12/26- It's closing time. I don't have much motivation to train this week. Just want to start fresh in 2019. I do have 2 treatments that I am willing to try but am betting that both will be non-factors. I tried an increase in DIM and the result was inconclusive. I'd lean towards staying with just 1 pill. Did 3x1 mile intervals on Lakeshore on a pleasant evening.
1 pill- 7:42
2 pills- 7:31
3 pills- 7:35
The reason I say it's inconclusive is that I did see a modest improvement after the 2nd pill. 11 seconds is bordering on a significant difference (roughly 2.5 percent) but it wasn't night and day. I really didn't feel much better and was somewhat surprised by the result. Perhaps, I unconsciously upped the effort a bit. I was marginally worse on a 3rd pill but 4 seconds is NOT enough to be significant. Probably just statistical noise. Not very long ago, a dose that high would have triggered a SEVERE detox reaction. I'm pleased that I was able to tolerate it even though it really didn't do anything.
The other treatment is a kidney supp called Renamide. It didn't do anything before but with DIM, it could be effective. Again, it's unlikely that it will trigger a reaction. Worst case is that it's a non-factor.
Not surprisingly, I was horrible with the cheating on my diet over the holiday. I was somewhat encouraged that I was able to run fairly well today. Back on track starting tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
12/27- 3 miles at Gold's this time non-stop. It was a struggle as my legs turned to lead by Mile 2. Finished below the Mendoza line at 23:54 (7:58 pace) but it took every ounce of energy to do so. Not looking good at all. I fear that this is the new normal and I'll just have to get used to it. Will order Renamide. Could I benefit from a little Calcium? It never ends.
Distance=3.0
12/28 Unplanned rest day. Renamide is out of stock until mid-January but I may not even order it. I said 2 days earlier that a 2nd DIM pill was inconclusive. Well, it's conclusive now. I was considerably BETTER after taking a 2nd pill this evening after feeling awful for most of the day. Also, I felt a difference after taking a 2nd DMG pill. Interesting. I'm switching back to Sam-e as soon as the supply runs out and this time thanks to DIM, I will be able to tolerate higher doses.
12/29- Still low on motivation. Just waiting for the new year to begin. Skipped the group run in favor of an interval test to confirm what I strongly suspected last night. 2x800 at Vestavia. Opened with 2 DIM but only 1 DMG.
Opened with a 3:50 (7:40 pace). Legs were already starting to go after just 2 laps and I predict that in a 3 miler, the result would be just about the same as 2 days ago. Right around the Mendoza line give or take a few seconds and it would take all I had to do it.
Popped the DMG and got the expected improvement. Without any increase in effort, my time was down to 3:30 (7:00 pace). MINUS 40. Most definitely, this was a significant improvement. What happens if I take another one of those pills? Probably nothing thanks to the DIM.
Distance=1.0
12/30- WEAK again. Came through 1.5 miles in 11:32 and fading. Once again, I was looking at a Mendoza level time give or take a few seconds. This time, I punted and treated the back half like a cool down. Really worried that this is the new normal.
Distance=3.0
12/31- 2 miles in 17:30. Getting worse every day. Fortunately, I found the culprit. It was the LACK of DMG. SAM-e can be used to augment it but CANNOT be used as a substitute. Was able to get the last bottle at the health food store on my way home and YES INDEED, I was better after taking it.
Distance=2.0
Wednesday, December 26, 2018
Monday, December 17, 2018
Training 12/17-12/23
12/17- Lakeshore 5 in 43:35 (8:43 pace). Again, not a relapse but I've clearly lost a step over the past 5 days. Still not sure what to make of it. I could be simply adjusting to more consistent training or I need a small adjustment to the formula. If it is the latter, the Liver will be replaced with synthetic B-12. It was the plan all along to alternate the two. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=5.5
12/18-AM Confirmed that Liver is the culprit. 2x800 at Gold's at standard training effort.
2 Liver- 3:57.9 (7:55 pace)
3 Liver- 4:05.4 (8:10 pace). PLUS 15
Not a huge difference but I could definitely feel it. As has been the case recently, I did get nicked a bit from a taking a pill that is not good for me but the ill-effects were NOT severe. I may be losing maybe 1/2 of 1 percent of my energy every day that I am on the Liver. That is why it is so important to run regularly. I realized what was happening within 5 days. If I was sedentary, it may have taken a month to make the connection and it would take longer to come back.
PM- Easy 3.5 on Lakeshore. Did not push or even time it because I know it would not be pretty on the extra Liver. Felt quite comfortable and could have easily gone another 3.5 but I'm sure that pace was slow. Possibly approaching 9. Tomorrow, I will test it again to see if I need to quit the Liver or simply go down to 1 pill. I believe it will be the former. Also, I am betting that the need for Thym-Adren will diminish before too long.
Distance=4.5
12/19-AM As expected, the Liver will be cut out entirely. 2x400 at Vestavia and I was 6 seconds slower on the Liver. Times were very slow and I have a strong feeling that the Thym-Adren will need to be cut as well so I am facing a double whammy. I still hope to get the distance in even at pathetically slow paces.
PM- 2.5 mile junk run at Gold's. Started off decently well but it was downhill after the first half mile. Pace was approaching 9. No panic yet because I expected this to happen. I did not expect to cut both the Liver and Thym-Adren at the same time. Tomorrow, I will see if I still need Thym-Adren at all.
Distance=3.0
12/20- AM- Got exactly what I expected. 2x400 to determine if I am better with or without Thym-Adren.
Without- 1:53
With- 1:58 (PLUS 20/mile).
PM- Easy 3 at Gold's in 24:16 (8:05 pace). Fine with this one. Still weakened by the Thym-Adren but I was a LOT better than yesterday. Even pace and never struggled or attempted to pick up the pace. I'm sure I could have been under the Mendoza line if I had put some effort into it. Added a half mile cool so I am in good shape to hit 30+ miles on the week.
Distance=4.0
Reaction:
This is what should happen when I take a SINGLE dose of a bad pill. I'll get nicked a little bit but it won't kill me. In the past, I've gone from a 9:xx pace to a 6:xx pace and vice versa because of a single dose. Thanks to DIM, those days should be over. However, if 4 of those are taken for any significant duration, the ill-effects will be significant, which is a reasonable expectation. Add 3 more of those pills to my evening run and once again, the pace would have been approaching 9. Throw in the Liver on top of that and it gets worse from there.
Going forward, I SHOULD be done with the Thym-Adren forever unless there is another MAJOR problem that must be solved. I will continue to alternate Liver with synthetic B-12. Doing so should prevent the zinc/copper ratio from getting too far out of whack in either direction. Yes, I will continue with blood donations at least twice per year to protect against Iron Overload.
Mini-Rant:
If you've been on a specific health protocol for 2 years and still have unresolved problems, you've got to do something different. They call me crazy and maybe I am but the true definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing while expecting different results.
12/21- 3 miles under a time crunch. Improved to a 23:12 (7:44 pace) but I was struggling at the end. Splits were 7:36-7:43-7:53 and it took a late rally to get the 3rd mile under 8. That's still a full minute better than yesterday so I am not complaining.
Distance=3.0
12/22- Planned on an easy 10 but had to settle for 3 in 27:35 (9:12 pace). I was out at about the same pace as last week but completely died in the 3rd mile. Looks like a relapse on the surface but I simply forgot to take the DMG pill. Not pleased about this missing just one pill made this much difference. The methyl folate and either SAM-e or DMG must be taken together. It's both or neither. If I skip both, I'd actually do okay even on the DIM. I did feel a lot better after taking the DMG but did not have time to go back out there because it was a travel day.
Distance=3.0
-23 miles on the week
Distance=5.5
12/18-AM Confirmed that Liver is the culprit. 2x800 at Gold's at standard training effort.
2 Liver- 3:57.9 (7:55 pace)
3 Liver- 4:05.4 (8:10 pace). PLUS 15
Not a huge difference but I could definitely feel it. As has been the case recently, I did get nicked a bit from a taking a pill that is not good for me but the ill-effects were NOT severe. I may be losing maybe 1/2 of 1 percent of my energy every day that I am on the Liver. That is why it is so important to run regularly. I realized what was happening within 5 days. If I was sedentary, it may have taken a month to make the connection and it would take longer to come back.
PM- Easy 3.5 on Lakeshore. Did not push or even time it because I know it would not be pretty on the extra Liver. Felt quite comfortable and could have easily gone another 3.5 but I'm sure that pace was slow. Possibly approaching 9. Tomorrow, I will test it again to see if I need to quit the Liver or simply go down to 1 pill. I believe it will be the former. Also, I am betting that the need for Thym-Adren will diminish before too long.
Distance=4.5
12/19-AM As expected, the Liver will be cut out entirely. 2x400 at Vestavia and I was 6 seconds slower on the Liver. Times were very slow and I have a strong feeling that the Thym-Adren will need to be cut as well so I am facing a double whammy. I still hope to get the distance in even at pathetically slow paces.
PM- 2.5 mile junk run at Gold's. Started off decently well but it was downhill after the first half mile. Pace was approaching 9. No panic yet because I expected this to happen. I did not expect to cut both the Liver and Thym-Adren at the same time. Tomorrow, I will see if I still need Thym-Adren at all.
Distance=3.0
12/20- AM- Got exactly what I expected. 2x400 to determine if I am better with or without Thym-Adren.
Without- 1:53
With- 1:58 (PLUS 20/mile).
PM- Easy 3 at Gold's in 24:16 (8:05 pace). Fine with this one. Still weakened by the Thym-Adren but I was a LOT better than yesterday. Even pace and never struggled or attempted to pick up the pace. I'm sure I could have been under the Mendoza line if I had put some effort into it. Added a half mile cool so I am in good shape to hit 30+ miles on the week.
Distance=4.0
Reaction:
This is what should happen when I take a SINGLE dose of a bad pill. I'll get nicked a little bit but it won't kill me. In the past, I've gone from a 9:xx pace to a 6:xx pace and vice versa because of a single dose. Thanks to DIM, those days should be over. However, if 4 of those are taken for any significant duration, the ill-effects will be significant, which is a reasonable expectation. Add 3 more of those pills to my evening run and once again, the pace would have been approaching 9. Throw in the Liver on top of that and it gets worse from there.
Going forward, I SHOULD be done with the Thym-Adren forever unless there is another MAJOR problem that must be solved. I will continue to alternate Liver with synthetic B-12. Doing so should prevent the zinc/copper ratio from getting too far out of whack in either direction. Yes, I will continue with blood donations at least twice per year to protect against Iron Overload.
Mini-Rant:
If you've been on a specific health protocol for 2 years and still have unresolved problems, you've got to do something different. They call me crazy and maybe I am but the true definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing while expecting different results.
12/21- 3 miles under a time crunch. Improved to a 23:12 (7:44 pace) but I was struggling at the end. Splits were 7:36-7:43-7:53 and it took a late rally to get the 3rd mile under 8. That's still a full minute better than yesterday so I am not complaining.
Distance=3.0
12/22- Planned on an easy 10 but had to settle for 3 in 27:35 (9:12 pace). I was out at about the same pace as last week but completely died in the 3rd mile. Looks like a relapse on the surface but I simply forgot to take the DMG pill. Not pleased about this missing just one pill made this much difference. The methyl folate and either SAM-e or DMG must be taken together. It's both or neither. If I skip both, I'd actually do okay even on the DIM. I did feel a lot better after taking the DMG but did not have time to go back out there because it was a travel day.
Distance=3.0
-23 miles on the week
Monday, December 10, 2018
Training 12/10-12/16
12/10- Goal was to come in under the Mendoza line and I did it by a comfortable margin. 3 miles in 23:46 (7:55 pace). 3rd mile was a struggle but I was a LOT better in holding the pace today. 1st half-11:48, 2nd half-11:58. Pace never did go much above 8:00 and I'm sure I would have been a full minute faster than yesterday (MINUS 15) if I had gone 4 miles. Instead, I'll be satisfied with getting back under the Mendoza line but this is only the start of it. 3 days without a relapse is NO cause for celebration. Added a half mile cool.
Distance= 3.5
12/11- Finally, the Seattle weather is over. Clear but cold evening on Lakeshore. Finished 4 miles in 31:20 (7:50 pace). Well done. Even pace with something left. Improvements will be slower from this point but if it's slow and steady, I will take it.
Distance=4.0
12/12- Not a relapse but definitely a bit of a step backwards. 3.5 miles once again on Lakeshore on a cloudy but comfortable evening. Finished in 28:48 (8:14 pace), which remained fairly even throughout. Just didn't have as much power as yesterday. Hard to explain why it happened. It could be that the adrenal spike has calmed down or I simply over-indulged in forbidden drinks. Either way, it could be spun into good news. Until very recently, if I took 4 doses of the wrong pill, I'd be worthless. Same with after 3 consecutive days of cheating. Now, if one or both of these happens, I'll get nicked a little bit, which is to be expected BUT nothing severe.
Distance=3.5
12/13- 4 miles in 33:57 (8:29 pace). Another slow down but all is still okay. I've dialed back the effort because 8:30 is probably my current half marathon race pace. I shouldn't run my faster than this on my standard issue workouts. Today, I tried to run without methylation support. Yes, I could feel a difference but it wasn't nearly as bad as before the DIM. That's excellent news. The Thym-Adren is clearly still necessary and 4 pills remains the optimal dose.
