8/29- Gold's 5 in 38:45 (7:45 pace). MINUS 24. I skipped the 41s last week and now I've skipped the 39s. Can I skip the 37s? Not likely unless I wait a very long time before my next one. 1st and 2nd half were nearly even. I had a lapse in Mile 4 but once again found another gear to make the last mile my fastest. The rate of improvement will slow from now on but so far, I am progressing ahead of schedule.
Distance=5.0
8/30- Vestavia Mile in 6:15.2 (92-96-97-90). As expected, the rate of improvement is slowing now. It will likely be 2-3 more weeks before I crack the 6 minute barrier. I was actually hoping for a little better today but a MINUS 13 in 4 days is nothing to sneeze at so I'll take it. Added a Mile cool. NO MORE COLLAPSES PLEASE! I'm still 5 shy of my season best and 60 to go for the ultimate.
Distance=2.0
8/31- 1 Mile naked on Wisteria and it was ugly. I'm taking a mulligan on this one because of ill-advised experiments. I thought Curcumin was now okay but it is not. I then attempted to clear it by taking a CBS cap, which made it worse. I've got to stay focused on the IRON now, which may be affecting the trans-sulfuration pathway. If Iron goes down and I still can't tolerate sulfur, then I dig deeper. My next iron panel test will be in 2-3 weeks and based on those results, I will decide whether or not to try blood donation.
Distance=1.0
9/1- Planned rest day. Long weekend with the parents starts today. Travel day. Feeling better.
9/2- 5 miles on Jefferson-Peter's Trail in a solid time of 38:10 (7:38 pace). MINUS 7. This is probably the equivalent of a high-37 at Gold's. There are no major hills on this trail but it does have a bit of a gentle slope with some camber too. 1st half: 19:20, 2nd half: 18:50 despite the fact that the back half has more incline than decline. It's difficult to stay with the diet on the road but at least I am keeping it within reason.
Distance=5.0
9/3- COLLAPSE. 2 miles in 19:34 (9:47 pace) with splits of 8:40-10:54. Odds are the culprit is ... Wait for it. Yasko's Iron Detox pills. So there you have it. I suffer from Iron Overload but cannot tolerate any treatments because they all contain sulfur. Doctors actually questioned why I am so concerned about sulfates! What the ____? There is a chance I can get back on track once I'm back to my normal routine, which will be next week.
Distance=2.0
9/4- Planned rest day. No time to run.
Weekly summary:
Managed just 15 miles. I'm NOT touching anything with sulfur again. I will try to up my B-12 and zinc a bit and may try some SHMT spray. I'll test again in 2 weeks then decide on blood donation. Again, even if it solves the problem, it does not address the underlying cause.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Training 8/22-8/28
8/22-AM. 2 miles at Gold's in 17:41 (8:50 pace). Only slightly better than yesterday. I forgot to take the B-12 so that's probably part of it. The doses of my B-vitamins are flexible (except B6) but if I miss a pill completely, it will be UGLY! My evening session should be better.
Update:
I'm talking to Sanctuary on the afternoon of 8/24. I sure hope he makes a good impression or I'm on my own. There is one more test that I want to take, which is the Organix Comprehensive Profile, which tests metabolites of B-vitamins and detox markers including sulfates. Hopefully, the doc will order it for me. I'll re-test the Iron in about 3-4 weeks and if I don't see significant improvement, I will go through with the blood donation.
PM- Lakeshore 2 after taking the B-12 as I was supposed to this morning. Showed only modest improvement. Finished in 16:56 (8:28 pace) MINUS 22. Not even close to being good enough and I did nothing wrong in term of pills or diet today. I have found a new Iron treatment from Yasko and I'm giving it a shot. If I'm not significantly better tomorrow, this formula ain't working.
Distance=4.0
8/23- Unplanned rest day. Feeling worse and barely made it through the day at work. We shall see what the doctor says tomorrow. Also, the Iron detox pills will arrive Wednesday or Thursday.
8/24- Eventful day. Got the call from Sanctuary but I was unimpressed. It will cost me $450 for the first visit plus gas. He really didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know and offered no real definitive plan to fix me based on my reported symptoms and tests provided. At least for the time being, I'll pass on this.
PM- Got Yasko's Iron detox pills and I felt a positive effect though still remained very overstimulated. Got through 5 miles at Gold's in an ugly time of 42;19 (8:28 pace). Overall pace was the same as Monday's afternoon session but lasted 3 miles longer and had something left in the tank. Took off at 8:00 pace but faded to the 8:45 range by Mile 4 then did come back with an 8:17 to finish. Will this stuff work long-term? That's iffy. At least 2 ingredients contain sulfur but this one has enzymes and beneficial bacterial that MIGHT allow me to tolerate it. A new starting point? Let's just hope to be a little better tomorrow and continue the trend going forward.
Distance=5.0
8/25- AM- Spain Park Mile in 6:55. Hoped for a sub-7 and rallied from 5 seconds down with 1 lap to go with a 95 second last go round. Finished the session with 3 laps around the lake at Veteran's Park at a glacial pace for a total of 3 miles.
PM- Gold's 5 in 40:45 (8:09 pace). MINUS 19. This one is encouraging. Did not feel much different during the day at work but this run clearly felt better than yesterday. Simply hoped for a low-mid 41 but I skipped the 41s altogether. Naturally, I can't expect this rate of improvement to continue but as long as the Iron detox pills work, I should continue to see steady progress. A sub-40 should be a reasonable target by the middle of next week.
Distance=8.0
8/26- AM- Spain Park Mile and my time was all the way down to 6:28. MINUS 27. I was just hoping for a sub-6:40 and had it all the way but an 89 second last quarter got me under 6:30. Yesterday, I was a full 100 seconds down on my lifetime goal. Now, I only need 73. Another 3 days to get back to PR form? Doesn't work that way. Baby steps. Shoot for 6:15 next week. Added a mile cool.
Distance=2.0
8/27- Successful BTC run. Made it 11 miles in 94:18 (8:34 pace). Actually found a group to run with this time. Still no relief from the heat and humidity and this was a hilly route too. Pace remained relatively even in spite of it with nothing over 8:50. If I had added another 2.1 for the half marathon distance, it would have been 1:52+ change but in cooler conditions on a flatter route, I'm in sub-1:50 shape. Need a couple more like this before I pull the trigger on Detroit in October.
Distance=11.0
Update:
Some experiments were done after I got home. Whole Food C and Thym-Adren and still big fat NOs but Curcumin appears to be tolerated now. One piece of bad news is that I seem to have a trace of plantar fasciitis. Hopefully, balanced chemistry will knock it out. Worst case is I have to go for a shot of prolo.
8/28- Gold's 3 in 22:54 (7:38 pace). 10 more like that and I've got a 1:40 half. Easier said than done, I know. Effort was measured and I would rate it as in between moderate and tempo (7 of 10) and I believe I could have gone well under 40 for 5 miles today so I am progressing ahead of schedule. More importantly, the foot appears to be holding up and I will likely pass on the prolo. New shoes may have helped.
Distance= 3.0
Weekly summary:
Early signs say that I am on the right track but it's way too soon to get excited. I cannot take another crushing relapse so I will not permit any more false hopes until I get an ARL hair test that shows that I am well in line. Not going to happen now.
Distance was 33 miles. I don't know my YTD off hand but I'm on pace for 1250.
