7/29- Good news and bad news. The good is that the floor continues to rise rapidly. I opened with a 2:30 without the TRS (7:30 pace). Didn't run the closer but I have no doubt that the gap is down to no more than 90 seconds, maybe even as little as 60. It won't be long until I can get by for a day or two without the TRS. I still need at least 2 large doses per day but the ill-effect of a missed dose are not nearly as severe.
Bad news is that the ceiling has not come up like I hoped it would. Did 3 miles at Gold's WITH TRS and started off pretty well but faded early. Finished in 26:36 (8:52 pace). It's possible that the long run hit me 2 days later, which is common. Still, I'm not satisfied with my overall energy levels even with the TRS. I'm afraid that there is still a missing piece. I'm willing to try Mucuna (dopamine) and Juice Plus but that's it.
Distance=3.5
7/30- Modest improvement but I was hoping for better. Finished another 3 miler at Gold's in 25:51 (8:37 pace) MINUS 15 plus a half mile cool. I knew yesterday that something felt off and today confirmed it. I was MUCH WORSE after extra TRS today. That dosage has fluctuated AGAIN! Nothing should surprise me anymore but I am BEYOND ANGRY! I probably won't be able to run tomorrow because the mega dose won't clear yet.
Distance=3.5
-Finished with 25 miles on the week. I'm not going to say anything about the race but I did finish and state #42 is in the books.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Updated Travel Bucket list
Let's start with the US:
Hawaii
San Diego
South Dakota
Pacific Coast Hwy
Arizona
I expect to finish these up by the early part of the next decade. South Dakota is the only state that I have visited as a child but not as an adult. The one that I am looking forward to the most is probably the Pacific Coast Hwy because it would involve a lot more than that. I'd fly into LAX then take 395 up to Yosemite NP. I'll pass through Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes before I hit Yosemite. From there, I'll cut west to Santa Cruz and race a half mary then take the PCH back down to LA, passing through Big Sur and Monterrey. Pretty awesome.
North and Central America:
Newfoundland
Cancun
Cabo San Lucas
Costa Rica
Newfoundland will be tough logistically and will probably require 3 flights but it's necessary for the 10 Canadian provinces goal and it is a beautiful area too. The rest won't be terribly expensive or time consuming. Atlanta has reasonably priced direct flights to both Cancun and Costa Rica, which will both be great winter trips. Cabo will be a bit longer flight but shouldn't break the bank. I plan to stick to the tourist areas and thus will not have to rent a car.
South America
Ecuador
Chile
Argentina
Brazil
Again, the flights here are not too bad and there will be very little jet lag because there will be only a 1-2 hour time zone difference. In Brazil, I'll stick to Rio, which is amazingly beautiful. Chile and Argentina will be done on 1 trip. Fly to Santiago and take a bus over the Andes to Argentina. No rental car for either trip. Ecuador could be a little dicey because attractions are spread out but it would be a nice summer trip. Because of the high elevation, it's 70 degrees year round.
Asia:
Israel
Japan
Hong Kong
Philippines
Here, it will be pricey and very time consuming with considerable jet lag. For Israel, I'd want to go with a Marathon Tours group for Jerusalem. In Japan, Tokyo is a must see but the race is nearly impossible to get into. I may opt for Osaka for the race. Hong Kong and the Philippines could be done on one trip.
Africa:
Cape Town
Durban
Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Diani Beach (Kenya)
Accra (Ghana)
Tangiers (Morocco)
Some of my readers may be surprised by a couple of these but I've done my research and all of them could be very enjoyable trips. Morocco would be a 1 day visit across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. Algeria really looks like a beautiful country but visa restrictions are tight and attractions are spread out. There is a good race near Kilimanjaro, which would definitely be combined with a trip to the Kenyan beach. There's no surf there but it has the whitest sand and clearest water that I have ever seen on YouTube. As is the case in Durban, you can score a 4 star hotel on the beach for a 2 star price and many hotels offer free airport shuttles as well. Why Ghana? Very nice beaches in a country that is a stable democracy. Many African-Americans trace their ancestry back from there and the slave castles can also be toured. That would be gripping and I do expect to cry. Flights will be costly but I can save on lodging and not having to rent a car.
Europe:
Spain
Austria
Switzerland
Germany
Poland
Scotland
Croatia
Lots to see here. I definitely want to get in touch with my roots in Scotland, Germany and Poland. Croatia looks beautiful as well. Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany and Poland can be done in one trip. Spain is probably the one that I'd most want to see however with its beaches and excellent surf year round. My two race picks are Glasgow and Berlin.
Australia:
Melbourne
Sydney
Gold Coast
Great Ocean Road
This is the toughest logistically and likely the most expensive but man, the scenery is AWESOME!. I'd probably race in Melbourne and drive the Great Ocean Road then fly up to Gold Coast for some surfing on the same trip. Sydney would require a 2nd trip.
Race goals:
I want 2 in each continent in different countries. For example, I'd like to race in both Durban and Cape Town but that's only one African country. That's where Kilimanjaro comes in to play. Since Australia is only one country, I only need to race in 2 different states (Victoria and NSW or Queensland)
As I've said earlier, a country must be peaceful, stable and not terribly oppressive for me to consider a visit. Both Cuba and Iran have some amazing scenery with extremely friendly people but until the current political regimes are toppled, both are no-go zones. South Africa would not be on my list either if apartheid was still in place. I figure that I can afford to take one such trip per year with my current finances. I could be well into my 60s yet still have places that I want to see. Very few people have traveled as much as I have. I've read that the average American visits only 12 states in their lifetime. Get out and be more adventurous!