Distance= 4.0
Reaction:
DIM, Sarcosine and at least some Thym-Adren are essential to take every day or else. BUT if I miss a dose of something else or mis-count the Thym-Adren by 1 pill, I'll only get nicked a bit. Until very recently, it was an exact cocktail every day or else with moving targets. Too early to celebrate after just 6 days but YES there is a chance that those days could be behind me!
12/14- Planned rest day. I need 15 over the weekend to hit 30. That is do-able. I may decide to do a junk run to be safe.
PM- Decided to do the junk run. 2 miles and didn't care about the time. Not sure if I will do the group run tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
12/15- It wasn't pretty but I finished the BTC 10 miler. Time was 88:21 (8:50 pace). Did not push it too hard because I still need at least 3 tomorrow. Held the pace well. Slowest mile was a 9:01, which was mostly uphill. Really not bad overall. Conditions were damp and chilly but I've run in worse.
Distance=10.0
12/6- 3 mile recovery jog at Vestavia. Didn't even time it but the pace was probably over 9. Quite sore from yesterday but I suppose that is to be expected. Glad I did the junk run on Friday.
Distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
No relapse this week so I must count this as a success. Still, I am a LONG way from being able to run respectable times again and I've lost too much fitness to jump back into it. I made 30 this week and planned to shoot for 35 next week but I don't think I can handle it now. I may just shoot for 30ish for the next few weeks. I'll have 6 days to train next week but only 5 the following week.
Distance=30.0
Distance= 3.5
12/11- Finally, the Seattle weather is over. Clear but cold evening on Lakeshore. Finished 4 miles in 31:20 (7:50 pace). Well done. Even pace with something left. Improvements will be slower from this point but if it's slow and steady, I will take it.
Distance=4.0
12/12- Not a relapse but definitely a bit of a step backwards. 3.5 miles once again on Lakeshore on a cloudy but comfortable evening. Finished in 28:48 (8:14 pace), which remained fairly even throughout. Just didn't have as much power as yesterday. Hard to explain why it happened. It could be that the adrenal spike has calmed down or I simply over-indulged in forbidden drinks. Either way, it could be spun into good news. Until very recently, if I took 4 doses of the wrong pill, I'd be worthless. Same with after 3 consecutive days of cheating. Now, if one or both of these happens, I'll get nicked a little bit, which is to be expected BUT nothing severe.
Distance=3.5
12/13- 4 miles in 33:57 (8:29 pace). Another slow down but all is still okay. I've dialed back the effort because 8:30 is probably my current half marathon race pace. I shouldn't run my faster than this on my standard issue workouts. Today, I tried to run without methylation support. Yes, I could feel a difference but it wasn't nearly as bad as before the DIM. That's excellent news. The Thym-Adren is clearly still necessary and 4 pills remains the optimal dose.
Distance= 4.0
Reaction:
DIM, Sarcosine and at least some Thym-Adren are essential to take every day or else. BUT if I miss a dose of something else or mis-count the Thym-Adren by 1 pill, I'll only get nicked a bit. Until very recently, it was an exact cocktail every day or else with moving targets. Too early to celebrate after just 6 days but YES there is a chance that those days could be behind me!
12/14- Planned rest day. I need 15 over the weekend to hit 30. That is do-able. I may decide to do a junk run to be safe.
PM- Decided to do the junk run. 2 miles and didn't care about the time. Not sure if I will do the group run tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
12/15- It wasn't pretty but I finished the BTC 10 miler. Time was 88:21 (8:50 pace). Did not push it too hard because I still need at least 3 tomorrow. Held the pace well. Slowest mile was a 9:01, which was mostly uphill. Really not bad overall. Conditions were damp and chilly but I've run in worse.
Distance=10.0
12/6- 3 mile recovery jog at Vestavia. Didn't even time it but the pace was probably over 9. Quite sore from yesterday but I suppose that is to be expected. Glad I did the junk run on Friday.
Distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
No relapse this week so I must count this as a success. Still, I am a LONG way from being able to run respectable times again and I've lost too much fitness to jump back into it. I made 30 this week and planned to shoot for 35 next week but I don't think I can handle it now. I may just shoot for 30ish for the next few weeks. I'll have 6 days to train next week but only 5 the following week.
Distance=30.0
Thursday, December 6, 2018
Pacific Northwest Road Trip Plan
I'm scheduled for phone duty the week of the South Dakota race next year. I could possibly swap with a co-worker but I think this is a better fit anyway. There is a State holiday in early June so that's one less day off work that I will have to take. Here is the preliminary plan:
6/3- Fly out of Birmingham to Seattle. I gain 2 hours so I expect to get in at a decent hour. Again, the rental car cost will be rough but it's necessary. From Seattle, it's roughly 3 hours to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I'll stay downtown and enjoy a night out.
6/4- Must sees in the Vancouver area are Top of Vancouver, Stanley Park and Grouse Mountain. From there, I will head up 1.5 hours north on the Sea to Sky highway along the coast to Whistler. There are some amazing views along the way. I'm not sure how far back south I'll go but I do want to get back to America that night.
6/5- I'll skirt past Seattle and take what I am sure will be a very scenic drive down the Washington coast across the border to Oregon. The destination is Cannon Beach, which is a beautiful spot on the Oregon coast. Driving time will be no more than 5.5 hours. Maybe less if I go further south the previous day.
6/6- From Cannon Beach, I will head southeast towards Portland but probably skip that. Instead, I will opt for Multnomah Falls and Mount Hood. Most likely, I will stay in Hood River just across the border from Washington. Drive time is about 3 hours.
6/7- Drive up to Rainier National Park and do some touring around Packwood then head to Seattle for the night.
6/8- Full day to tour Seattle and pick up the race packet. The Space Needle is a must see. I'll consider a Mariners game if they are in town. I'm a fan of '90s alternative music so I hope there is some sort of museum for that.
6/9- Race day then fly back. Getting back will be dicey. I may have to wait another day. I lose 2 hours and must take an afternoon flight after the race. My choices may be to wait until the next day or take an overnight layover probably in Denver. If I can get a Frontier flight from there, it may actually end up cheaper.
6/3- Fly out of Birmingham to Seattle. I gain 2 hours so I expect to get in at a decent hour. Again, the rental car cost will be rough but it's necessary. From Seattle, it's roughly 3 hours to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I'll stay downtown and enjoy a night out.
6/4- Must sees in the Vancouver area are Top of Vancouver, Stanley Park and Grouse Mountain. From there, I will head up 1.5 hours north on the Sea to Sky highway along the coast to Whistler. There are some amazing views along the way. I'm not sure how far back south I'll go but I do want to get back to America that night.
6/5- I'll skirt past Seattle and take what I am sure will be a very scenic drive down the Washington coast across the border to Oregon. The destination is Cannon Beach, which is a beautiful spot on the Oregon coast. Driving time will be no more than 5.5 hours. Maybe less if I go further south the previous day.
6/6- From Cannon Beach, I will head southeast towards Portland but probably skip that. Instead, I will opt for Multnomah Falls and Mount Hood. Most likely, I will stay in Hood River just across the border from Washington. Drive time is about 3 hours.
6/7- Drive up to Rainier National Park and do some touring around Packwood then head to Seattle for the night.
6/8- Full day to tour Seattle and pick up the race packet. The Space Needle is a must see. I'll consider a Mariners game if they are in town. I'm a fan of '90s alternative music so I hope there is some sort of museum for that.
6/9- Race day then fly back. Getting back will be dicey. I may have to wait another day. I lose 2 hours and must take an afternoon flight after the race. My choices may be to wait until the next day or take an overnight layover probably in Denver. If I can get a Frontier flight from there, it may actually end up cheaper.
 |
| Cannon Beach |
 |
| Mt. Rainier |
 |
| Sea to Sky BC |
Monday, December 3, 2018
Training 12/3-12/9
12/3- No Thym-Adren in the mail so I didn't even try. It would have been over 27 for 3 miles so why even bother? Switching from the Men's DIM to the old stuff appears to be a non-factor. Still over-stimulated on the old stuff but no significant detox reaction. The detox should be behind me now.
As for the Thym-Adren, there is little doubt that I will improve once I get back on that stuff. The only real question is my tolerance to it. Will I need mega doses? Will there be an optimal dose? If so, how much will it hurt to take too much? I really expected the Thym-Adren to arrive today. Tomorrow, I sure hope so.
12/4- STILL NO THYM-ADREN! I'm getting worse every day without it. I placed the order 7 days ago and thought for sure it would be here by today. I suspect it is out of stock and they never told me. At any rate, I've ordered another bottle from a different supplier. I'll get it no later than Friday. Forget about running. Just survive the week at work.
12/5- STILL NO! It must have been out of stock. The other supplier told me it went out on Tuesday so I should get it no later than Friday. Again, MAYBE tomorrow.
12/6- YES! It did arrive. Finally. 5x400 at Gold's to determine the optimal dose:
0 pills- 2:15.3 (9:01 pace)
1 pill- 1:59.7 (7:58 pace) MINUS 63
2 pills- 1:50.7 (7:22 pace) MINUS 36
3 pills- 1:43.2 (6:52 pace) MINUS 30
6 pills- 1:50.0 (7:20 pace) PLUS 28
Added a quarter mile cool.
I was actually glad to see that I lost a step between 3-6 pills. I bet the optimal dose is 4 pills but I'll confirm it tomorrow. Someday, the adrenal spike will calm down. When it does, I'll be back to ADHS and I hope it will be soon. It might gradually trend down or I could be suddenly forced off. In the meantime, I will be hurt by excessive pills. MAYBE, I can get serious next week.
Distance=1.5
12/7- 3x800 at Gold's:
3 pills- 3:52 (7:44 pace)
4 pills- 3:42 (7:24 pace)
5 pills- 3:47 (7:34 pace)
-4 pills it is. I was noticeably better on 4. Once again, I believe the formula is set.
Distance=1.5
12/8- Easy 3 miles at Gold's in 27:43 (9:14 pace). Very poor performance but at least I am not reacting badly to micro doses of any pill. I'll consider this my starting point. For the last time, IF I am able to train consistently, I will be running respectable times by the Spring.
Distance=3.0
12/9- Seattle weather continues. Managed to go 4 miles in 33:40 (8:25 pace). MINUS 49 over an extra mile. Felt MUCH better overall but for the 2nd straight day, I faded BADLY on the back half. Splits were 7:59-8:18-8:42-8:41. This was still a BIG improvement so I'll take it.
Distance=4.0
-10 miles on the week
As for the Thym-Adren, there is little doubt that I will improve once I get back on that stuff. The only real question is my tolerance to it. Will I need mega doses? Will there be an optimal dose? If so, how much will it hurt to take too much? I really expected the Thym-Adren to arrive today. Tomorrow, I sure hope so.
12/4- STILL NO THYM-ADREN! I'm getting worse every day without it. I placed the order 7 days ago and thought for sure it would be here by today. I suspect it is out of stock and they never told me. At any rate, I've ordered another bottle from a different supplier. I'll get it no later than Friday. Forget about running. Just survive the week at work.
12/5- STILL NO! It must have been out of stock. The other supplier told me it went out on Tuesday so I should get it no later than Friday. Again, MAYBE tomorrow.
12/6- YES! It did arrive. Finally. 5x400 at Gold's to determine the optimal dose:
0 pills- 2:15.3 (9:01 pace)
1 pill- 1:59.7 (7:58 pace) MINUS 63
2 pills- 1:50.7 (7:22 pace) MINUS 36
3 pills- 1:43.2 (6:52 pace) MINUS 30
6 pills- 1:50.0 (7:20 pace) PLUS 28
Added a quarter mile cool.
I was actually glad to see that I lost a step between 3-6 pills. I bet the optimal dose is 4 pills but I'll confirm it tomorrow. Someday, the adrenal spike will calm down. When it does, I'll be back to ADHS and I hope it will be soon. It might gradually trend down or I could be suddenly forced off. In the meantime, I will be hurt by excessive pills. MAYBE, I can get serious next week.
Distance=1.5
12/7- 3x800 at Gold's:
3 pills- 3:52 (7:44 pace)
4 pills- 3:42 (7:24 pace)
5 pills- 3:47 (7:34 pace)
-4 pills it is. I was noticeably better on 4. Once again, I believe the formula is set.
Distance=1.5
12/8- Easy 3 miles at Gold's in 27:43 (9:14 pace). Very poor performance but at least I am not reacting badly to micro doses of any pill. I'll consider this my starting point. For the last time, IF I am able to train consistently, I will be running respectable times by the Spring.
Distance=3.0
12/9- Seattle weather continues. Managed to go 4 miles in 33:40 (8:25 pace). MINUS 49 over an extra mile. Felt MUCH better overall but for the 2nd straight day, I faded BADLY on the back half. Splits were 7:59-8:18-8:42-8:41. This was still a BIG improvement so I'll take it.
Distance=4.0
-10 miles on the week
Sunday, December 2, 2018
2019 Travel Plans
Let's Review the past year first:
-April- South Padre Island/ Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
May- Epic New England- Vermont-NYC-Long Island Sound,CT-Newport, RI-Cape Cod-Boston
July- Midwest: Minneapolis- Door County, WI- Lake Superior, MI- Iowa
September- Washington DC
October- Denver- Rocky Mtn NP- Scottsbluff, NE
Detroit/Windsor, Ontario
I entered the year with only 42 states with significant experiences but shored up Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and finally Nebraska. That takes me up to 49 states in which I have stopped at a significant tourist attraction. Hawaii is the only one missing and should be completed by 2021 when I finish the race states.