Update:
I'm talking to Sanctuary on the afternoon of 8/24. I sure hope he makes a good impression or I'm on my own. There is one more test that I want to take, which is the Organix Comprehensive Profile, which tests metabolites of B-vitamins and detox markers including sulfates. Hopefully, the doc will order it for me. I'll re-test the Iron in about 3-4 weeks and if I don't see significant improvement, I will go through with the blood donation.
PM- Lakeshore 2 after taking the B-12 as I was supposed to this morning. Showed only modest improvement. Finished in 16:56 (8:28 pace) MINUS 22. Not even close to being good enough and I did nothing wrong in term of pills or diet today. I have found a new Iron treatment from Yasko and I'm giving it a shot. If I'm not significantly better tomorrow, this formula ain't working.
Distance=4.0
8/23- Unplanned rest day. Feeling worse and barely made it through the day at work. We shall see what the doctor says tomorrow. Also, the Iron detox pills will arrive Wednesday or Thursday.
8/24- Eventful day. Got the call from Sanctuary but I was unimpressed. It will cost me $450 for the first visit plus gas. He really didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know and offered no real definitive plan to fix me based on my reported symptoms and tests provided. At least for the time being, I'll pass on this.
PM- Got Yasko's Iron detox pills and I felt a positive effect though still remained very overstimulated. Got through 5 miles at Gold's in an ugly time of 42;19 (8:28 pace). Overall pace was the same as Monday's afternoon session but lasted 3 miles longer and had something left in the tank. Took off at 8:00 pace but faded to the 8:45 range by Mile 4 then did come back with an 8:17 to finish. Will this stuff work long-term? That's iffy. At least 2 ingredients contain sulfur but this one has enzymes and beneficial bacterial that MIGHT allow me to tolerate it. A new starting point? Let's just hope to be a little better tomorrow and continue the trend going forward.
Distance=5.0
8/25- AM- Spain Park Mile in 6:55. Hoped for a sub-7 and rallied from 5 seconds down with 1 lap to go with a 95 second last go round. Finished the session with 3 laps around the lake at Veteran's Park at a glacial pace for a total of 3 miles.
PM- Gold's 5 in 40:45 (8:09 pace). MINUS 19. This one is encouraging. Did not feel much different during the day at work but this run clearly felt better than yesterday. Simply hoped for a low-mid 41 but I skipped the 41s altogether. Naturally, I can't expect this rate of improvement to continue but as long as the Iron detox pills work, I should continue to see steady progress. A sub-40 should be a reasonable target by the middle of next week.
Distance=8.0
8/26- AM- Spain Park Mile and my time was all the way down to 6:28. MINUS 27. I was just hoping for a sub-6:40 and had it all the way but an 89 second last quarter got me under 6:30. Yesterday, I was a full 100 seconds down on my lifetime goal. Now, I only need 73. Another 3 days to get back to PR form? Doesn't work that way. Baby steps. Shoot for 6:15 next week. Added a mile cool.
Distance=2.0
8/27- Successful BTC run. Made it 11 miles in 94:18 (8:34 pace). Actually found a group to run with this time. Still no relief from the heat and humidity and this was a hilly route too. Pace remained relatively even in spite of it with nothing over 8:50. If I had added another 2.1 for the half marathon distance, it would have been 1:52+ change but in cooler conditions on a flatter route, I'm in sub-1:50 shape. Need a couple more like this before I pull the trigger on Detroit in October.
Distance=11.0
Update:
Some experiments were done after I got home. Whole Food C and Thym-Adren and still big fat NOs but Curcumin appears to be tolerated now. One piece of bad news is that I seem to have a trace of plantar fasciitis. Hopefully, balanced chemistry will knock it out. Worst case is I have to go for a shot of prolo.
8/28- Gold's 3 in 22:54 (7:38 pace). 10 more like that and I've got a 1:40 half. Easier said than done, I know. Effort was measured and I would rate it as in between moderate and tempo (7 of 10) and I believe I could have gone well under 40 for 5 miles today so I am progressing ahead of schedule. More importantly, the foot appears to be holding up and I will likely pass on the prolo. New shoes may have helped.
Distance= 3.0
Weekly summary:
Early signs say that I am on the right track but it's way too soon to get excited. I cannot take another crushing relapse so I will not permit any more false hopes until I get an ARL hair test that shows that I am well in line. Not going to happen now.
Distance was 33 miles. I don't know my YTD off hand but I'm on pace for 1250.
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Decided to Talk to a Functional MD
As for the events of last week, I am not too upset about my intolerance to Curcumin. I should have done my research and found out that it did indeed contain sulfur. As for the intolerance to Whole Food C, I am also betting that sulfur is the problem as well. At least 3 food sources listed on the label are indeed high in sulfur. While many sensitivities have been resolved after I began taking the B-vitamins, I am still VERY displeased by the continued intolerance to sulfur. I'm betting that the sulfur content of Whole Food C wasn't even terribly high either. With the exception of B-12+molybdenum, I cannot tolerate any treatments to control the sulfur.
As for the Iron, the Whole Food C and the Curcumin are off the table but I am not out of options. I can drink Apple Cider Vinegar to clear Iron and it doesn't taste as bad as I feared. Also, I still think there is a chance that B-6 will improve my Iron regulation. Conventional doctors will usually refer patients with Iron overload for blood donation every couple of months. It's an option for me but I'm a little leery. I've read that while yes, it does remove excess iron, it will also remove other minerals, including some in which I may have a deficiency.
More thoughts of the Iron results:
My numbers are BAD. Don't get me wrong. However, I have seen cases posted online that looked a LOT worse than mine. While I don't doubt that it will be a good thing to remove the excess iron, it seems to be unlikely that it is the answer to everything that is wrong.
Correcting my Magnesium deficiency is probably what solved my fructose malabsorption and summer allergies but it did NOT solve sensitivity issues. While my ceruloplasmin numbers were also VERY BAD at 17.9 units, I saw worse numbers. My last test was 25.9 which though still suboptimal was a massive improvement. Overall, it did nothing for sensitivity and I actually feel worse overall now than I did at 17.9 back in 2014.
What I want to see is a lab test that shows something WAY OUTSIDE THE RANGE. Suppose that the so-called "reference range" for something is 4-10. I want to see a lab value OVER 100. Something VERY SCREWY is going on and I want to see something that shows it. It could be a urinary sulfate test or something else that shows "massive oxidative stress"
I have 2 options and both will ultimately be very pricey.
1). Sanctuary Medical just south of Nashville. http://sanctuaryfunctionalmedicine.com/
The fact that this guy is a runner and a Christian is a huge plus for me. He knows about methylation and genetics so he will not fall into the traps that I posted earlier about the Flaws of Traditional Medicine. It's less than 3 hours from the Ham. He's letting me do a free 20 minute phone consult this Thursday the 24th before I commit to an appointment. I want him to have at least a good idea of what's causing these issues, a plan for testing and what he normally sees in cases of extreme sensitivity. I also want to hear success stories about treating cases like mine.
2). Gail Clayon, RPH- I actually talked with her on the phone for a few minutes today (Saturday). I inquired about a test that involved urinary sulfates and got a response within 2 hours. She raised the possibility of getting to the root of what is causing these problems with the trans-sulfur pathway and suggested a different test that is more expensive. She thinks that the root cause is "severe oxidative stress." In addition to amino acids, it tests needs for B-vitamins, which I already know I have. She is based in the Houston area (9+ hours) but does do phone consults. I sent her a follow up e-mail asking what markers on this test are indicative of severe oxidative stress. I did not ask what she would do about it nor do I expect her to tell me without an appointment. She is the one who told me about the link of high beta alanine and gut dysbiosis, which I have treated with probiotics.
