12/26- Least favorite workout but I learned a lot. Trial and error intervals. 6 laps at Gold's (2/3 mile) on various pills. Began with my current formula. I did take a little more B-12 which may or may not be a good thing. I opened with an even 5:00 (7:30 pace) with splits of 2:29-2:31 though the back half caused increasing strain. I figure a 3 miler would have been comfortably under the Mendoza line but likely not much better than 23:00, which is not acceptable.
On Chromium- Improved to 4:53 (7:20 pace) but my splits were 2:23-2:30. After a faster start, I was no better over the last 4 laps and really did not feel much different. VERDICT: Not a significant change and likely a non-factor overall. I'll take it occasionally and finish the bottle but I'll be done with it after that.
On Taurine- Improved to 4:43 (7:04 pace) with splits of 2:19-2:24. This IS a significant improvement. Taurine is a sulfur containing amino acid that has at times been a life saver and at other times, an utter failure. Not very long ago, I would have had an immediate negative response to just a half a pill. Long-term high level use is dangerous because of the CBS mutation but it could be a winner in the short-term. I'll opt for occasional use after several consecutive days on it.
On Cal/Mag- Felt like the clouds rolled in and my energy was knocked down several notches despite the fact that I took less than half a pill (50 mg each). Cut it off after just 3 laps in 2:39 (7:57 pace) and fading so it likely would have been around 5:30 (8:15 pace) for 6 laps. Again, this was ALL DUE TO A HALF A PILL!! I thought that perhaps citrate was the problem but no, ALL CALCIUM NEEDS TO GO! Morley will be pleased. Tacked on 6 laps as a cool down to claim 3 miles.
Distance=3.0
-10 miles shy of 1300. Maybe it will take 3 more sessions but I'll make it.
12/27- Went with NO pills today just to see what would happen.
NO adrenal support, NO methylation support, NO Zinc/Copper.
Felt about the same as usual (sluggish with low mood but no debilitating fatigue and depression) and performed accordingly. It was the same 4 mile workout that I did 5 days earlier at Spain Park. Finished this one in 30:57 (7:44 pace). Splits were almost exactly the same and if I had tempo-ed the last mile instead of delaying my kick until the last lap, I could have repeated the 30:40 give or take about 5 seconds.
Ordered the Zinc and Copper RBC tests but the turnaround time is 4-7 business days so that means that I won't know before the end of the year. Oh well. I want to see a significant deficiency in at least one of them and/or an unbalanced ratio. I also hope to see a decrease in my Ferritin level, hopefully at least down to 160ish. If I see that, I will remain on my current track.
Distance=4.0
Reaction:
This was a surprise. On one hand, I am very pleased to see that I can get by without pills for at least a day or two. Not very long ago, I could not break 9:00 for 1 Mile without pills. On the other hand, I want the pills that I do take to be effective.
12/28- Another interesting day. Woke up feeling a little rough then got MUCH WORSE IMMEDIATELY after taking sulfur containing pills but JUST AS QUICKLY got better after taking the Zinc/Copper. Felt decent for most of the day but being off the adrenal support and methylation support seemed to catch up with me by late afternoon.
Did 3 miles at Gold's in 23:39 (7:53 pace). I beat the Mendoza line but really struggled in the back half and had nothing left in the tank at the end. Splits were 11:22-12:17. I seemed to improve a bit afterward with methylation support but it wasn't a huge difference. Tacked on another half mile cool and 1 more session will take me over 1300.
Distance=3.5
Reaction:
This is good news all around. Without the pills, I can get by for a day or two but the pills are still necessary and effective. It's a good bet that the zinc deficiency was the cause of the issues with sulfur and I really believe the test will show something wrong. The B-12 may be reduced or eliminated temporarily in the future. The Thym-Adren is the more effective adrenal treatment but it can't be taken with B-12. On the other hand, B-12 may play a key role in producing bio-available iron.
12/29- 3 miles in 23:24 (7:48 pace). Felt sluggish today but it would have been much worse if not for the adrenal support. I am going to reduce if not eliminate the B-12 as I believe it is indirectly lowering my zinc levels. This was better than yesterday because the pace was more even (11:38-11:46) and tacked on another half mile cool. This takes me over 1300 miles on the year with 2 days to spare. I've averaged 25 MPW in 2016. After I cut the B-12, we shall see if I do better on Thym-Adren or ADHS.
Distance=3.5
12/30- Reduced the B-12 by half and improved to 21:31 for 3 miles (7:10 pace) this time at Spain Park. Started and finished well but struggled a bit in the midsection. MINUS 38 over yesterday. I'm going to see what happens if I go off the B-12 completely but I may need it at least as part of a methylation combo. I may need to go back on Cal when off the B-12 so the maze continues. Still, I believe I am very close to a resolution one way or the other.
Distance=3.0
12/31- This ends only the 2nd year since 1994 that I failed to break 6 minutes for 1 mile during the calendar year. I tried today without B-12 and it was not to be. Came through 3 laps at Gold's in 2:08 (6:24 pace) then popped a Cal and was awful from there. Just slow jogged the last 6 laps. I'll confirm tomorrow but I believe that low dose B-12 is needed, which means both Cal and Thym-Adren are both going to be a NO.
Distance=1.0
-18 miles on the week.
-1305 on the year.
Monday, December 26, 2016
Monday, December 19, 2016
Test Results and Future Plan for Zinc/Copper
Liver Enzymes- 4 were tested in addition to protein. All were normal. The only one that was close to the edge was ALT. The range was 10-44 and my score was 40. I thought ALP would be elevated but it was solidly normal. Certainly no smoking gun there. There was an explanation as well. Word is that exercise can raise this ALT enzyme and I did run 12 hours earlier. GB-3 will not hurt me but it's not a game changer. I'll finish the bottle but will not re-order.
Vitamin C- Was NOT tested. It would have cost me $229 and I already know that I cannot tolerate it. Not worth the cost because even if I was low, I've got to go another direction, which is to reduce the Iron.