Hawaii
San Diego
South Dakota
Pacific Coast Hwy
Arizona
I expect to finish these up by the early part of the next decade. South Dakota is the only state that I have visited as a child but not as an adult. The one that I am looking forward to the most is probably the Pacific Coast Hwy because it would involve a lot more than that. I'd fly into LAX then take 395 up to Yosemite NP. I'll pass through Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes before I hit Yosemite. From there, I'll cut west to Santa Cruz and race a half mary then take the PCH back down to LA, passing through Big Sur and Monterrey. Pretty awesome.
North and Central America:
Newfoundland
Cancun
Cabo San Lucas
Costa Rica
Newfoundland will be tough logistically and will probably require 3 flights but it's necessary for the 10 Canadian provinces goal and it is a beautiful area too. The rest won't be terribly expensive or time consuming. Atlanta has reasonably priced direct flights to both Cancun and Costa Rica, which will both be great winter trips. Cabo will be a bit longer flight but shouldn't break the bank. I plan to stick to the tourist areas and thus will not have to rent a car.
South America
Ecuador
Chile
Argentina
Brazil
Again, the flights here are not too bad and there will be very little jet lag because there will be only a 1-2 hour time zone difference. In Brazil, I'll stick to Rio, which is amazingly beautiful. Chile and Argentina will be done on 1 trip. Fly to Santiago and take a bus over the Andes to Argentina. No rental car for either trip. Ecuador could be a little dicey because attractions are spread out but it would be a nice summer trip. Because of the high elevation, it's 70 degrees year round.
Asia:
Israel
Japan
Hong Kong
Philippines
Here, it will be pricey and very time consuming with considerable jet lag. For Israel, I'd want to go with a Marathon Tours group for Jerusalem. In Japan, Tokyo is a must see but the race is nearly impossible to get into. I may opt for Osaka for the race. Hong Kong and the Philippines could be done on one trip.
Africa:
Cape Town
Durban
Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
Diani Beach (Kenya)
Accra (Ghana)
Tangiers (Morocco)
Some of my readers may be surprised by a couple of these but I've done my research and all of them could be very enjoyable trips. Morocco would be a 1 day visit across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. Algeria really looks like a beautiful country but visa restrictions are tight and attractions are spread out. There is a good race near Kilimanjaro, which would definitely be combined with a trip to the Kenyan beach. There's no surf there but it has the whitest sand and clearest water that I have ever seen on YouTube. As is the case in Durban, you can score a 4 star hotel on the beach for a 2 star price and many hotels offer free airport shuttles as well. Why Ghana? Very nice beaches in a country that is a stable democracy. Many African-Americans trace their ancestry back from there and the slave castles can also be toured. That would be gripping and I do expect to cry. Flights will be costly but I can save on lodging and not having to rent a car.
Europe:
Spain
Austria
Switzerland
Germany
Poland
Scotland
Croatia
Lots to see here. I definitely want to get in touch with my roots in Scotland, Germany and Poland. Croatia looks beautiful as well. Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany and Poland can be done in one trip. Spain is probably the one that I'd most want to see however with its beaches and excellent surf year round. My two race picks are Glasgow and Berlin.
Australia:
Melbourne
Sydney
Gold Coast
Great Ocean Road
This is the toughest logistically and likely the most expensive but man, the scenery is AWESOME!. I'd probably race in Melbourne and drive the Great Ocean Road then fly up to Gold Coast for some surfing on the same trip. Sydney would require a 2nd trip.
Race goals:
I want 2 in each continent in different countries. For example, I'd like to race in both Durban and Cape Town but that's only one African country. That's where Kilimanjaro comes in to play. Since Australia is only one country, I only need to race in 2 different states (Victoria and NSW or Queensland)
As I've said earlier, a country must be peaceful, stable and not terribly oppressive for me to consider a visit. Both Cuba and Iran have some amazing scenery with extremely friendly people but until the current political regimes are toppled, both are no-go zones. South Africa would not be on my list either if apartheid was still in place. I figure that I can afford to take one such trip per year with my current finances. I could be well into my 60s yet still have places that I want to see. Very few people have traveled as much as I have. I've read that the average American visits only 12 states in their lifetime. Get out and be more adventurous!
Training 7/22-7/28
7/22- Consider it an unplanned rest day. Managed just 1 mile in a time over 10 minutes.
Distance=1.0
7/23- 4.5 miles in 42:05 (9:24 pace) plus a half mile cool. Just about back to the new norm.
Distance=5.0
7/24- AM- Took advantage of a rare summer cold front with temps in the mid-60s this morning. Lakeshore 5 in 44:36 (8:55 pace). plus a cool. Pace was pretty steady just south of 9 most of the way but did have a little something left.
PM- Trak Shak 3.5 in 29:34 (8:27 pace). Two days in a row, I've felt considerably better in the afternoon. I believe it is the mega doses of TRS. I don't feel as well in the morning because I only got one dose after 12 hours off in the morning but got 2 more doses in the afternoon (1 at lunch and 1 before the run). Mega Mega doses is my only hope of a semi-respectable showing in Connecticut.
Distance=9.0
7/25-AM- Test intervals plus a 1 lap cool.
NO TRS- 3:48 at Montreat (11:24 pace). Only 13 hours after taking my last TRS.
10 sprays- 2:16 (6:48 pace). MINUS 4:36.
I ran the 2nd interval without methylation support too. With it, I bet the gap grows to over 5:00. As has happened in the past, the gap will shrink with time. Both the floor and ceiling will improve but the floor will rise much faster. Then, if history is any indication, the process will repeat again and again.
Dreamed that Trump ran against Bernie Sanders in the election. The only difference was that Trump was a Democrat and Sanders was a Republican. I assume they switched ideologies but not personalities. FWIW, Trump won easily. Makes sense to me. The media would love Trump if he was a socialist.