I will report back at the end of next week on what I decide. In the meantime, I'm not messing with any new supplements and I'll see how I do next week.
UPDATE:
Regarding the test that Clayton wants me to take, I already had it done through Yasko last Fall and it did NOT reveal anything major. If I am to go this route, it will be through Sanctuary or nobody.
As for the Iron, the Whole Food C and the Curcumin are off the table but I am not out of options. I can drink Apple Cider Vinegar to clear Iron and it doesn't taste as bad as I feared. Also, I still think there is a chance that B-6 will improve my Iron regulation. Conventional doctors will usually refer patients with Iron overload for blood donation every couple of months. It's an option for me but I'm a little leery. I've read that while yes, it does remove excess iron, it will also remove other minerals, including some in which I may have a deficiency.
More thoughts of the Iron results:
My numbers are BAD. Don't get me wrong. However, I have seen cases posted online that looked a LOT worse than mine. While I don't doubt that it will be a good thing to remove the excess iron, it seems to be unlikely that it is the answer to everything that is wrong.
Correcting my Magnesium deficiency is probably what solved my fructose malabsorption and summer allergies but it did NOT solve sensitivity issues. While my ceruloplasmin numbers were also VERY BAD at 17.9 units, I saw worse numbers. My last test was 25.9 which though still suboptimal was a massive improvement. Overall, it did nothing for sensitivity and I actually feel worse overall now than I did at 17.9 back in 2014.
What I want to see is a lab test that shows something WAY OUTSIDE THE RANGE. Suppose that the so-called "reference range" for something is 4-10. I want to see a lab value OVER 100. Something VERY SCREWY is going on and I want to see something that shows it. It could be a urinary sulfate test or something else that shows "massive oxidative stress"
I have 2 options and both will ultimately be very pricey.
1). Sanctuary Medical just south of Nashville. http://sanctuaryfunctionalmedicine.com/
The fact that this guy is a runner and a Christian is a huge plus for me. He knows about methylation and genetics so he will not fall into the traps that I posted earlier about the Flaws of Traditional Medicine. It's less than 3 hours from the Ham. He's letting me do a free 20 minute phone consult this Thursday the 24th before I commit to an appointment. I want him to have at least a good idea of what's causing these issues, a plan for testing and what he normally sees in cases of extreme sensitivity. I also want to hear success stories about treating cases like mine.
2). Gail Clayon, RPH- I actually talked with her on the phone for a few minutes today (Saturday). I inquired about a test that involved urinary sulfates and got a response within 2 hours. She raised the possibility of getting to the root of what is causing these problems with the trans-sulfur pathway and suggested a different test that is more expensive. She thinks that the root cause is "severe oxidative stress." In addition to amino acids, it tests needs for B-vitamins, which I already know I have. She is based in the Houston area (9+ hours) but does do phone consults. I sent her a follow up e-mail asking what markers on this test are indicative of severe oxidative stress. I did not ask what she would do about it nor do I expect her to tell me without an appointment. She is the one who told me about the link of high beta alanine and gut dysbiosis, which I have treated with probiotics.
I will report back at the end of next week on what I decide. In the meantime, I'm not messing with any new supplements and I'll see how I do next week.
UPDATE:
Regarding the test that Clayton wants me to take, I already had it done through Yasko last Fall and it did NOT reveal anything major. If I am to go this route, it will be through Sanctuary or nobody.
Off Topic: Favorite Retro Video Games
I trust that my fellow late Gen Xers will enjoy this post. I don't play video games anymore and haven't since I got my first real job 10 years ago but I've got a lot of good memories and had a lot of fun with them growing up. That said, I still spent plenty of time playing outside as a kid and was no couch potato even before I started running.
8 bit Nintendo- Got this system in 2nd grade (1988-89). As I said earlier, if you are a Millennial born in the mid-80s, you were probably too young for this system and your first console was likely Sega or Super Nintendo.
World Class Track Meet- You run in place on a Power Pad to control your character in 4 different events (100 meters, 110 hurdles, long jump and triple jump). I remember being so excited when I first broke 6 seconds in the 100 and 30 meters in the triple jump. You could also race computer opponents in a tournament who were named after animals starting with Turtle and ending with Cheetah.
Blades of Steel- An arcade style hockey game. Though it featured only a few teams named generically after US and Canadian cities with no real players, the game play was fun. You could start fights with the other team and the LOSER of the fight was the one sent to the penalty box. LOL.
Rad Racer 2- A fun car racing game that featured courses that had to be negotiated with a time limit. Courses included Key West, NYC, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, Rocky Mountains and Bay Bridge.
RBI Baseball 2- I believe this was the first baseball game to feature every MLB team with real players and stats, which was way ahead of its time. The graphics and music were pretty good for the era as well. While it lacked the verisimilitude of more contemporary games, the game play was still quite fun.
Tecmo Super Bowl- This was perhaps my favorite of the NES games and retains a cult following to this day. It featured all 28 NFL teams with real players including backups but the revolutionary aspect was the real 1991 NFL schedule in which players could control every game if they chose. Stats were logged at the end of every game and you could view the NFL leaders in every statistical category at any time during the season. There were only 8 plays to choose from and graphics were still fairly primitive but again, the game play was tons of fun.
Super Mario 3- Normally, I was not a big fan of adventure or role playing games but I made exceptions. This one was a classic with 8 different worlds and over 100 levels with awesome power ups including the ability to fly through parts of different levels. It took me several years to beat this game but I finally did by collecting as many power ups as I could and delaying the warp until I got stuck in Iceland (World 6).
Sega Genesis- Got this one near the end of 5th grade (1992). This was my main console throughout middle school.
Joe Montana Football- This was the first game to feature a live play by play. It was arcade style but featured a wider play selection that was still pretty simple for someone who never played organized football. I used to call bizarre plays such as a Fake Punt on 1st down so the announcer would say “I can’t believe it.” Or “Oops. What a mistake!” In the early versions, Montana was the only player whose name was spoken but in later years, the NFLPA license allowed for use of real players and teams.
Sports Talk Baseball- Basically baseball’s version of Joe Montana Football. It featured real players and allowed the player to choose between 3 stadium options, which I believe was a first. If you like RBI Baseball, you’d like this one too.
Sonic the Hedgehog- Sega’s version of Super Mario. Featured 8 worlds with some pretty cool graphics and power ups. Fun and relatively easy to play. I did beat the game but it took many tries to do it.
NBA Jam- 2 on 2 basketball with power ups and no fouls. The graphics and animation included dunks starting at the foul line in which players jumped twice as high as the hoop. Yes, it was way over the top but that’s what made it so fun. Featured real players from every team as well as several secret characters.
Streets of Rage 2- A walk and fight game with 8 levels of progressively increasing difficulty. You can choose 1 of 4 characters with different strengths, attributes and special moves. Very good music and graphics and not very difficult to beat.
Street Fighter 2- 1 on 1 fighting with 12 playable characters with different attributes and special moves such as fireballs, projectiles and super uppercut punches. Featured combinations of attacks and adjustable difficulty. I beat the game on at least level 5 with every character. Sagat and Ryu were my favorites.