Now on to 2019:
Winter:
Miami/Florida Keys in either January or February depending on the temps. I'll just make a cameo in Key West. The race there is still a NO. Miami also has a half marathon in late January and I am also leaning against that one.
March:
Philadelphia/Wilmington, Delaware.
I can do this one without missing any time at work. This time, I will be racing in Wilmington and just hit a couple highlights in Philly such as the Liberty Bell and the Rocky Statue.
April-
Salisbury, Maryland or Newport, Rhode Island- Choose 1 of 2.
I prefer the former and this one would include a road trip through Delmarva plus Virginia and Maryland's Chesapeake region. I will be repeating a small portion of last month's trip but if I miss out on something in Philly, I can hit it again.
As for Newport, I was just there last year too. I'd fly to Boston and try to get on a tour of Fenway Park. The advantage here is that it is quicker and would only require 1 or 2 days off work.
Summer-
South Dakota, Utah or Pacific Northwest. Choose 1 of 3 and it will be epic.
South Dakota- Mt. Rushmore, Badlands NP plus Regina, Sasketchewan and a corner of Manitoba. This adds 2 more to my Century Club tally. I prefer this one but I'll do the other 2 in the future.
Utah- Race in Cottonwood and tour some of the Mighty 5 National Parks
Pacific Northwest- Race RnR Seattle. Road trip includes Cannon Beach, Mt. Hood, Mt. Ranier and Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Late Summer/Fall- Choose 2 of 4:
Connecticut- There is a race on the Long Island Sound. I will not do this if I also run Newport, RI in April. I'll go back to NYC for another day or two to see City Island in the Bronx and the Empire State Building.
Iowa- Cedar Rapids or Des Moines race. I will fly into Chicago and take 2 days to tour there. Cedar Rapids is in September and Des Moine is in October. If I choose the former, I could swing a trip home for my birthday.
New Jersey-The race is in Jersey City in mid-September and will definitely allow me to swing a birthday trip home similar to DC last year.
Rhode Island- Again, the target is Newport in October. Someday I will race here but not if I go to Connecticut over the summer.
As for 2020 and beyond, I will go more international.
-April- South Padre Island/ Nuevo Progreso, Mexico
May- Epic New England- Vermont-NYC-Long Island Sound,CT-Newport, RI-Cape Cod-Boston
July- Midwest: Minneapolis- Door County, WI- Lake Superior, MI- Iowa
September- Washington DC
October- Denver- Rocky Mtn NP- Scottsbluff, NE
Detroit/Windsor, Ontario
I entered the year with only 42 states with significant experiences but shored up Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and finally Nebraska. That takes me up to 49 states in which I have stopped at a significant tourist attraction. Hawaii is the only one missing and should be completed by 2021 when I finish the race states.
Now on to 2019:
Winter:
Miami/Florida Keys in either January or February depending on the temps. I'll just make a cameo in Key West. The race there is still a NO. Miami also has a half marathon in late January and I am also leaning against that one.
March:
Philadelphia/Wilmington, Delaware.
I can do this one without missing any time at work. This time, I will be racing in Wilmington and just hit a couple highlights in Philly such as the Liberty Bell and the Rocky Statue.
April-
Salisbury, Maryland or Newport, Rhode Island- Choose 1 of 2.
I prefer the former and this one would include a road trip through Delmarva plus Virginia and Maryland's Chesapeake region. I will be repeating a small portion of last month's trip but if I miss out on something in Philly, I can hit it again.
As for Newport, I was just there last year too. I'd fly to Boston and try to get on a tour of Fenway Park. The advantage here is that it is quicker and would only require 1 or 2 days off work.
Summer-
South Dakota, Utah or Pacific Northwest. Choose 1 of 3 and it will be epic.
South Dakota- Mt. Rushmore, Badlands NP plus Regina, Sasketchewan and a corner of Manitoba. This adds 2 more to my Century Club tally. I prefer this one but I'll do the other 2 in the future.
Utah- Race in Cottonwood and tour some of the Mighty 5 National Parks
Pacific Northwest- Race RnR Seattle. Road trip includes Cannon Beach, Mt. Hood, Mt. Ranier and Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Late Summer/Fall- Choose 2 of 4:
Connecticut- There is a race on the Long Island Sound. I will not do this if I also run Newport, RI in April. I'll go back to NYC for another day or two to see City Island in the Bronx and the Empire State Building.
Iowa- Cedar Rapids or Des Moines race. I will fly into Chicago and take 2 days to tour there. Cedar Rapids is in September and Des Moine is in October. If I choose the former, I could swing a trip home for my birthday.
New Jersey-The race is in Jersey City in mid-September and will definitely allow me to swing a birthday trip home similar to DC last year.
Rhode Island- Again, the target is Newport in October. Someday I will race here but not if I go to Connecticut over the summer.
As for 2020 and beyond, I will go more international.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Training 11/26-12/2
11/26-AM- 3x480 intervals at Gold's That's 1/3 of a mile. Opened with 4 ADHS pills.
Opener- 2:31 (7:33 pace) and struggled.
Red Bull- 2:27 (7:21 pace). MINUS 12
That's right. I was actually slightly BETTER after chugging a small can of Red Bull. Caffeine is certainly NOT good for me but it's not a factor in the adrenal spike.
1 Thym-Adren- 2:07 (6:21 pace). MINUS 60.
Adrenal suppressant was YUGE! The ADHS (modulator) will not cut it at the present time.
PM- Energy faded throughout the afternoon and by the evening, I had to take another dose if I was to even attempt the workout. Indeed I was better immediately but could not hold it. Finished 3 miles in 24:53 (8:18 pace). I was 11:21 at the half but cratered in Mile 3. Last mile was well over 9 minutes and nearly bailed after 2.5 but stuck it out. Another Thym-Adren most certainly would have helped.
Distance=4.0
11/27- Adrenal spike hit another level today. Even mega doses of Thym-Adren were not enough. It did help. I could not even function without it. Got what I expected in the workout. 1 mile in 9:27. Unfortunately my supply is running low so I may have to endure a couple days without it, which will really suck. I figured this might happen but this is about the most severe adrenal spike I've had.
Distance=1.0
11/28- Big improvement. I feel like the adrenal spike is already beginning to calm down. It's a surprise that this happened so soon.
AM- Repeated the Gold's Mile and my time is down to 8:39 (MINUS 48). Relatively even pace and felt noticeably better than yesterday.
PM- 2 miles in 16:12 (8:06 pace). MINUS 33 over double the distance. Just 24 hours after yesterday evening, I doubled the distance with a cumulative MINUS 81. Impressive. Let's see continued improvement tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
11/29- Lakeshore 4 on a cloudy but pleasant evening. Finished in 31:55 (7:59 pace). Once again, I doubled the distance and increased my pace. I was hoping for a more dramatic improvement but I will take it. The adrenal spike may actually be starting to calm down already.
Distance=4.0
11/30- Unplanned rest day. I've run out of Thym-Adren and it is obvious that ADHS isn't strong enough.
12/1- Gold's 2 mile in 17:36 (8:48 pace). Very even splits but NO power. Once again, ADHS isn't strong enough and I just have to wait until Thym-Adren arrives. Let's hope it comes by Monday.
Distance=2.0
12/2- No Thym-Adren and no improvement over yesterday. The adrenal spike has not calmed down at all. I don't believe there is anything I can do about it except take the Thym-Adren and wait for the adrenals to slow down. Did 1 Mile at Vestavia in 8:50. Slightly worse than yesterday. I could have kept it going for another mile but chose not to.
Distance=1.0
-15 on the week.
Opener- 2:31 (7:33 pace) and struggled.
Red Bull- 2:27 (7:21 pace). MINUS 12
That's right. I was actually slightly BETTER after chugging a small can of Red Bull. Caffeine is certainly NOT good for me but it's not a factor in the adrenal spike.
1 Thym-Adren- 2:07 (6:21 pace). MINUS 60.
Adrenal suppressant was YUGE! The ADHS (modulator) will not cut it at the present time.
PM- Energy faded throughout the afternoon and by the evening, I had to take another dose if I was to even attempt the workout. Indeed I was better immediately but could not hold it. Finished 3 miles in 24:53 (8:18 pace). I was 11:21 at the half but cratered in Mile 3. Last mile was well over 9 minutes and nearly bailed after 2.5 but stuck it out. Another Thym-Adren most certainly would have helped.
Distance=4.0
11/27- Adrenal spike hit another level today. Even mega doses of Thym-Adren were not enough. It did help. I could not even function without it. Got what I expected in the workout. 1 mile in 9:27. Unfortunately my supply is running low so I may have to endure a couple days without it, which will really suck. I figured this might happen but this is about the most severe adrenal spike I've had.
Distance=1.0
11/28- Big improvement. I feel like the adrenal spike is already beginning to calm down. It's a surprise that this happened so soon.
AM- Repeated the Gold's Mile and my time is down to 8:39 (MINUS 48). Relatively even pace and felt noticeably better than yesterday.
PM- 2 miles in 16:12 (8:06 pace). MINUS 33 over double the distance. Just 24 hours after yesterday evening, I doubled the distance with a cumulative MINUS 81. Impressive. Let's see continued improvement tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
11/29- Lakeshore 4 on a cloudy but pleasant evening. Finished in 31:55 (7:59 pace). Once again, I doubled the distance and increased my pace. I was hoping for a more dramatic improvement but I will take it. The adrenal spike may actually be starting to calm down already.
Distance=4.0
11/30- Unplanned rest day. I've run out of Thym-Adren and it is obvious that ADHS isn't strong enough.
12/1- Gold's 2 mile in 17:36 (8:48 pace). Very even splits but NO power. Once again, ADHS isn't strong enough and I just have to wait until Thym-Adren arrives. Let's hope it comes by Monday.
Distance=2.0
12/2- No Thym-Adren and no improvement over yesterday. The adrenal spike has not calmed down at all. I don't believe there is anything I can do about it except take the Thym-Adren and wait for the adrenals to slow down. Did 1 Mile at Vestavia in 8:50. Slightly worse than yesterday. I could have kept it going for another mile but chose not to.
Distance=1.0
-15 on the week.
Monday, November 19, 2018
Training 11/19-11/25
11/19- Goal was to finish under the Mendoza line and I just barely made it. Gold's 3 in 23:54 (7:58 pace). Splits were 7:51-8:06-7:57. I was 4 seconds in the red with a quarter mile to go but rallied at the end. Compared with Friday, this was MINUS 25. The rate of improvement will be slower but for what I sure hope is the last time, STEADY TRAINING FREE FROM RELAPSES will result in sustained improvement over time.
Distance=3.0
11/20- Repeated the Gold's 3 and my time is down to 22:56 (7:39 pace). MINUS 19. Splits were 7:32-7:44-7:40. The goal was a sub-23 and once again, I barely made it. I went a few seconds in the red with a half mile to go but once again rallied in the last quarter mile with a 1:47. Very pleased with the improvement over yesterday. I've made it 4 days without a relapse and the improvements should continue. I expect to cheat on the diet over the holiday.
Distance=3.0
11/21- 5th day without a relapse though I will not even begin to believe again until I make it to 30. Took the day off work and ran 5 miles on Lakeshore in the daylight. Comfortable effort most of the way but I did turn it up a notch at the end to finish under 8 minute pace. No complaints about this one. Time was 39:56 (7:59 pace). I expect to do very little over the next few days.
Distance=5.0
11/22- Planned rest day. Cheated BADLY on Thanksgiving Day.
11/23- 3 mile trail run in 23-flat (7:40 pace). Even pace but not much left at the end. Marginally slower than last time at this distance but this route has a few small inclines so it's a wash. PLUS 1 is negligible anyway and considering what I consumed yesterday as well as the day before, I'll take it. I may be facing a bit of an adrenal spike but that's not unexpected after solving a MAJOR problem.
Distance=3.0
11/24- Planned rest day. Trip home. There are 2 more questions to be answered:
1) Is the male specific DIM the only type that will be tolerated or was the reaction to the old stuff simply detox that would have faded in time? I'll try going back to the old stuff and if I get a reaction, no big deal. I'll just endure a rough day or two.
2) Will I see improvement if I temporarily go back to the adrenal suppressants or up the modulator? I don't expect any negatives there. If I doesn't work, it's just a harmless extra pill now that the sensitivity is gone at least for now.
11/25- Test intervals. 4x400 at Vestavia. I tried a double dose of the old DIM formula before the workout and did not notice any problems. No pain in the ass or anywhere else out of the ordinary.
The answer to question #1 is NO. The problems with the old DIM were detox and I would have been advised to simply go slower with it. I probably would not have had the problems if I had done so even with caffeine. Switching to the male specific DIM was probably unnecessary but I still plan to stick with it.
The answer to question #2 is YES. Before the DIM, the effects of the adrenal modulator were negligible at least with only 1 day off it. I bet problems would show up if I stayed off permanently however. Now, I am noticeably over-stimulated without it for just one day and feel significantly better after taking just one of those suckers. Here are the workout stats:
0 ADHS- 2:05.1 (8:20 pace)
1 ADHS- 1:52.5 (7:30 pace) MINUS 50
2 ADHS- 1:38.0 (6:32 pace) MINUS 58- my regular dose
1 Thym-Adren (suppressant)- 1:19.8 (5:19 pace) MINUS 73
Distance=1.0
Reaction:
My doctor says it's common to see an adrenal spike shortly after solving a MAJOR problem. How long will it last? Probably a month or two. If I stick with 2 ADHS only, I will likely plateau around 23-flat for 3 miles and 40 minutes for 5 miles during the adrenal spike. In fact, I may actually get worse for a brief time. BUT upping my ADHS or temporarily switching to the suppressant will certainly result in further improvements.