Vitamin D (OH.25)- This is the storage test. The range was 20-100 and my score was 34.7. That seems to be a little on the low side and most MDs prefer it to be at 40. However, according to Morley's MAG group, there is no additional benefit once it goes over 21. I'd say my score is fine.
Vitamin D (OH 1,25)- This is the Active D test. I tested at 55.5, which was right in the middle of the range. Supposedly, active D should be 1.5-2 times higher than storage and that's right where I am. No problem with either D test and no smoking gun there either. The plan to raise these numbers would be Cod Liver Oil but I'm going to pass on that. Unnecessary.
Ferritin- Ticked up from 171 to 194. The optimal target is 50 but I'll settle for under 100. This is NOT good news. What caused that to happen? I believe Vitamin C may have been the culprit. No radical solution yet. Staying off the C may help. Zinc may help as well. Those are the 2 conservative options. The radical choices are the liver flush and blood donation. Let's hope it does not come to that. Again, it's still well within the lab's normal range so I doubt that it is the smoking gun either.
Plan:
I credit my recent improvement to a product called Zinc balance by Jarrow. It contains 15 mg Zinc as methionine and 1 mg of Copper. Zinc and copper are direct antagonists of each other. Zinc alone will deplete copper and copper alone as well as anything that raises copper will deplete zinc. A 15:1 ratio COULD keep both in balance.
My past Treatments:
As my ceruloplasmin (bioavailable copper) level improved, I have felt WORSE. I am beginning to believe that although the treatments were necessary, they may have severely depleted my zinc levels.
Both Liver Beef and Whole Food C are INSTANT FAILURES at the moment. Guess what? Both raise copper and thus lower zinc. Although my plasma zinc has consistently tested well, it's not always a reliable test. Just like Magnesium, it needs to be tested at the cellular level with an RBC test. I'll also test copper.
At one point, I needed to take an exact 20:1 ratio of zinc and copper or ELSE but that is no longer an issue thanks to improved methylation. If I took all zinc, it would likely be a quick fix but would not last long. My copper is probably still a bit on the low side. It is better for BOTH to be a bit low than have 1 normal and 1 deficient. Think height/weight.
I had brief success with FOS and IP-6 but both turned disastrous after a few weeks. I know now that both deplete zinc. Signs certainly point in the direction of a zinc deficiency especially with the recent improvements since starting the zinc balance.
Next tests:
-Repeat Ferritin
-Zinc RBC
-Copper RBC
I've said this many times but now I believe that I will get some type of resolution one way or the other within the next few months.
Vitamin C- Was NOT tested. It would have cost me $229 and I already know that I cannot tolerate it. Not worth the cost because even if I was low, I've got to go another direction, which is to reduce the Iron.
Vitamin D (OH.25)- This is the storage test. The range was 20-100 and my score was 34.7. That seems to be a little on the low side and most MDs prefer it to be at 40. However, according to Morley's MAG group, there is no additional benefit once it goes over 21. I'd say my score is fine.
Vitamin D (OH 1,25)- This is the Active D test. I tested at 55.5, which was right in the middle of the range. Supposedly, active D should be 1.5-2 times higher than storage and that's right where I am. No problem with either D test and no smoking gun there either. The plan to raise these numbers would be Cod Liver Oil but I'm going to pass on that. Unnecessary.
Ferritin- Ticked up from 171 to 194. The optimal target is 50 but I'll settle for under 100. This is NOT good news. What caused that to happen? I believe Vitamin C may have been the culprit. No radical solution yet. Staying off the C may help. Zinc may help as well. Those are the 2 conservative options. The radical choices are the liver flush and blood donation. Let's hope it does not come to that. Again, it's still well within the lab's normal range so I doubt that it is the smoking gun either.
Plan:
I credit my recent improvement to a product called Zinc balance by Jarrow. It contains 15 mg Zinc as methionine and 1 mg of Copper. Zinc and copper are direct antagonists of each other. Zinc alone will deplete copper and copper alone as well as anything that raises copper will deplete zinc. A 15:1 ratio COULD keep both in balance.
My past Treatments:
As my ceruloplasmin (bioavailable copper) level improved, I have felt WORSE. I am beginning to believe that although the treatments were necessary, they may have severely depleted my zinc levels.
Both Liver Beef and Whole Food C are INSTANT FAILURES at the moment. Guess what? Both raise copper and thus lower zinc. Although my plasma zinc has consistently tested well, it's not always a reliable test. Just like Magnesium, it needs to be tested at the cellular level with an RBC test. I'll also test copper.
At one point, I needed to take an exact 20:1 ratio of zinc and copper or ELSE but that is no longer an issue thanks to improved methylation. If I took all zinc, it would likely be a quick fix but would not last long. My copper is probably still a bit on the low side. It is better for BOTH to be a bit low than have 1 normal and 1 deficient. Think height/weight.
I had brief success with FOS and IP-6 but both turned disastrous after a few weeks. I know now that both deplete zinc. Signs certainly point in the direction of a zinc deficiency especially with the recent improvements since starting the zinc balance.
Next tests:
-Repeat Ferritin
-Zinc RBC
-Copper RBC
I've said this many times but now I believe that I will get some type of resolution one way or the other within the next few months.
Training 12/19-12/25
12/19- 5 miles in 37:25 (7:29 pace). That's an impressive 17 seconds/mile faster than I was just 3 days ago over the same distance. Obviously, that rate of improvement is not sustainable over the long haul. Still, if I can simply cut off an average of 1 second per mile per day, I'll be under 35 in just under a month. Even pace that hovered just over 7:30 most of the way then rallied from 7 seconds down with 1 mile to go with a 7:18 kick.
Distance=5.0
12/20- Easy 6 in 46:49 (7:48 pace). Dialed down the effort a notch and felt comfortable all the way. Even pace with a 1st half in 23:22, 2nd half in 23:27. Only 4 days ago, a tempo effort yielded 5@7:46. Today, I did essentially the same pace over an extra mile with much less effort. Good job.
