Training 12/26-12/31

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.