PM- Canterbury 4 in 32:56 (8:14 pace). Not bad overall but I was really struggling on the back half, which is almost all downhill or level. Wore myself out on the early hills. Splits were 16:11-16:45.
Distance=5.0
7/26- Opener- 3:32 (10:36 pace)
Closer- 2:13 (6:39 pace). plus a cool.
The gap is down to 3:57. That's it for today. I don't want to increase the weekly mileage too quickly.
Distance=1.0
7/27- Ran an opener in 3:16 (9:48 pace). MINUS 48. No closer. Saved it for the long run. BTC 12 in 1:47:50 (8:59 pace). Faded on the back half but never slowed beyond 9:40. Barring a relapse, I'm looking good for a sub-2 in Connecticut next weekend. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=13.0
7/28- Opener this morning and my time is all the way down to 2:50 (8:30 pace). Followed that up with approximately 1.7 miles on Lakeshore at a pace just south of 9. This was intended to be a recovery jog and I felt surprisingly fresh after yesterday's effort. That's it for today. I had plenty more in me but I've already exceeded the mileage quota.
Distance=2.0
-36 miles on the week
YTD-690. I want to maintain 35 for the rest of the summer then bump it up to 40 in the Fall.
Distance=1.0
7/23- 4.5 miles in 42:05 (9:24 pace) plus a half mile cool. Just about back to the new norm.
Distance=5.0
7/24- AM- Took advantage of a rare summer cold front with temps in the mid-60s this morning. Lakeshore 5 in 44:36 (8:55 pace). plus a cool. Pace was pretty steady just south of 9 most of the way but did have a little something left.
PM- Trak Shak 3.5 in 29:34 (8:27 pace). Two days in a row, I've felt considerably better in the afternoon. I believe it is the mega doses of TRS. I don't feel as well in the morning because I only got one dose after 12 hours off in the morning but got 2 more doses in the afternoon (1 at lunch and 1 before the run). Mega Mega doses is my only hope of a semi-respectable showing in Connecticut.
Distance=9.0
7/25-AM- Test intervals plus a 1 lap cool.
NO TRS- 3:48 at Montreat (11:24 pace). Only 13 hours after taking my last TRS.
10 sprays- 2:16 (6:48 pace). MINUS 4:36.
I ran the 2nd interval without methylation support too. With it, I bet the gap grows to over 5:00. As has happened in the past, the gap will shrink with time. Both the floor and ceiling will improve but the floor will rise much faster. Then, if history is any indication, the process will repeat again and again.
Dreamed that Trump ran against Bernie Sanders in the election. The only difference was that Trump was a Democrat and Sanders was a Republican. I assume they switched ideologies but not personalities. FWIW, Trump won easily. Makes sense to me. The media would love Trump if he was a socialist.
PM- Canterbury 4 in 32:56 (8:14 pace). Not bad overall but I was really struggling on the back half, which is almost all downhill or level. Wore myself out on the early hills. Splits were 16:11-16:45.
Distance=5.0
7/26- Opener- 3:32 (10:36 pace)
Closer- 2:13 (6:39 pace). plus a cool.
The gap is down to 3:57. That's it for today. I don't want to increase the weekly mileage too quickly.
Distance=1.0
7/27- Ran an opener in 3:16 (9:48 pace). MINUS 48. No closer. Saved it for the long run. BTC 12 in 1:47:50 (8:59 pace). Faded on the back half but never slowed beyond 9:40. Barring a relapse, I'm looking good for a sub-2 in Connecticut next weekend. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=13.0
7/28- Opener this morning and my time is all the way down to 2:50 (8:30 pace). Followed that up with approximately 1.7 miles on Lakeshore at a pace just south of 9. This was intended to be a recovery jog and I felt surprisingly fresh after yesterday's effort. That's it for today. I had plenty more in me but I've already exceeded the mileage quota.
Distance=2.0
-36 miles on the week
YTD-690. I want to maintain 35 for the rest of the summer then bump it up to 40 in the Fall.
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Rant: Identity Politics
Black people do not have to be Democrats. White Southerners do not have to be Republicans. Study the issues and vote for the candidate that you think has the best vision for America. People will disagree but that must be done with respect and civility.
I do think Trump's tweet about going back to where they came from was stupid, factually incorrect and somewhat offensive. That said, I do NOT believe that the 4 Congresswomen were targeted for being "women of color." They were targeted for making ridiculously outrageous statements that were anti-Semitic, anti-American and yes, racist as well. If worded differently such as "Take a look at the countries that follow your principles such as Venezuela, Cuba or Somalia, perhaps you should move there if you hate America so much." I would have had no problem with that. IMO, the worst of the 4 is Ilhan Omar. Let's take a look at some of these statements.
Rep. Tlaib said that Congress was going to "impeach the motherf---er" and it was met was applause. A Missouri state senator publicly hopes for a presidential assassination. If a prominent Tea Party conservative had said that about Obama, I am betting that he would be forced to resign in disgrace. And rightly so. I don't condone that type of language directed at a President even if I don't like him. She also begged for leniency for terrorists who tried to join ISIS. She also said that the Holocaust gave her a calming feeling and that its real tragedy was the creation of the state of Israel.
AOC said that the world will end in 12 years if we don't take radical steps to stop global warming and recently called America in its current state as "garbage." I could go on and on about her statements I actually think that she is the least dangerous of the 4. She's just plain stupid and sometimes I wish the media would just ignore her.
Rep. Pressley said that she doesn't want black, brown and queer faces unless they have black, brown or queer voices. In other words, all racial and "sexual minorities" must think a certain way or they will be ostracized. I have tremendous respect for black conservatives who risk being cut off by friends or even family members if they come out of the closet as conservatives. Candace Owens and MikeNificent are my two favorites. White liberals who vote Democrat are VERY rarely called race traitors for voting Democrat.