-only 15 miles this week. I will try again to get serious starting tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
11/20- Repeated the Gold's 3 and my time is down to 22:56 (7:39 pace). MINUS 19. Splits were 7:32-7:44-7:40. The goal was a sub-23 and once again, I barely made it. I went a few seconds in the red with a half mile to go but once again rallied in the last quarter mile with a 1:47. Very pleased with the improvement over yesterday. I've made it 4 days without a relapse and the improvements should continue. I expect to cheat on the diet over the holiday.
Distance=3.0
11/21- 5th day without a relapse though I will not even begin to believe again until I make it to 30. Took the day off work and ran 5 miles on Lakeshore in the daylight. Comfortable effort most of the way but I did turn it up a notch at the end to finish under 8 minute pace. No complaints about this one. Time was 39:56 (7:59 pace). I expect to do very little over the next few days.
Distance=5.0
11/22- Planned rest day. Cheated BADLY on Thanksgiving Day.
11/23- 3 mile trail run in 23-flat (7:40 pace). Even pace but not much left at the end. Marginally slower than last time at this distance but this route has a few small inclines so it's a wash. PLUS 1 is negligible anyway and considering what I consumed yesterday as well as the day before, I'll take it. I may be facing a bit of an adrenal spike but that's not unexpected after solving a MAJOR problem.
Distance=3.0
11/24- Planned rest day. Trip home. There are 2 more questions to be answered:
1) Is the male specific DIM the only type that will be tolerated or was the reaction to the old stuff simply detox that would have faded in time? I'll try going back to the old stuff and if I get a reaction, no big deal. I'll just endure a rough day or two.
2) Will I see improvement if I temporarily go back to the adrenal suppressants or up the modulator? I don't expect any negatives there. If I doesn't work, it's just a harmless extra pill now that the sensitivity is gone at least for now.
11/25- Test intervals. 4x400 at Vestavia. I tried a double dose of the old DIM formula before the workout and did not notice any problems. No pain in the ass or anywhere else out of the ordinary.
The answer to question #1 is NO. The problems with the old DIM were detox and I would have been advised to simply go slower with it. I probably would not have had the problems if I had done so even with caffeine. Switching to the male specific DIM was probably unnecessary but I still plan to stick with it.
The answer to question #2 is YES. Before the DIM, the effects of the adrenal modulator were negligible at least with only 1 day off it. I bet problems would show up if I stayed off permanently however. Now, I am noticeably over-stimulated without it for just one day and feel significantly better after taking just one of those suckers. Here are the workout stats:
0 ADHS- 2:05.1 (8:20 pace)
1 ADHS- 1:52.5 (7:30 pace) MINUS 50
2 ADHS- 1:38.0 (6:32 pace) MINUS 58- my regular dose
1 Thym-Adren (suppressant)- 1:19.8 (5:19 pace) MINUS 73
Distance=1.0
Reaction:
My doctor says it's common to see an adrenal spike shortly after solving a MAJOR problem. How long will it last? Probably a month or two. If I stick with 2 ADHS only, I will likely plateau around 23-flat for 3 miles and 40 minutes for 5 miles during the adrenal spike. In fact, I may actually get worse for a brief time. BUT upping my ADHS or temporarily switching to the suppressant will certainly result in further improvements.
-only 15 miles this week. I will try again to get serious starting tomorrow.
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Miami Decision/Costa Rica Trip Plan
The Miami/Keys trip is listed as "probable" but I will wait on the weather forecast before I commit to the MLK weekend. Experts are predicting a colder than average winter and if it's below 70 at Miami Beach, that's too cold for a swim. If that's the case, I'll simply wait until President's Day when my odds for warmer weather improve. I have decided that the Key West half marathon in January is going to be a NO GO. Hotels are too expensive (350+150 for the race) and it will be extremely crowded as well. Instead, I'll spend a night in Marathon (45-60 minutes from Key West) for half price and simply make a cameo appearance at the southernmost point the next morning. I'll probably get something to eat and do a short walking tour just to count it as an official visit. I hear it's somewhat overrated anyway but it's a bucket list item. As for Miami, there are plenty of affordable hotels on/near the beach but I will stay in Mid or North Beach instead of the more famous South Beach to avoid the drunks. In addition to the beach, I want to see Bayfront Park, Collins Ave and Lincoln Road.
Costa Rica is the one that I will pencil in for the Winter of 2020. Logistics are pretty simple and it won't completely break the bank either. I can get a direct flight out of Atlanta to San Jose, Costa Rica for just $375 round trip. The flight time is slightly less than 4 hours. If I get in early enough in the afternoon, I can take one of 3 scheduled bus trips from the airport to the nearest popular beach. Renting a car is not advisable here and unnecessary with the bus schedules. It's a beautiful 2 hour ride to Jaco Beach. San Jose itself looks to be a fairly vibrant and beautiful area as well so I don't want to skip it completely. My best chance to tour however would probably be on the way back. All pictures posted were stolen from the Internet.
Word on the street is that Jaco Beach is the most touristy part of Costa Rica. That's got its pros and cons. If I want to go to a foreign country, I want an authentic experience, not some resort town that on the surface could pass for an American vacation spot. On the other hand, I can be hesitant to try new dishes and would like at least some American style restaurants if I don't like the local cuisine. Jaco has fast food establishments such as McDonald's, Subway and KFC. Not sure how I feel about that and I'll figure to skip those.
Costa Rica is the one that I will pencil in for the Winter of 2020. Logistics are pretty simple and it won't completely break the bank either. I can get a direct flight out of Atlanta to San Jose, Costa Rica for just $375 round trip. The flight time is slightly less than 4 hours. If I get in early enough in the afternoon, I can take one of 3 scheduled bus trips from the airport to the nearest popular beach. Renting a car is not advisable here and unnecessary with the bus schedules. It's a beautiful 2 hour ride to Jaco Beach. San Jose itself looks to be a fairly vibrant and beautiful area as well so I don't want to skip it completely. My best chance to tour however would probably be on the way back. All pictures posted were stolen from the Internet.
 |
| San Jose |
Word on the street is that Jaco Beach is the most touristy part of Costa Rica. That's got its pros and cons. If I want to go to a foreign country, I want an authentic experience, not some resort town that on the surface could pass for an American vacation spot. On the other hand, I can be hesitant to try new dishes and would like at least some American style restaurants if I don't like the local cuisine. Jaco has fast food establishments such as McDonald's, Subway and KFC. Not sure how I feel about that and I'll figure to skip those.
I'm sure that I will go out to a couple of local bars in the evenings and will have the opportunity to interact with people from all over the world. Of course, I definitely want to meet some native Costa Ricans. Even in a tourist town, there will be no shortage of locals as well as others from nearby areas. I can get by with English only but as I did in Mexico, I most definitely want to speak Spanish to the natives. Thanks to DuoLingo, my skills have improved since Mexico and I expect to have some real conversations with locals.
Of course, the number one attraction here is the beach. I will want at least 2 full days in the water. Costa Rica is located between 8-12 degrees north of the Equator so seasonal variance in temperature is small. I can expect 85-90 degrees every day with no chance of a freak polar cold front this far south. Pacific water temps ought to be a perfectly refreshing 80-82 degrees with good surf all year round. There is a dry season and a rainy season however. Fortunately, in January and February, it hardly ever rains and there is virtually no chance of overcast or gloomy weather conditions. In addition to the beach, there are several nearby hiking trails in rain forests with beautiful waterfalls and lagoons. That ought to worth a look as well.
Other countries in the region:
I initially wanted to combine this trip with a visit to Nicaragua. It's more rustic and less touristy there but just as if not more beautiful in spots. Unfortunately, there is too much political unrest there at the present time plus it would take a lot more time if I wanted to do both San Juan del Sur and Cerro Negro, where a popular activity is sand boarding down a volcano as if on skis. Panama looks to be nice country and it is safe as well. El Salvador, Honduras? Those are no go zones.
The US has 4 levels of Travel Advisories. 1) Normal Cautions, 2) Extra Caution, 3) Reconsider Travel, 4) Do Not Travel. I will not go anywhere higher than a 2. Nicaragua is a 3 and Costa Rica is a 1. I'm sticking to Costa Rica only. Still, word on the street is that it is not advisable to walk long distances at night even on main roads in a safe tourist area. The fact that a country had major problems in the past does NOT disqualify it for a future visit. For example, Vietnam and Bosnia have made great strides in recent years. Nicaragua can turn the corner as well.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Training 11/12-11/18
11/12- Birmingham weather often takes a turn for the worse after Veteran's Day. We typically get 3 days per month in the winter in which it rains all day. Today is one of those days. I went to Gold's Gym for some test intervals. The pain in the ass diminished considerably after 24 hours off the DIM but I still felt pretty rotten when I woke up. Not a surprise because I took several questionable pills yesterday in hopes of improving the detox symptoms.
At any rate, I came through the 1st mile in 8:50 with a steady pace with no DIM. That was a BIG improvement over yesterday. Took just a trace of DIM (1/4 pill) and improved to 8:28 (MINUS 22). Very good news that at least some was tolerated but my pace slipped on the back half. Took another quarter of a pill and as I fully expected, it was MUCH WORSE. Treated Mile 3 as a cool down and don't think I could have broken 10 minutes.
Distance=3.0
Reaction:
Split decision. I'll bet money that DIM will solve the sensitivity once and for all but if I can't tolerate it, that's the ultimate in cruelty. What happens next? If I only take a trace, it won't be as effective and the dietary restrictions and exact cocktail of pills rule must remain in effect. However, there is a chance that I can rebuild my tolerance and be able to take a full pill again. There is also a chance that it will evolve into complete intolerance and leave me right back where I started from. Time will tell.
Research this afternoon:
I have 4 options if I cannot tolerate DIM at all.
1) Hope the male specific formula is better tolerated.
2) Add glutathione back into my formula (NON-FACTOR)
3) Take a cruciferous supplement without DIM
4) Take DIM's precursor (I3C)
11/13- COMPLETE INTOLERANCE TO DIM!! I took just a trace this morning and the result was the same as the half pill yesterday. Could barely run at all. Attempted a junk run but quit within a couple minutes. The verdict on glutathione is in and it is a non-factor. This is further evidence that DIM will solve the sensitivity once and for all because it wasn't tolerated before. Unfortunately, the ill-effects of taking DIM are MUCH WORSE than the previous sensitivity so I'll have to stop taking it.
The male specific formula should arrive by the end of the week. When it does, I will try to take it VERY gradually. Options #3 and 4 are still viable. If this plan fails, I can virtually guarantee that the sensitivity will kick back in with a VENGEANCE! Some days will be better than others but the overall trend will be degenerative. It's looking bleak.
Distance=0.5
Update:
If learned caffeine interferes with estrogen and testosterone metabolism. I loosened the restrictions because it seemed to be better tolerated on the DIM. Not so fast. Perhaps THIS is the culprit. Then again, I abstained from Wednesday-Saturday of last week and got worse. My entire life depends on being able to take DIM or a substitute. That's no exaggeration either.
11/14- AM- Gold's 1.5 in 14:48 (9:52 pace) with a slight negative split (7:27-7:21). That's horrible but it was an improvement over yesterday.
PM- Another Gold's run instead of 40 and rainy outside. 2 miles in 17:52 (8:56 pace). Again, I managed a slight negative split (9:00-8:52). Clearly improving. I'm not touching DIM again until Saturday. The sensitivity has already kicked back in.
Distance=3.5
11/15- Strong negative response to Sam-e last night. Just 2 days off the DIM and the sensitivity has kicked in BIGLY just as I predicted. I tried just a trace of DIM in the morning and MUCH TO MY RELIEF, I DID NOT COLLAPSE!! In fact, I actually felt a little better. Now, if I had taken a full pill or binged on caffeine, I can just about guarantee another relapse. The amount that I did take wasn't nearly enough to be fully effective but it was an improvement over yesterday. 3 miles at Gold's in 25:49 (8:36 pace). MINUS 20 over an extra mile. The plan is to GRADUALLY increase the DIM dosage and hope that the tolerance increases with time.
Distance=3.0
11/16- The male specific DIM arrived yesterday and it appears to be a winner. No, it's not a night and day difference. I was still afraid to try more than a trace. What I did was open the capsule and took the small amount left on the bottom. My mood was noticeably better. Same 3 miler at Gold's and my time was down to 25:09 (8:23 pace). MINUS 13 is relatively modest but I was much better in holding the pace on the back half. Yesterday, I managed only a 13:22 on the back half. Today, it was 12:47. I will continue to up the dosage GRADUALLY and hopefully, the tolerance will improve especially if the caffeine is cut out.
Distance=3.0
11/17- Against my better judgment, I took a full DIM pill today and the male specific formula is stronger (150 mg) so that's the equivalent of 1.5 pills of the old stuff. As expected, I took a step backwards but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was last weekend.
AM- 1 mile at Vestavia in 9:24
PM- Repeated it in 8:44. Hopes remain alive.
Distance=2.0
11/18- AM- Took 2 Liver and a Sam-e, which was never tolerated before the DIM. Repeated the Vestavia Mile and my time was down to 7:34 (MINUS 70) in spite of drinking caffeine yesterday as a test. Perhaps the tolerance to DIM is finally kicking it or perhaps I can only take the male specific formula, which contains maca instead of Vitamin E. I'll be back out this afternoon.
