable view each time. I could very well be back again. Would I want to live there? My answer is no. Despite efforts to ease congestion with toll roads, traffic is still very heavy and I'm just not a big city type of guy. Birmingham is just about the right size for my taste with a good mix of locals and outsiders. In a small town where almost everybody is from there, I've observed that most people still hang with their high school clique and often marry someone from their own school or a neighboring district. On the other hand, in a big city where people come from all over, it loses much of its charm and distinctive flavor. I prefer the best of both worlds.
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Off topic: Retired NFL players
A few weeks ago, I came across a story about a former NFL receiver by the name of Antwaan Randle El, who had a successful 9 year career with the Steelers and Redskins and made tens of millions of dollars. He played in 2 Super Bowls and collected 1 ring with Pittsburgh in 2005. Now 36 years old and retired since 2010, he questions whether or not it was worth it. As a result of numerous concussions and massive hits, he reports trouble going up and down stairs as well as some degree of memory loss. His ailments will only get worse as he gets older.
As I have posted in my Odds of Being a Professional Athlete post, you need freakish athletic ability to play in the NFL. If you were to invite the top 1/10 of 1 percent to camp, you would have to be a standout among THAT group to even stand a chance and must be better still to stick around long enough to retire comfortably and collect a pension. Stay in school.
The closest I came to knowing a professional athlete on a personal level was a guy named Tyler Reed, who graduated 2 years behind me in high school. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears and spent 2 years on the practice squad but never cracked the active roster. He was a shot putter for the track team in high school so I knew him casually but not well. Even at 16, he was already 6 ft. 5 and nearly 300 lbs. One time at a dual meet, he asked the coach if he could run the 100. The coach casually said “Yeah, go ahead.” Reed shocked everybody by finishing at the front of the pack in a time under 12 seconds.
I’ve never played organized football before but did play a few pick-up games of tackle football in high school. I’ll tell you that when a guy about 50 lbs. heavier than I was running toward me at full speed, I did not try to bring him down. I backed away and it was a good call. Now just imagine being run over by a 300 pound man who can run 18-20 mph then getting up doing it again and again.
Sadly, the outlook is often grim for retired NFL players. In addition to brain and bodily injuries, former players face a very high rate of divorce and I just read an article that stated that a staggering 78 percent are broke within 5 years of retirement. Still, surveys show that the vast majority would play if they had it to do over again. Would I do it if I had the talent to make an NFL roster? Yes, but I’d know when to quit. Skills begin to diminish around 28 or 29. Five years of that type of punishment is plenty and a career in baseball is highly preferable. I’d buy a nice but not terribly opulent home, a car in the class of say a Mercedes, not a Lamborghini and maybe a beach house in Orange Beach. Much would be spent on world travel but a good portion of the money would be kept in the bank.
What can be done about the physical pain? While the concussion protocol is a good start, playing such a violent game at a high level is inherently risky and it is almost certain that if a player had a lengthy career, he will have chronic aches and pains. I am a big believer in prolotherapy for connective tissue injuries. Former receiver Hines Ward has also raved about it. I’m less sure about treatments for brain injuries but do believe that at least some relief can be obtained through mineral balance or other natural treatments.
The biggest thing the NFL needs a comprehensive life skills training program that must be required for all players. Imagine being a superstar all of your life with more “friends” than you know what to do with and can date anybody you want. Then all of a sudden at the age of 30, you are a big fat NOBODY. I’ll bet most of my readers cannot even remember who won the Super Bowl 5 years ago. I know it was Green Bay but cannot name more than 3 players out of the 53 on the roster. Unless you are a long-time Steeeler or Redskin fan, you’ve probably never heard of Antwaan Randle El. Former players who were not All-Pro/Hall of Fame caliber cannot leverage their fame into long-term endorsement deals. Some can get decent paying coaching jobs but the majority will not be associated with football in any capacity in retirement. Get your degree from college.
Players often go out on the town with a large entourage and leave will a bill of 4-5 figures every week and that lifestyle cannot be maintained once the income is cut off. However, the most frequent culprit of financial problems is child support payments. I read that a few players have fathered up to 10 children by 8 or 9 different mothers. Keep your pants on, fool! This won’t be politically correct but the women who deliberately allow themselves to be impregnated are just as much to blame. The mother can collect up to $8,000/month per child ($96K/year for 18 years) if the player has a long-term multi-million dollar contract. In most cases, the mother has no intention of a long-term relationship with the father. That’s not good for the child either and I can cite numerous statistics about children who grow up without a father or at least a male role-model. Somehow, I doubt that every penny of that upper-middle class level income is spent feeding and clothing your child. I would support a cap of $2K/month per child especially if there was never a long-term relationship.