Rep Omar is openly anti-Semitic and downplayed 9/11 as "some people did something" She flat out refused to condemn al-Qaeda or the Antifa terror attack on the ICE facility, claiming to be offended by the question. If I were asked to condemn white supremacy, I might be a bit irritated by the question but my response would be a resounding YES!
Now let's suppose that the Democrats nominated a candidate who ran on this platform:
-Increased border security with a tough and lengthy path to citizenship for illegals.
-Legalized abortion but restricted to the point pain capability or at least viability with no federal funding.
-Modest tax increases only on earning above $300K.
I personally would not vote for that but those are reasonable and mainstream positions that would have a good chance of defeating Trump. Assuming that the economy stays strong and Trump stays on point with a focus on the issues, I believe that he will win against a far-left candidate. Right now, I predict it will be Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.
There is a school of thought that you cannot criticize any "person of color" no matter how outrageous their words or actions. Foul language and horseplay during class instruction time must also be accepted. IMO, that is a dangerous and racist viewpoint. To me, it implies that we cannot expect them to behave a respectful manner because it's "part of their culture" to behave in a rambunctious manner. If that's not racist, I don't know what is.
Back in college, I knew a guy who talked loudly in the hallway at 2:00 or 3:00 AM then cried racism when people complained. I'm quite sure that nobody cared that he was black. They cared about being awakened in the middle of the night. A few years ago, I lost a FB friend who refused to condemn calls for "killing crackers" indiscriminately. Ironically, he is half white himself yet sided with a group that hates race mixing. He needs psychiatric help.
I do not deny that white racism exists today and I am disgusted by it. That said, I do NOT believe that in 2019 America, it is a significant barrier to being successful. Bigotry is not tolerated in mainstream society and if a person is outed as a racist, their reputation could be forever tarnished. This is not 1959 Alabama. Attitudes have evolved and to suggest otherwise is offensive to me as an Alabama resident.
Nobody in their right mind would deny that African-Americans have faced severe injustices in the past. I've tried with little success to engage with liberals about what policies need to be implemented TODAY to help minority communities. I'm all for strong enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, leniency for non-violent drug offenders and even giving economically disadvantaged students (of all races) a leg up in college admissions. I also feel that government sponsored mentor programs for at-risk students would be a good idea. If kids see an adult who grew up in their environment yet "made it," they might believe in themselves as well.
Whenever Trump holds a rally, he touts the record low unemployment rate among blacks and Hispanics. It is always met with rousing cheers and applause. If Trump and his supporters did not want racial minorities to be successful, why would they be so happy to hear that news? What is my attitude towards "people of color?" I see you as my equal and you will be treated as such. I do recognize and appreciate diversity but I view all people as individuals not as members of a particular group. I will give you praise when it's due but criticize when it's warranted. As for the blacks that I have met over the years? Yes, I have liked most of them. Unfortunately, I have encountered a few that I dislike but skin color is not a factor. I've met white people that I dislike as well. I'd wager that my attitude closely matches that of the majority of Trump supporters.
To the far-left, America was founded and built on slavery and white supremacy. I will not deny that America has problems. Every civilization in the history of the world has had problems but I also believe that today's America is fundamentally good and capable of improvement. To the far-left, it is irredeemably unjust and cannot be fixed with anything less than a violent revolution. It has happened before. It's called Communism and has led to death camps and mass starvation everywhere that it has been tried.
I do think Trump's tweet about going back to where they came from was stupid, factually incorrect and somewhat offensive. That said, I do NOT believe that the 4 Congresswomen were targeted for being "women of color." They were targeted for making ridiculously outrageous statements that were anti-Semitic, anti-American and yes, racist as well. If worded differently such as "Take a look at the countries that follow your principles such as Venezuela, Cuba or Somalia, perhaps you should move there if you hate America so much." I would have had no problem with that. IMO, the worst of the 4 is Ilhan Omar. Let's take a look at some of these statements.
Rep. Tlaib said that Congress was going to "impeach the motherf---er" and it was met was applause. A Missouri state senator publicly hopes for a presidential assassination. If a prominent Tea Party conservative had said that about Obama, I am betting that he would be forced to resign in disgrace. And rightly so. I don't condone that type of language directed at a President even if I don't like him. She also begged for leniency for terrorists who tried to join ISIS. She also said that the Holocaust gave her a calming feeling and that its real tragedy was the creation of the state of Israel.
AOC said that the world will end in 12 years if we don't take radical steps to stop global warming and recently called America in its current state as "garbage." I could go on and on about her statements I actually think that she is the least dangerous of the 4. She's just plain stupid and sometimes I wish the media would just ignore her.
Rep. Pressley said that she doesn't want black, brown and queer faces unless they have black, brown or queer voices. In other words, all racial and "sexual minorities" must think a certain way or they will be ostracized. I have tremendous respect for black conservatives who risk being cut off by friends or even family members if they come out of the closet as conservatives. Candace Owens and MikeNificent are my two favorites. White liberals who vote Democrat are VERY rarely called race traitors for voting Democrat.
Rep Omar is openly anti-Semitic and downplayed 9/11 as "some people did something" She flat out refused to condemn al-Qaeda or the Antifa terror attack on the ICE facility, claiming to be offended by the question. If I were asked to condemn white supremacy, I might be a bit irritated by the question but my response would be a resounding YES!
Now let's suppose that the Democrats nominated a candidate who ran on this platform:
-Increased border security with a tough and lengthy path to citizenship for illegals.
-Legalized abortion but restricted to the point pain capability or at least viability with no federal funding.
-Modest tax increases only on earning above $300K.
I personally would not vote for that but those are reasonable and mainstream positions that would have a good chance of defeating Trump. Assuming that the economy stays strong and Trump stays on point with a focus on the issues, I believe that he will win against a far-left candidate. Right now, I predict it will be Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.