Mortal Kombat- Similar to Street Fighter 2 with more blood and gore. Featured fatalities such as decapitations and ripping out hearts. Very controversial at the time of its release around 1993 but I found it to be harmless entertainment. Critics said it encouraged real life violence, which I found to be laughable considering many fatalities involved over the top actions such as turning into animals. Scorpion and Sub Zero were my favorites.
Nintendo 64- Bought this console myself between 9th and 10th grade (1996)
Shadows of the Empire- I was a huge Star Wars fan at the time and this one featured the events of a novel that took place between Episode V and VI. IIRC, it had 8 worlds with various challenges and tough enemies along the way. It featured first person game play with amazingly realistic graphics for the time.
NFL Blitz- An arcade football game with real players and teams that included WWE type late hits and tackles that involved jumping on top of fallen ball carriers. If you sacked the opposing quarterback a few times, he’d yell out insult to his linemen. It had mild language such as “That sucked.” Or “What the hell is wrong with that guy?” Way over the top but tons of fun and I was very good at this game.
Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball- Realistic gameplay that featured not only real players and teams but also real stadiums for each team, which I believe was a first. It lacked the complexities of games such as MVP or the MLB series but that was fine with me. I actually prefer a bit more simplicity.
1080 Snowboarding- Another fun but easy to play game that featured 4 characters and 6 different race courses. Very detailed graphics and hidden shortcuts but I would have like to have seen more courses. You can master this game within just a few days.
Cruisin’ USA- A car racing game that featured a choice of 4 different sports cars and a competitive race against 9 other drivers over courses such as LA Freeway, Golden Gate, Grand Canyon, Redwood, Appalachia and DC. In the arcade version, you could run over cows and spill some blood. The game also featured secret cars such as a Police cruiser and a School bus. This was my favorite of the series. World and Exotica were too unrealistic even for me.
Golden Eye- An exciting Bond adventure that required a lot of skill. I was not very good at this one but still enjoyed playing it and managed to beat it on Easy difficulty. Where it really shines is in Multiplayer and it was especially popular in college dorms especially in my Freshman and Sophomore year.
X-Box- Got this one in 2001 or 2002 near the end of college.
I was beginning to outgrow video games by this point and played mostly sports games such as NCAA Football and John Madden NFL. Both were ultra-realistic simulations that featured graphics so amazing that a casual observer might think it was a real game if they walked by a TV screen. Another cool game was a boxing game simply titled Rocky in which you took the title character from a fight with Spider Rico in Rocky 1 all the way to Tommy Gunn in Rocky 5.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Training 8/15-8/21
8/15- BAFA day!
AM- Spain Park Mile in 6:10.6 (91-96-95-88), That's a MINUS 14 since last Friday evening. When I woke up, I thought I had a shot at a sub-6 but 25 seconds was just too much to ask in just 3 days. I am more than halfway there and plan to take another shot on Friday.
PM- Improvised route through Mountain Brook. It was Canterbury-Crestline-Overbrook-Jemison. Moderately hilly route that covered about 5.2 miles. I called it a day at 5.0 miles in 39:45 (7:57 pace). Not bad overall. Even pace despite the hilly terrain. Every mile was 7:50-8:00. Faltered a bit at the end. Mile 5 was flat and I could do no better than 8:00 pace. Conditions were a bit less humid but still uncomfortable with a temp in the upper 80s and a 70 dew point.
Distance=6.0
8/16- Tried extra Whole Food C and it didn't work. Probably just a case of too much too soon. I knew it would be ugly but tried to salvage a Mendoza level performance. Could not manage that as I finished 3 miles in 26:45 (8:55 pace). To my credit, the pace was around 9 all the way with the exception of the first and last 2 laps. I tried Whole Food C in early 2015 and could not tolerate it at all. Now I can thanks to methylation. I just need to limit it to 2 pills. Most likely, a 1 day blip.
Distance=3.0
8/17- Another garbage 3 miler this time at the Shak.
Distance=3.0
8/18- Garbage 2 miler at Gold's. The culprit is Whole Food C. It worked on Monday but not on Tuesday. Just another day in the life. I tried zinc and was no better.
Distance=2.0
8/19- Better today but still not nearly good enough. 2 miles in 15:28 (7:44 pace) with splits of 7:32-7:56 and had nothing left after that. Curcumin has sulfur and must be pitched. AHA! Why the bad reaction to the C? Don't know.
Distance=2.0
8/20- Another DNF at the BTC run. This time it wasn't a total embarrassment. I held a steady 8:20 pace through 4+ miles before collapsing. I made it 7 miles in 62:54 (8:59 pace) but needed a late rally downhill to get a sub-9 overall. Last 3 miles were 8:53-9:55-10:45. Odds are the bad stuff hasn't fully cleared.
PM- Improved and likely would have finished a 10 miler if this had been an evening session. Did 3 miles in 23:51 (7:57 pace) with a last mile in 7:41. I should have a respectable showing tomorrow.
Distance=10.0
8/21- Unplanned rest day. Tried Apple Cider Vinegar drink to clear iron and could not tolerate it. Wanna guess why? Sulfur content of course! Tried some extra B12 and B6 and the latter especially made it worse. No attempt to run.
PM- I thought I was getting a little better this afternoon but not good enough to run. I did try and it was another garbage effort at Gold's. Finished 3 miles in a pathetic 28:26 (9:29 pace).
Weekly summary:
DISGUSTED AS I SHOULD BE! Morley Robbins still thinks that my Iron dysregulation is the root cause of sulfur intolerance and since all else failed, he's suggested blood donation. I've got to consider it. Initial consult with Sanctuary is on the 24th.
Distance= 29 miles.
AM- Spain Park Mile in 6:10.6 (91-96-95-88), That's a MINUS 14 since last Friday evening. When I woke up, I thought I had a shot at a sub-6 but 25 seconds was just too much to ask in just 3 days. I am more than halfway there and plan to take another shot on Friday.
PM- Improvised route through Mountain Brook. It was Canterbury-Crestline-Overbrook-Jemison. Moderately hilly route that covered about 5.2 miles. I called it a day at 5.0 miles in 39:45 (7:57 pace). Not bad overall. Even pace despite the hilly terrain. Every mile was 7:50-8:00. Faltered a bit at the end. Mile 5 was flat and I could do no better than 8:00 pace. Conditions were a bit less humid but still uncomfortable with a temp in the upper 80s and a 70 dew point.
Distance=6.0
8/16- Tried extra Whole Food C and it didn't work. Probably just a case of too much too soon. I knew it would be ugly but tried to salvage a Mendoza level performance. Could not manage that as I finished 3 miles in 26:45 (8:55 pace). To my credit, the pace was around 9 all the way with the exception of the first and last 2 laps. I tried Whole Food C in early 2015 and could not tolerate it at all. Now I can thanks to methylation. I just need to limit it to 2 pills. Most likely, a 1 day blip.
Distance=3.0
8/17- Another garbage 3 miler this time at the Shak.
Distance=3.0
8/18- Garbage 2 miler at Gold's. The culprit is Whole Food C. It worked on Monday but not on Tuesday. Just another day in the life. I tried zinc and was no better.
Distance=2.0
8/19- Better today but still not nearly good enough. 2 miles in 15:28 (7:44 pace) with splits of 7:32-7:56 and had nothing left after that. Curcumin has sulfur and must be pitched. AHA! Why the bad reaction to the C? Don't know.
Distance=2.0
8/20- Another DNF at the BTC run. This time it wasn't a total embarrassment. I held a steady 8:20 pace through 4+ miles before collapsing. I made it 7 miles in 62:54 (8:59 pace) but needed a late rally downhill to get a sub-9 overall. Last 3 miles were 8:53-9:55-10:45. Odds are the bad stuff hasn't fully cleared.