Distance=6.0
12/21- Tried Zinc alone in addition to the combo and it was not the answer. Managed to salvage a workout in spite of it. Finished with 4 miles in a time of 31:56 (7:59 pace) and needed a small rally at the end to finish under 8 minute pace overall. Started off pretty well but it was quickly apparent that this was not working. Zinc balance at 15:1 is my only option,
Distance=4.0
12/22- AM- Excess zinc has yet to clear. Did 2 miles just to pad my total. Finished in 15:08 (7:34 pace) and felt marginally better than last night. I'll be back out this evening. I'm closing in on 1300 miles on the year (25 MPW average) and barring sickness or injury, I will make it.
PM- 4 miles at Spain Park track on a pleasant evening. Finished in 30:40 (7:40 pace). Not a bad workout but I feel like I've plateaued in recent days. Came through 3 feeling comfortable then tempo-ed it in Mile 4 with a 7:23 and dipped under 7 in the last lap.
Distance=6.0
Update: I saw a post on CureZone in which a patient had a Ferritin level over 1600. Mine was 194. While I don't doubt that I will be better off when that number is lower, it seems unlikely that it is the smoking gun. I'm at 1284 miles on the year and even without a workout over Christmas weekend, I should finish over 1300.
12/23- Planned rest day. Travel.
12/24- 3 miles on Peter's Trail in a time of 23:51 (7:57 pace). Dreary day and my heart wasn't really into it but I'm concerned now. This is not a collapse but I have taken a step backward since the beginning of the week. Splits were 7:35-7:57-8:19 so I was under the Mendoza line all the way but didn't have much more left at the end. I could not have finished a half without walking. I was a bit more sluggish after taking Cal yesterday so that could be it. I may also try low dose taurine or chromium. I'll test again next week and want to know my Zinc status before the end of the year.
Distance=3.0
12/25- Christmas Day. Planned rest. The Calcium needs to be cut out. Is it just Cal citrate that is bad or is it all Cal? I'll find out tomorrow. Chromium and taurine will also be tried.
Weekly total- 24 miles. YTD: 1,287. 3 sessions to 1300.
Distance=5.0
12/20- Easy 6 in 46:49 (7:48 pace). Dialed down the effort a notch and felt comfortable all the way. Even pace with a 1st half in 23:22, 2nd half in 23:27. Only 4 days ago, a tempo effort yielded 5@7:46. Today, I did essentially the same pace over an extra mile with much less effort. Good job.
Distance=6.0
12/21- Tried Zinc alone in addition to the combo and it was not the answer. Managed to salvage a workout in spite of it. Finished with 4 miles in a time of 31:56 (7:59 pace) and needed a small rally at the end to finish under 8 minute pace overall. Started off pretty well but it was quickly apparent that this was not working. Zinc balance at 15:1 is my only option,
Distance=4.0
12/22- AM- Excess zinc has yet to clear. Did 2 miles just to pad my total. Finished in 15:08 (7:34 pace) and felt marginally better than last night. I'll be back out this evening. I'm closing in on 1300 miles on the year (25 MPW average) and barring sickness or injury, I will make it.
PM- 4 miles at Spain Park track on a pleasant evening. Finished in 30:40 (7:40 pace). Not a bad workout but I feel like I've plateaued in recent days. Came through 3 feeling comfortable then tempo-ed it in Mile 4 with a 7:23 and dipped under 7 in the last lap.
Distance=6.0
Update: I saw a post on CureZone in which a patient had a Ferritin level over 1600. Mine was 194. While I don't doubt that I will be better off when that number is lower, it seems unlikely that it is the smoking gun. I'm at 1284 miles on the year and even without a workout over Christmas weekend, I should finish over 1300.
12/23- Planned rest day. Travel.
12/24- 3 miles on Peter's Trail in a time of 23:51 (7:57 pace). Dreary day and my heart wasn't really into it but I'm concerned now. This is not a collapse but I have taken a step backward since the beginning of the week. Splits were 7:35-7:57-8:19 so I was under the Mendoza line all the way but didn't have much more left at the end. I could not have finished a half without walking. I was a bit more sluggish after taking Cal yesterday so that could be it. I may also try low dose taurine or chromium. I'll test again next week and want to know my Zinc status before the end of the year.
Distance=3.0
12/25- Christmas Day. Planned rest. The Calcium needs to be cut out. Is it just Cal citrate that is bad or is it all Cal? I'll find out tomorrow. Chromium and taurine will also be tried.
Weekly total- 24 miles. YTD: 1,287. 3 sessions to 1300.
Monday, December 12, 2016
NYC Trip Plan
The race is on a Sunday (3/19). I am going regardless of my running status. If I have to walk part or even most of it, so what? The course begins on the upper East side and makes a loop around Central Park before turning south through Times Square for a finish near Wall Street downtown. I spent a night in Queens once because a flight home was cancelled but have never been to any other boroughs. Manhattan in particular ought to be on any American's bucket list.
Here is the plan:
I'll get in on a Friday morning around 10 AM. It's a direct flight into LaGuardia (Queens). It's only about 10 miles into Manhattan but figure with the traffic, it will take almost an hour to get to my hotel. Word on the street is that if you're thinking about renting a car and driving in NYC: DON'T! I'll take a cab into town and I've heard you can buy a weekly pass for unlimited subway rides too. If my destination is less than say 20-25 blocks away, I'll walk. Hopefully, the weather will be decent though it can be a crap shoot that time of year. Normal high is in the low 50s and snow is rare but not unheard of in mid-late March.
Here's a list of some of things that I would like to see:
-Rockefeller Center
-Freedom Tower (new WTC)
-Empire State Building
-Trump Tower
-9/11 memorial
-Wall Street/ NYSE
-Brooklyn Bridge into downtown Brooklyn
-Times Square
-5th, 7th and Madison Ave. shops
-Broadway area
-Yankee Stadium tours (Bronx)
-Grand Central Station
-Riverside Dr.
-Battery Park
-Central Park
Food:
-One of the famous delis
- A Pizza joint
-Seinfeld cafe (yes, it's a real restaurant)
-Rooftop bar
-Overpriced steak.
