4/24- Normally, the day after I hit rock bottom, I can manage 3@8:30ish. Not so today. I went out around that pace but could not hold it. Settled for a 27:45 (9:15 pace). MINUS 39. There is something deeper going on here beyond the B12 issues. NADH may help but it seems unlikely that the low dose B12 will nor will extra MF. I did my Ferritin re-test this morning and hopefully, it's the last one. I'll be satisfied with anything close to 100. I'm considering going back to Yasko's Methyl Mate if the Ferritin results are good. The molybdenum will prevent it from rising again. Without NADH, I can't expect to be much better until Wednesday evening.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance=3.0
4/25-Rest day. Feel just about as bad as ever so I didn't even try. Ferrittin is 186 so that's almost no difference from last time. Unless I can now tolerate IP6, my only chances to bring it down are a liver flush or blood donation.
Morley thinks methylation will take care of itself with Bee pollen. I find that hard to believe but I'll give it a shot. I know that Liver Beef is something that I REALLY can't take. One piece of good news is that it appears IP-6 is tolerated for the time being. That bodes well for the Ultimate B. It should arrive before lunch tomorrow.
4/26-AM- No workout. Bee pollen is a non-factor as predicted. Best news is I felt noticeable improvement within minutes of taking NADH. Jury is still out on the Ultimate B. I was visibly sick at work and my co-workers knew it.
PM- MUCH BETTER. 3 miles in 21:51 (7:17 pace). Even pace with a lot left at the end. At least so far, Ultimate B is tolerated. That is excellent news. That means PABA and B-2 are not needed as stand-alone supps. There is a chance that B-12 and NADH are not needed either. Ultimate B does contain both. I will see tomorrow with a trial and error workout.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=3.0
4/27-AM- 3x6 laps at Gold's:
Ultimate B with no extra B-12 or NADH- 4:30 (6:45 pace)
With NADH- 4:18 (6:27 pace) same effort
Added B-12- 4:34 (6:51 pace) with more effort
Reaction:
I will perform acceptably well without NADH but definitely got a boost with it. B12 as a stand alone is going to be a NO and I pitched the high strength bottle. I still did okay with it but was noticeably weaker. The amount in the Ultimate B should be both tolerated and all I need. Excellent news.
PM- Mountain Brook 5 loop (Canterbury-Jack's Shell-Overbrook-Jemison) in a solid 37:45 (7:33 pace). Even pace on a hilly route. Felt good and when the B-12 clears, it will get better.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=7.0
4/28- Short and quick. I want to be ready for tomorrow's long run. We're getting our first taste of summer this weekend so it will be tough out there. Today, I went with no B12 as a stand alone and just 1 Ultimate B and NADH. Did not do badly at all but I probably need 2 to perform my best. 3 miles at Gold's in 21:33 (7:11 pace). Moderate effort. Felt good during the run but it hurt afterwards. If I can hold this pace for 10K, it will bring me home under 45 minutes. I think I can do it.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=3.0
4/29- Run #1- Another EXTREMELY MADDENING failed group run. Managed just 2 miles in 18:50 (9:25 pace). I feared that the IP-6 or Ultimate B was the culprit. Nope. I need B-12 as a stand alone after all. I should have seen it coming after yesterday's run hurt more than it should have afterwards. Binged on caffeine in my frustration before realizing the problem.
Run #2- Despite being weakened by the caffeine, I improved to 23:30 for 3 miles at Gold's (7:50 pace). B-12 was clearly the difference. I still have to be careful about taking too much but it won't be a disaster if I do. I should probably take it in the evening to get some clearance.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/30- The NADH looked like a miracle on Wednesday but has turned disastrous on Sunday. I knew it before I started but just had to confirm it. Vestavia track mile in 10:20. 1st half in 4:45 then RESTED and took a 2nd NADH and managed only a 5:35 on the back half. The bottle will be pitched and I won't be surprised if B-12 as a stand alone gives me problems again.
Run #2- Improved to 9:17 on Wisteria. Woopity doo!
#3- Improved all the way to 7:24. NADH is clearing fast.
Grade:F+/2 credit/distance=2.0
-24 miles on the week. YTD: 507.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Saturday, April 22, 2017
Sensitivity to B12
In the weeks leading up to NYC, I had been taking mega doses (8.6 mg) all in a single pill. The ill-effects of too much caught up to me shortly after race day and may have cost me a couple minutes in the race itself. For the next 3-4 weeks, I first reduced my dose then developed a complete intolerance. After stopping it, I made my usual steady progress including a half marathon training run in just under 1:41, which if it had been a race, would have been my best time since 2014.
I just read today that 30 enzymes are involved in B12 synthesis. If just one of those goes bad, you can and will have problems. I already knew that my MTR and MTRR genes have double mutations so I fully expected that the need for B-12 would come up again but hoped to stabilize on a lower dose. There's still a chance that I will. I have ordered 1 mg pills from Yasko and expect them to arrive on Monday. With a need of neither more nor less than 1 mg, it's hard to estimate by breaking a pill into eighths so unless a bite off just a tiny bit, I am likely to overshoot the target.
Here's what happened after the deficiency flared up on Wednesday:
-Improved immediately after taking it but it quickly became apparent that I took too much.
-Did not hit the point of equilibrium until Thursday evening but felt strong when I did (5@7:25). Based on how I felt, I believe I had another 8 in me at that pace. That would bring me home in a very respectable 1:37-flat for a half marathon.