PM- Improved and likely would have finished a 10 miler if this had been an evening session. Did 3 miles in 23:51 (7:57 pace) with a last mile in 7:41. I should have a respectable showing tomorrow.
Distance=10.0
8/21- Unplanned rest day. Tried Apple Cider Vinegar drink to clear iron and could not tolerate it. Wanna guess why? Sulfur content of course! Tried some extra B12 and B6 and the latter especially made it worse. No attempt to run.
PM- I thought I was getting a little better this afternoon but not good enough to run. I did try and it was another garbage effort at Gold's. Finished 3 miles in a pathetic 28:26 (9:29 pace).
Weekly summary:
DISGUSTED AS I SHOULD BE! Morley Robbins still thinks that my Iron dysregulation is the root cause of sulfur intolerance and since all else failed, he's suggested blood donation. I've got to consider it. Initial consult with Sanctuary is on the 24th.
Distance= 29 miles.
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Iron Panel Blood Test Results
Here are the raw numbers:
Ferrittin- 168 (30-400)
Transferrin- 247 (200-370)
The ferrittin looks fine on the surface as does the transferrin but as is often the case, the "reference range" does not reflect healthy lab values. The optimal numbers for ferrittin is 30-50 so mine is more than 3 times higher. OUCH!
Serum Iron- 175 (38-169) Flagged as high. Ideal is 120
UIBC -110 (111-343). Flagged as low. Ideal is 200-220. UIBC= Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity. This is the good stuff and mine is very low.
Total IBC- 285 (250-450). Normal Ideal is 340
Saturation- 61% (15-55) Flagged as high. (Iron/Total IBC). Ideal is 33%
Reaction:
This is BAD! I can't say that I'm completely surprised. Supposedly, iron dysregulation prevents restoration of low Mag levels but my numbers responded very well so I am a little puzzled. I'm not sure what my Mag RBC would be if tested now.
I NEED to get my Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity UP and my Serum Iron and Ferrittin DOWN.
How do I do that?
I need to continue to work on my Magnesium and Ceruloplasmin, which should help the UIBC. That means up my Mag for sure and re-consider the Liver Beef. I'm not sold on it because though it will up my ceruloplasmin, it also contains iron and will deplete zinc (an iron antagonist). If I am to take it, it will only be 1-2x per week at least to start. Molybdenum blocks ceruloplasmin so that dose will be reduced.
What about the B-6?
I believe this could be the key. A B-6 deficiency can definitely cause excess iron to accumulate and I read it from multiple reliable sources. Again, it must be in the form of P-5-P. B-vitamins work together so too much B-12, B-2 and Folate could very well deplete B-6. I believe strongly that it will lower serum iron.
What about the sensitivity issues?
Iron excess CAN INDEED cause damage to enzyme binding sites so it likely does play a role in my sensitivity issues. The P-5-P should arrive no later than Thursday and it will be added SLOWLY. Over the weekend, I immediately felt BETTER after taking the first pill but soon got worse later in the day. I'll start with half a pill. I DO believe it will eliminate the sensitivity to ADHS, which will leave me with flexible doses for all of my supps, which would be EXCELLENT NEWS!
I'm going with B-6 and Curcumin, which has iron binding properties.
EDIT: I have learned that Iron can raise sodium and thus contribute to adrenal excess. Fix the iron and the adrenals will come down?
Ferrittin- 168 (30-400)
Transferrin- 247 (200-370)
The ferrittin looks fine on the surface as does the transferrin but as is often the case, the "reference range" does not reflect healthy lab values. The optimal numbers for ferrittin is 30-50 so mine is more than 3 times higher. OUCH!
Serum Iron- 175 (38-169) Flagged as high. Ideal is 120
UIBC -110 (111-343). Flagged as low. Ideal is 200-220. UIBC= Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity. This is the good stuff and mine is very low.
Total IBC- 285 (250-450). Normal Ideal is 340
Saturation- 61% (15-55) Flagged as high. (Iron/Total IBC). Ideal is 33%
Reaction:
This is BAD! I can't say that I'm completely surprised. Supposedly, iron dysregulation prevents restoration of low Mag levels but my numbers responded very well so I am a little puzzled. I'm not sure what my Mag RBC would be if tested now.
I NEED to get my Unsaturated Iron Binding Capacity UP and my Serum Iron and Ferrittin DOWN.
How do I do that?
I need to continue to work on my Magnesium and Ceruloplasmin, which should help the UIBC. That means up my Mag for sure and re-consider the Liver Beef. I'm not sold on it because though it will up my ceruloplasmin, it also contains iron and will deplete zinc (an iron antagonist). If I am to take it, it will only be 1-2x per week at least to start. Molybdenum blocks ceruloplasmin so that dose will be reduced.
What about the B-6?
I believe this could be the key. A B-6 deficiency can definitely cause excess iron to accumulate and I read it from multiple reliable sources. Again, it must be in the form of P-5-P. B-vitamins work together so too much B-12, B-2 and Folate could very well deplete B-6. I believe strongly that it will lower serum iron.
What about the sensitivity issues?
Iron excess CAN INDEED cause damage to enzyme binding sites so it likely does play a role in my sensitivity issues. The P-5-P should arrive no later than Thursday and it will be added SLOWLY. Over the weekend, I immediately felt BETTER after taking the first pill but soon got worse later in the day. I'll start with half a pill. I DO believe it will eliminate the sensitivity to ADHS, which will leave me with flexible doses for all of my supps, which would be EXCELLENT NEWS!
I'm going with B-6 and Curcumin, which has iron binding properties.
EDIT: I have learned that Iron can raise sodium and thus contribute to adrenal excess. Fix the iron and the adrenals will come down?
Monday, August 8, 2016
Flaws of Traditional Medicine
If all my lab values are normal, why do I feel so bad?
The short answer is that the so called “reference range” does not reflect healthy lab values and key tests that may have revealed important information were never ordered. It is NOT all in your head and you are NOT a hypochondriac.
Flaw #1- Rigid upper and lower limits
One of the MDs that I saw when trying to solve a thyroid disorder conventionally told me flat out that if the upper limit of the reference range for TSH is 4.0, a 3.99 would not be flagged and the patient would receive no treatment. However, if the test came back at 4.01, it changes everything. A few minutes later, she told me that lab values can fluctuate by up to 5% and the time of day that the sample is taken can also make a small difference. Factor in lab error and we could be talking about a variance close to 10%. A borderline 3.9 TSH could be as high as 4.3 if re-tested.
Another consideration is that the reference range can vary from lab to lab. The widest disparity that I have seen is that of ceruloplasmin (copper binding liver protein). My lab had a reference range of 15-30 units while in others, the range is 20-45. My first test was a 17.9 and was not flagged and I would have been told that I was fine. Knowledgeable practitioners should be aware that anything under 20 is a serious deficiency and could indicate Wilson’s disease.
Flaw #2- Lab values may be “normal” but are far from optimal
You may have been tested several times and came back borderline each time but still within the “normal range.” I can pretty much guarantee that you are not feeling anywhere near your best and yes, this sub-optimal lab value really is the source or one of the sources of your problems.