I'd say that's plenty to do. The plan is to stay an extra day and get back to B'ham on Monday the 20th.
Training 12/12-12/18
12/12- 2 miles in 17:42 (8:51 pace). Splits were 8:15-9:27. Odds are the Vitamin C in any form (currently on Whole Food) needs to be cut out completely. I am committed to staying with it for the rest of the week. GB-3 did help but it wasn't a game changer. If nothing changes, I will quit the C even if my blood test shows that I am still deficient.
Distance=2.0
12/13- Another forced rest day. If I'm not better tomorrow, the Whole Food C will be eliminated altogether. The testing will be done on Thursday.
12/14- 1 Mile in 9:54. That does it. No more Whole Food C. I just remembered early last year that I had to take zinc with Whole Food C. It had to be both or neither and I went with neither. It could happen again. I'm curious about my Zinc RBC status but I'll hold off on that test until I am off the C for a while.
Distance=1.0
12/15- Did my blood tests this morning but I'll probably have to wait until Monday for the results this time. First day off Vitamin C. 3 miles in 26:28 (8:49 pace) with relatively even splits. 3 times the distance at a pace 65 seconds faster than yesterday. I'll take it. Picked up some Zinc/copper at Whole Foods and though it wasn't night and day, I did feel a positive difference. More on the reasons for taking it will be posted later.
Distance=3.0
12/16- Added 2 miles to the distance and was once again over 60 seconds faster per mile. Finished the day at 5 miles in 38:50 (7:46 pace). Struggled a bit on the back half (19:15-19:35) but kept the pace under 8 all the way. The zinc/copper could be a winner.
Distance=5.0
12/17- Stuck with the same formula as yesterday. Came through 4 miles in 30:48 (7:42 pace) and felt pretty much the same as yesterday. Again, I slipped a bit in the back half (15:14-15:34). I probably could have coaxed a sub-8 5th mile to beat yesterday's time but it would only be by a few seconds. What I was most curious about was how I would respond to an extra zinc/copper pill. Would I see a resurgence? The answer was yes but only slightly. Did the next 2 miles in 15-flat (7:30 pace) with a good finish in which I briefly dipped under 7:00 pace. No lab test results but I didn't expect it until Monday. More good news is that the Curcumin (sulfur) is tolerated once again.
Distance=6.0
Reaction:
-With no Zinc and with Vitamin C in a form including a glass of OJ, I'll struggle to break 10 for 1 mile.
-With no Zinc but no Vitamin C, I'll manage 3 miles at 8:45-9:00 pace.
-On all Zinc and no C, I'll have a good few days but it's not the answer long term
-A zinc/copper combo is my only chance at long-term stability.
12/18- Tempo. 3 miles at Gold's on a nasty day outside. I hoped to break 22 and finished in 21:43 (7:14 pace). with splits of 7:06-7:21-7:16. Maybe a little better than yesterday but not a night and day difference. That's okay. What should happen when I'm on the right path is steady gradual improvement that becomes evident over a few weeks.
Distance=3.0
-20 miles on the week.
Distance=2.0
12/13- Another forced rest day. If I'm not better tomorrow, the Whole Food C will be eliminated altogether. The testing will be done on Thursday.
12/14- 1 Mile in 9:54. That does it. No more Whole Food C. I just remembered early last year that I had to take zinc with Whole Food C. It had to be both or neither and I went with neither. It could happen again. I'm curious about my Zinc RBC status but I'll hold off on that test until I am off the C for a while.
Distance=1.0
12/15- Did my blood tests this morning but I'll probably have to wait until Monday for the results this time. First day off Vitamin C. 3 miles in 26:28 (8:49 pace) with relatively even splits. 3 times the distance at a pace 65 seconds faster than yesterday. I'll take it. Picked up some Zinc/copper at Whole Foods and though it wasn't night and day, I did feel a positive difference. More on the reasons for taking it will be posted later.
Distance=3.0
12/16- Added 2 miles to the distance and was once again over 60 seconds faster per mile. Finished the day at 5 miles in 38:50 (7:46 pace). Struggled a bit on the back half (19:15-19:35) but kept the pace under 8 all the way. The zinc/copper could be a winner.
Distance=5.0
12/17- Stuck with the same formula as yesterday. Came through 4 miles in 30:48 (7:42 pace) and felt pretty much the same as yesterday. Again, I slipped a bit in the back half (15:14-15:34). I probably could have coaxed a sub-8 5th mile to beat yesterday's time but it would only be by a few seconds. What I was most curious about was how I would respond to an extra zinc/copper pill. Would I see a resurgence? The answer was yes but only slightly. Did the next 2 miles in 15-flat (7:30 pace) with a good finish in which I briefly dipped under 7:00 pace. No lab test results but I didn't expect it until Monday. More good news is that the Curcumin (sulfur) is tolerated once again.
Distance=6.0
Reaction:
-With no Zinc and with Vitamin C in a form including a glass of OJ, I'll struggle to break 10 for 1 mile.
-With no Zinc but no Vitamin C, I'll manage 3 miles at 8:45-9:00 pace.
-On all Zinc and no C, I'll have a good few days but it's not the answer long term
-A zinc/copper combo is my only chance at long-term stability.
12/18- Tempo. 3 miles at Gold's on a nasty day outside. I hoped to break 22 and finished in 21:43 (7:14 pace). with splits of 7:06-7:21-7:16. Maybe a little better than yesterday but not a night and day difference. That's okay. What should happen when I'm on the right path is steady gradual improvement that becomes evident over a few weeks.
Distance=3.0
-20 miles on the week.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Median Finish Times By Age Group
The following are roughly the peak ages for various distances:
Sprinter- Age 26
Miler- Age 29
Marathoner- Age 32
Ultra/Ironman-Age 35
Obviously, there are some exceptions to the rule. Carl Lewis ran his 100 meter PR, which was a world record at the time, at the age of 30. He was still a world class sprinter ranked in the top 10 in the world up through age 35. Meb Keflezghi set his marathon PR with a victory at Boston just a few days shy of his 39th birthday. Even at 41, he was still good enough to make the U.S. Olympic team. Bernard Lagat nearly won an Olympic medal at the same age in the 5000 meters.