There is a school of thought that you cannot criticize any "person of color" no matter how outrageous their words or actions. Foul language and horseplay during class instruction time must also be accepted. IMO, that is a dangerous and racist viewpoint. To me, it implies that we cannot expect them to behave a respectful manner because it's "part of their culture" to behave in a rambunctious manner. If that's not racist, I don't know what is.
Back in college, I knew a guy who talked loudly in the hallway at 2:00 or 3:00 AM then cried racism when people complained. I'm quite sure that nobody cared that he was black. They cared about being awakened in the middle of the night. A few years ago, I lost a FB friend who refused to condemn calls for "killing crackers" indiscriminately. Ironically, he is half white himself yet sided with a group that hates race mixing. He needs psychiatric help.
I do not deny that white racism exists today and I am disgusted by it. That said, I do NOT believe that in 2019 America, it is a significant barrier to being successful. Bigotry is not tolerated in mainstream society and if a person is outed as a racist, their reputation could be forever tarnished. This is not 1959 Alabama. Attitudes have evolved and to suggest otherwise is offensive to me as an Alabama resident.
Nobody in their right mind would deny that African-Americans have faced severe injustices in the past. I've tried with little success to engage with liberals about what policies need to be implemented TODAY to help minority communities. I'm all for strong enforcement of anti-discrimination laws, leniency for non-violent drug offenders and even giving economically disadvantaged students (of all races) a leg up in college admissions. I also feel that government sponsored mentor programs for at-risk students would be a good idea. If kids see an adult who grew up in their environment yet "made it," they might believe in themselves as well.
Whenever Trump holds a rally, he touts the record low unemployment rate among blacks and Hispanics. It is always met with rousing cheers and applause. If Trump and his supporters did not want racial minorities to be successful, why would they be so happy to hear that news? What is my attitude towards "people of color?" I see you as my equal and you will be treated as such. I do recognize and appreciate diversity but I view all people as individuals not as members of a particular group. I will give you praise when it's due but criticize when it's warranted. As for the blacks that I have met over the years? Yes, I have liked most of them. Unfortunately, I have encountered a few that I dislike but skin color is not a factor. I've met white people that I dislike as well. I'd wager that my attitude closely matches that of the majority of Trump supporters.
To the far-left, America was founded and built on slavery and white supremacy. I will not deny that America has problems. Every civilization in the history of the world has had problems but I also believe that today's America is fundamentally good and capable of improvement. To the far-left, it is irredeemably unjust and cannot be fixed with anything less than a violent revolution. It has happened before. It's called Communism and has led to death camps and mass starvation everywhere that it has been tried.
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Training 7/15-7/21
7/15- 2 miles in 17:58 (8:59 pace). Started off decently well but faded early and it got worse and worse as the run progressed. Splits were 8:28-9:30 and it had slowed to nearly 10 by the end. Had to push it in the last lap to secure the sub-9 overall. I was pretty sure that the TRS was the culprit but wasn't sure if the dose was too low or too high. It was too low. I felt better after taking it. Back up to 5 sprays.
Distance=2.0
7/16- 5x400 at Gold's. I had taken 5 sprays the previous night and it was obviously NOT enough.
0 sprays- 2:32 (10:08 pace)
2 sprays- 2:20 (9:20 pace)
4 sprays- 2:05 (8:20 pace)
6 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace)
8 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace) fractionally slower.
Most likely, I need 5 sprays in the morning and the evening! The crazy thing is that if I was still on the charcoal or the probiotics, I would still need to reduce the TRS. Got home and ran a lap around Montreat in 2:31 (7:33 pace) AFTER caffeine so I was actually marginally better on it. I don't think that was the problem last week after all.
Distance=2.0
7/17- Woke up feeling awful without the TRS despite the fact that I had taken 5 sprays just over 12 hours earlier. I did feel decent during the morning but began fading after lunch. By the time I got home from work, I only managed a 3:08 lap at Montreat (9:24 pace). Marginally better with Liver and Glutamine so I don't think that caused the spike in the need for TRS. Improved to 3:03 (9:09 pace). Finished the day with 2 miles in 16:56 (8:28 pace) with a negative split (8:37-8:19) AFTER the TRS. Tomorrow morning, I predict that I will be awful again.
Distance=3.0
7/18- AM- Not as awful as I feared. Opened with a 2:54 (8:42 pace) lap then improved to 2:24 (7:12 pace) with a stacked deck. MINUS 90. That is a night and day difference but it took 5 sprays to do it so if you break it down, it's only 18 per spray. I expect the gap will continue to diminish but it will be a while before I can go any length of time without the TRS. Added a lap cool.
PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore after another dose of the sprays. Finished in 33:20 (8:20 pace). Tough conditions out there today. We'll begin seeing relief in about a month. An improvement over yesterday but I was hoping for better. Faded considerably on the back half. I was 16:15 at the half then faded to a 17:05.
Distance=5.0
7/19-AM- Gold's 3 mile in 23:53 (7:58 pace). Below the Mendoza line but I really had to work for it in that last mile and am not confident that I can handle the longer distances. Added a cool. That's it for today. Weather could be iffy tomorrow so we'll see.
Distance=3.5
7/20- Another FAILED long run. I knew it would not be pretty so I went out at a conservative 9:40 pace hoping to hold it for 8-10 miles. I could not even hold it for 2 miles. Finished with 3 in a time of 32:24 (10:48 pace). Added a lap at Montreat a couple hours later at a comparable pace. I'm afraid my need for TRS has spiked again. Today, it was almost like I didn't take it for a whole day even though I am quite sure that I did. That could be good news in the long run. The more sprays I take, the faster the toxins come out. The bottle will cost me $175/month at the rate I am using it. I can't afford that long-term and can only hope the need will diminish in time.