-By Friday morning, I had already gone too long without it and after taking about 2.5 mg before work, I felt good for a few hours but began fading just before lunch and was awful in the afternoon once the pill fully kicked in.
Web-MD tells you that B-12 is non-toxic so there's no danger in taking too much. At least in my experience, this is untrue. There are several things you need to know before taking B-12.
-Is your ATP up to par? If not, you will waste Lithium, which is required for transport into the cells. Yasko's UEE test will let you know if you are excreting excess Lithium.
Is your Lithium up to par? Yasko's hair test will let you know. If either is low, your B-12 will pool up in the blood and never reach the cells. Taking B-12 will do more harm than good in either case. I learned the hard way in 2015.
-Is your Potassium up to snuff? B-12 does lower Potassium. It's possible that mine is a bit low now but as of my last hair test, it was not.
-What is your COMT status? If you have this mutation, you may react badly to the methyl form of B-12 and require hydroxy or adenosyl B-12.
What is causing the sensitivity and what options do I have?
I know that my Lithium is up to par and if anything, it may be too high. It also seems unlikely that ATP is low because I recently took one of those caps and found it to be a non-factor. I had ill-effects if I took it for too many consecutive days. The only reasonable explanations are a Potassium deficiency or some other defective enzyme. I'm betting it's the latter.
Option 1: Increase other B-vitamins, specifically methyl folate because B-vitamins work together. I'm afraid it's unlikely that will work but I will give it a try.
Option 2: Deal with the sensitivity and simply take 1 or 2 mg. every day. That's acceptable so long as the magic dose does not fluctuate. When the low dose pills arrive, I'll know exactly how much I am taking. I have a rather narrow window of molybdenum that works (100-200 mcg) but taking 150 every day solved the sulfite sensitivity without depleting the copper. The same could happen with low dose B-12.
Option 3: Find a precursor to reduce the sensitivity. Before I took PABA, I had an unacceptable sensitivity to methylfolate. Now, as long as I do not consume too much caffeine, that problem is solved. My best bet on that is a product called NADH. If I can tolerate Yasko's Ultimate B, it would make things a LOT easier. Last time, it had an ingredient that was not tolerated (probably IP-6). Perhaps that's solved thanks to molybdenum. This would be a single pill that contains NADH, PABA and perhaps even enough B-12 to eliminate the need for it as a stand alone supplement and would do a lot for cleaning out my cabinet and filling up my wallet.
Prognosis:
I said after NYC that I would likely stabilize around the 21/45/1:40 range, which is an acceptable outcome if it can be done consistently. I now believe that it is an ALL or NOTHING proposition. Either I will make a full recovery or it will be like this for the rest of my life.
Rant:
I saw a Facebook post from a prominent evangelical preacher who says that happiness is a choice. You may not always be able to control what happens to you but you can determine what goes on inside. NAIVE AND HURTFUL SENTIMENT! That's always been a pet peeve of mine. I CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT GOES ON INSIDE MY BODY OR PREDICT HOW I WILL REACT TO TREATMENTS.
If you are deficient in the following chemicals, here's what happens:
Adrenaline- Fatigue, flu-like malaise and appearance of low motivation when the opposite is true.
Dopamine- Low mood, can't feel pleasure. Vulnerable to addiction.
Serotonin- Sadness for no reason. Women get crying spells while men are prone to angry outbursts. No amount of faith or positive attitude can change that.
The only way out is to balance your chemistry.
I just read today that 30 enzymes are involved in B12 synthesis. If just one of those goes bad, you can and will have problems. I already knew that my MTR and MTRR genes have double mutations so I fully expected that the need for B-12 would come up again but hoped to stabilize on a lower dose. There's still a chance that I will. I have ordered 1 mg pills from Yasko and expect them to arrive on Monday. With a need of neither more nor less than 1 mg, it's hard to estimate by breaking a pill into eighths so unless a bite off just a tiny bit, I am likely to overshoot the target.
Here's what happened after the deficiency flared up on Wednesday:
-Improved immediately after taking it but it quickly became apparent that I took too much.
-Did not hit the point of equilibrium until Thursday evening but felt strong when I did (5@7:25). Based on how I felt, I believe I had another 8 in me at that pace. That would bring me home in a very respectable 1:37-flat for a half marathon.
-By Friday morning, I had already gone too long without it and after taking about 2.5 mg before work, I felt good for a few hours but began fading just before lunch and was awful in the afternoon once the pill fully kicked in.
Web-MD tells you that B-12 is non-toxic so there's no danger in taking too much. At least in my experience, this is untrue. There are several things you need to know before taking B-12.
-Is your ATP up to par? If not, you will waste Lithium, which is required for transport into the cells. Yasko's UEE test will let you know if you are excreting excess Lithium.
Is your Lithium up to par? Yasko's hair test will let you know. If either is low, your B-12 will pool up in the blood and never reach the cells. Taking B-12 will do more harm than good in either case. I learned the hard way in 2015.
-Is your Potassium up to snuff? B-12 does lower Potassium. It's possible that mine is a bit low now but as of my last hair test, it was not.
-What is your COMT status? If you have this mutation, you may react badly to the methyl form of B-12 and require hydroxy or adenosyl B-12.
What is causing the sensitivity and what options do I have?