PM- Vestavia 4 miler with no watch. Overall, I was pleased with how I felt. Feeling more stimulated and it seems like I have a higher HR but that could be good. There is a chance that the adrenals could spike temporarily after solving a MAJOR problem.
Distance=5.0
-20 miles on the week.
At any rate, I came through the 1st mile in 8:50 with a steady pace with no DIM. That was a BIG improvement over yesterday. Took just a trace of DIM (1/4 pill) and improved to 8:28 (MINUS 22). Very good news that at least some was tolerated but my pace slipped on the back half. Took another quarter of a pill and as I fully expected, it was MUCH WORSE. Treated Mile 3 as a cool down and don't think I could have broken 10 minutes.
Distance=3.0
Reaction:
Split decision. I'll bet money that DIM will solve the sensitivity once and for all but if I can't tolerate it, that's the ultimate in cruelty. What happens next? If I only take a trace, it won't be as effective and the dietary restrictions and exact cocktail of pills rule must remain in effect. However, there is a chance that I can rebuild my tolerance and be able to take a full pill again. There is also a chance that it will evolve into complete intolerance and leave me right back where I started from. Time will tell.
Research this afternoon:
I have 4 options if I cannot tolerate DIM at all.
1) Hope the male specific formula is better tolerated.
2) Add glutathione back into my formula (NON-FACTOR)
3) Take a cruciferous supplement without DIM
4) Take DIM's precursor (I3C)
11/13- COMPLETE INTOLERANCE TO DIM!! I took just a trace this morning and the result was the same as the half pill yesterday. Could barely run at all. Attempted a junk run but quit within a couple minutes. The verdict on glutathione is in and it is a non-factor. This is further evidence that DIM will solve the sensitivity once and for all because it wasn't tolerated before. Unfortunately, the ill-effects of taking DIM are MUCH WORSE than the previous sensitivity so I'll have to stop taking it.
The male specific formula should arrive by the end of the week. When it does, I will try to take it VERY gradually. Options #3 and 4 are still viable. If this plan fails, I can virtually guarantee that the sensitivity will kick back in with a VENGEANCE! Some days will be better than others but the overall trend will be degenerative. It's looking bleak.
Distance=0.5
Update:
If learned caffeine interferes with estrogen and testosterone metabolism. I loosened the restrictions because it seemed to be better tolerated on the DIM. Not so fast. Perhaps THIS is the culprit. Then again, I abstained from Wednesday-Saturday of last week and got worse. My entire life depends on being able to take DIM or a substitute. That's no exaggeration either.
11/14- AM- Gold's 1.5 in 14:48 (9:52 pace) with a slight negative split (7:27-7:21). That's horrible but it was an improvement over yesterday.
PM- Another Gold's run instead of 40 and rainy outside. 2 miles in 17:52 (8:56 pace). Again, I managed a slight negative split (9:00-8:52). Clearly improving. I'm not touching DIM again until Saturday. The sensitivity has already kicked back in.
Distance=3.5
11/15- Strong negative response to Sam-e last night. Just 2 days off the DIM and the sensitivity has kicked in BIGLY just as I predicted. I tried just a trace of DIM in the morning and MUCH TO MY RELIEF, I DID NOT COLLAPSE!! In fact, I actually felt a little better. Now, if I had taken a full pill or binged on caffeine, I can just about guarantee another relapse. The amount that I did take wasn't nearly enough to be fully effective but it was an improvement over yesterday. 3 miles at Gold's in 25:49 (8:36 pace). MINUS 20 over an extra mile. The plan is to GRADUALLY increase the DIM dosage and hope that the tolerance increases with time.
Distance=3.0
11/16- The male specific DIM arrived yesterday and it appears to be a winner. No, it's not a night and day difference. I was still afraid to try more than a trace. What I did was open the capsule and took the small amount left on the bottom. My mood was noticeably better. Same 3 miler at Gold's and my time was down to 25:09 (8:23 pace). MINUS 13 is relatively modest but I was much better in holding the pace on the back half. Yesterday, I managed only a 13:22 on the back half. Today, it was 12:47. I will continue to up the dosage GRADUALLY and hopefully, the tolerance will improve especially if the caffeine is cut out.
Distance=3.0
11/17- Against my better judgment, I took a full DIM pill today and the male specific formula is stronger (150 mg) so that's the equivalent of 1.5 pills of the old stuff. As expected, I took a step backwards but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was last weekend.
AM- 1 mile at Vestavia in 9:24
PM- Repeated it in 8:44. Hopes remain alive.
Distance=2.0
11/18- AM- Took 2 Liver and a Sam-e, which was never tolerated before the DIM. Repeated the Vestavia Mile and my time was down to 7:34 (MINUS 70) in spite of drinking caffeine yesterday as a test. Perhaps the tolerance to DIM is finally kicking it or perhaps I can only take the male specific formula, which contains maca instead of Vitamin E. I'll be back out this afternoon.
PM- Vestavia 4 miler with no watch. Overall, I was pleased with how I felt. Feeling more stimulated and it seems like I have a higher HR but that could be good. There is a chance that the adrenals could spike temporarily after solving a MAJOR problem.
Distance=5.0
-20 miles on the week.
Friday, November 9, 2018
DIM Product Review
DIM stands for Diindomethane. My bottle contains 100 mg plus a small amount
of Vitamin E succinate and a green blend of spinach, broccoli and cabbage. I was first told about it 2 years ago as a
suggestion to combat sulfur sensitivity.
On the label, it says that it promotes “healthy estrogen
metabolism.” Naturally, as a man, I was
frightened by this so opted not to try it.
However, after additional research plus desperation and despair about my
continued decline in health, I was willing to give it a try. It turns out that it also aids in the
production of detox enzymes. The lack
thereof may be responsible for the sensitivity.
Also, proper estrogen metabolism can actually RAISE free testosterone by
preventing a blockage to its production.
Still, when I re-order, I will get a formulation specifically for men.
My testosterone tested normal back in 2010 but given my
history of adrenal disease, it would not surprise me to learn that it has since
dropped off. As recently as early 2015
(age 34), I was still capable of threatening my personal records despite spotty
training. I cratered shortly thereafter
and blamed the methylation problems as well as bad genetics. Well, I believe the methylation is under
control now and still no improvement. In
fact, after doing a little better last year, I’ve regressed further in
2018. There must be something deeper
going on here.
Results:
I got a bit of a negative reaction and slight flushing the
first 2 days but it felt more like detox and that appears to be correct. Since then, I have seen improvements though
at the moment, my running has stabilized but there have not been dramatic
improvements yet. I am hopeful that will
come gradually with steady training.
Specifics:
Sarcosine for glycine conjugation is the one product that I
cannot do without and it still is. Early
signs showed that Sarcosine might solve the sensitivity issues and though it
helps in some areas such as tolerance for Liver, it is not the miracle cure
that I hoped for. Just one skipped dose
reminded me that it is still very necessary as I woke up feeling awful without
it.
Beef Liver:
Again, I will probably end up rotating this with synthetic
B12 to keep my zinc/copper ratio in line but as of now, Liver is my preferred source
of B12. Before the DIM, I could not
tolerate more than 1 pill per day.
Otherwise, my whole body tightened up and I got the usual fatigue,
depression and VERY poor athletic performance.
Now, I can take 2-3 and probably more yet feel the same. My performance will not be significantly
different versus just 1 of those pills. As with the Sarcosine, I still need at least
1 every day or else but the flexible dosage is a BIG victory.
Taurine and Molybdenum:
Before starting DIM, my need and tolerance for molybdenum
varied from day to day and I eventually discovered that the fluctuation was
based on my consumption of protein.
After cutting out protein bars, not only did I not need the molybdenum,
I could not tolerate it. Also, without
the molybdenum, Taurine was no longer tolerated probably due to the CBS
mutation. Now, my need for moly will
only kick in if I eat too much protein.
Without protein bars, it is not needed but if I do happen to take it, it
seems to be a non-factor. Taurine is
tolerated once again even without the moly and may actually be slightly
beneficial. Very good news all around.
Methylation:
Before DIM, I needed a specific type of Methyl folate
(5-MTHF) and had to take it with Sam-e at a specific ratio (1400 MF/200 Sam-e)
or else I’d be AWFUL. I could also take
DMG but needed nucleotide support from Yasko (BHMT-08) for that to work. Methylation support is still necessary but
once again, the dose is now flexible. I
once took 200 Sam-e and only 400 MF then popped an extra Sam-e during a
run. I was actually slightly BETTER
after the extra Sam-e. Again, very good
news. I have not tried extra DMG yet nor
going without the nucleotide support.
Sugared Drinks:
I am best sticking to water only but that can be difficult
to do. I’ve always been able to handle
one cheat day per week but any more than that was asking for trouble. A caffeine binge or 3 consecutive days of
cheating spelled doom and I’d often feel worse 48 hours after stopping due to
withdrawal symptoms. Non-caffeinated
drinks (Sprite) and even non-carbonated ones (Powerade) would also trigger
reactions. Now, I am still best served
by sticking to water but the ill-effects of cheating are not nearly as severe
nor are the withdrawal symptoms. Again good news.
Given my history, it is WAY too soon to celebrate
anything. If I can avoid a relapse for
the rest of 2018, then MAYBE I have a chance of beating this.
Monday, November 5, 2018
Training 11/5-11/11
11/5- AM. Vestavia Mile in 6:34.8. Best time of the year by 3 seconds. Splits were 97-1:41-1:43-93 so I finished strong when I had to. This was MINUS 39 compared to yesterday. Rate of improvement will be slower from this point on but with steady training, I will chip away at it. Shooting for a sub-6:30 next time. Half mile cool.
Update:
With DIM, there are definitely positive changes but my tolerance for protein isn't one of them. If I eat protein bars regularly, I will need molybdenum again. The difference is that if I don't eat them, taking the moly won't hurt me as it did before. That is BIG.
PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore in 31:56 (7:59 pace) plus another half mile cool. Solid performance. Effort was in the moderate range. I did turn it up a notch in the last quarter mile because I wanted the sub-8 overall pace but overall, the pace was pretty even and I never felt too uncomfortable. Maybe it is time to get serious now. I've been cheating to test out my tolerance and I don't think it's hurt me too much but over the long haul, it's still not good for me.
Distance=6.0
11/6- Tried 2 DIM pills today but it was still too much of a detox reaction. I expected to suck bigly out there this evening but surprisingly I wasn't half bad. Lakeshore 5 in 42:10 (8:26 pace). Even pace and felt comfortable all the way. This is probably the pace I should be running on my standard issue workouts given my current fitness level. Off to a good start in terms of mileage.
Distance=5.0
11/7- Gold's 4 in 34:44 (8:41 pace) plus a long cool that included a couple of fast 200s. Pace was slower than I wanted but all is still okay. Once again, I felt comfortable during the run. Even pace with something left at the end. I think the mileage is catching up to me. I'm not accustomed to consistent mileage and it will just take time to adjust.
Distance=5.0
11/8- Repeated the Gold's 4 and improved to a 32:53 (8:13 pace). Nearly 30 seconds per mile faster than yesterday but I did jack up the effort a bit this time. A couple of observations: YES, I still need some form of B12 (preferably Liver) as well as methylation support BUT the dosage is flexible and there is no magic ratio either. The paces won't be much different (plus or minus) if I take an extra dose. That is a BIG victory.
Distance=4.0
11/9- Planned rest day. I've earned it. 20 miles in 4 days. I just want a double digit run tomorrow.
11/10- First BTC run in quite a while. Survived it but it wasn't pretty. Finished 10 miles in 99:30 (9:57 pace). No energy and no power in my legs. Took extra Taurine and moly afterwards and was noticeably worse. Mixed feelings about this. Not pleased at all with the sensitivity but the ill-effects are not nearly as severe as in the past and I was able to survive a double digit run and guarantee a 30 mile week. DIM may be causing further detox. Feeling a strange pain in the ass (literally) and lower abdomen. Yes, that can happen when detoxing so I may have to reduce the DIM temporarily. May do a junk run tomorrow but it will okay to take the day off.
Distance=10.0
11/11- 2 mile junk run on Wisteria at GARBAGE pace. It has become obvious that DIM must be reduced at least temporarily. I still believe it is a detox reaction. Who knows what I am getting rid of? It could be cadmium, lead or even arsenic. Perhaps something else not reported on hair tests. The pain in the ass and lower abdomen has gotten worse today. It is possible, however unlikely, that the formula specifically for men will be better tolerated. The one I take now is for both genders.
Distance=2.0
-32 miles on the week.
If I can manage the detox symptoms, 35 miles per week can be done. I'll hold it there until the end of the year.
Update:
With DIM, there are definitely positive changes but my tolerance for protein isn't one of them. If I eat protein bars regularly, I will need molybdenum again. The difference is that if I don't eat them, taking the moly won't hurt me as it did before. That is BIG.
PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore in 31:56 (7:59 pace) plus another half mile cool. Solid performance. Effort was in the moderate range. I did turn it up a notch in the last quarter mile because I wanted the sub-8 overall pace but overall, the pace was pretty even and I never felt too uncomfortable. Maybe it is time to get serious now. I've been cheating to test out my tolerance and I don't think it's hurt me too much but over the long haul, it's still not good for me.