PM- This is NUTS! This time, I DID get benefits from more than 5 sprays at a time. After 8 sprays this evening, I improved from a 3:13 to a 2:33. MINUS 2:00 per mile. Until further notice, I will take as many sprays as I need. Damn the costs!
Distance=4.5
7/21- 5 miles on Lakeshore in 46:41 (9:20 pace). Fairly even splits with something left at the end. Not good by any stretch of the imagination but it was better than yesterday. It took TEN sprays this morning. If I had only taken 5, it would have been no better than yesterday. Maybe even worse.
Distance=5.0
PM- 2 miles at Montreat in 16:31 (8:15 pace). Feeling a little better.
Distance=2.0
-27 miles on the week.
-YTD-654
Distance=2.0
7/16- 5x400 at Gold's. I had taken 5 sprays the previous night and it was obviously NOT enough.
0 sprays- 2:32 (10:08 pace)
2 sprays- 2:20 (9:20 pace)
4 sprays- 2:05 (8:20 pace)
6 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace)
8 sprays- 1:55 (7:40 pace) fractionally slower.
Most likely, I need 5 sprays in the morning and the evening! The crazy thing is that if I was still on the charcoal or the probiotics, I would still need to reduce the TRS. Got home and ran a lap around Montreat in 2:31 (7:33 pace) AFTER caffeine so I was actually marginally better on it. I don't think that was the problem last week after all.
Distance=2.0
7/17- Woke up feeling awful without the TRS despite the fact that I had taken 5 sprays just over 12 hours earlier. I did feel decent during the morning but began fading after lunch. By the time I got home from work, I only managed a 3:08 lap at Montreat (9:24 pace). Marginally better with Liver and Glutamine so I don't think that caused the spike in the need for TRS. Improved to 3:03 (9:09 pace). Finished the day with 2 miles in 16:56 (8:28 pace) with a negative split (8:37-8:19) AFTER the TRS. Tomorrow morning, I predict that I will be awful again.
Distance=3.0
7/18- AM- Not as awful as I feared. Opened with a 2:54 (8:42 pace) lap then improved to 2:24 (7:12 pace) with a stacked deck. MINUS 90. That is a night and day difference but it took 5 sprays to do it so if you break it down, it's only 18 per spray. I expect the gap will continue to diminish but it will be a while before I can go any length of time without the TRS. Added a lap cool.
PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore after another dose of the sprays. Finished in 33:20 (8:20 pace). Tough conditions out there today. We'll begin seeing relief in about a month. An improvement over yesterday but I was hoping for better. Faded considerably on the back half. I was 16:15 at the half then faded to a 17:05.
Distance=5.0
7/19-AM- Gold's 3 mile in 23:53 (7:58 pace). Below the Mendoza line but I really had to work for it in that last mile and am not confident that I can handle the longer distances. Added a cool. That's it for today. Weather could be iffy tomorrow so we'll see.
Distance=3.5
7/20- Another FAILED long run. I knew it would not be pretty so I went out at a conservative 9:40 pace hoping to hold it for 8-10 miles. I could not even hold it for 2 miles. Finished with 3 in a time of 32:24 (10:48 pace). Added a lap at Montreat a couple hours later at a comparable pace. I'm afraid my need for TRS has spiked again. Today, it was almost like I didn't take it for a whole day even though I am quite sure that I did. That could be good news in the long run. The more sprays I take, the faster the toxins come out. The bottle will cost me $175/month at the rate I am using it. I can't afford that long-term and can only hope the need will diminish in time.
PM- This is NUTS! This time, I DID get benefits from more than 5 sprays at a time. After 8 sprays this evening, I improved from a 3:13 to a 2:33. MINUS 2:00 per mile. Until further notice, I will take as many sprays as I need. Damn the costs!
Distance=4.5
7/21- 5 miles on Lakeshore in 46:41 (9:20 pace). Fairly even splits with something left at the end. Not good by any stretch of the imagination but it was better than yesterday. It took TEN sprays this morning. If I had only taken 5, it would have been no better than yesterday. Maybe even worse.
Distance=5.0
PM- 2 miles at Montreat in 16:31 (8:15 pace). Feeling a little better.
Distance=2.0
-27 miles on the week.
-YTD-654
Friday, July 12, 2019
Southwest Road Trip Ideas
I did visit Arizona in 2015 but the fun was limited by uncharacteristically bad rainy weather, so I really could not do it justice. I only spent about 30-45 minutes at the Grand Canyon and could not do any hiking in Sedona at all though I did enjoy the Phoenix area. I think the best way to do this might be 2 separate smaller trips rather than one epic week-long trip. In fact, the full trip would take 9-10 days so it’s definitely a 2-trip proposition. I would want to do Northern Arizona in early summer and Southern Arizona in mid-late Fall In terms of racing, I’ve already got Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado so this will be on the back burner until at least 2021. There is a downhill race in Tucson that looks interesting, but it will not count towards the 50 states.
Northern Trip
Day 1- Land in Albuquerque. Head west on I-40 towards Flagstaff with an option to stop at Petrified Forest NP. Supposedly, this is the most scenic interstate road in America but it will be hard to top I-70 west of Denver in Colorado. I’ll drive as long as I feel comfortable. If I don’t make it all the way to Flagstaff, it’s okay.
Day 2- Hike in Sedona. Drive to Grand Canyon. Arrive by sunset. I’ll have to pay a premium to get a hotel anywhere near the Grand Canyon but it will be worth it to avoid backtracking. It’s about 2:15 from Sedona to the South Rim and less than 1 hour from Flagstaff to Sedona. If I can get to the Grand Canyon at sunset, it could really be awesome.