I know that my Lithium is up to par and if anything, it may be too high. It also seems unlikely that ATP is low because I recently took one of those caps and found it to be a non-factor. I had ill-effects if I took it for too many consecutive days. The only reasonable explanations are a Potassium deficiency or some other defective enzyme. I'm betting it's the latter.
Option 1: Increase other B-vitamins, specifically methyl folate because B-vitamins work together. I'm afraid it's unlikely that will work but I will give it a try.
Option 2: Deal with the sensitivity and simply take 1 or 2 mg. every day. That's acceptable so long as the magic dose does not fluctuate. When the low dose pills arrive, I'll know exactly how much I am taking. I have a rather narrow window of molybdenum that works (100-200 mcg) but taking 150 every day solved the sulfite sensitivity without depleting the copper. The same could happen with low dose B-12.
Option 3: Find a precursor to reduce the sensitivity. Before I took PABA, I had an unacceptable sensitivity to methylfolate. Now, as long as I do not consume too much caffeine, that problem is solved. My best bet on that is a product called NADH. If I can tolerate Yasko's Ultimate B, it would make things a LOT easier. Last time, it had an ingredient that was not tolerated (probably IP-6). Perhaps that's solved thanks to molybdenum. This would be a single pill that contains NADH, PABA and perhaps even enough B-12 to eliminate the need for it as a stand alone supplement and would do a lot for cleaning out my cabinet and filling up my wallet.
Prognosis:
I said after NYC that I would likely stabilize around the 21/45/1:40 range, which is an acceptable outcome if it can be done consistently. I now believe that it is an ALL or NOTHING proposition. Either I will make a full recovery or it will be like this for the rest of my life.
Rant:
I saw a Facebook post from a prominent evangelical preacher who says that happiness is a choice. You may not always be able to control what happens to you but you can determine what goes on inside. NAIVE AND HURTFUL SENTIMENT! That's always been a pet peeve of mine. I CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT GOES ON INSIDE MY BODY OR PREDICT HOW I WILL REACT TO TREATMENTS.
If you are deficient in the following chemicals, here's what happens:
Adrenaline- Fatigue, flu-like malaise and appearance of low motivation when the opposite is true.
Dopamine- Low mood, can't feel pleasure. Vulnerable to addiction.
Serotonin- Sadness for no reason. Women get crying spells while men are prone to angry outbursts. No amount of faith or positive attitude can change that.
The only way out is to balance your chemistry.
Monday, April 17, 2017
Ancestry Revisited
Here’s what I already knew about my family history:
Father’s side:
My paternal grandmother was born in Scotland and came to America in the 1920s while my paternal grandfather was as far as we know, almost all German or at least continental Western European. Both passed away in the 1990s so I did meet and get to know them a little bit. I sure wish I had known them as an adult.
Mother’s side:
Both my maternal grandparents are still alive and I have vague memories of one great grandparent. I know that my maternal grandfather is the son of Polish immigrants and my grandmother is mostly Polish with the possibility of some German mixed in as well.
My 23andme Results:
16% was listed as Broadly European, which means that it could not be confirmed to be a more specific region but it probably would add 4-6% to the top 3 categories so I’ll estimate it based on that assumption.
-38% Eastern European (includes Poland, Czech, Slovakia, Russia, etc)
-33% Western European (Germany, France, Austria, Swiss, Belgian)
-23% British/Irish (England, Scotland, Ireland)
None of that was a surprise and the percentages seem to be about right give or take a couple of points. What was interesting is the trace regions that go back up to 8-10 generations and beyond my known family tree. I did some research beforehand so none of this was a total shock to me but quite interesting nonetheless.
-3% Scandinavian (Denmark, Sweden, Norway)
-2% Balkan (Greece, former Yugoslavia)
-1% Ashkenazi Jewish (cool)
Because of migration patterns, I figured that the Scandinavian came from my father and the Balkan and probably the Jewish ancestry came from my mother. I even guessed that the Jewish came from my grandmother and the Balkan from my grandfather. I was correct on all accounts.
Perhaps if I traced it 2 generations further back, I might find something else that would be quite interesting so I bought a test kit for both grandparents who agreed to do the test.
Grandmother:
-Over 80% Eastern European (no surprise there) but as expected, there was 8-9% Western European mixed in as well. That can be explained by migration as Poland borders Germany, which is classified as West Europe. Somebody with mostly Russian ancestry would be less likely to show West Europe and more likely to have some Asian DNA.
-Only 1% Balkan, which told me that came from my grandfather as predicted.
-3x more Jewish ancestry than I have so no doubt it came almost all from her.
-2 surprises, which included less than 1% British/Irish and less than 1% Finnish. The latter did not show up on my report because it was considered too old. My results show it was “washed away” but I say it’s still there. While my results probably go back to about 1750, 2 more generation would take it back to 1700. Anything from the 17th century or earlier probably won’t show up in the results but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. My niece and nephew may not show any Jewish ancestry but it’s still there.
Grandfather:
Again, if you include the Broadly European with the Eastern Europe, he’s also over 80% Eastern European with 8-9% Western mixed in.
-8% Balkan,which was expected based on my results and was actually a little higher than expected.
The surprise was trace amount from Iberia (Spain/Portugal) that did not show up on my report either. Definitely worth finding.
Some estimates:
I’d imagine my father is about 50% German, 45% British/Irish and 5-6% Scandinavian but there is always a chance that something unexpected could show up. Perhaps there is a small amount of Eastern European due to migration but it’s likely not significant or else my percentage would be higher.
