Training 9/2-9/8

9/2- Lakeshore 5 in 49:45 (9:57 pace).  Pleased that I was able to last 5 miles without a total blow up.  I was at 24:36 at the half then finished with a 25:09 but couldn't last much longer.  Can I hit the minimum standards with steady training?  I really don't know because I seem to relapse every week.
Distance=5.0

9/3- Back on Lakeshore for 5 more.  Time is down to 46:37 (9:19 pace).  Splits were 23:16-23:21.  Satisfied with this one.  Should be under 45 by tomorrow.  Eventually, I will level off but when?  40 minutes or 35?

PM- Impromptu 3 at Gold's.  Improved to 24:36 (8:12 pace).  First half- 12:15, Second half-12:21.  That's a BIG improvement.  Even if 2 extra miles added 30 seconds to my pace, it still brings me home in 43:30 for 5 miles.  No sign of a plateau yet.  We'll see in a couple of weeks.  PLEASE no more relapses.
Distance-8.0

9/4- Gold's 3 again plus a half mile cool.  Time has improved only modestly today.  Finished in 24:22 (8:07 pace).  MINUS 5 compared to yesterday.  Splits were 11:58-12:24 so the back half was actually slightly worse.   Still, even a modest improvement is better than the alternative.  It's possible that I was simply reeling from yesterday's double but more likely, the plateau is just around the corner.  3 miles in 23:xx is NOT acceptable.
Distance=3.5

9/5-AM- Loaded on DIM and Liver and felt noticeably worse.  Not a relapse but definitely a step backward.  Did only 1 mile at Montreat in 7:58 and it took a last lap rally to break 8.  One one level, this is good.  I took pills that took my chemistry in the wrong direction and I noticed it but was still capable of a real workout.  I probably would have been in the 25s for 3 miles today.  That's not a relapse.  This is exactly what should happen and lets me know that changes need to be made before things get worse.
1- I still need Maca but I'm cutting the DIM.  It contains sulfur and that's probably the culprit.
2.  I'm switching back from Liver to synthetic B12.  That was the plan all along.  A rotation is the best way to prevent the zinc/copper ratio from getting too far out of whack.

On the negative side, the changes will most probably be helpful but I seriously doubt that it will be enough to get back to respectability.

PM- 1.5 mile junk run at Montreat.  Just wanted to pad the mileage.
Distance=2.5

9/6- RELAPSE.  I wanted a boost after taking the excess DIM and Liver and loaded on caffeine.  It appeared that I could tolerate Coke and even Kickstart because they don't contain Taurine.  Not so now.  All sources of caffeine are BAD.  30 days of water only starts today at noon.

AM- 1.5 on Lakeshore.  Started off around 9 minute pace but was over 10 by the end.

PM- Half mile at Montreat.  MUCH worse after a can of Mountain Dew for lunch, which most definitely does NOT contain Taurine.  Time was 6:20 (12:40 pace).
Distance=2.0

9/7- AM- 1 mile at Montreat.  Time is down to 10:33 with splits of 5:25-5:08.  Woopity Doo!

PM- 3 miles at Gold's in 28:24 (9:28 pace).  Splits were 14:26-13:58.  I've seen this movie hundreds of times.  I'll see significant improvements for the next few days then plateau around 24 before the next relapse.  There is only 1 more supplement that I am willing to try and that is a Pituitary glandular.
Distance=4.0

9/8- AM- Not a surprise.  Day 2 is often worse than Day 1.  In Day 1, the excess caffeine clears and you begin feeling better.  In Day 2, the withdrawal symptoms kick in.  Those often peak between 36-48 hours after the last sip.  Opened with an 11:54 mile on Lakeshore with splits of 5:35-6:19.  Waited about 3 hours and was already down to a 9:41 at Montreat.  Splits were 4:56-4:45.

PM- Now more than 48 hours caffeine free, the withdrawal symptoms will continue to diminish. Gold's 3 and my time is down to 25:49 (8:36 pace).  No sign of a plateau and I expect to be in the 24s tomorrow.  Can I get below that?
Distance=5.0
-30 miles on the week.