Realistically, the 19:09 5K that I ran 10 days shy of 34, was probably my last personal record but I've met some people who honestly think that my age is the reason that my performances have fallen off a cliff in the last 2 years. Some might blame past over-training. I do not. Even at my peak, I never averaged more than 42 miles per week over the course of an entire year. Yes, I did over-reach at times by forcing too many quality sessions in a single week but I almost always took a rest day when I needed it and took cut back weeks periodically when I had a race coming up soon. If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would have done differently was race more frequently when I knew that I was hot. I believe I had a sub-19 5K in me on a few occasions as well as a sub-5:15 Mile. I never broke 40 for 10 K in a race setting but the time trial counted the same to me. I did get the one that I wanted most, which was the sub-90 half marathon.
Now to address the main point of this post:
I did some research on the median finish times in every age group at the last 2 Mercedes half marathons among the men. I found some intriguing results that are likely to surprise my readers. Teenagers were the fastest age group followed by the 20-24 division but they also had relatively few finishers. Starting at the 25-29 age group (when I debuted), things got interesting. Listed below are the median finish times and number of finishers from the M25-29 through M50-54 averaged between 2015 and 2016 to guard against any anomalies:
25-29- 2:05:12 (145)-9:33 pace
30-34- 2:03:59 (176)-9:27 pace
35-39- 2:01:41 (215)-9:17 pace
40-44- 2:05:30 (214)-9:34 pace
45-49- 2:07:39 (187)-9:44 pace
50-54- 2:10:33 (170)-9:57 pace
If I were to guess the training of mid-pack finishers, I would say it's only "semi-serious" with an average weekly volume around 20 miles with ups and downs throughout the year and a build up which includes several double digit runs as race day approaches. Of course, there are exceptions based on the amount of natural talent.
In both 2015 and 2016, the 35-39 division was the fastest among the age groups listed so it's unlikely to be an anomaly. Why is that? I'd chalk it up to more experience racing the distance. In my first 2 half marathons, I really didn't know what I was doing. In my first, I went out too fast and had to walk-jog the last 5K. My second time, I did the opposite and finished strong but left time on the course. Also, runners in their late 30s are probably a bit more serious about training and less likely to jump in unprepared. In terms of raw physical ability, I'd say those in their late 20s do have an edge over the late 30s but not a significant one.
As for the age-related decline, a 40 second drop off in pace between the 35-39 and the 50-54 seems like a lot but if you average it out over 15 years, it amounts to an average annual decline of 2.66 seconds per mile, which should not even be noticeable from one year to the next. Expressed another way, it's just under one half of one percent per year. Being 35 or even 45 or 50 is NOT a death sentence. There is most definitely something physically wrong with you if you fall off a cliff at that age. I will not quit until I find the smoking gun.
As for the participation rates, it seems like that tends to rise from age 25 before a peak around age 40. Similar to the performance, the rate of decline is slow up through the early 50s. Things got interesting in the 55-59 age group. While the median finish time did not decline significantly, the number of finishers fell by nearly 40%. I would guess the reason for that is top performers are more likely to stay with the sport than those in the back of the pack. Starting with the 60-64 division, the attrition rate is about 50% for each subsequent division and performances decline sharply among those who stay involved. Male finishers over age 75 and females over 70 are very rare.
Sprinter- Age 26
Miler- Age 29
Marathoner- Age 32
Ultra/Ironman-Age 35
Obviously, there are some exceptions to the rule. Carl Lewis ran his 100 meter PR, which was a world record at the time, at the age of 30. He was still a world class sprinter ranked in the top 10 in the world up through age 35. Meb Keflezghi set his marathon PR with a victory at Boston just a few days shy of his 39th birthday. Even at 41, he was still good enough to make the U.S. Olympic team. Bernard Lagat nearly won an Olympic medal at the same age in the 5000 meters.
Realistically, the 19:09 5K that I ran 10 days shy of 34, was probably my last personal record but I've met some people who honestly think that my age is the reason that my performances have fallen off a cliff in the last 2 years. Some might blame past over-training. I do not. Even at my peak, I never averaged more than 42 miles per week over the course of an entire year. Yes, I did over-reach at times by forcing too many quality sessions in a single week but I almost always took a rest day when I needed it and took cut back weeks periodically when I had a race coming up soon. If I had it to do over again, the only thing I would have done differently was race more frequently when I knew that I was hot. I believe I had a sub-19 5K in me on a few occasions as well as a sub-5:15 Mile. I never broke 40 for 10 K in a race setting but the time trial counted the same to me. I did get the one that I wanted most, which was the sub-90 half marathon.
Now to address the main point of this post:
I did some research on the median finish times in every age group at the last 2 Mercedes half marathons among the men. I found some intriguing results that are likely to surprise my readers. Teenagers were the fastest age group followed by the 20-24 division but they also had relatively few finishers. Starting at the 25-29 age group (when I debuted), things got interesting. Listed below are the median finish times and number of finishers from the M25-29 through M50-54 averaged between 2015 and 2016 to guard against any anomalies:
25-29- 2:05:12 (145)-9:33 pace
30-34- 2:03:59 (176)-9:27 pace
35-39- 2:01:41 (215)-9:17 pace
40-44- 2:05:30 (214)-9:34 pace
45-49- 2:07:39 (187)-9:44 pace
50-54- 2:10:33 (170)-9:57 pace
If I were to guess the training of mid-pack finishers, I would say it's only "semi-serious" with an average weekly volume around 20 miles with ups and downs throughout the year and a build up which includes several double digit runs as race day approaches. Of course, there are exceptions based on the amount of natural talent.
In both 2015 and 2016, the 35-39 division was the fastest among the age groups listed so it's unlikely to be an anomaly. Why is that? I'd chalk it up to more experience racing the distance. In my first 2 half marathons, I really didn't know what I was doing. In my first, I went out too fast and had to walk-jog the last 5K. My second time, I did the opposite and finished strong but left time on the course. Also, runners in their late 30s are probably a bit more serious about training and less likely to jump in unprepared. In terms of raw physical ability, I'd say those in their late 20s do have an edge over the late 30s but not a significant one.