Bottom line, retirement doesn’t have to be so hard with a little bit of wisdom, other job skills, morality, injury precautions and better treatment for long-term injuries.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Training 2/6-2/14
Over the past 2 weeks, I have alternated between heavy dose Lithium with little B-12 and heavy dose B-12 with little Lithium but never reached equilibrium. From now until I send in my hair test sample at the end of the month, I am going with 1 of each and sticking with it. I will allow for small adjustments but nothing big. Let's hope that I can continue taking at least a low dose of both of them. If it doesn't work out by then, I'm taking a break indefinitely.
The early weather forecast looks pretty good for Dallas next weekend so I'll probably end up going. The plan is to leave Friday and return on Monday but I do have the option to stay another day if I choose. Things to do include the Ft. Worth stockyards. White Rock Lake, Bush-43's library and a bus tour of Dallas. This will be the 4th time that I have visited Texas and have been to Austin, San Antonio, Texarkana and Galveston.
2/6- Went with 1 Lithium pill and 1 B-12 for the first time. I'm probably high on Lithium and low on B-12 and it will take a couple days for it to even out. Extra B-12 probably would have helped today but not tomorrow. Still, I resolved to finish 3 miles no matter how ugly it got. Hell, if it took 30+ minutes, I was going to finish it. In the end, I started out near 8 minute pace, quickly faded to the 9 minute range but was able to hold it there give or take a few seconds. My time at the finish was an ugly 26:38 (8:53 pace). I can hope and expect to do a little better tomorrow.
PM- Began feeling better in the afternoon and it showed in the run. Same 3 mile distance this time in 23:52 (7:57 pace) MINUS 56/mile in just 5 hours with no additional effort. This time, I started at 8:00ish pace, held it, then rallied in Mile 3. Sadly, improvements will not come so easily hereafter. I need to get down to 20:15 (6:45 pace) before I will feel confident.
Distance=6.0
2/7- Gold's 5 in 37:43 (7:33 pace). Just the 2nd time that I've gone beyond 3 miles this year and this is my best time of the year. Passed the 3 mile mark @7:24 pace (MINUS 33). The last 2 miles were TOUGH but I managed to hang on for a pair of 7:45s. A 10K would likely be in the 48-minute range now. I didn't have much left in the tank but I've got to be pleased with the improvement. I'm cheating on the sugar restrictions today because it's Super Bowl Sunday. I won't be upset if I take a step backward tomorrow.
Distance=5.0
2/8- Gold's 3 in 21:57 (7:19 pace), which is a MINUS 5 from yesterday. Mixed feelings about this one. I was very comfortable early and had planned on 5 miles but the pace began falling off early in Mile 3. At 2.5 miles, I knew that I would not beat yesterday's time so I decided to salvage it with a hard last half mile and a sub-22 overall.
The cheating may have hurt me a bit but the sensitivity to B-12 is a killer. 1 pill wasn't enough but 2 were too many. Here we go again! This time I have reason to hope because assuming my Lithium is up to snuff, the more B-12 I can handle, the sooner I get the sulfates out! Do I take 1.5 pills for the time being or do I take 2 pills in divided doses? I'll find out within 2-3 days.
Distance=3.0
2/9- Went back to 1 B-12 pill and it did not go well. Slipped to 25:24 for 3 miles (8:28 pace). Pace was pretty even but I had no power and could not pick up the pace no matter what I did.
Took a 2nd B-12 and it appears to have pushed me into over-stimulation.
It will be 1.5 B-12. Perhaps, 2 Lithium and 3 B-12 could work but I'm not trying anything new until at least next week.
Distance=3.0
2/10- Went with 1.5 B-12 pills and performed pretty well today. Finished 5 miles in 36:40 (7:20 pace) MINUS 13. Pace never slipped below 7:30 and the splits were 18:15-18:25. If I had taken a half pill more, I would have faded in Mile 3 and had to quit. If I had taken a half pill fewer, I may have been able to go 5 but the pace would have been a full minute slower at least. Is 1.5 B-12 my limit or do I need a 2/3 ratio of Lithium/B-12? I'll find out next week.
Distance=5.0
2/11- Decided to try the 2/3 ratio today and it did NOT work. Tried glutathione and it did knock out some of the sensitivity but it was no miracle. Ventured outside to run on Lakeshore on a beautiful evening. Heavy and sluggish all the way and the pace fell off badly after Mile 1. Turned around after 2 but the back half was not as ugly as feared. Finished 4 miles in 31:28 (7:52 pace). Splits were 15:15-16:13. Perhaps glutathione helps with B12 tolerance but not Lithium. I'll find out that next week. In any event, I must be cautious because it does contain sulfur.
Distance=4.0
I am going to Dallas for the weekend and probably won't run much. Need to clear my head.
2/14- 3 miles in 25:58 at White Rock Lake. Paid the price for cheating.
The early weather forecast looks pretty good for Dallas next weekend so I'll probably end up going. The plan is to leave Friday and return on Monday but I do have the option to stay another day if I choose. Things to do include the Ft. Worth stockyards. White Rock Lake, Bush-43's library and a bus tour of Dallas. This will be the 4th time that I have visited Texas and have been to Austin, San Antonio, Texarkana and Galveston.