Distance=6.0
11/6- Tried 2 DIM pills today but it was still too much of a detox reaction. I expected to suck bigly out there this evening but surprisingly I wasn't half bad. Lakeshore 5 in 42:10 (8:26 pace). Even pace and felt comfortable all the way. This is probably the pace I should be running on my standard issue workouts given my current fitness level. Off to a good start in terms of mileage.
Distance=5.0
11/7- Gold's 4 in 34:44 (8:41 pace) plus a long cool that included a couple of fast 200s. Pace was slower than I wanted but all is still okay. Once again, I felt comfortable during the run. Even pace with something left at the end. I think the mileage is catching up to me. I'm not accustomed to consistent mileage and it will just take time to adjust.
Distance=5.0
11/8- Repeated the Gold's 4 and improved to a 32:53 (8:13 pace). Nearly 30 seconds per mile faster than yesterday but I did jack up the effort a bit this time. A couple of observations: YES, I still need some form of B12 (preferably Liver) as well as methylation support BUT the dosage is flexible and there is no magic ratio either. The paces won't be much different (plus or minus) if I take an extra dose. That is a BIG victory.
Distance=4.0
11/9- Planned rest day. I've earned it. 20 miles in 4 days. I just want a double digit run tomorrow.
11/10- First BTC run in quite a while. Survived it but it wasn't pretty. Finished 10 miles in 99:30 (9:57 pace). No energy and no power in my legs. Took extra Taurine and moly afterwards and was noticeably worse. Mixed feelings about this. Not pleased at all with the sensitivity but the ill-effects are not nearly as severe as in the past and I was able to survive a double digit run and guarantee a 30 mile week. DIM may be causing further detox. Feeling a strange pain in the ass (literally) and lower abdomen. Yes, that can happen when detoxing so I may have to reduce the DIM temporarily. May do a junk run tomorrow but it will okay to take the day off.
Distance=10.0
11/11- 2 mile junk run on Wisteria at GARBAGE pace. It has become obvious that DIM must be reduced at least temporarily. I still believe it is a detox reaction. Who knows what I am getting rid of? It could be cadmium, lead or even arsenic. Perhaps something else not reported on hair tests. The pain in the ass and lower abdomen has gotten worse today. It is possible, however unlikely, that the formula specifically for men will be better tolerated. The one I take now is for both genders.
Distance=2.0
-32 miles on the week.
If I can manage the detox symptoms, 35 miles per week can be done. I'll hold it there until the end of the year.
Monday, October 29, 2018
Miami/Key West Road Trip Plan
A search on Kayak revealed that a round trip flight from Atlanta to Ft. Lauderdale (30 minutes north of Miami) could be had for just $103. That's a SMOKIN' DEAL! Birmingham to Key West is 15 hours driving time so that would be 2 full days of travel each way. No Thanks. If it was just to Ft. Lauderdale, I might drive that but not all the way to Key West. Fun fact: Birmingham to the Canadian border is CLOSER via car than it is to Miami, Florida by almost an hour. You can look it up.
Here's what I would probably do:
Friday night: Work a whole day then drive to the Atlanta airport.
Saturday- Early-mid-morning flight to Lauderdale then I'd have to rent a car (ugh) and drive to Key West via the Overseas Hwy. It's about 4 hours to Key West. Word on the street is that Key West is somewhat over-rated at least when it comes to beaches but it's a bucket list item and it would be cool to go as far south as you can go. The drive down, mostly over the crystal clear water ought to be beautiful. In Key West, you are closer to Havana, Cuba than you are to Miami, Florida and a mere 90 miles from the shores of Cuba. Crazy. I'll go out for a couple of drinks at a bar and I am sure to meet some colorful characters.
Sunday- Guess what? There is a half marathon on this date with a companion 5K. WHY NOT? I've already got Florida but North Florida is an entirely different world than South Florida. After the race, I'll head back up north and stay in South Beach for the night. I'll have part of the day on the beach on Sunday, all day Monday and part of the day Tuesday. What's the expected weather in January? The normal air temperature is about 75 with the water temperature about 72. A little chilly but warm enough for a swim for sure. It's also the dry season with only 2.0 inches of rain per month.
I could do this trip with just 1 day off work.
 |
| Miami |
 |
| Key West |
EDIT:
There is a direct flight from Birmingham to Miami for $290. If I fly out of Birmingham instead of Atlanta, I would save money on gas and lodging. There is sure to be a lot of congestion between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Still, it's probably a net savings of about $75 from Atlanta but it's a LOT more convenient from Birmingham so that's what I'll do.
WEATHER:
Every year, Miami gets maybe 5-6 days in which the high temps don't make it out of the 60s and maybe 1-2 days in the upper 50s. Low 70s will be okay but below that is too cold for a swim. If I wait until President's Day in mid-February, my chances of good weather will be a lot better. It should be at least 75 and may hit 80 by then. I won't get to race but again, I've already got Florida. I'll decide shortly before trip.
UPDATE:
I'm leaning towards the President's Day trip with no race. Hotels are OUTRAGEOUS! The cheapest ones are upwards of $350 per night and I'd almost have to stay in Key West because it will be so crowded. As it is, I'll stay in a nearby Key near Marathon for half price and just make a cameo in Key West.
Training 10/29-11/4
10/29- AM- Gold's 1 Mile under a time crunch in 7:40. Interesting reaction to B-12 and Liver. Took just 1 B12 and came through halfway in 3:57. Popped a Liver and improved to 3:43. Not a night and day difference but this was enough to be considered significant. Was the Liver responsible for the improvement or would I have had the same reaction to additional B12? I'll find out tomorrow.
That's it for today. I tested out tolerance to forbidden drinks now that I am off the moly. There's not much difference. One cheat day per week is okay. A second one? Non-consecutive days or a limit of just one serving on the 2nd day is "probably okay" but it's pushing my luck and best avoided. Any more than that will spell certain trouble.
Distance=1.0
10/30-AM- Sunrise junk run at Vestavia. With yesterday's forbidden drinks still in my system, I was awful. Extra B-12 made things a little better but not enough to be considered significant. After I took the Liver: YES, I felt noticeably better and was about 30 seconds faster per mile. Once again, I feel that I MAY have a stable formula but this time, there will be no celebratory post. If I relapse again, it may be over.
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 20:50 (8:20 pace) plus a cool. Not bad for Day 1. Last week, I was in a similar situation and did break the Mendoza line but crashed because of the Molybdenum. Now, I'm off that stuff so in theory it should be clear sailing. Theories don't usually work out but so far so good. Let's do it now.
Distance=4.0
10/31- Lakeshore 5 in 44:45 (8:57 pace). Not pretty but I made the full planned distance. Relatively even splits. Keep doing this and avoid relapses. Times will go down eventually.
Distance=5.0
11/1- VERY BAD night last night. Can no longer tolerate Taurine, which is not a surprise now that I am off the moly. Just a trace of moly made things MUCH worse. The only way moly will be tolerated again is to eat more protein bars. I'm not going back down that road again. It's a pretty safe bet that the need for moly will NOT flare up again. Also, the tolerance for Liver is still limited. Only one such pill is all I can take. I expected the workout to royally suck but it wasn't as bad as I feared. Did 3 miles at Gold's in 25:46 (8:35 pace). This week has not been pretty but with a long run this weekend, I can get a decent mileage total.
Distance=3.0
11/2- Repeated the Gold's 3 and my time is down to 24:56 (8:19 pace). MINUS 16. Yes, this is significant but still not pretty. I remain sensitive to the Liver dose and cannot take either Taurine or moly. I'm going to try DIM. I no longer believe I will recover but I will never stop trying. Leave well enough alone? I really don't like being this sensitive and once again, the Sarcosine has NOT saved me at all.
Distance=3.0
11/3- INTERESTING! After taking the DIM, I was WORSE but it had a different feel to it. It felt more like a detox reaction. Took the same stuff as the VERY BAD night just 2 days ago (Taurine, extra Liver and moly). This time, there was NO apparent immediate reaction. That's right. Everything appears to be tolerated now but that will not be definitive until I run after taking that stuff tomorrow. As for the DIM, time will tell if it is a detox reaction or I just cannot tolerate it. Once again, if it is the latter, it will be the Ultimate in Cruelty.
AM- DIM made things awful. 4x400 in pitiful times. After the 2nd DIM dosage, I was even worse and struggled just to break 3 minutes (12:00 pace) for just 1 lap.
PM- Much better after just a few hours. Mile at Vestavia in 8:54 with a rally to break 9. Tomorrow will really be interesting.
Distance=2.0
11/4- Good news all around.
AM- Tried to run without DIM and opened with a 400 in 2:05 (8:20 pace). Probably would have been marginally better than the 8:54 yesterday over a full Mile. It was clear even before the run that Sarcosine is still needed so DIM alone won't solve the sensitivity. DIM with Sarcosine might.
After taking DIM- Improved to a 1:44 (6:56 pace) MINUS 84
Next, it was the moment of truth. How would I do after taking the taurine and moly together. Before the DIM, I was AWFUL if I took even a trace of either. Today, I was NO worse. Came through the 400 in 1:44 once again then continued 3 more laps for a full Mile in 7:13 (MINUS 1:41) versus yesterday. Tacked on a half mile cool.
PM-Lakeshore 2 in 15:08 (7:34 pace). More good news. In the past, Sam-e taken without extra MF (exactly 1200 mcg) would trigger a reaction. Not so this time. I came through the 1st mile in 7:38 then actually improved marginally to 7:30 on the back half AFTER taking Sam-e. Tolerance to protein bars and caffeine appear to have improved as well but it's still advisable not to make a habit of it. A celebration is definitely premature at this stage but I finally have real reason for hope. DIM can improve free testosterone levels so if I do have low-T (not a surprise give my history of adrenal issues), that would explain a lot. Felt somewhat like myself out there this afternoon.
Distance=4.0
That's it for today. I tested out tolerance to forbidden drinks now that I am off the moly. There's not much difference. One cheat day per week is okay. A second one? Non-consecutive days or a limit of just one serving on the 2nd day is "probably okay" but it's pushing my luck and best avoided. Any more than that will spell certain trouble.
Distance=1.0
10/30-AM- Sunrise junk run at Vestavia. With yesterday's forbidden drinks still in my system, I was awful. Extra B-12 made things a little better but not enough to be considered significant. After I took the Liver: YES, I felt noticeably better and was about 30 seconds faster per mile. Once again, I feel that I MAY have a stable formula but this time, there will be no celebratory post. If I relapse again, it may be over.
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 20:50 (8:20 pace) plus a cool. Not bad for Day 1. Last week, I was in a similar situation and did break the Mendoza line but crashed because of the Molybdenum. Now, I'm off that stuff so in theory it should be clear sailing. Theories don't usually work out but so far so good. Let's do it now.
Distance=4.0
10/31- Lakeshore 5 in 44:45 (8:57 pace). Not pretty but I made the full planned distance. Relatively even splits. Keep doing this and avoid relapses. Times will go down eventually.
Distance=5.0
11/1- VERY BAD night last night. Can no longer tolerate Taurine, which is not a surprise now that I am off the moly. Just a trace of moly made things MUCH worse. The only way moly will be tolerated again is to eat more protein bars. I'm not going back down that road again. It's a pretty safe bet that the need for moly will NOT flare up again. Also, the tolerance for Liver is still limited. Only one such pill is all I can take. I expected the workout to royally suck but it wasn't as bad as I feared. Did 3 miles at Gold's in 25:46 (8:35 pace). This week has not been pretty but with a long run this weekend, I can get a decent mileage total.
Distance=3.0
11/2- Repeated the Gold's 3 and my time is down to 24:56 (8:19 pace). MINUS 16. Yes, this is significant but still not pretty. I remain sensitive to the Liver dose and cannot take either Taurine or moly. I'm going to try DIM. I no longer believe I will recover but I will never stop trying. Leave well enough alone? I really don't like being this sensitive and once again, the Sarcosine has NOT saved me at all.
Distance=3.0
11/3- INTERESTING! After taking the DIM, I was WORSE but it had a different feel to it. It felt more like a detox reaction. Took the same stuff as the VERY BAD night just 2 days ago (Taurine, extra Liver and moly). This time, there was NO apparent immediate reaction. That's right. Everything appears to be tolerated now but that will not be definitive until I run after taking that stuff tomorrow. As for the DIM, time will tell if it is a detox reaction or I just cannot tolerate it. Once again, if it is the latter, it will be the Ultimate in Cruelty.
AM- DIM made things awful. 4x400 in pitiful times. After the 2nd DIM dosage, I was even worse and struggled just to break 3 minutes (12:00 pace) for just 1 lap.
PM- Much better after just a few hours. Mile at Vestavia in 8:54 with a rally to break 9. Tomorrow will really be interesting.
Distance=2.0
11/4- Good news all around.
AM- Tried to run without DIM and opened with a 400 in 2:05 (8:20 pace). Probably would have been marginally better than the 8:54 yesterday over a full Mile. It was clear even before the run that Sarcosine is still needed so DIM alone won't solve the sensitivity. DIM with Sarcosine might.
After taking DIM- Improved to a 1:44 (6:56 pace) MINUS 84
Next, it was the moment of truth. How would I do after taking the taurine and moly together. Before the DIM, I was AWFUL if I took even a trace of either. Today, I was NO worse. Came through the 400 in 1:44 once again then continued 3 more laps for a full Mile in 7:13 (MINUS 1:41) versus yesterday. Tacked on a half mile cool.