My mother is about 80-85% Eastern European, 8-10% West European, 4-5% Balkan, 1% Jewish with traces of British, Finnish and Iberian. Pretty cool and none of that would have been known without this test. No need to test her. It’s highly unlikely that anything else would show up. In fact, the Finnish and Iberian may have “washed away” by her generation.
To my knowledge, my brother in-law is half Irish and half Polish so my niece and nephew would have interesting results. Figure about 35-40% British/Irish and 35-40% Eastern Europe and at least 15% West Europe. The Balkan and Scandinavian would still show up but the Jewish, Spanish and Finnish may be “washed away” unless there is some in my brother-in law.
I knew that it was highly unlikely to see a trace of Native American or sub-Saharan African DNA but I did suspect a bit of Asian, Middle Eastern or even possibly North African. Nope. Both my report and my maternal grandparents show 100% European. Again, that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It could have come from somebody born in the 17th century. The Ottoman (Turkish) Empire had a strong presence in the Balkans and the Silk Road trade routes came through Poland.
I might go ahead and try Ancestry.com in the future to compare results. I expect it will be pretty similar give or take a few points. Which is better? It depends on what you are looking for. Here are a few examples:
Ancestry separates British and Irish so I could see how much of each I have.
23andme separates Italian from Balkan while Ancestry would list it as Italy/Greece so I might think I had a trace of Italian if I had done Ancestry. Again, there’s still a chance that I do.
Ancestry lists many West African nations such as Nigeria, Congo, Ghana and a few others while 23andme simply lists it as West African, East African and South African. If you are African American, Ancestry would be highly recommended over 23andme.
Ancestry simply lists East Asian, South Asian and Central Asian while 23andme narrows it down to Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Mongolian. If you are Asian-American, 23andme is your best choice.
Ancestry separates Middle East from the Caucuses region (southern Russia, Georgia, Turkey. Armenia) so that would be recommended if you have known Middle Eastern ancestry.
This is fascinating.
Training 4/17-4/23
4/17- It's safe to say now that the higher dose of Magnesium has FAILED. Why? I have no idea. Methylation should INCREASE the need for Mag, not decrease tolerance for it.
Junk run on Wisteria. Covered only 1 mile in 9:36 plus a warm and cool. I'll consider this my rest day on the week.
Distance=1.5
4/18- AM- 2 miles in 18:26 (9:13 pace). MINUS 23 over twice the distance. Cut the Mag from 750 to 250 but may have upped the MF too quickly. Back in action this evening
PM- Exactly as expected. I am SO SICK of this pattern of relapse, improvement, relapse then repeat.
Did 3 miles at Gold's in 25:10 (8:23 pace). MINUS 50. How long can I sustain this round of improvements? Total for the day was 5 miles in 43:36 (8:43 pace), which is quite lame. I suppose this is better than another setback but the foot/ankle still has not gone away completely either. I hope to be near "normal" by tomorrow.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/19- Today was NOT as expected. It was much worse. Tried to run with the group and DIED after just 1.5 miles despite a pace well over 8:00. Turned around and could not even hold a 10:00 pace on the back half. Got home to find that the B-12 deficit has flared up, which I fully expected to happen eventually. I HOPE that the dose will now stabilize around 1-2 mg.
PM- I know that a B-12 deficit will affect tolerance to MF and other sulfate based products so that explains some of the issues I had last week. Did it have any impact on the magnesium intolerance? It appears that answer is YES. Did 1 mile at Gold's in 7:52 then loaded on Mag and came back with a 7:50. That's not even close to a significant difference so that's good news. I'll have problems if I skip Mag long-term but on a day-day basis, it's a non-factor.
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=5.0
Mini-rant:
The issue of laziness among runners came up today. Not everyone knows that I am sick. Yes, I've been called names such as "pussy" in the past. Those who don't know that I am sick could reach the same conclusion today. If you are deficient in adrenaline, you will give the appearance of low motivation but the truth is you have to push harder than anyone just to do the meager amount that you can.
4/20- Sneaked under the Mendoza line with a 23:47 performance for 3 miles (7:56 pace). Even splits but no strength at all.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0
PM-Surprisingly better. 5 miles in 37:04 (7:25 pace). Could have broken 37 if I really pushed at the end. Very smooth and relaxed all the way just like an old standard issue run. What a difference 10 hours can make! This sort of thing is nothing new for me and I could collapse tomorrow. 6 weeks until my epic road trip.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/21- I've developed extreme sensitivity to B-12. Without it, I can't run at all but must be very careful about overshooting the balance point. 3 miles naked at junk pace. That's okay because I intended it to be slow but I clearly felt off my game.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=3.0
4/22- Another embarrassing group run. Kept up for 2 miles at 7:45ish pace then DIED and finished up with 5 miles in 47:30 (9:30 pace) with the last half in the 11 minute range. I only took approximately 2.5 mg of B-12 and it was still WAY too much. Something must be done about this. It's unacceptable.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=5.0
4/23- 2 miles at Gold's in a robust 19:54 (9:57 pace) but I did have even splits. Got home and stayed in bed for most of the day. Ordered NADH and Ultimate B.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
Managed 30 miles but all except 1 session was CRAP. I've got what I hope is my last ferritin test tomorrow morning. We'll see if molybdenum lowered it to an acceptable level.