2/6- Went with 1 Lithium pill and 1 B-12 for the first time. I'm probably high on Lithium and low on B-12 and it will take a couple days for it to even out. Extra B-12 probably would have helped today but not tomorrow. Still, I resolved to finish 3 miles no matter how ugly it got. Hell, if it took 30+ minutes, I was going to finish it. In the end, I started out near 8 minute pace, quickly faded to the 9 minute range but was able to hold it there give or take a few seconds. My time at the finish was an ugly 26:38 (8:53 pace). I can hope and expect to do a little better tomorrow.
PM- Began feeling better in the afternoon and it showed in the run. Same 3 mile distance this time in 23:52 (7:57 pace) MINUS 56/mile in just 5 hours with no additional effort. This time, I started at 8:00ish pace, held it, then rallied in Mile 3. Sadly, improvements will not come so easily hereafter. I need to get down to 20:15 (6:45 pace) before I will feel confident.
Distance=6.0
2/7- Gold's 5 in 37:43 (7:33 pace). Just the 2nd time that I've gone beyond 3 miles this year and this is my best time of the year. Passed the 3 mile mark @7:24 pace (MINUS 33). The last 2 miles were TOUGH but I managed to hang on for a pair of 7:45s. A 10K would likely be in the 48-minute range now. I didn't have much left in the tank but I've got to be pleased with the improvement. I'm cheating on the sugar restrictions today because it's Super Bowl Sunday. I won't be upset if I take a step backward tomorrow.
Distance=5.0
2/8- Gold's 3 in 21:57 (7:19 pace), which is a MINUS 5 from yesterday. Mixed feelings about this one. I was very comfortable early and had planned on 5 miles but the pace began falling off early in Mile 3. At 2.5 miles, I knew that I would not beat yesterday's time so I decided to salvage it with a hard last half mile and a sub-22 overall.
The cheating may have hurt me a bit but the sensitivity to B-12 is a killer. 1 pill wasn't enough but 2 were too many. Here we go again! This time I have reason to hope because assuming my Lithium is up to snuff, the more B-12 I can handle, the sooner I get the sulfates out! Do I take 1.5 pills for the time being or do I take 2 pills in divided doses? I'll find out within 2-3 days.
Distance=3.0
2/9- Went back to 1 B-12 pill and it did not go well. Slipped to 25:24 for 3 miles (8:28 pace). Pace was pretty even but I had no power and could not pick up the pace no matter what I did.
Took a 2nd B-12 and it appears to have pushed me into over-stimulation.
It will be 1.5 B-12. Perhaps, 2 Lithium and 3 B-12 could work but I'm not trying anything new until at least next week.
Distance=3.0
2/10- Went with 1.5 B-12 pills and performed pretty well today. Finished 5 miles in 36:40 (7:20 pace) MINUS 13. Pace never slipped below 7:30 and the splits were 18:15-18:25. If I had taken a half pill more, I would have faded in Mile 3 and had to quit. If I had taken a half pill fewer, I may have been able to go 5 but the pace would have been a full minute slower at least. Is 1.5 B-12 my limit or do I need a 2/3 ratio of Lithium/B-12? I'll find out next week.
Distance=5.0
2/11- Decided to try the 2/3 ratio today and it did NOT work. Tried glutathione and it did knock out some of the sensitivity but it was no miracle. Ventured outside to run on Lakeshore on a beautiful evening. Heavy and sluggish all the way and the pace fell off badly after Mile 1. Turned around after 2 but the back half was not as ugly as feared. Finished 4 miles in 31:28 (7:52 pace). Splits were 15:15-16:13. Perhaps glutathione helps with B12 tolerance but not Lithium. I'll find out that next week. In any event, I must be cautious because it does contain sulfur.
Distance=4.0
I am going to Dallas for the weekend and probably won't run much. Need to clear my head.
2/14- 3 miles in 25:58 at White Rock Lake. Paid the price for cheating.
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Increased need for Lithium
It's been another horrible week. I am OUT for the local 10K and Mercedes. Depending on the weather, I will either stay home next weekend or go to Dallas.
Funny thing is, my mood is not all that bad and in theory, I am on the right path now. Here's what happened:
-Became intolerant to ATP
-Must reduce B-12
In the past, taking those 2 products caused fatigue and depression. Now, it makes me feel more over-stimulated and Lithium helps calm me down.
It may be a delicate balance between Lithium and B-12.
Funny thing is, my mood is not all that bad and in theory, I am on the right path now. Here's what happened:
-Became intolerant to ATP
-Must reduce B-12
In the past, taking those 2 products caused fatigue and depression. Now, it makes me feel more over-stimulated and Lithium helps calm me down.
It may be a delicate balance between Lithium and B-12.
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