PM-Lakeshore 2 in 15:08 (7:34 pace). More good news. In the past, Sam-e taken without extra MF (exactly 1200 mcg) would trigger a reaction. Not so this time. I came through the 1st mile in 7:38 then actually improved marginally to 7:30 on the back half AFTER taking Sam-e. Tolerance to protein bars and caffeine appear to have improved as well but it's still advisable not to make a habit of it. A celebration is definitely premature at this stage but I finally have real reason for hope. DIM can improve free testosterone levels so if I do have low-T (not a surprise give my history of adrenal issues), that would explain a lot. Felt somewhat like myself out there this afternoon.
Distance=4.0
Friday, October 26, 2018
Immigration Policy
I’ve been to Mexico and although the town that I visited
(Nuevo Progreso) was heavily catered to American tourists, I saw enough to get
a taste of the poverty. I realize all
too well that simply coming in legally is not a realistic option for the majority
of Mexicans as the wait times are several years up to more than a decade. Violent crime and drug cartel violence are out
of control. There is also rampant
domestic violence against women, which is rarely enforced as well as
considerable racism and colorism against indigenous people. Even meager earnings as a janitor or
chamber maid would be a vast improvement over their former life. If they have a disabled family member,
American dollars go further and can make a huge difference. I can certainly sympathize with people who
want to come to America for a better life.
Still, with that said, it is simply not feasible to allow anyone who
wants to enter the USA to come and stay permanently especially not without proper vetting. If we did that, we could be looking at
several million immigrants per year, most of whom have few marketable job
skills. Even one with a criminal
background is one too many. Some are
illiterate in Spanish, never mind English and young unaccompanied children are
especially vulnerable to falling in with the brutal MS-13 gang.
Many liberal Democrats have called for wide open borders
with no background checks and favor sanctuary cities and states to protect
CRIMINAL aliens. That’s flat out
dangerous for national security. It is
clear to me that their primary motivation is to gain more voters as a recent
poll indicated that nearly half of Democrats favor granting non-citizens and
even illegal immigrants the right to vote.
They know that once Texas and Arizona go blue, it will be virtually
impossible for the Republicans to win a national election and we will see
full-fledged socialism in the USA. Some
GOP strategists have suggested that softening their position would lead to more
Hispanic votes. I don’t buy it. Trump actually did marginally better than
Romney among Hispanics and his percentage was only 3 points lower than McCain,
a longtime supporter of amnesty. While
Trump got 29%, I suspect that a Rubio or even Jeb Bush candidacy would struggle
to reach 35% unless they advocate for big government and expanded social
welfare programs.
Separation of children from parents? Terrible.
Never should have happened. Still,
there is blame on both sides. Can we be
sure that the children were not kidnapped along the way? What kind of sick parent would take their
child on such an arduous journey where 80 percent of females will be raped
along the way? If they had simply come
in through a legal port of entry with an asylum claim but no VISA, what
happens? A very long wait time but yes,
your case will be heard and there be no separation. Also, if they had simply pleaded guilty to
illegal entry without a bogus asylum claim, there will be quick
reunification. As usual, media coverage
was blatantly dishonest. Disturbing
pictures of children in cages were actually taken in 2014 during the Obama
administration and the girl on a TIME magazine cover was never separated at all
nor was there a legitimate asylum case.
By definition, in order to qualify for asylum or refugee
status, you must prove that you are fleeing either war or government sponsored
persecution based on race or religion.
Simply fleeing from poverty, a high crime area or domestic abuse does
not qualify. I don’t think Canada would
accept unvetted “refugees” from high crime areas of Chicago or Detroit. The alternative to detention is a policy
called catch and release. That is,
illegal immigrants are then released into the United States on a promise to
appear in court at a specific date. One
problem. Over 90 percent don’t show up
for their cases.
If the illegals make it to a sanctuary city, they are pretty
much safe from deportation even if they are later arrested for a serious
crime. That’s an outrage! Polls show that over 80% of Americans oppose
sanctuary cities yet Democrats will never accept legislation to disallow the
policies and even if they did, the law may not survive a legal challenge. Again, I am really not a fan of judicial
review. Moreover, many who find jobs are
paid under the table for less than minimum wage. Estimates show than more than a third do not
pay any income tax on their earnings.
That is called tax evasion and legal citizens must make up for the
shortfall.
What policies would I implement if I were in charge?
-Build a wall to stop illegal entries as well as the flow of
illicit drugs COLD once and for all.
-Accept a diverse group of LEGAL immigrants from every
corner of the world (Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America) based on
merit. I would not end the diversity
lottery completely but would sharply reduce it.
As it is, we’re not getting the best that the world has to offer. We can’t choose our native-born citizens, but
we can choose our immigrants. Why not
choose the best and brightest who are likely to thrive in the USA?
-Increase the number of judges to hear asylum cases to
expedite the legal process. What if a
woman comes to the border at a port of entry without a VISA but is battered and
bruised? What if she has lost family
members to gang violence and fears that she will be next? I’d hear her case and if it is indeed a
legitimate asylum, sure I’d let her in even if she does not have any job
skills.
-In order for your case to be heard, you MUST come in
through a legal port of entry. Failure
to do so will result in automatic refusal of entry without a trial for both parents
and children. All families will remain
together on the other side. They will
also be banned from legal entry for 5 years and there will be more serious
consequences if caught a 2nd time.
Like my grandfather used to say, if we catch them in the act, they’re
guilty. They don’t need a trial.
-After the wall is built, I would very generously allow
non-criminal illegal immigrants a path to permanent legal status with work
permits. No mass deportations. No citizenship or voting rights however
unless you go back home and to the end of the line and re-apply legally just
like everyone else. Perhaps the wait
times will diminish when the flow of illegals is shut. Those who don’t “come out of the shadows”
must be subject to deportation. Trump
has expressed a willingness to bend on a path to citizenship for DACA
children. I suspect he could be bluffing
because he knows Democrats will never vote for the wall no matter how generous
the amnesty deal. I do not support
citizenship for any illegal immigrant but may be willing to accept it for a
small number of children under a certain age in exchange for all other reforms.
-Mandatory E-verify for all employers with stiff penalties
for knowingly hiring illegal workers and paying them under the table. Also, there must be a strong VISA tracking
system. An estimated 40% of illegals
came here on a tourist VISA but overstayed.
That has got to stop as well. Not
many people have talked about that.
After the path to legal status deal is made, anyone caught with an
expired VISA shall be deported.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Training 10/22-10/28
10/22- Planned rest day. Drive home. After 21 days of drinking water only with just a single transgression, I cheated today. No real problems as a result of it. I'd say that YES, I can handle one cheat day per week but it is of utmost importance to keep it at one. I cannot make a habit of it.
10/23- 2 miles at Gold's in 15:59 (7:59 pace). I went with the Liver plus moly plan with no CBS. It's too soon to say if it is going to work. I expected to struggle today but it really wasn't as bad as I feared. With my diminished fitness, I am not going to recover as quickly from these races. What is certain is this: Now that the protein bars are out, the CBS/NOS pills are too strong. Scratch options 1 and 2. It will either by Synthetic B12 plus moly OR Liver plus moly. I don't want to go down the road of having to break open capsule and estimate the optimal amount as I did in Detroit. I predict that the results will be similar and I will end up doing a rotation of the 2 plans.
Distance=2.0
10/24- Unplanned rest day. Cheated again today but there was a purpose for it. I've said before that forbidden drinks DECREASE the tolerance for CBS pills. Will cheating have the same effect on tolerance for moly? Apparently, the answer is YES. If I do cheat, do I need to take moly at all? Again, the answer is clearly YES. Sugared drinks do NOT reduce the demand for moly BUT they do reduce the tolerance. The latter answer was confirmed today. Habitual cheating will result in a situation in which I still need moly but can only tolerate a small amount of it. BAD situation. I will get back on track tomorrow but may face caffeine withdrawal over the next 2 days. Hopefully, I will be recovered by the weekend.
10/25- Caffeine withdrawal hit this afternoon but it wasn't as bad as it was in the past. It was worth it to know that forbidden drinks decrease the TOLERANCE to molybdenum but NOT the need. I was willing to endure a rough day or two to find that out. I'm betting that excess protein would have made things a LOT worse. The workout was 2 miles on Jemison trail in a light rain. Time was 17:06 (8:33 pace) and I was okay with it. Should go up from here. In fact, I was already feeling a little better by the evening.
Distance=2.0
10/26- 3 miles at Gold's in 23:48 (7:56 pace). Under the Mendoza line but did NOT feel good in doing so. Splits were 7:34-8:03-8:11 and if not for a late rally, Mile 3 would have been worse. I have a strong feeling that NEITHER the molybdenum nor the CBS will be tolerated going forward. Clean on the diet so I don't think that is a factor.
Distance=3.0
10/27- It's confirmed. Both moly and CBS made things MUCH WORSE! I only took a trace of each! Did not even attempt the group run. Can't run at all. Completely disgusted.
PM- I've hit rock bottom. Again. 1 mile on Wisteria in 10:39 running all out. Splits were pretty even. NO MORE MOLYBDENUM but I will not be the least bit surprised if the need flares up again by the end of next week. Cutting out the moly may affect the need/tolerance for both the Liver and B12. Not looking good at all.
PM- Decided to run again in the evening. Improved to 7:57.9 at Vestavia. Granted, a track run is a faster course than Wisteria but this is a BIG improvement. Tomorrow will be the first full day off the moly. We shall see what happens.
Distance=2.0
10/28- AM- Repeated the Vestavia Mile and my time improved to 6:55.3 plus a half mile cool. Usual sandwich splits but a slight positive split this time. Only needed a mild 4th quarter rally to break 7. MINUS 62 and I've got to be pleased but I will not even consider myself "on the way back" until I am consistently under 6:30. Best time of the year is only a 6:37.9
PM- Perfect weather today. Took advantage with a Canterbury 3 miler plus another half mile cool. Time on a hilly route was 22:52 (7:37 pace) and it was below 7:30 after Mile 1. Strong negative split this time but that's to be expected with a downhill finish. Still, I felt like I was getting stronger as the run progressed.
Distance=5.0
10/23- 2 miles at Gold's in 15:59 (7:59 pace). I went with the Liver plus moly plan with no CBS. It's too soon to say if it is going to work. I expected to struggle today but it really wasn't as bad as I feared. With my diminished fitness, I am not going to recover as quickly from these races. What is certain is this: Now that the protein bars are out, the CBS/NOS pills are too strong. Scratch options 1 and 2. It will either by Synthetic B12 plus moly OR Liver plus moly. I don't want to go down the road of having to break open capsule and estimate the optimal amount as I did in Detroit. I predict that the results will be similar and I will end up doing a rotation of the 2 plans.
Distance=2.0
10/24- Unplanned rest day. Cheated again today but there was a purpose for it. I've said before that forbidden drinks DECREASE the tolerance for CBS pills. Will cheating have the same effect on tolerance for moly? Apparently, the answer is YES. If I do cheat, do I need to take moly at all? Again, the answer is clearly YES. Sugared drinks do NOT reduce the demand for moly BUT they do reduce the tolerance. The latter answer was confirmed today. Habitual cheating will result in a situation in which I still need moly but can only tolerate a small amount of it. BAD situation. I will get back on track tomorrow but may face caffeine withdrawal over the next 2 days. Hopefully, I will be recovered by the weekend.
10/25- Caffeine withdrawal hit this afternoon but it wasn't as bad as it was in the past. It was worth it to know that forbidden drinks decrease the TOLERANCE to molybdenum but NOT the need. I was willing to endure a rough day or two to find that out. I'm betting that excess protein would have made things a LOT worse. The workout was 2 miles on Jemison trail in a light rain. Time was 17:06 (8:33 pace) and I was okay with it. Should go up from here. In fact, I was already feeling a little better by the evening.
Distance=2.0
10/26- 3 miles at Gold's in 23:48 (7:56 pace). Under the Mendoza line but did NOT feel good in doing so. Splits were 7:34-8:03-8:11 and if not for a late rally, Mile 3 would have been worse. I have a strong feeling that NEITHER the molybdenum nor the CBS will be tolerated going forward. Clean on the diet so I don't think that is a factor.
Distance=3.0
10/27- It's confirmed. Both moly and CBS made things MUCH WORSE! I only took a trace of each! Did not even attempt the group run. Can't run at all. Completely disgusted.
PM- I've hit rock bottom. Again. 1 mile on Wisteria in 10:39 running all out. Splits were pretty even. NO MORE MOLYBDENUM but I will not be the least bit surprised if the need flares up again by the end of next week. Cutting out the moly may affect the need/tolerance for both the Liver and B12. Not looking good at all.
PM- Decided to run again in the evening. Improved to 7:57.9 at Vestavia. Granted, a track run is a faster course than Wisteria but this is a BIG improvement. Tomorrow will be the first full day off the moly. We shall see what happens.
Distance=2.0
10/28- AM- Repeated the Vestavia Mile and my time improved to 6:55.3 plus a half mile cool. Usual sandwich splits but a slight positive split this time. Only needed a mild 4th quarter rally to break 7. MINUS 62 and I've got to be pleased but I will not even consider myself "on the way back" until I am consistently under 6:30. Best time of the year is only a 6:37.9
PM- Perfect weather today. Took advantage with a Canterbury 3 miler plus another half mile cool. Time on a hilly route was 22:52 (7:37 pace) and it was below 7:30 after Mile 1. Strong negative split this time but that's to be expected with a downhill finish. Still, I felt like I was getting stronger as the run progressed.
