Training 1/30-2/9- Possible Race

Quick updates:
1) Moving day is scheduled for 2/9 in the afternoon.  From that day forward, I'll be living at the condo full time.  I've already moved a fair amount of stuff myself.  That morning is the Mercedes 5K and I am listed as questionable.  It's going to be ugly but I do want to get out there for a local race.

2) A new half marathon option for late Spring is Providence, Rhode Island in early May.  I'm actually leaning towards this one over Salisbury, Maryland in mid-April.  I'm definitely running Wilmington, Delaware in late March.  A Maryland race, especially one in Delmarva, would feel too much like a repeat.  On my epic New England trip last year, I did NOT go to Providence.  I went to Newport instead.  I would fly up and take Uber to the hotel.  No need to rent a car and it would only require 1 day off work.

3) I pulled the trigger on the Toyota Corolla purchase.  I'm liking it very much.

1/30- The adrenal spike earlier in the week was INTENSE but it also died down very quickly after just 3 days.  I took 5 adrenal suppressant pills when I probably didn't need any and not surprisingly, I struggled.  I had to settle for another junk run.  2 miles in 17:54 (8:57 pace).  If I had only taken 1 such pill, I probably would have been okay (just nicked a little).
Distance=2.0

1/31-AM- 3 miles in 23:51 (7:57 pace).  A full 60 seconds faster over an extra mile.  I'll take that any day.  Slight negative split and solid finish allowed me to dip under the Mendoza line.  Thym-Adren is still clearing out.

PM- Interestingly, I took a LOAD of molybdenum (disaster before the Maca).  Now, it didn't hurt me at all.  Felt no different after some strides in the parking lot.  That just about covers everything.  I'd like to know if moly is a slight benefit or a non-factor.  If it's the latter, I'll pitch the bottle.  I'll test that out Sunday.
Distance=3.0 (80 miles for the month)

-The goal going forward is to maintain a mileage around 35/week.  If I can do that, I can break 1:40 for the half marathon before turning 40 next Fall.  I managed a 1:42:24 at Magic City on 30 MPW in 2017 and that course has some tough hills on the back half.

2/1- 3 miles on Lakeshore and my time is down to 22:33 (7:31 pace).  Didn't really push it until the last mile.  Felt decent out there on a nice evening weather wise.  Took no molybdenum today.  Come Sunday, I'll know if I can pitch that bottle.  Added a long cool.
Distance=4.0

2/2- Just another day in the life of me.  As I've said before, the molybdenum was NOT tolerated before I started the Maca.  NOW, I CAN'T GET ALONG WITHOUT IT!!!!  WHAT THE _____!  If you've read this blog with any regularity, you know this is nothing new for me.  In fact, similar things happen almost every week!  Don't get me wrong.  I am grateful that I could afford the car and the condo BUT as long as this crap is going on, it will not be enough to make me happy.  NO amount of money or possessions can do that with chemical imbalances!

I had planned on 10 with the BTC at a pace of 8:45-9:00.  I held it for 2.5 miles despite never really feeling good.  Then, I CRASHED HARD!  Had to walk/jog the back half and totaled 4 miles of running in a turtle time of 39:36 (9:54 pace) with a last mile over 12 minutes.

Took some Molybdenum in the afternoon and I was better.  Vestavia Mile in 7:20 though I still didn't feel anywhere near full strength and probably would have been better with more moly.
Distance=5.0

Question that has been answered:
If I am to take the Maca, the moly or a substitute such as CBS/NOS will be required.

Questions to be answered:
- Has the switch to Liver instead of B-12 had any effect?  I don't think so.  It's always been the plan to rotate to keep the Zinc/copper from getting too far out of balance on either side.
-If I quit the Maca, can I get by without the moly?  I don't think that's an option.  Once I completed the detox reaction and subsequent adrenal spike, it is the point of no return with the Maca.  I bet I will need that stuff every day until further notice.
-I predict it will be Maca+ a healthy supply of moly or CBS/NOS and I could face another detox reaction and adrenal spike.
-When that's all clear and the questions are answered, something else will almost certainly spring up.  I keep hoping for the end of this nightmare but it never comes.  ARRRGH!

2/3- Trying to get by without the Maca and the moly is NOT an option.  This was expected.  I was so bad this morning that I didn't even have the energy to walk briskly.  Moly was indeed helpful but ONLY AFTER the Maca.  As for the workout, junk intervals were the only option. 4x400 plus 2x200 with full passive recoveries.
0 Moly- Did not try
1 Moly- 2:10 (8:40 pace)
2 Moly- 1:50 (7:20 pace) MINUS 80
3 Moly- 90 (6:00 pace) MINUS 80
4 Moly- 75 (5:00 pace) MINUS 60
That 4th interval is about as good as I can do with my current fitness and I could tell by how I felt that I hit the sweet spot.  I may have had a shot at the sub-6 Mile if I had paced it well and ran another 3 laps.  I didn't expect any benefit from additional pills but a big question was my tolerance.  Would I go backwards again on additional pills or do I have unlimited tolerance?  The next 2 were 200s because the last quarter took something out of me.
5 Moly- 34.4 (4:35 pace)
6 Moly- 34.8 (4:38 pace) PLUS 3
A fraction of a second even over a short distance is NOT enough to be considered significant.  It appears that I do have unlimited tolerance, which is excellent news.  I BADLY need the moly but am NOT sensitive to it.  1 lap cool down.
Distance=1.5
Going forward:
I will try going back to synthetic B-12 but I do NOT believe that will be a factor in the need for moly.  CBS/NOS SHOULD be a viable substitute for the moly and as far as I know, it does NOT deplete ceruloplasmin.  I'll re-order that stuff tomorrow.  Too bad I pitched an old bottle.