Here are a few examples: The TSH lab normal is usually 0.4-4.0 but anything much over 2.0 is sub-optimal and the patient will have hypo symptoms. For a runner, it could mean up to a 5% drop in performance. Further, if a patient is below 1.0, he or she is sub-optimal on the hyper side. With Magnesium RBC, the optimal range is 6.0-6.5 versus a lab normal of 4.2-6.8. Mine has tested consistently in the upper 5s so any problems I face as a result of it are fairly negligible but if you test under 5.0, it is a serious deficiency. Again, doctors will call it normal unless it is below 4.2. Ceruloplasmin should be 30-35 so you could actually be flagged as high if you are optimal. With B-12, the story is the same. If you test below the reference range, you have a very serious deficiency and are still on the low side in the middle of the range. Optimally, you should be near the high end if not slightly over the top.
Flaw #3- Key tests were not ordered
With the thyroid, most MDs will only test T4 and TSH. At the very least, you need free T4, free T3 and reverse T3 in addition to TSH. Typically, if Magnesium is tested, it is the useless serum value rather than more informative RBC test, which measures the mineral at cellular level. If copper is tested without ceruloplasmin, the patient has no idea how much copper is bound and how much is toxic. For adrenal patients, a random blood cortisol is usually inaccurate. Rather, a saliva cortisol test is the better option and measure your values at the cellular level at different times of the day. In my case, the only lab value that was outside the reference range was an elevated homocysteine, which my doctor brushed off as no big deal. If coupled with a low SAM-e and/or folate level, it would have been a sure sign of a methylation block. B-12, B-6 and Lithium tests also would have been useful. Unfortunately, those tests were never ordered and my defective enzymes have yet to be corrected.
Flaw #4- Ignorance of ratios and correlations
In thyroid testing, hyper is diagnosed with a low TSH and an elevated T3 and T4. What if the patient has a low TSH but it’s not accompanied by elevated levels of others? Doctors usually don’t know what to do. The truth is that it’s strong evidence of adrenal fatigue.
Zinc and copper are direct antagonists of each other. It is better to be a little low in both than have one high and one low. Ideally, zinc should be 1.2-1.3 times higher than copper in the blood. Now, suppose that a patient has a Zinc level of 60 and a Copper level of 120. Both are within the normal range but copper is twice as high as zinc. If the high copper is accompanied by a low ceruloplasmin level, that’s a double whammy that indicates a deficiency of bioavailable copper combined with a toxic level of unbound. Such a patient is likely to be deemed “fine” by a conventional MD. Morley Robbins has coined the term “Mineral Denialist” to describe such doctors. To illustrate the absurdity of that line of thought, consider height and weight correlations. A reference range for an adult male would probably be 5’4”-6’4” with a weight of 120-260 lbs. It goes without saying that a patient who is 5’4” and 260 lbs is morbidly obese while 6’4” 120 is severely malnourished. A person with a severe chemical imbalance is just as sick on the inside but often appears normal.
Flaw #5- Blindly prescribe anti-depressants
If every test ordered by your MD comes back within the reference range, you will likely be prescribed SSRI anti-depressants. The big problem with this plan is that it disregards your neurotransmitter levels. A neurotransmitter screening, which will reveal your levels of serotonin in addition to dopamine, adrenaline, norepinephrine and GABA but it is almost never ordered. In my case, yes I was low in serotonin but also low in everything else. It naturally follows that a serotonin drug given to a patient with a normal serotonin but a pressing need for dopamine will be ineffective at best and potentially harmful at worst. How did I react to anti-depressants? I got some relief from anxiety but the fatigue got worse and I was prone to angry outbursts.
Training 8/8-8/14
8/8- AM Iron panel blood test then 3 miles in 25:48 (8:36 pace). Even pace with a slight negative split but could not go any faster.
PM- 3 miles again and my time is down to 23:48 (7:56 pace). Wanted to go 5 but didn't have it in me at a respectable pace. Fell off in Mile 2 but rallied to beat the Mendoza line.
Distance=6.0
Reaction:
I'm getting clearance. I took 3 ADHS and everything else I needed and nothing that I don't. I'm beginning to think that the P-5-P that I took over the weekend is okay after all. I just need to go very easy on it early. Sure hope so because early indicators were that it relieved the ADHS sensitivity. I could get the Iron results as early as tomorrow and the new P-5-P pills by Wednesday or Thursday.
8/9- Unplanned rest day. This is screwy. I did nothing wrong yesterday and did the same this morning. I was so bad that I had to leave work at lunchtime. Something deeper is going on. I seem to becoming intolerant to Jigsaw Cal and need P-5-P.
Iron blood test shows an excess and saturation (2x higher than it should). OUCH! That could be playing a large role.
8/10- Made it through the day at work, which is an improvement right there. Took the P-5-P and Curcumin and improved further. Mood improved and legs felt somewhat loose but felt very weak (anemic) and that's how I performed.
Gold's 3 in 25:27 (8:29 pace) with a slight negative split. Popped 2 more ADHS. Y'all know what happened before when I tried to go with 5 pills before. Today, I felt somewhat better. Did another Mile in 7:45 then popped a Jigsaw Cal and ran another in 7:40.
Distance=5.0
Reaction:
I went easy on the B-6 (half a pill) and that will be the plan for the rest of the week. Why did I react badly to it before at large doses? Either, I pushed too much iron out too soon or I depleted my already low UIBC (good iron). I am both toxic and anemic. The best news is that I can tolerate BOTH the Cal and the ADHS at larger doses. Dare I say that the sensitivity is gone?
8/11- Gold's 5 in 39:30 (7:54 pace). Felt slightly less anemic today but still not good by any stretch. I did manage a slight negative split (19:50-19:40) and made the last mile my fastest. B-6 appears to be tolerated and so does Whole Food C (to up the good Iron). We shall see what happens with the Liver Beef but I'm only planning to take that 1-2x/week. One interesting observation: I felt worse after eating a burger for dinner. Perhaps red meat needs to be cut out temporarily.
Distance=5.0
8/12- Gold's 3 in 22:26 (7:29 pace). A modest improvement. I'd guess that a 5 miler would be paced in the 7:40s. I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of a few weeks, it should be clearly evident that it's working. That's what should happen. No more of this crazy 3 minute swings from one day to the next. Whole Food C is officially tolerated. BTC tomorrow.
PM- Felt better during the afternoon today so I decided to try my legs in the Mile at Spain Park. I wasn't expecting a sub-6 and wasn't sure I could do 6:30 so I was somewhat pleased with my 6:24.1 finish. Paced it well again. Splits were 95-98-99-92 so I managed a 2 second negative split. This is my starting point. Just 2 seconds faster per lap every week and I'll be sub-6 by the end of the month. Another 1 second/lap in September and I'm sub-5:45. NO MORE CRASHES!
Distance=4.0
8/13- Survived the BTC run. On a day with near 100% humidity and a dew point of 75, I was completely unconcerned about the pace. For the record, I finished 10 miles in 93:13 (9:19 pace) but there was no collapse. 1st half: 46:20, 2nd half: 46:53. 9 of 10 miles were sub-9:30 with the only exception being Mile 4 (uphill). I had more in the tank as well. Pleased that I finished my first double digit run in 8 weeks but I felt a little off. I think my molybdenum needs to be reduced if not eliminated and we shall see how I do on the Liver pill.
PM- The Liver Beef is a HELL NO! I reacted so badly to it that I had to go home and take a nap after lunch. A cashier at a gas station told me that I looked sick. I was better after taking extra Curcumin so that stuff may be upped. I may struggle tomorrow but that's okay. I had to try it.