As for the age-related decline, a 40 second drop off in pace between the 35-39 and the 50-54 seems like a lot but if you average it out over 15 years, it amounts to an average annual decline of 2.66 seconds per mile, which should not even be noticeable from one year to the next. Expressed another way, it's just under one half of one percent per year. Being 35 or even 45 or 50 is NOT a death sentence. There is most definitely something physically wrong with you if you fall off a cliff at that age. I will not quit until I find the smoking gun.
As for the participation rates, it seems like that tends to rise from age 25 before a peak around age 40. Similar to the performance, the rate of decline is slow up through the early 50s. Things got interesting in the 55-59 age group. While the median finish time did not decline significantly, the number of finishers fell by nearly 40%. I would guess the reason for that is top performers are more likely to stay with the sport than those in the back of the pack. Starting with the 60-64 division, the attrition rate is about 50% for each subsequent division and performances decline sharply among those who stay involved. Male finishers over age 75 and females over 70 are very rare.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Upcoming Tests, Predictions and Treatments
Next week, I will shell out some major cash in another effort to try to find the smoking gun:
-Vitamin D (2 tests). I predict there will NOT be a deficiency but there is a possibility of an issue with bio-availability. In any event, Vitamin-D in supplement form is a NO. Cod liver oil is my only chance here. I'll take a few teaspoons in liquid form.
-Vitamin C- I've been taking this stuff pretty steady in recent weeks so I think it's a good bet that it has at least edged into the normal range. If it remains low, do I take ascorbic acid or Whole Food C? Whole Food C is the recommendation but I'll go with the most effective option, which remains to be seen.
-Ferritin- I expect to see continued improvement here. The question is how far am I away from the optimal range? In theory, the Cal citrate should be helping and so should cutting out all lactoferrin. If I remain stubbornly high, my options are a liver flush first then blood donation.
-Hepatic Liver- This is a liver enzyme test. There is one in particular (ALP) that may very well be high. If that's so, a liver flush may help and GB-3 may help as well. I've already ordered the GB-3.
That's all for now. In the near future, I will be interested in Genova Comprehensive Profile, which is the only one that I know of that tests sulfates in writing. If it is indeed high, it's probably a wasting issue rather than an excess. I'll have to investigate what to do about it. The only things suggested were a zinc deficiency, which seems unlikely and a Vitamin D issue. I'll know more about that after this test and the treatment will be Cod Liver Oil, not D-3.
Liver flush- We'll see what the ferritin says. If it's high, the theory is that the ferritin will be dumped out and fall significantly but the Iron and Copper will likely rise. Fortunately, I know what to do about that. It may impact my Vitamin C tolerance at least temporarily. I hope I don't have to do it but if all else fails, it's viable. The first 2 detoxes were very effective. The last few were not but that was 2 years ago. I could be due for another one.
Still have options left but if everything comes back normal, my path to recovery will look bleak.
-Vitamin D (2 tests). I predict there will NOT be a deficiency but there is a possibility of an issue with bio-availability. In any event, Vitamin-D in supplement form is a NO. Cod liver oil is my only chance here. I'll take a few teaspoons in liquid form.
-Vitamin C- I've been taking this stuff pretty steady in recent weeks so I think it's a good bet that it has at least edged into the normal range. If it remains low, do I take ascorbic acid or Whole Food C? Whole Food C is the recommendation but I'll go with the most effective option, which remains to be seen.
-Ferritin- I expect to see continued improvement here. The question is how far am I away from the optimal range? In theory, the Cal citrate should be helping and so should cutting out all lactoferrin. If I remain stubbornly high, my options are a liver flush first then blood donation.
-Hepatic Liver- This is a liver enzyme test. There is one in particular (ALP) that may very well be high. If that's so, a liver flush may help and GB-3 may help as well. I've already ordered the GB-3.
That's all for now. In the near future, I will be interested in Genova Comprehensive Profile, which is the only one that I know of that tests sulfates in writing. If it is indeed high, it's probably a wasting issue rather than an excess. I'll have to investigate what to do about it. The only things suggested were a zinc deficiency, which seems unlikely and a Vitamin D issue. I'll know more about that after this test and the treatment will be Cod Liver Oil, not D-3.
Liver flush- We'll see what the ferritin says. If it's high, the theory is that the ferritin will be dumped out and fall significantly but the Iron and Copper will likely rise. Fortunately, I know what to do about that. It may impact my Vitamin C tolerance at least temporarily. I hope I don't have to do it but if all else fails, it's viable. The first 2 detoxes were very effective. The last few were not but that was 2 years ago. I could be due for another one.
Still have options left but if everything comes back normal, my path to recovery will look bleak.
Monday, December 5, 2016
Training 12/5-12/11
12/5- Went with all ascorbic acid today. Finished 4 miles at Gold's in 30:37 (7:39 pace). On 2 pills, I was doing an even 7:40 then finished with a 7:37 after popping a 3rd pill. That's not a significant difference so I'm going to stay with 2. It is possible but unlikely that I can handle B-vitamins again if I cut it back to 1. We'll see. Also, I tried Thym-Adren (adrenal suppressant) last night and my energy was definitely knocked down a notch but it wasn't an instant disaster. I'm curious about how I'd do on an adrenal stimulant. The modulator doesn't hurt me but it's ineffective.
-Next round of tests will be early next week.
Distance=4.0
12/6- Same workout as yesterday but this time, the wild card was the adrenal glandular. Came through 3 miles in 23:55 (7:58 pace). Very stiff and significantly worse than yesterday. Had to fight hard just to come in under the Mendoza line. Popped the adrenal glandular and was considerably WORSE. At least I know it's not the answer now. Slipped to the 9:00 range and could not even hold that. I cut off the watch after a half mile and treated the rest as a cool down. May need to cut out the ascorbic acid.