The low dose B-12 should arrive tomorrow but I will probably have to wait until Wednesday or Thursday for the NADH. NADH is tolerated as part of a combo and was an ingredient in Methyl Mate but I'm not sure about its effect as a stand alone. When on MethylMate, I was not sensitive to B12 as long as I took molybdenum. I stopped because it raised Iron and ferritin and found that TMG/SAM-e was more effective.
The best case scenario is that Ultimate B works. If so, I don't need B-2, PABA or NADH as a stand alone and may not even need B12. That will save pills and money.
Distance=30.0/ GPA= 1.00
YTD: 483 miles. 2-13 with a 1.92
Junk run on Wisteria. Covered only 1 mile in 9:36 plus a warm and cool. I'll consider this my rest day on the week.
Distance=1.5
4/18- AM- 2 miles in 18:26 (9:13 pace). MINUS 23 over twice the distance. Cut the Mag from 750 to 250 but may have upped the MF too quickly. Back in action this evening
PM- Exactly as expected. I am SO SICK of this pattern of relapse, improvement, relapse then repeat.
Did 3 miles at Gold's in 25:10 (8:23 pace). MINUS 50. How long can I sustain this round of improvements? Total for the day was 5 miles in 43:36 (8:43 pace), which is quite lame. I suppose this is better than another setback but the foot/ankle still has not gone away completely either. I hope to be near "normal" by tomorrow.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/19- Today was NOT as expected. It was much worse. Tried to run with the group and DIED after just 1.5 miles despite a pace well over 8:00. Turned around and could not even hold a 10:00 pace on the back half. Got home to find that the B-12 deficit has flared up, which I fully expected to happen eventually. I HOPE that the dose will now stabilize around 1-2 mg.
PM- I know that a B-12 deficit will affect tolerance to MF and other sulfate based products so that explains some of the issues I had last week. Did it have any impact on the magnesium intolerance? It appears that answer is YES. Did 1 mile at Gold's in 7:52 then loaded on Mag and came back with a 7:50. That's not even close to a significant difference so that's good news. I'll have problems if I skip Mag long-term but on a day-day basis, it's a non-factor.
Grade:F+/1 credit/distance=5.0
Mini-rant:
The issue of laziness among runners came up today. Not everyone knows that I am sick. Yes, I've been called names such as "pussy" in the past. Those who don't know that I am sick could reach the same conclusion today. If you are deficient in adrenaline, you will give the appearance of low motivation but the truth is you have to push harder than anyone just to do the meager amount that you can.
4/20- Sneaked under the Mendoza line with a 23:47 performance for 3 miles (7:56 pace). Even splits but no strength at all.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=3.0
PM-Surprisingly better. 5 miles in 37:04 (7:25 pace). Could have broken 37 if I really pushed at the end. Very smooth and relaxed all the way just like an old standard issue run. What a difference 10 hours can make! This sort of thing is nothing new for me and I could collapse tomorrow. 6 weeks until my epic road trip.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/21- I've developed extreme sensitivity to B-12. Without it, I can't run at all but must be very careful about overshooting the balance point. 3 miles naked at junk pace. That's okay because I intended it to be slow but I clearly felt off my game.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=3.0
4/22- Another embarrassing group run. Kept up for 2 miles at 7:45ish pace then DIED and finished up with 5 miles in 47:30 (9:30 pace) with the last half in the 11 minute range. I only took approximately 2.5 mg of B-12 and it was still WAY too much. Something must be done about this. It's unacceptable.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=5.0
4/23- 2 miles at Gold's in a robust 19:54 (9:57 pace) but I did have even splits. Got home and stayed in bed for most of the day. Ordered NADH and Ultimate B.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
Managed 30 miles but all except 1 session was CRAP. I've got what I hope is my last ferritin test tomorrow morning. We'll see if molybdenum lowered it to an acceptable level.
The low dose B-12 should arrive tomorrow but I will probably have to wait until Wednesday or Thursday for the NADH. NADH is tolerated as part of a combo and was an ingredient in Methyl Mate but I'm not sure about its effect as a stand alone. When on MethylMate, I was not sensitive to B12 as long as I took molybdenum. I stopped because it raised Iron and ferritin and found that TMG/SAM-e was more effective.
The best case scenario is that Ultimate B works. If so, I don't need B-2, PABA or NADH as a stand alone and may not even need B12. That will save pills and money.
Distance=30.0/ GPA= 1.00
YTD: 483 miles. 2-13 with a 1.92
Monday, April 10, 2017
Training 4/10- 4/16
4/10- AM- Gold's 3 in 22:08 (7:23 pace) plus a half mile cool. Good news is that a sub- 7:30 pace is beginning to feel easy again. I could have done 6 easily if I got up earlier. Bad news is I've got a little bit of niggles in my hip and ankle. Back in action this evening but at a slower pace.
PM- I've had a scare. The sore ankle got worse in the afternoon and more supplements (Mag and MF) triggered a relapse. I may need Cal again. MF must be limited. Let's hope it's a 1- 2 day blip but the relapse always happens when hope is beginning to rise. Grade reflects only the morning session.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance- 4.0
4/11- I could barely walk yesterday afternoon so I was thankful just to be able to run without severe pain. Junk run in the neighborhood. 2 miles in 19:36 (9:48 pace). I don't care about that. My ankle held up and it appears that's going to be okay. I need to keep the MF dose below 2000. Tonight I will load on Mag and we shall see if I need Cal. B12 and Curcumin remain a NO but that could change down the road.
