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.