Distance=5.0
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Detroit Trip Report
Trip Plan:
I had a choice of taking a direct flight or an 11 hour drive. I opted for the latter to avoid the rental car expense (usually more than the flight itself) and to bring back some duty free Canadian booze that is not available in the USA. Because my key attractions are spread out, a car is a necessity in Detroit. The drive up was pretty smooth except for the usual congestion in Nashville. I stopped just beyond Cincinnati for the night and had less than 4 hours to Detroit on Friday morning. Detroit has a bad reputation for urban blight and crime but I found the downtown core to be just fine and as long as I stuck to the main roads, I never felt unsafe.
Friday:
Upon arrival, my first destination was the Renaissance Center and the GM Tower. I was hoping to see the observation deck on the 73rd floor but unfortunately it was closed for renovations. Oh well, I would get some nice views of the skyline later in the trip. I spent some time looking at some of the flashy cars on display then ate some fish and chips at one of the many nice restaurants in the building. With time to kill before the race expo opened at 2:00, I took a walk down by the river where the skyline of neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada could be seen on the other side. After a short walking tour of the business and entertainment districts, I headed to the COBO Convention center to pick up my race packet.
The race course actually crosses the Ambassador Bridge into Canada for a few miles so all registrants are required to have a valid passport. The passport number must be entered when you sign up and if you have a criminal record such as a decades old DUI conviction, you could be refused entry. When on the course, your race bib must be visible at all times and if you run into Canada as a bandit, you could be arrested. Fortunately, I have no such issues so I simply presented my passport and got my bib without any questioning. I did purchase a new pair of shorts and some gels before heading out.
From there, it would be the first of my adventures. I decided to spend Friday night in Canada really just for the sake of doing so. In the past, crossing back into the USA was always the bigger hassle. Not so this time. My entire car was searched including under the seats while I faced continued questioning by the border guard. I would not say that he was mean but he did find it curious that I would drive so far for a race and come into Canada for tourism. Fortunately, I had been to WikiTravel so I knew the names of the most famous streets, pizza joints and the shopping mall. I was told to pop my trunk and even my bag was carefully searched. I was then sent to Immigration where a criminal background check was done. This guard was more friendly and I was quickly sent on my way.
Once in Canada, I was treated to much nicer views of the Detroit skyline and the Ambassador Bridge from Riverside Drive. I then checked into my hotel and took another short tour of town this time via car. I thought about going to a bar to mingle with some Canadians as I did in Nova Scotia but could not find one within walking distance of my hotel so I opted for some pretty good pizza at a place called Capri's just across the street. That was probably a good call to avoid alcohol because I was still not certain how my body would react so close to race day. Overall, I'd say Windsor is a pretty nice town that does not have the bad areas like Detroit but it is smaller than I expected. If I had known it would be this much of a hassle, I probably would not have gone. I stayed in the downtown area but would recommend Riverside with the night skyline view of Detroit despite the higher cost.
Saturday:
Stopped at the Duty Free shop then it was Back in America. This time the border crossing went without a hitch and I was off to Belle Isle. It's all on American soil but it's an island within the river that separates the USA from Canada. It's popular with runners and cyclists and has a lot of small lakes, lagoons and even a small sandy beach with some more nice views of the Detroit skyline. From there, it was on to the museums. First stop was the Motown studio tour. My group had an excellent tour guide and though that style of music was before my time, I can still appreciate the talent. An overlooked gem is the Detroit Historical museum. The first floor was an indoor replica of how the city looked in the late 1800s while the 2nd floor had some pretty cool historical exhibits. Particularly gripping was the Underground Railroad, which helped escaped slaves get into Canada where there could be no threat of re-capture.
Except for the song Lose Yourself, I am not a fan of Eminem and his music. Still, being so close, I could not resist a quick tour of 8 Mile Road. It didn't look so bad to me and once you get further east close to Lakeshore, I saw some very nice homes. I eventually picked up Gratiot back to downtown. Now, this area most definitely has seen better days. I saw lots of abandoned homes and shops that were boarded up. Not a pretty sight. It was now late afternoon and the weather was turning nasty with high winds and even some sleet mixed in with a few rumbles of thunder. Fortunately, it would calm down and I woke to near freezing but dry conditions on race day.
Race:
The race started at 7:00 with it still being pitch black outside. The course began downtown then headed west towards the Ambassador Bridge into Canada. It was a mostly flat route with the exception of border crossings and the Ambassador Bridge began around the end of Mile 2. We would climb throughout Mile 3 and into Mile 4 but it was early on and not steep enough to be terribly uncomfortable. The next section was a gentle downhill and the book on me is if I can make it to Mile 4 still feeling halfway decent, I would probably finish respectably. Today, the early pace remained steady between 8:30-8:45 and I felt in control. At Mile 4, we were off the bridge and onto Canadian soil. This time, I got a warm welcome and was impressed with the fan support along Riverside with the aforementioned views of Detroit. Despite a slight incline, I managed to increased my pace and passed the halfway point in 56:24. A sub-2 was virtually assured and I would probably be better than the 1:57 that I managed 2 weeks earlier in Nebraska.
After 7 miles, it was the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel back to the USA. It began downhill and I let it fly feeling much stronger than I expected to be at this stage. The official border was noted on the wall around 7.4 miles and several runners stopped to snap a picture. Soon, we would bottom out and the uphill portion would be much steeper. I was starting to struggle but I knew that very soon I would come out and be welcomed back to the USA. I did carry my passport just in case but there was no danger of being stopped as long as my bib was visible. Mile 8 came and I was officially back on American soil. I looked at my watch a tenth of a mile later and found to my relief that I could afford to slow to nearly 10 minute pace the rest of the way and still come in under 2. Most likely, I would end up 1:53 or 1:54 based on how I felt. It was starting to hurt now. As is often the case nowadays, my cardio system had more to give but my legs would not produce. Still, it was somewhat encouraging that despite being severely under-trained, I really did not melt down in the last 5K and managed a decent kick at the end en route to a 1:53 finish. My second half was only 1 minute slower than the first half (less than :10/mile). This was good for the 75th percentile in my age group. Maybe, just maybe, I am healthy enough to resume serious training.
Aftermath:
I chose to stay 2 miles from the start/finish line to save money on lodging. That proved to be a bad call. So many roads were closed for runners and the Garmin was completely USELESS. I was always directed to a road that was closed. I had to actually go way off course and eventually found my way through the maze. It took nearly as long to get back to the hotel as it did to run the race.
I was finally on my way out by noon and I caught the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn on the way back. On display were lots of classic cars including the Old Model T plus other exhibits dedicated to airplanes, agriculture and other historical events. It was now mid-afternoon but finally time to head south. I stopped in Bowling Green, Kentucky for the night then it was another 4 hours to home. I worked half a day on Monday.
I had a choice of taking a direct flight or an 11 hour drive. I opted for the latter to avoid the rental car expense (usually more than the flight itself) and to bring back some duty free Canadian booze that is not available in the USA. Because my key attractions are spread out, a car is a necessity in Detroit. The drive up was pretty smooth except for the usual congestion in Nashville. I stopped just beyond Cincinnati for the night and had less than 4 hours to Detroit on Friday morning. Detroit has a bad reputation for urban blight and crime but I found the downtown core to be just fine and as long as I stuck to the main roads, I never felt unsafe.
Friday:
Upon arrival, my first destination was the Renaissance Center and the GM Tower. I was hoping to see the observation deck on the 73rd floor but unfortunately it was closed for renovations. Oh well, I would get some nice views of the skyline later in the trip. I spent some time looking at some of the flashy cars on display then ate some fish and chips at one of the many nice restaurants in the building. With time to kill before the race expo opened at 2:00, I took a walk down by the river where the skyline of neighboring Windsor, Ontario, Canada could be seen on the other side. After a short walking tour of the business and entertainment districts, I headed to the COBO Convention center to pick up my race packet.
The race course actually crosses the Ambassador Bridge into Canada for a few miles so all registrants are required to have a valid passport. The passport number must be entered when you sign up and if you have a criminal record such as a decades old DUI conviction, you could be refused entry. When on the course, your race bib must be visible at all times and if you run into Canada as a bandit, you could be arrested. Fortunately, I have no such issues so I simply presented my passport and got my bib without any questioning. I did purchase a new pair of shorts and some gels before heading out.
From there, it would be the first of my adventures. I decided to spend Friday night in Canada really just for the sake of doing so. In the past, crossing back into the USA was always the bigger hassle. Not so this time. My entire car was searched including under the seats while I faced continued questioning by the border guard. I would not say that he was mean but he did find it curious that I would drive so far for a race and come into Canada for tourism. Fortunately, I had been to WikiTravel so I knew the names of the most famous streets, pizza joints and the shopping mall. I was told to pop my trunk and even my bag was carefully searched. I was then sent to Immigration where a criminal background check was done. This guard was more friendly and I was quickly sent on my way.
 |
| Windsor from Detroit |
Once in Canada, I was treated to much nicer views of the Detroit skyline and the Ambassador Bridge from Riverside Drive. I then checked into my hotel and took another short tour of town this time via car. I thought about going to a bar to mingle with some Canadians as I did in Nova Scotia but could not find one within walking distance of my hotel so I opted for some pretty good pizza at a place called Capri's just across the street. That was probably a good call to avoid alcohol because I was still not certain how my body would react so close to race day. Overall, I'd say Windsor is a pretty nice town that does not have the bad areas like Detroit but it is smaller than I expected. If I had known it would be this much of a hassle, I probably would not have gone. I stayed in the downtown area but would recommend Riverside with the night skyline view of Detroit despite the higher cost.
 |
| Detroit from Windsor |
Saturday:
Stopped at the Duty Free shop then it was Back in America. This time the border crossing went without a hitch and I was off to Belle Isle. It's all on American soil but it's an island within the river that separates the USA from Canada. It's popular with runners and cyclists and has a lot of small lakes, lagoons and even a small sandy beach with some more nice views of the Detroit skyline. From there, it was on to the museums. First stop was the Motown studio tour. My group had an excellent tour guide and though that style of music was before my time, I can still appreciate the talent. An overlooked gem is the Detroit Historical museum. The first floor was an indoor replica of how the city looked in the late 1800s while the 2nd floor had some pretty cool historical exhibits. Particularly gripping was the Underground Railroad, which helped escaped slaves get into Canada where there could be no threat of re-capture.
 |
| Belle Isle |
Except for the song Lose Yourself, I am not a fan of Eminem and his music. Still, being so close, I could not resist a quick tour of 8 Mile Road. It didn't look so bad to me and once you get further east close to Lakeshore, I saw some very nice homes. I eventually picked up Gratiot back to downtown. Now, this area most definitely has seen better days. I saw lots of abandoned homes and shops that were boarded up. Not a pretty sight. It was now late afternoon and the weather was turning nasty with high winds and even some sleet mixed in with a few rumbles of thunder. Fortunately, it would calm down and I woke to near freezing but dry conditions on race day.
Race:
The race started at 7:00 with it still being pitch black outside. The course began downtown then headed west towards the Ambassador Bridge into Canada. It was a mostly flat route with the exception of border crossings and the Ambassador Bridge began around the end of Mile 2. We would climb throughout Mile 3 and into Mile 4 but it was early on and not steep enough to be terribly uncomfortable. The next section was a gentle downhill and the book on me is if I can make it to Mile 4 still feeling halfway decent, I would probably finish respectably. Today, the early pace remained steady between 8:30-8:45 and I felt in control. At Mile 4, we were off the bridge and onto Canadian soil. This time, I got a warm welcome and was impressed with the fan support along Riverside with the aforementioned views of Detroit. Despite a slight incline, I managed to increased my pace and passed the halfway point in 56:24. A sub-2 was virtually assured and I would probably be better than the 1:57 that I managed 2 weeks earlier in Nebraska.
After 7 miles, it was the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel back to the USA. It began downhill and I let it fly feeling much stronger than I expected to be at this stage. The official border was noted on the wall around 7.4 miles and several runners stopped to snap a picture. Soon, we would bottom out and the uphill portion would be much steeper. I was starting to struggle but I knew that very soon I would come out and be welcomed back to the USA. I did carry my passport just in case but there was no danger of being stopped as long as my bib was visible. Mile 8 came and I was officially back on American soil. I looked at my watch a tenth of a mile later and found to my relief that I could afford to slow to nearly 10 minute pace the rest of the way and still come in under 2. Most likely, I would end up 1:53 or 1:54 based on how I felt. It was starting to hurt now. As is often the case nowadays, my cardio system had more to give but my legs would not produce. Still, it was somewhat encouraging that despite being severely under-trained, I really did not melt down in the last 5K and managed a decent kick at the end en route to a 1:53 finish. My second half was only 1 minute slower than the first half (less than :10/mile). This was good for the 75th percentile in my age group. Maybe, just maybe, I am healthy enough to resume serious training.
Aftermath:
I chose to stay 2 miles from the start/finish line to save money on lodging. That proved to be a bad call. So many roads were closed for runners and the Garmin was completely USELESS. I was always directed to a road that was closed. I had to actually go way off course and eventually found my way through the maze. It took nearly as long to get back to the hotel as it did to run the race.
I was finally on my way out by noon and I caught the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn on the way back. On display were lots of classic cars including the Old Model T plus other exhibits dedicated to airplanes, agriculture and other historical events. It was now mid-afternoon but finally time to head south. I stopped in Bowling Green, Kentucky for the night then it was another 4 hours to home. I worked half a day on Monday.
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