Grade:Pass. Distance- 2.0
4/12- Very strange Cato. Plain Mag triggered the relapse but Jigsaw with the cofactors appears to be okay. Cal made things worse so that's almost certainly a NO. Did 1 mile in 11:56 but at least I know the culprit and have nowhere to go but up from here. I may try again this evening but it won't be significantly better.
PM- I was significantly better than the morning session. 2 miles at Veteran's Park and my time is down to 17:42 (8:51 pace) and the ankle pain is nearly gone. I expect to be normal for the weekend.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance- 3.0
4/13- Only marginally better than yesterday. 3 miles in 26:15 (8:45 pace). My theory is that I need more Jigsaw and less MF. Very disappointed in this workout.
PM-More Jigsaw resulted in more marginal improvement. 3 miles this time at Heardmont Park on paved and unpaved trails. Finished in 25:24 (8:28 pace). I believe I'll be better tomorrow but it's a long shot that I'll be normal by Saturday. MF definitely needs to be cut. This stuff also increases the need for Mag. I know I need more than 1000 but 1400 is enough. 1200 is in the unknown zone.
Grade:D/2 credit/distance- 6.0
-Mileage will be decent this week but it's been all junk so far and will not produce gains in fitness.
4/14- 5 mile loop through Mountain Brook. Got the significant improvement but still had to work harder than planned to hit pace. Finished in 39:50 (7:58 pace) with relatively even splits.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance- 5.0
4/15- 14 miles with many of the old Gnomes. The group pace worked well for me. Finished in 1:55:17 (8:14 pace). Pretty well spent at the end and not a lot left but the splits were very even.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance- 14.0
4/16- 4 mile recovery jog. Time was 34:44 (8:41 pace). Not concerned about that but this still doesn't feel right. Last week's recovery jog felt much easier. I think extra Mag has DECREASED my need and tolerance for MF, which is the opposite of what is expected.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance- 4.0
Weekly summary:
This was a downer. I will try to find the right balance of Mag and MF.
Distance- 38.0. GPA- 2.05
YTD- 453 miles. 2- 12, 1.99
PM- I've had a scare. The sore ankle got worse in the afternoon and more supplements (Mag and MF) triggered a relapse. I may need Cal again. MF must be limited. Let's hope it's a 1- 2 day blip but the relapse always happens when hope is beginning to rise. Grade reflects only the morning session.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance- 4.0
4/11- I could barely walk yesterday afternoon so I was thankful just to be able to run without severe pain. Junk run in the neighborhood. 2 miles in 19:36 (9:48 pace). I don't care about that. My ankle held up and it appears that's going to be okay. I need to keep the MF dose below 2000. Tonight I will load on Mag and we shall see if I need Cal. B12 and Curcumin remain a NO but that could change down the road.
Grade:Pass. Distance- 2.0
4/12- Very strange Cato. Plain Mag triggered the relapse but Jigsaw with the cofactors appears to be okay. Cal made things worse so that's almost certainly a NO. Did 1 mile in 11:56 but at least I know the culprit and have nowhere to go but up from here. I may try again this evening but it won't be significantly better.
PM- I was significantly better than the morning session. 2 miles at Veteran's Park and my time is down to 17:42 (8:51 pace) and the ankle pain is nearly gone. I expect to be normal for the weekend.
Grade:D-/1 credit/distance- 3.0
4/13- Only marginally better than yesterday. 3 miles in 26:15 (8:45 pace). My theory is that I need more Jigsaw and less MF. Very disappointed in this workout.
PM-More Jigsaw resulted in more marginal improvement. 3 miles this time at Heardmont Park on paved and unpaved trails. Finished in 25:24 (8:28 pace). I believe I'll be better tomorrow but it's a long shot that I'll be normal by Saturday. MF definitely needs to be cut. This stuff also increases the need for Mag. I know I need more than 1000 but 1400 is enough. 1200 is in the unknown zone.
Grade:D/2 credit/distance- 6.0
-Mileage will be decent this week but it's been all junk so far and will not produce gains in fitness.
4/14- 5 mile loop through Mountain Brook. Got the significant improvement but still had to work harder than planned to hit pace. Finished in 39:50 (7:58 pace) with relatively even splits.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance- 5.0
4/15- 14 miles with many of the old Gnomes. The group pace worked well for me. Finished in 1:55:17 (8:14 pace). Pretty well spent at the end and not a lot left but the splits were very even.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance- 14.0
4/16- 4 mile recovery jog. Time was 34:44 (8:41 pace). Not concerned about that but this still doesn't feel right. Last week's recovery jog felt much easier. I think extra Mag has DECREASED my need and tolerance for MF, which is the opposite of what is expected.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance- 4.0
Weekly summary:
This was a downer. I will try to find the right balance of Mag and MF.