Day 3- Fully explore the Grand Canyon. Drive northeast towards Monument Valley. Target town is Kayenta
Day 4- If I make it to Kayenta, it’s only a 3 hour drive to Durango, Colorado. Stops along the way would include Monument Valley, 4 corners and Mesa Verde. From Durango, I would definitely want to go up and down the Million Dollar Hwy.
Day 5- Durango back to Albuquerque via 550 for a flight home.
Southern Trip:
Day 1- Fly into Tucson and hopefully check out Tucson Mountain Park.
Day 2- Drive up and down Mt. Lemmon then cross the border at Nogales (Sonora). It’s only 1 hour from Tucson to Nogales. I’ll get a beer and a steak at a bargain price but don’t anticipate staying too long. From there, I’ll head east on I-10 towards New Mexico.
Day 3- Stop at Guadalupe Mountains NP then cut back to the West Texas town of El Paso. Scenic Drive and Franklin Mountain State Park are must dos in El Paso.
Day 4- Brief tour of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua). Kentucky Bar, birthplace of the margarita is a must see in Juarez. 2 different states in Mexico add 2 more to my Century club tally.
Day 5- Back to Tucson for the flight home.
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Training 7/8-7/14
7/8- Very tired. Hopefully, I'm just worn out from the travel. Managed only 1 mile plus a cool at the gym. Time was approaching 12 minutes. No excuses with the pills now.
Distance=1.5
7/9-AM- 1 mile at Montreat in 10:40. Feeling a little better.
PM- 2 miles at Gold's in 17:54 (8:57 pace) plus a half mile cool. Splits were 9:05-8:49. Getting better every time.
Distance=3.5
7/10- Similar to yesterday. I was horrible in the morning then less bad in the evening. Did the Trak Shak 3 mile loop in 26:45 (8:55 pace) and I'll call the morning session a 1 mile warm. I suspect caffeine withdrawal is the culprit and if so I'll be a lot better tomorrow. Strangely, after starting the TRS, my tolerance improved a great deal. I could be peeling off more layers.
Distance=4.0
7/11- Day 3- The withdrawal symptoms diminished and I feel noticeably better today. I fought some cravings but stayed strong. AM- 3 miles in 25:14 (8:25 pace). PM- 3 miles in 23:57 (7:59 pace). Each time, splits were pretty even. Rallied from 3 ticks down in the afternoon to come in under the Mendoza line.
Distance=6.0
7/12- AM- 2 mile junk run on Montreat. No watch. Didn't feel all that good but I'm not worried. That's it for today, Need to be fresh if I want to go long tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
7/13- AM- FAIL! Didn't even try. I OD'ed on TRS by mistake and I'll be worthless for the rest of the day. I'll just have to wait until my system demands it again. Then, I MUST reduce the dosage.
PM- Forced myself to go 1 mile in 12:50. OUCH!
Distance=1.0
7/14- VERY IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. Syntol Probiotics reduce my tolerance for TRS! That's why my tolerance was limited this week. I had to look back at posts from 2017 and found that the probiotics TEMPORARILY reduced my sensitivity but it was another false hope. Given the choice between the 2, it's the TRS. No question. Yes, TRS does also improve gut health so the probiotics are completely unnecessary. Another bottle to be pitched! I did run 2 miles worth of intervals today to test my tolerances. Times were embarrassingly slow.
Distance=2.0
-20 miles on the week. YTD-627
Distance=1.5
7/9-AM- 1 mile at Montreat in 10:40. Feeling a little better.
PM- 2 miles at Gold's in 17:54 (8:57 pace) plus a half mile cool. Splits were 9:05-8:49. Getting better every time.
Distance=3.5
7/10- Similar to yesterday. I was horrible in the morning then less bad in the evening. Did the Trak Shak 3 mile loop in 26:45 (8:55 pace) and I'll call the morning session a 1 mile warm. I suspect caffeine withdrawal is the culprit and if so I'll be a lot better tomorrow. Strangely, after starting the TRS, my tolerance improved a great deal. I could be peeling off more layers.
Distance=4.0
7/11- Day 3- The withdrawal symptoms diminished and I feel noticeably better today. I fought some cravings but stayed strong. AM- 3 miles in 25:14 (8:25 pace). PM- 3 miles in 23:57 (7:59 pace). Each time, splits were pretty even. Rallied from 3 ticks down in the afternoon to come in under the Mendoza line.
Distance=6.0
7/12- AM- 2 mile junk run on Montreat. No watch. Didn't feel all that good but I'm not worried. That's it for today, Need to be fresh if I want to go long tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
7/13- AM- FAIL! Didn't even try. I OD'ed on TRS by mistake and I'll be worthless for the rest of the day. I'll just have to wait until my system demands it again. Then, I MUST reduce the dosage.
PM- Forced myself to go 1 mile in 12:50. OUCH!
Distance=1.0
7/14- VERY IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. Syntol Probiotics reduce my tolerance for TRS! That's why my tolerance was limited this week. I had to look back at posts from 2017 and found that the probiotics TEMPORARILY reduced my sensitivity but it was another false hope. Given the choice between the 2, it's the TRS. No question. Yes, TRS does also improve gut health so the probiotics are completely unnecessary. Another bottle to be pitched! I did run 2 miles worth of intervals today to test my tolerances. Times were embarrassingly slow.
Distance=2.0
-20 miles on the week. YTD-627
Monday, July 1, 2019
Training 7/1-7/7
7/1- Good news and bad news. The good is that the sensitivity to Maca is nearly gone as I predicted. The gap in performance was only 24 seconds per mile on Montreat. I DO need to take the TRS every day, with a day off every 10-14 days. Other than that, I can miss a dose of any or all "key pills" every now and then and I will barely even notice it. Healthy people take that for granted but for me after so many years of baffling and extremely maddening reaction to stuff as benign as Calcium and Vitamin C, it's YUGE!! It would have been unthinkable at this time last year. MAYBE, this is the end of my long nightmare but I know better than to get my hopes up.