Distance=4.0
12/7- Unplanned rest day. Legs feel like steel beams. It's either the ascorbic acid or the caffeine or both. I can handle some caffeine occasionally but if I go 3-4 days on it, it's trouble.
12/8- Took just 1 ascorbic acid and immediately felt much worse. Most likely, that does it. I'm going with the Whole Food C at lowered doses. I'll try again on Sunday with just a trace. Massive headache after just 1 day off caffeine but stuck it out. 2 miles in 19:40 (9:50 pace). Should be better tomorrow. In other news, I got into the NYC half so I've got 3 months to get well.
Distance=2.0
12/9- AM- 2 miles back on Whole Food C just looking for modest improvement and got it with a time of 16:55 (8:28 pace). MINUS 82.
PM- Began feeling different by the afternoon and improved to 23:53 for 3 miles (7:58 pace). Again, I had to fight pretty hard just to get under the Mendoza line.
Distance=5.0
12/10- Another unplanned rest day. Curcumin was the culprit today. Did not even try.
PM- Decided to do a junk run on Wisteria just before sunset. 1 mile and it was ugly. No time.
Distance=1.0
12/11- It does not matter which form of C that I take or what dose. It cannot be taken with B-vitamins. Did not even try this morning. GB-3 did arrive yesterday afternoon so I took just a trace and felt a definite improvement. 2 miles on Wisteria in 15:50 (7:55 pace) with the upside in a respectable 7:44. I'm going with the C for the next 5 days then hopefully, I'll be done with it. The GB-3 will be added slowly.
Distance=2.0
-18 miles on the week.
-Next round of tests will be early next week.
Distance=4.0
12/6- Same workout as yesterday but this time, the wild card was the adrenal glandular. Came through 3 miles in 23:55 (7:58 pace). Very stiff and significantly worse than yesterday. Had to fight hard just to come in under the Mendoza line. Popped the adrenal glandular and was considerably WORSE. At least I know it's not the answer now. Slipped to the 9:00 range and could not even hold that. I cut off the watch after a half mile and treated the rest as a cool down. May need to cut out the ascorbic acid.
Distance=4.0
12/7- Unplanned rest day. Legs feel like steel beams. It's either the ascorbic acid or the caffeine or both. I can handle some caffeine occasionally but if I go 3-4 days on it, it's trouble.
12/8- Took just 1 ascorbic acid and immediately felt much worse. Most likely, that does it. I'm going with the Whole Food C at lowered doses. I'll try again on Sunday with just a trace. Massive headache after just 1 day off caffeine but stuck it out. 2 miles in 19:40 (9:50 pace). Should be better tomorrow. In other news, I got into the NYC half so I've got 3 months to get well.
Distance=2.0
12/9- AM- 2 miles back on Whole Food C just looking for modest improvement and got it with a time of 16:55 (8:28 pace). MINUS 82.
PM- Began feeling different by the afternoon and improved to 23:53 for 3 miles (7:58 pace). Again, I had to fight pretty hard just to get under the Mendoza line.
Distance=5.0
12/10- Another unplanned rest day. Curcumin was the culprit today. Did not even try.
PM- Decided to do a junk run on Wisteria just before sunset. 1 mile and it was ugly. No time.
Distance=1.0
12/11- It does not matter which form of C that I take or what dose. It cannot be taken with B-vitamins. Did not even try this morning. GB-3 did arrive yesterday afternoon so I took just a trace and felt a definite improvement. 2 miles on Wisteria in 15:50 (7:55 pace) with the upside in a respectable 7:44. I'm going with the C for the next 5 days then hopefully, I'll be done with it. The GB-3 will be added slowly.
Distance=2.0
-18 miles on the week.
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Rant: Race Relations Part 2
There are some on the Left who believe that whites are irredeemable because we have racism in our DNA. I vehemently reject that bigoted point of view. Nobody is born racist. You have to learn that nonsense down the road but you can unlearn it too. Nelson Mandela agreed with my views and said the following prior to his death in 2013: "No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
How does one learn racism?
IMHO, it is a two-fold cause. First, it can be taught by parents or peers. Second, it can be learned through negative experiences with a particular group. While we can debate whether or not "racist" is the appropriate term for those who posted such awful anti-white sentiments on the video that I shared in my last post, there can be no dispute that all races are capable of hate and bigotry towards others. Like I said, BOTH sides need to make changes.
Best ways to unlearn it?
While I believe that civil rights and racial equality certainly should be taught in school,by far the most important thing is positive experiences.
My background:
I grew up in a predominantly white middle class neighborhood but was raised by parents who believed strongly in racial equality and taught it to me from a young age. I did have a few childhood friends who were racist and it turned out that their parents were as well. Fortunately, I never bought into it. I also believe that if you had a close friend who is black (which I did), you are less likely to grow up to be racist.
A couple experiences:
One day I was walking down the street on my way to the convenience store and said "Good morning" to a black teenager. His response was "F--- you white bitch!" I was HURT. Let's say this sort of thing happened with regularity or I was a victim of the "Knockout Game" on multiple occasions. I'll admit that I could fall prey to hatred. Fortunately, I don't see that happening because the vast majority of blacks that I know are good people.
Another time, I exchanged smiles with an older black woman who worked in my building in Monty. That's common in the South and I usually don't give it much thought, This time the smiles got bigger and heartfelt as we got closer. As I walked by, she said "Come here," then gave me a hug. You can't help but like that type of person. Now let's say that I was raised by racist parents or had some negative experiences. It would be very hard to hold on to those views after meeting and getting to know someone like I just described.
Advice for Whites:
What I hear most on social media is to show more empathy and I agree with that assessment. Being pro-police and having compassion for the shooting victim's families are NOT mutually exclusive. You can say to simply comply with orders and you'll be okay and that's certainly true. However, after the fact when emotions run high, those words can be hurtful especially if a person lost a close friend or family member to violence, which is common in the inner-city. Regardless of a person's criminal history, it is tragic to see anyone killed at such a young age. I met a man who was once a drug dealer but experienced a conversion to Christianity and is now a pastor. Some people change. I would also encourage participation in outreach projects in the inner city. If there's anything I should add to this, let me know.