Distance- 38.0. GPA- 2.05
YTD- 453 miles. 2- 12, 1.99
Monday, April 3, 2017
Training 4/3-4/9
4/3- Gold's 5 in 40:46 (8:09 pace). Figure that I would have been around 42-flat if I stopped at 5 yesterday (actually I was 6@8:28) so consider this a MINUS 15. Again, I went with NO B-12 and expect that I may not need it for quite a while. Slow and steady progress again. By FAR, the most frustrating part of this ordeal is EVERY TIME I THINK I'VE GOT IT ALL SET, SOMETHING UNEXPECTED FLARES UP! Still. with 375 miles in the first quarter, my distance is pretty respectable even though the record is ugly.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/4- Change up. Trak Shak 8 in 65:40 (8:13 pace). Only 4 ticks slower than yesterday despite a hilly route and 3 extra miles. Didn't feel much different than yesterday but on level ground for 5 miles, I think I am below 8:00 pace. Normally, I can get down to 7:20 then I relapse.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance-8.0
4\5- Gold's 3 in 21:52 (7:17 pace). I continue to get marginally better every day and I bet I could get close to 38-flat for 5 miles. Still not even close to getting my hopes up.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance-3.5
4/6- Gold's 5 in 36:11 (7:14 pace). Very strong. I only hoped to get into the 36s today. I never thought I'd come close to breaking it. Negative split and I really burned it over the last quarter mile, which was unofficially 88 seconds. I believe this is my 2nd fastest time at this distance since the relapse. I need to break 35 to really feel like I'm on my way. I have a chance at a win with a strong long run this weekend.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/7 Planned rest day
4/8 BTC social. 13.1 miles in 1:40:55 (7:42 pace). Strong. I was really rolling in the midsection and threw in a few in the 7:30 range. Tied up a bit at the end with a sore groin and calf but I won't complain. Just realized this was nearly 10 minutes faster than my first 13.1 training run just 2 months earlier. The next 10 won't come so easily but I could be competitive soon IF I AVOID THE RELAPSE. Barring a disaster tomorrow, I've got win #2 on the year.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance= 13.5
4/9- Easy 5 with no watch, also known as naked running. Still understandably sore from yesterday but had plenty of energy. Route was the RR social route from Highland park down to the Rotary trail and back up through town. Held my form on the climbs.
Grade:B plus/1 credit/distance- 5.0
Weekly summary:
Win #2 on the year.
Distance - 40.0 GPA- 3.20
YTD- 415 miles. 2-11 with a 1.98
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/4- Change up. Trak Shak 8 in 65:40 (8:13 pace). Only 4 ticks slower than yesterday despite a hilly route and 3 extra miles. Didn't feel much different than yesterday but on level ground for 5 miles, I think I am below 8:00 pace. Normally, I can get down to 7:20 then I relapse.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance-8.0
4\5- Gold's 3 in 21:52 (7:17 pace). I continue to get marginally better every day and I bet I could get close to 38-flat for 5 miles. Still not even close to getting my hopes up.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance-3.5
4/6- Gold's 5 in 36:11 (7:14 pace). Very strong. I only hoped to get into the 36s today. I never thought I'd come close to breaking it. Negative split and I really burned it over the last quarter mile, which was unofficially 88 seconds. I believe this is my 2nd fastest time at this distance since the relapse. I need to break 35 to really feel like I'm on my way. I have a chance at a win with a strong long run this weekend.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/7 Planned rest day
4/8 BTC social. 13.1 miles in 1:40:55 (7:42 pace). Strong. I was really rolling in the midsection and threw in a few in the 7:30 range. Tied up a bit at the end with a sore groin and calf but I won't complain. Just realized this was nearly 10 minutes faster than my first 13.1 training run just 2 months earlier. The next 10 won't come so easily but I could be competitive soon IF I AVOID THE RELAPSE. Barring a disaster tomorrow, I've got win #2 on the year.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance= 13.5
4/9- Easy 5 with no watch, also known as naked running. Still understandably sore from yesterday but had plenty of energy. Route was the RR social route from Highland park down to the Rotary trail and back up through town. Held my form on the climbs.
Grade:B plus/1 credit/distance- 5.0
Weekly summary:
Win #2 on the year.
Distance - 40.0 GPA- 3.20
YTD- 415 miles. 2-11 with a 1.98
Saturday, April 1, 2017
Potential Repeat States/International
I've booked the flight and most of the hotel reservations for the epic road trip so it's a GO! Assuming I can finish both, it will take me up to 31 states. I've got another idea for New England trip in which I race 4 states in 8 days on back to back weekends during peak foliage season. During the week, I'd tour Quebec and Ottawa, Canada before heading south to Boston and Cape Cod. That will be next year. I can't afford to take 2 epic trips in 1 years and take off that much work with a new boss. For the Fall race, I'm leaning towards New Mexico to support a couple of BTC members going for all 50 states in the full marathon.
If all goes according to plan, I'll enter 2018 with 18 states to go and that can be done in 12-13 trips with the opportunities to double. Figure 5 more years and I'll be done. What to do after that?
I definitely want to go International. As for Canada, I'll have 7 of 10 provinces visited after the epic road trip and I may just go for all 10. I will NOT race in all 10. Manitoba is reachable from Minnesota and Saskatchewan is less than a day away from South Dakota. Newfoundland could be nice on the way to Europe to gradually adjust to the time change. I have Facebook friends in Germany, Hong Kong and Brazil and all 3 of them are runners. I bet I could convince a couple of Christian friends to visit Israel with me even if they don't race. Also on my bucket list are Cape Town, South Africa and the United Kingdom but I would not feel comfortable going alone to either location. Hopefully, I will be married by then but unless I am stable chemically, I don't see that happening.
I may have to repeat this answer when I actually finish the 50 states but here's what I've got so far.
Florida: Repeating Seaside 20 years after my debut could be cool. Also, Miami has been on the radar off and on for several years.