Bad news is that I was awful today for an unrelated reason. I had been taking excessive charcoal really just to get rid of it and have one less bottle in my cabinet. Bad call. Yes, I am upset but because it was an elective pill and not a key pill, I can live with a bad reaction. Add to that, I exceeded the recommended dosage. If I had simply taken 1 per day, I might have handled it. 3 laps at Montreat and I was no better than a 3:36 (10:48 pace).
Distance=1.0
7/2-AM 3 miles at Gold's in 29:30 (9:50 pace). A good deal better than yesterday but I was expecting a LOT better than this. That's it for today. I'm traveling this evening.
PM- I was able to squeeze in another 3 after all. Time is down to 26:28 (8:49 pace). MINUS 61. I'll take it. Should be back to the new normal within about 2 days.
Distance-6.0
7/3- 2 mile trail run in 15:38 (7:49 pace). Not bad at all. Done after a long day and after dinner. Took NO pills except for the TRS spray last night. Figure I am right around 24 for 3 miles right now. I bet that I could have broken it with a late rally.
Distance=2.0
7/4- AM- Again, NO pills for the 2nd straight day. I am starting to feel it but I wasn't horrible, which is encouraging. Finished with 4 miles in 34:27 (8:37 pace). Faded on the back half (16:52-17:35) but it was slightly uphill and the humidity was tough.
Distance=4.0
7/5- COLLAPSE! Took all the pills except for stand alone B-12, which I left in Birmingham. Only 1 mile at the track in a time of over 10 minutes. I thought I no longer needed the stand alone B-12 but I was wrong. Extra B-complex was not enough. I can go 2-3 days without it, which is better than needing it every day, but no more than that. Again, it's maddening but I can live with it because it's simple fix. I'm going with Liver Beef for a couple months as part of the plan to keep the Zinc/copper in balance as part of the rotation. Unfortunately, this is probably it for the week. There will be no relief until I get back home on Sunday and can take the B-12.
Distance=1.0
7/6- Unplanned rest day.
7/7- Double good news. As I predicted, I was immediately better after taking the B-12 when I got home. Didn't have time for a real workout though. Tried some Charcoal to assess my tolerance and I was actually slightly better with it (2:33 vs 2:28). Added a lap cool. The relapse early in the week occurred only because I took mega doses for several consecutive days. I'm still pitching that bottle but as I expected, I would have been okay by following the directions.
Distance=1.0
-15 miles on the week. YTD- 607
-2 relapse but 2 important lessons.
1- I can handle a day or 2 without any pills except for TRS but no more than 2 without a "key pill". That's okay. Because of my genetics, I will probably never be free from pills but knowing that if I forget one every now and then, I won't be hurt unless I get stupid 3 straight days.
2- Negative reactions to pills will happen ONLY IF I over-dose it for 3 straight days.
Bad news is that I was awful today for an unrelated reason. I had been taking excessive charcoal really just to get rid of it and have one less bottle in my cabinet. Bad call. Yes, I am upset but because it was an elective pill and not a key pill, I can live with a bad reaction. Add to that, I exceeded the recommended dosage. If I had simply taken 1 per day, I might have handled it. 3 laps at Montreat and I was no better than a 3:36 (10:48 pace).
Distance=1.0
7/2-AM 3 miles at Gold's in 29:30 (9:50 pace). A good deal better than yesterday but I was expecting a LOT better than this. That's it for today. I'm traveling this evening.
PM- I was able to squeeze in another 3 after all. Time is down to 26:28 (8:49 pace). MINUS 61. I'll take it. Should be back to the new normal within about 2 days.
Distance-6.0
7/3- 2 mile trail run in 15:38 (7:49 pace). Not bad at all. Done after a long day and after dinner. Took NO pills except for the TRS spray last night. Figure I am right around 24 for 3 miles right now. I bet that I could have broken it with a late rally.
Distance=2.0
7/4- AM- Again, NO pills for the 2nd straight day. I am starting to feel it but I wasn't horrible, which is encouraging. Finished with 4 miles in 34:27 (8:37 pace). Faded on the back half (16:52-17:35) but it was slightly uphill and the humidity was tough.
Distance=4.0
7/5- COLLAPSE! Took all the pills except for stand alone B-12, which I left in Birmingham. Only 1 mile at the track in a time of over 10 minutes. I thought I no longer needed the stand alone B-12 but I was wrong. Extra B-complex was not enough. I can go 2-3 days without it, which is better than needing it every day, but no more than that. Again, it's maddening but I can live with it because it's simple fix. I'm going with Liver Beef for a couple months as part of the plan to keep the Zinc/copper in balance as part of the rotation. Unfortunately, this is probably it for the week. There will be no relief until I get back home on Sunday and can take the B-12.
Distance=1.0
7/6- Unplanned rest day.
7/7- Double good news. As I predicted, I was immediately better after taking the B-12 when I got home. Didn't have time for a real workout though. Tried some Charcoal to assess my tolerance and I was actually slightly better with it (2:33 vs 2:28). Added a lap cool. The relapse early in the week occurred only because I took mega doses for several consecutive days. I'm still pitching that bottle but as I expected, I would have been okay by following the directions.
Distance=1.0
-15 miles on the week. YTD- 607
-2 relapse but 2 important lessons.
1- I can handle a day or 2 without any pills except for TRS but no more than 2 without a "key pill". That's okay. Because of my genetics, I will probably never be free from pills but knowing that if I forget one every now and then, I won't be hurt unless I get stupid 3 straight days.
2- Negative reactions to pills will happen ONLY IF I over-dose it for 3 straight days.
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