Advice for Blacks:
Here's where I could get in trouble. Again, I have compassion for victims of police brutality but IMHO the biggest problems are absentee fathers and gang bangers. You can say that police violence hurts more because they are paid to "serve and protect" and I understand your point. However, some in BLM feel that it's reached epidemic proportions and that's simply not true. The fact is that blacks are 90 times more likely to be killed by other blacks than police. Also, when you factor in encounters with law enforcement, there is no real evidence that blacks are targeted. Chants for dead cops, looting and throwing rocks at traffic are completely unacceptable regardless of difficult life experiences.
Across all races, you are 8-9 times more likely to drop out of school or end up in prison if you grow up without a father. The black illegitimacy rate is currently at 72%. If it would drop below 50%, crime will fall dramatically and educational achievement would also improve with more parental involvement and discipline. Profiling will also diminish with time. As an aside, white crime has ticked up in recent years as the illegitimacy rate has increased. There is a school of thought that negative behaviors such as bad language and horseplay during class instruction should be acceptable as "part of their culture." To me, this implies that we are to expect that certain people cannot behave in a respectful manner. This is a racist point of view. End the soft bigotry of low expectations. Do not tolerate negative behaviors in the name of cultural relativism. No ethnic group is inherently superior or inferior to another.
Advice for all:
Make an extra effort to be kinder than necessary to people who are different from you. Don't give anyone a reason to hate and seek to change the hearts and minds of those that have fallen prey to it. What makes me sad is that there is an element within BLM that seeks to re-segregate and there are calls for separate housing on college campuses. What would Martin Luther King say about that? He had a dream that we could all sit down together as sisters and brothers.
Across all races, if you do the following, your odds of success increase dramatically for both yourself and your children:
1. Stay in school
2. Secure stable employment
3. Don't have kids out of wedlock
4. Don't use drugs
Again, I welcome comments on this but keep it civil.
How does one learn racism?
IMHO, it is a two-fold cause. First, it can be taught by parents or peers. Second, it can be learned through negative experiences with a particular group. While we can debate whether or not "racist" is the appropriate term for those who posted such awful anti-white sentiments on the video that I shared in my last post, there can be no dispute that all races are capable of hate and bigotry towards others. Like I said, BOTH sides need to make changes.
Best ways to unlearn it?
While I believe that civil rights and racial equality certainly should be taught in school,by far the most important thing is positive experiences.
My background:
I grew up in a predominantly white middle class neighborhood but was raised by parents who believed strongly in racial equality and taught it to me from a young age. I did have a few childhood friends who were racist and it turned out that their parents were as well. Fortunately, I never bought into it. I also believe that if you had a close friend who is black (which I did), you are less likely to grow up to be racist.
A couple experiences:
One day I was walking down the street on my way to the convenience store and said "Good morning" to a black teenager. His response was "F--- you white bitch!" I was HURT. Let's say this sort of thing happened with regularity or I was a victim of the "Knockout Game" on multiple occasions. I'll admit that I could fall prey to hatred. Fortunately, I don't see that happening because the vast majority of blacks that I know are good people.
Another time, I exchanged smiles with an older black woman who worked in my building in Monty. That's common in the South and I usually don't give it much thought, This time the smiles got bigger and heartfelt as we got closer. As I walked by, she said "Come here," then gave me a hug. You can't help but like that type of person. Now let's say that I was raised by racist parents or had some negative experiences. It would be very hard to hold on to those views after meeting and getting to know someone like I just described.
Advice for Whites:
What I hear most on social media is to show more empathy and I agree with that assessment. Being pro-police and having compassion for the shooting victim's families are NOT mutually exclusive. You can say to simply comply with orders and you'll be okay and that's certainly true. However, after the fact when emotions run high, those words can be hurtful especially if a person lost a close friend or family member to violence, which is common in the inner-city. Regardless of a person's criminal history, it is tragic to see anyone killed at such a young age. I met a man who was once a drug dealer but experienced a conversion to Christianity and is now a pastor. Some people change. I would also encourage participation in outreach projects in the inner city. If there's anything I should add to this, let me know.
Advice for Blacks:
Here's where I could get in trouble. Again, I have compassion for victims of police brutality but IMHO the biggest problems are absentee fathers and gang bangers. You can say that police violence hurts more because they are paid to "serve and protect" and I understand your point. However, some in BLM feel that it's reached epidemic proportions and that's simply not true. The fact is that blacks are 90 times more likely to be killed by other blacks than police. Also, when you factor in encounters with law enforcement, there is no real evidence that blacks are targeted. Chants for dead cops, looting and throwing rocks at traffic are completely unacceptable regardless of difficult life experiences.
Across all races, you are 8-9 times more likely to drop out of school or end up in prison if you grow up without a father. The black illegitimacy rate is currently at 72%. If it would drop below 50%, crime will fall dramatically and educational achievement would also improve with more parental involvement and discipline. Profiling will also diminish with time. As an aside, white crime has ticked up in recent years as the illegitimacy rate has increased. There is a school of thought that negative behaviors such as bad language and horseplay during class instruction should be acceptable as "part of their culture." To me, this implies that we are to expect that certain people cannot behave in a respectful manner. This is a racist point of view. End the soft bigotry of low expectations. Do not tolerate negative behaviors in the name of cultural relativism. No ethnic group is inherently superior or inferior to another.
Advice for all:
Make an extra effort to be kinder than necessary to people who are different from you. Don't give anyone a reason to hate and seek to change the hearts and minds of those that have fallen prey to it. What makes me sad is that there is an element within BLM that seeks to re-segregate and there are calls for separate housing on college campuses. What would Martin Luther King say about that? He had a dream that we could all sit down together as sisters and brothers.
Across all races, if you do the following, your odds of success increase dramatically for both yourself and your children:
1. Stay in school
2. Secure stable employment
3. Don't have kids out of wedlock
4. Don't use drugs
Again, I welcome comments on this but keep it civil.
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