Alabama and Mississippi- Aside from racing Mercedes again, Mobile and Tupelo are 2 of my favorite cities. I've done a 10K in both locations but never a half.
Georgia and South Carolina- Charleston and Savannah are another 2 of my favorites and I've not raced either at any distance. I chose Greenville and Atlanta instead.
Washington DC- Not a state but I figure I've got to do it once I hit all 50. I'd probably choose the Rock n Roll event. I hear the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler is hard to get into.
Tennessee- I've already done Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis. The latter remains one of my all time favorites and could be repeated someday.
Kentucky- I wanted to do the Louisville Kentucky Derby race but went with Lexington because of a family commitment. Louisville remains an option.
New York- I intend to go back to NYC someday but would probably choose the Brooklyn half instead. It starts in Prospect Park and finishes on the boardwalk of Coney Island. It's a Spring race so there's no risk of snow. Hotels are a bit less expensive and there are a few things that I missed in Manhattan that would be worth seeing such as the Rock in the daylight with views of Central Park in full bloom and a Yankee game in the Bronx.
Pennsylvania- This is a definite and Pittsburgh is my choice. PA is so far the only state in which I failed to break 2 hours. That needs to change.
Illinois- I did Chicago back in 2008 but really couldn't do it justice. The weather was rainy every day and I missed out on Rush Avenue and the Sears Tower. A Cubs game is something I'd like to do but I'm sure tickets are VERY HARD to get. I do have a friend who lives just an hour north of here.
Texas- 3M Austin was GREAT but I didn't consider it an authentic Texas experience because the culture is so much different from the rest of the state. I'd consider Dallas White Rock or CowTown Ft. Worth.
Oregon- Maybe I'll do Eugene again to come full circle after my first marathon.
California- San Diego is definitely on my bucket list as is a day trip to Mexico. In August, it should be warm enough to swim in the Pacific. I could also take a day trip back to LA. I saw Beverly Hills, Malibu and Simi Valley but not much of downtown LA.
Alaska- I'd like to go here again during the summer solstice as I did before. The race wasn't all that special so I'd either run something else or not at all. I'd like to see the Arctic Circle, Denali State Park and areas south of Anchorage.
If all goes according to plan, I'll enter 2018 with 18 states to go and that can be done in 12-13 trips with the opportunities to double. Figure 5 more years and I'll be done. What to do after that?
I definitely want to go International. As for Canada, I'll have 7 of 10 provinces visited after the epic road trip and I may just go for all 10. I will NOT race in all 10. Manitoba is reachable from Minnesota and Saskatchewan is less than a day away from South Dakota. Newfoundland could be nice on the way to Europe to gradually adjust to the time change. I have Facebook friends in Germany, Hong Kong and Brazil and all 3 of them are runners. I bet I could convince a couple of Christian friends to visit Israel with me even if they don't race. Also on my bucket list are Cape Town, South Africa and the United Kingdom but I would not feel comfortable going alone to either location. Hopefully, I will be married by then but unless I am stable chemically, I don't see that happening.
I may have to repeat this answer when I actually finish the 50 states but here's what I've got so far.
Florida: Repeating Seaside 20 years after my debut could be cool. Also, Miami has been on the radar off and on for several years.
Alabama and Mississippi- Aside from racing Mercedes again, Mobile and Tupelo are 2 of my favorite cities. I've done a 10K in both locations but never a half.
Georgia and South Carolina- Charleston and Savannah are another 2 of my favorites and I've not raced either at any distance. I chose Greenville and Atlanta instead.
Washington DC- Not a state but I figure I've got to do it once I hit all 50. I'd probably choose the Rock n Roll event. I hear the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler is hard to get into.
Tennessee- I've already done Chattanooga, Nashville and Memphis. The latter remains one of my all time favorites and could be repeated someday.
Kentucky- I wanted to do the Louisville Kentucky Derby race but went with Lexington because of a family commitment. Louisville remains an option.
New York- I intend to go back to NYC someday but would probably choose the Brooklyn half instead. It starts in Prospect Park and finishes on the boardwalk of Coney Island. It's a Spring race so there's no risk of snow. Hotels are a bit less expensive and there are a few things that I missed in Manhattan that would be worth seeing such as the Rock in the daylight with views of Central Park in full bloom and a Yankee game in the Bronx.
Pennsylvania- This is a definite and Pittsburgh is my choice. PA is so far the only state in which I failed to break 2 hours. That needs to change.
Illinois- I did Chicago back in 2008 but really couldn't do it justice. The weather was rainy every day and I missed out on Rush Avenue and the Sears Tower. A Cubs game is something I'd like to do but I'm sure tickets are VERY HARD to get. I do have a friend who lives just an hour north of here.
Texas- 3M Austin was GREAT but I didn't consider it an authentic Texas experience because the culture is so much different from the rest of the state. I'd consider Dallas White Rock or CowTown Ft. Worth.
Oregon- Maybe I'll do Eugene again to come full circle after my first marathon.
California- San Diego is definitely on my bucket list as is a day trip to Mexico. In August, it should be warm enough to swim in the Pacific. I could also take a day trip back to LA. I saw Beverly Hills, Malibu and Simi Valley but not much of downtown LA.
Alaska- I'd like to go here again during the summer solstice as I did before. The race wasn't all that special so I'd either run something else or not at all. I'd like to see the Arctic Circle, Denali State Park and areas south of Anchorage.
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