2/4- Detox symptoms began last evening and peaked by the morning today.  It was NASTY.   I did feel a little better in the afternoon and managed an 8:20 Mile at Vestavia plus a half mile cool.  I predict that the detox symptoms will be mostly gone by tomorrow morning but I know the adrenal spike is right behind.
Distance=1.5
I wonder what the next relapse will bring.

2/5- Adrenal spike hit sooner than expected.
AM- 1 mile at Gold's in 9:49
PM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 16:18 (8:09 pace).  MINUS 1:40.
I believe tomorrow will be the last day that I need Thym-Adren
Distance=3.0

2/6- Adrenal spike died down sooner than expected as well.  I clearly needed Thym-Adren when I woke up but overshot the balance point by taking 3 pills.  Did 1 Mile at Vestavia in 8:09.  I probably could have managed another at a similar pace to match yesterday's afternoon session but had no motivation.  Felt decidedly WORSE after taking a 4th so I'm done with the Thym-Adren.  Once again, IN THEORY, I have a stable cocktail now.  Problem is that it has NEVER worked out in practice.  I'll switch from molybdenum to CBS/NOS next week but I expect a smooth transition.  I might still run the 5K on Saturday but I know that I will SUCK BIGLY!
Distance=1.0

2/7- AM- Off the Thym-Adren was the right decision.  Repeated the Vestavia Mile and my time was down to 7:42.  Hoped for better but I'll take it.  Felt WORSE by lunchtime but eventually realized that I forgot to take the Maca.

PM- Back to the new normal.  3 mile tempo on Lakeshore in 22:35 (7:32 pace).  I need about 7:25 pace for 5K to break 23 and I figure that's about as good as I can do right now.
Distance=4.0

2/8- 1 Mile at tempo effort at Gold's just as a warm up.  Yes, the race is a GO for tomorrow but more importantly, I will officially move into the condo.  Finished in 6:45 with a fast start and fast finish.  The middle 1200 was right around 7:00 pace and felt pretty comfortable.  Dropped the hammer with a 43 second last 200 despite not being completely wide open.  Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5

2/9- Superhero 5K in 23:11 (7:29 pace).  About as expected.  Mile markers were a bit off but my approximate splits were 7:15-7:30-7:45.  I knew I would be over 23 but rallied to secure the sub-7:30 overall pace, which was the B-goal coming in.  Conditions were less than ideal (35 degrees with a 10-15 mph wind).  Probably a fair assessment but if I raced that course again, I'd have a shot at a sub-23. I believe the formula is set and I will only switch the Moly with the CBS/NOS.  Going forward, I will allow 1 cheat day per week with the diet.  I'll gain a few ticks with that change alone and I believe the CBS/NOS will be as effective as the moly without damaging Cp production.

In the move to the condo is complete save for a couple of small items that can be moved myself.  I'll get a little bit tipsy tonight to celebrate then it's time to get to work next week.
Distance=3.5

2/10- AM- Junk intervals to test out the need and tolerance to CBS/NOS.  I did get a little buzzed last night but not enough to cause a hangover.
Opener- 2:15 (9:00 pace)
1 pill- 99.6 (6:38 pace)  MINUS 2:22
2 pills-73.8 (4:55 pace) MINUS 1:43
Just like with the moly, I knew that I hit the sweet spot.  I was merely hoping to come within reach of the 75.3 that I ran earlier in the week.  I was actually 1.5 seconds BETTER.  That's not enough to be significant but I know that the CBS/NOS will be at least AS effective as the moly and may not have the side effect of ceruloplasmin depletion.  I knew that I could not match an all out effort just a few minutes later so once again, I went with a 200 to finish up.
4 pills- 33.7 (4:29 pace).  Once again, marginally BETTER than molybdenum.
I may have done a little better in the race yesterday if I had made the switch sooner but it's not good form to try anything new so close to race day.

Reaction:
This is EXCELLENT news all around.  2 CBS/NOS pills are just as effective as 4 moly if not more so.  If I overload on it, I won't see any additional benefit BUT I WON'T LOSE ANYTHING EITHER.  THAT IS BIG!  I wish I wasn't so dependent on it but that's unlikely to ever go away completely because of genetics.  As long as the sensitivity and moving targets are gone, that's an acceptable outcome REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I REGAIN MY SPEED OR NOT!

PM- 2 miles out and back on Jemison in 14:52 (7:26 pace). Much smoother and more relaxed than yesterday at basically the same pace.  No real ill-effects from caffeine or protein but I'm still better off avoiding them. 
Distance=3.0
-28 miles so far in February.  YTD: 108