Distance=10.0
8/14- Gold's 4 in 30:15 (7:34 pace). Solid performance and an even pace though it was starting to hurt at the end. I wasn't expecting much after such a terrible reaction to the Liver less than 24 hours ago. Tacked on another mile as a cool. It was immediately apparent that I needed molybdenum but the dosage can be reduced.
Distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
35 miles on the week. I have reason for optimism going forward and learned a lot this week. The B-6 is tolerated and enables me to tolerate more ADHS. Whole Food C should help bring up the good iron while Curcumin should knock down the bad iron. I'll test again in about a month.
PM- 3 miles again and my time is down to 23:48 (7:56 pace). Wanted to go 5 but didn't have it in me at a respectable pace. Fell off in Mile 2 but rallied to beat the Mendoza line.
Distance=6.0
Reaction:
I'm getting clearance. I took 3 ADHS and everything else I needed and nothing that I don't. I'm beginning to think that the P-5-P that I took over the weekend is okay after all. I just need to go very easy on it early. Sure hope so because early indicators were that it relieved the ADHS sensitivity. I could get the Iron results as early as tomorrow and the new P-5-P pills by Wednesday or Thursday.
8/9- Unplanned rest day. This is screwy. I did nothing wrong yesterday and did the same this morning. I was so bad that I had to leave work at lunchtime. Something deeper is going on. I seem to becoming intolerant to Jigsaw Cal and need P-5-P.
Iron blood test shows an excess and saturation (2x higher than it should). OUCH! That could be playing a large role.
8/10- Made it through the day at work, which is an improvement right there. Took the P-5-P and Curcumin and improved further. Mood improved and legs felt somewhat loose but felt very weak (anemic) and that's how I performed.
Gold's 3 in 25:27 (8:29 pace) with a slight negative split. Popped 2 more ADHS. Y'all know what happened before when I tried to go with 5 pills before. Today, I felt somewhat better. Did another Mile in 7:45 then popped a Jigsaw Cal and ran another in 7:40.
Distance=5.0
Reaction:
I went easy on the B-6 (half a pill) and that will be the plan for the rest of the week. Why did I react badly to it before at large doses? Either, I pushed too much iron out too soon or I depleted my already low UIBC (good iron). I am both toxic and anemic. The best news is that I can tolerate BOTH the Cal and the ADHS at larger doses. Dare I say that the sensitivity is gone?
8/11- Gold's 5 in 39:30 (7:54 pace). Felt slightly less anemic today but still not good by any stretch. I did manage a slight negative split (19:50-19:40) and made the last mile my fastest. B-6 appears to be tolerated and so does Whole Food C (to up the good Iron). We shall see what happens with the Liver Beef but I'm only planning to take that 1-2x/week. One interesting observation: I felt worse after eating a burger for dinner. Perhaps red meat needs to be cut out temporarily.
Distance=5.0
8/12- Gold's 3 in 22:26 (7:29 pace). A modest improvement. I'd guess that a 5 miler would be paced in the 7:40s. I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of a few weeks, it should be clearly evident that it's working. That's what should happen. No more of this crazy 3 minute swings from one day to the next. Whole Food C is officially tolerated. BTC tomorrow.
PM- Felt better during the afternoon today so I decided to try my legs in the Mile at Spain Park. I wasn't expecting a sub-6 and wasn't sure I could do 6:30 so I was somewhat pleased with my 6:24.1 finish. Paced it well again. Splits were 95-98-99-92 so I managed a 2 second negative split. This is my starting point. Just 2 seconds faster per lap every week and I'll be sub-6 by the end of the month. Another 1 second/lap in September and I'm sub-5:45. NO MORE CRASHES!
Distance=4.0
8/13- Survived the BTC run. On a day with near 100% humidity and a dew point of 75, I was completely unconcerned about the pace. For the record, I finished 10 miles in 93:13 (9:19 pace) but there was no collapse. 1st half: 46:20, 2nd half: 46:53. 9 of 10 miles were sub-9:30 with the only exception being Mile 4 (uphill). I had more in the tank as well. Pleased that I finished my first double digit run in 8 weeks but I felt a little off. I think my molybdenum needs to be reduced if not eliminated and we shall see how I do on the Liver pill.
PM- The Liver Beef is a HELL NO! I reacted so badly to it that I had to go home and take a nap after lunch. A cashier at a gas station told me that I looked sick. I was better after taking extra Curcumin so that stuff may be upped. I may struggle tomorrow but that's okay. I had to try it.
Distance=10.0
8/14- Gold's 4 in 30:15 (7:34 pace). Solid performance and an even pace though it was starting to hurt at the end. I wasn't expecting much after such a terrible reaction to the Liver less than 24 hours ago. Tacked on another mile as a cool. It was immediately apparent that I needed molybdenum but the dosage can be reduced.
Distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
35 miles on the week. I have reason for optimism going forward and learned a lot this week. The B-6 is tolerated and enables me to tolerate more ADHS. Whole Food C should help bring up the good iron while Curcumin should knock down the bad iron. I'll test again in about a month.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Training 8/1-8/7
8/1- AM- No workout but I have noticed an intolerance to Betaine Hcl. My reason for taking it in the first place was to relieve the sensitivity to ADHS and it's no longer effective in that regard. With increased methyl folate, I may not require mega doses of ADHS after all. After cutting the Betaine out of my formula, I will not be surprised to see the need for B-12 to come back. We shall see.
PM- Experimental 800s. Felt like total crap all day on 3 ADHS and no B-12 so I wasn't expecting much. Here are the splits:
3 ADHS, no B-12- 4:35 (9:10 pace)
4 ADHS, no B-12- 4:05 (8:10 pace) MINUS 60
4 ADHS, B-12+moly- 3:42 (7:24 pace) MINUS 46
5th ADHS- 4:11 (8:22 pace) PLUS 58
Tacked on another junk mile as a cool down.
Distance=3.0
Reaction:
Without Betaine, it's either B-12+moly and low dose ADHS or mega ADHS and no B-12. B-12 and moly must be taken together or not at all. Both or neither. I'm leaning towards going with the B-12 and hoping that the dose is flexible. I have a feeling that if I don't take the B-12, my need for ADHS will be insatiable.
8/2- Next round of experiments. Same workout as yesterday. This time, I took mega doses of B-12 with the normal amount of everything else. How would I respond to ADHS?
0 pills- 4:51 (9:42 pace)
1 pill- 3:57 (7:54 pace) MINUS 1:48
2 pills- 3:23 (6:46 pace) MINUS 68
3 pills- 2:51 (5:42 pace) MINUS 64
4 pills- 3:24 (6:48 pace) PLUS 66 (took plenty of rest in between)
I shut it down here but I knew that if I took a 5th pill, I would have struggled for a sub-8 pace and likely would have been over 9 on 6 pills. Again, I was honestly trying on each interval.
Distance=2.5
Reaction:
In a healthy person, there is NO WAY that a single dose should make this much difference. It's either another enzyme defect that I don't know about or an ingredient that I can only tolerate in limited doses (probably Lithium). Without B-12, 4 ADHS pills are NOT NEARLY ENOUGH as I learned yesterday so I'm not even going to try going without. It's possible that I can tolerate 6 if I divide the doses. The good news is that the B-12 dose is flexible. My only concern if I take too much is an unplanned bathroom stop.
