Training 10/21-10/27

UPDATE:
A 24 oz. can of Raspberry Tea triggered a relapse.  Sprite made it WORSE.  The former contains just 24 mg of caffeine while the latter is caffeine free.  All sugared drinks are BAD!  1 or 2 cheat days per week are tolerated but not more.  This time however, the withdrawal and the adrenal spike were a bit less severe.  This post starts with Day 2 clean, which is often the worst day of all.

10/21- AM- 1 mile at Montreat in 9:52 and it took an all out sprint to get under 10.

PM- Gold's 3 in 28:27 (9:29 pace).  Improved the pace over triple the distance so I'll take it.  Even pace but didn't have much left at the end.
Distance=4.0

10/22- AM- Sunrise 3 miler at Montreat.  Improved to 25:48 (8:36 pace).  MINUS 53.  1st half-13:01, 2nd half- 12:47.  This was fully expected.  The big question is whether or not I will continue to improve steadily.  I know I can run below 24 but might plateau in the mid 23s, which is not acceptable.

PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore in 32:31 (8:07 pace).  Progressing ahead of schedule.  The Mendoza line for 4 miles is 8:10 pace so I came in under that.  I was around 16 for 2 miles then faded a bit on the back half but did not collapse.  Still too soon to get my hopes up.  If I am still cutting off several seconds every day by early next week, that is a different story.
Distance=7.0

10/23- Unplanned rest day.  I've learned that Lithium interacts with methyl folate and increases its absorption.  It will probably be one of the other that is taken.  Yes, it's a relapse but a relapse that I can accept.  Cheated on the caffeine but a 1 day lapse won't hurt.

10/24- Felt HORRIBLE in the morning as expected but did get a bit better as the day progressed.  Managed a very poor showing out there this afternoon.  Finished 3 miles in 29:31 (9:50 pace) with splits of 13:42-15:49.  UGLY!  Probably still too much MF in my system.
Distance=3.0

10/25- HORRIBLE when I woke up.  Got a little better only after taking MF.  Then Lithium set me back again.  Not able to run.  If I did, it would be a 12 minute mile type of day.  That answers it.  Lithium must be cut out altogether and I must stay on the methyl folate.  Once again, a pill that I could not get along without just 6 weeks ago has become toxic to me.  I can't take this anymore and I see little chance of it getting better.

10/26- AM- Had to miss the group social again.  Not pleased about this at all.  Managed just 1 mile in a time of 9:24.  This was a good deal better than what I could have done yesterday and did manage a negative split (4:50-4:34).

Noon- Repeated the Mile and improved to 8:32.  Splits this time were 4:22-4:10 so the trend is my friend.

PM- 3 miles at Gold's in 26:01 (8:40 pace).  Could have broken 26 if I kicked sooner but no big deal that I fell short.  Splits this time were 13:22-12:39 with a last mile in 8:17.
Distance=5.0