8/3-AM- Another failed group run. Got dropped 1.75 miles in and jogged it home. Cut off the watch at 3 miles in 26:55 (8:58 pace) then treated the last half mile like a cool down. I never would have thought a Green Supplement drink mix would cause a problem but that's what happened. This is STRONG evidence that the issues with ADHS are not Lithium related but rather due to a defective enzyme. My only remaining thought on this is to be more aggressive with the probiotics.
PM- Got marginal improvement as expected. Gold's 3 in 25:57 (8:39 pace). MINUS 19. Some clearance since the morning. Able to pick it up a tad at the end.
Distance=6.5
8/4- 5 miles in 38:55 (7:47 pace). Much better than yesterday but still well off form. Took off at a smooth 7:30 pace but gradually faded after that. Last 2 miles were around 8:00 but did manage to rally at the end. Felt somewhat over-stimulated today as if I needed MORE ADHS. Got home and seemed to improve with extra pills though I did not do a test run.
Distance=5.0
Reaction:
I took a double dose of probiotics. This could be EXCELLENT NEWS. If the probiotics are indeed the key to tolerance of more ADHS, I MIGHT have a path to balance. Again, the need for more ADHS could be only a temporary reaction. We will see.
8/5- Essentially a rest/recovery day. The probiotics will NOT allow for an increased tolerance to ADHS. I've got to go with 3 pills and that's that. Did 1 junk mile at Spain Park
Distance=1.0
8/6- AM- Another failure! 4 miles in 34:34 (8:38 pace). Ran with the BTC and it went well up through about 3.3 miles then suddenly died. One minute, I was cruising along at 8 minute pace and feeling fairly comfortable. The next minute, I could not do 10 minute pace. The collapse was that sudden. Fortunately, it was a looped route so I wasn't far from the base when I collapsed. I jogged until Mile 4 then did a half mile walk of shame.
PM- Tried some active B-6 (P-5-P) in hopes of correcting defective enzymes. Despite some questionable ingredients, it seemed to be effective. 1 Mile at Gold's in over 9:30 without it but improved to 7:22 with it. Not good by any stretch but I'll take it.
Distance=6.0
8/7- Split decision. I was horrible from my first stride today and I knew it before I started. The good news is that I was no worse after extra ADHS. In fact, I was actually slightly faster on the upside on Wisteria after 2 more pills. Extra P-5-P made it WORSE.
Distance=1.0
Reaction:
Just like the Ultimate B, the P-5-P will relieve the sensitivity but contains other ingredients that I cannot tolerate. Fortunately, Yasko sells plain P-5-P without the questionable ingredients. I've ordered it along with the iron panel blood test recommended by Morley Robbins.
25 miles on the week.
If I'm not better by Labor Day, I've got to bite the bullet and see the Functional MD and pay $450 for a first visit. They're called Sanctuary Medical and located just south of Nashville.
PM- Experimental 800s. Felt like total crap all day on 3 ADHS and no B-12 so I wasn't expecting much. Here are the splits:
3 ADHS, no B-12- 4:35 (9:10 pace)
4 ADHS, no B-12- 4:05 (8:10 pace) MINUS 60
4 ADHS, B-12+moly- 3:42 (7:24 pace) MINUS 46
5th ADHS- 4:11 (8:22 pace) PLUS 58
Tacked on another junk mile as a cool down.
Distance=3.0
Reaction:
Without Betaine, it's either B-12+moly and low dose ADHS or mega ADHS and no B-12. B-12 and moly must be taken together or not at all. Both or neither. I'm leaning towards going with the B-12 and hoping that the dose is flexible. I have a feeling that if I don't take the B-12, my need for ADHS will be insatiable.
8/2- Next round of experiments. Same workout as yesterday. This time, I took mega doses of B-12 with the normal amount of everything else. How would I respond to ADHS?
0 pills- 4:51 (9:42 pace)
1 pill- 3:57 (7:54 pace) MINUS 1:48
2 pills- 3:23 (6:46 pace) MINUS 68
3 pills- 2:51 (5:42 pace) MINUS 64
4 pills- 3:24 (6:48 pace) PLUS 66 (took plenty of rest in between)
I shut it down here but I knew that if I took a 5th pill, I would have struggled for a sub-8 pace and likely would have been over 9 on 6 pills. Again, I was honestly trying on each interval.
Distance=2.5
Reaction:
In a healthy person, there is NO WAY that a single dose should make this much difference. It's either another enzyme defect that I don't know about or an ingredient that I can only tolerate in limited doses (probably Lithium). Without B-12, 4 ADHS pills are NOT NEARLY ENOUGH as I learned yesterday so I'm not even going to try going without. It's possible that I can tolerate 6 if I divide the doses. The good news is that the B-12 dose is flexible. My only concern if I take too much is an unplanned bathroom stop.
8/3-AM- Another failed group run. Got dropped 1.75 miles in and jogged it home. Cut off the watch at 3 miles in 26:55 (8:58 pace) then treated the last half mile like a cool down. I never would have thought a Green Supplement drink mix would cause a problem but that's what happened. This is STRONG evidence that the issues with ADHS are not Lithium related but rather due to a defective enzyme. My only remaining thought on this is to be more aggressive with the probiotics.
PM- Got marginal improvement as expected. Gold's 3 in 25:57 (8:39 pace). MINUS 19. Some clearance since the morning. Able to pick it up a tad at the end.
Distance=6.5
8/4- 5 miles in 38:55 (7:47 pace). Much better than yesterday but still well off form. Took off at a smooth 7:30 pace but gradually faded after that. Last 2 miles were around 8:00 but did manage to rally at the end. Felt somewhat over-stimulated today as if I needed MORE ADHS. Got home and seemed to improve with extra pills though I did not do a test run.
Distance=5.0
Reaction:
I took a double dose of probiotics. This could be EXCELLENT NEWS. If the probiotics are indeed the key to tolerance of more ADHS, I MIGHT have a path to balance. Again, the need for more ADHS could be only a temporary reaction. We will see.
8/5- Essentially a rest/recovery day. The probiotics will NOT allow for an increased tolerance to ADHS. I've got to go with 3 pills and that's that. Did 1 junk mile at Spain Park
Distance=1.0
8/6- AM- Another failure! 4 miles in 34:34 (8:38 pace). Ran with the BTC and it went well up through about 3.3 miles then suddenly died. One minute, I was cruising along at 8 minute pace and feeling fairly comfortable. The next minute, I could not do 10 minute pace. The collapse was that sudden. Fortunately, it was a looped route so I wasn't far from the base when I collapsed. I jogged until Mile 4 then did a half mile walk of shame.
PM- Tried some active B-6 (P-5-P) in hopes of correcting defective enzymes. Despite some questionable ingredients, it seemed to be effective. 1 Mile at Gold's in over 9:30 without it but improved to 7:22 with it. Not good by any stretch but I'll take it.
Distance=6.0
8/7- Split decision. I was horrible from my first stride today and I knew it before I started. The good news is that I was no worse after extra ADHS. In fact, I was actually slightly faster on the upside on Wisteria after 2 more pills. Extra P-5-P made it WORSE.
Distance=1.0
Reaction:
Just like the Ultimate B, the P-5-P will relieve the sensitivity but contains other ingredients that I cannot tolerate. Fortunately, Yasko sells plain P-5-P without the questionable ingredients. I've ordered it along with the iron panel blood test recommended by Morley Robbins.
25 miles on the week.
If I'm not better by Labor Day, I've got to bite the bullet and see the Functional MD and pay $450 for a first visit. They're called Sanctuary Medical and located just south of Nashville.
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