Saturday, February 29, 2020

Most Economical Plan To Visit All 50 States

Trip 1- Northeast.
Fly into Boston, Massachusetts.  Take I-95 N  up the New Hampshire coast into Maine then cut west to the Green Mountains of Vermont.  Take I-91 down to Connecticut with a small detour to see either Providence or the Rhode Island coast.  From New Haven, CT, take the Metro North train to Grand Central Station in New York City.  Once in NYC, take the PATH train to New Jersey to see Liberty Park.  States Visited- 8

Trip 2- Mid-Atlantic-
 Fly into Washington, DC.  IMHO, even though DC is not a state, you cannot complete this challenge without a visit to our nation's capitol.  Walk across the Potomac to Arlington, Virginia.  A small detour will allow you to catch the eastern panhandle of West Virginia and Harper's Ferry.  Take I-70 to Baltimore then pick up I-95 to Philadelphia, PA with a stop in Wilmington, Delaware.  States Visited-5.  Total-13.

Trip 3-  Southern Appalachia-
Fly to Atlanta, GA then cut north on I-75 to Chattanooga, TN.  Head back east to North Carolina and see the Great Smoky Mountain NP.  Take the Blue Ridge Parkway up to Mt. Mitchell.  From Asheville, head south into upstate South Carolina before completing your loop to Atlanta.  States Visited- 4.  Total-17

Trip 4- Gulf Coast-
This one is easy.  New Orleans, LA to Pensacola, FL passing through Mississippi and Alabama.  I certainly recommend doing a lot more than just passing through but this adds another 4, which brings the total to 21.  I recommend Ship Island in MS and Mobile, AL if you stick to the coast.

Trip 5- Great Lakes-
Fly into Minneapolis, MN and cut south to Iowa to catch a state park in Decorah.  Next, go through Wisconsin.  From there, choose your option depending on the amount of time you have.  You could stop in Milwaukee then cut south to Chicago, IL.  From Chicago, there is Indiana Dunes NP just across the border as well as several state parks on the Michigan side.  However, I would recommend Door County, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula instead if you have time.  At any rate, that's another 6 states and 27 in total.

Trip 6- Southwest
Fly to Las Vegas, Nevada and take I-15 to St. George Utah, passing through Arizona.  If your time is limited, you'll only be in Arizona briefly but you can stop for a hike at the Virgin River Canyon to make it legit.  If you have an extra day or two, Horseshoe Bend and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon are not too far away.  3 more states and a total of 30.

Trip 7- Rocky Mountains-
Fly to Denver.  Rocky Mountain NP is a must see.  From there, it's just a short drive up to Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Then cut east to Scottsbluff Monument in Nebraska.  From Scottsbluff, it's only 3 hours north to Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota and I figure, this is the best chance to hit North Dakota as well.  5 states, which brings the total to 35.

Trip 8- Southwest 2
Start in Albuquerque, New Mexico then go east on I-40 to Amarillo, Texas.  Palo Duro Canyon is a must see there.  From there, it's a bit of a stretch but you can pass through and spend a night in the Oklahoma panhandle on your way to Dodge City or Liberal, Kansas. Both Kansas towns are 25-30K people so there will surely be nice sit down restaurants and hotels.  There is not much in the way of towns in the Oklahoma panhandle but there is a nice state park so that makes it legit. States Visited-4.  Total 39.

Trip 9- Pacific Northwest-
Break up a trip to Alaska with stop in Seattle.  From Seattle, head south to Oregon and see Mt. Hood, Cannon Beach and Multnomah Falls near Portland.  If possible, I highly recommend going into British Columbia, Canada.  States Visited- 3.  Total 42

Trip 10- Hawaii and So-Cal-
You can't drive to Hawaii and if you live on the east coast, the jet lag coming back could be severe.  Why not break up the trip back by spending a couple days in the Los Angeles area?
States Visited- 2.  Total 44.

Trip 11- Yellowstone- Fly into Jackson, Wyoming (repeat) and see Teton and Yellowstone.  Take the Beartooth Hwy into Montana then cut southwest into Idaho.  2 new states.  Total 46.

Trip 12- Mississippi River.
Repeat Tennessee with a start in Memphis.  Cross the river into Arkansas then cut north on I-55 into Missouri.  I'd recommend seeing Little Rock and St. Louis.  2 new states.  Total 48

Trip 13- Triangle.
This last one is easy.  Start and end in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Cross the river into Kentucky and stop in Louisville and Lexington before going north back to Cincy.
Indianapolis is worth a look as well if you need Indiana.

Of course, there is a lot more to see than what I've posted and several states can't be done justice simply by following these directions but I can't think of a more economical way to Visit All 50 States.

Monday, February 24, 2020

Training 2/24-3/1

2/24- Gold's 3 in 26:12 (8:44 pace).  I did this after no caffeine for 24 hours.  Of course, I was sluggish but this is NOT a collapse.  Held the pace well and managed a slight pick up at the end.  NASTY GI issues however.  Before the probiotics, there is NO WAY that I could handle 7 days of heavy caffeine use and I would have been totally worthless (1 mile @ 12+ pace) on the first day off it.  I'll bet that I am at least 3 minutes faster if I downed a can of Rockstar but that is NOT the long-term solution.  I might struggle again tomorrow but expect to be better going forward.  If I am still hurting on Thursday or Friday, there is another missing piece, possibly NADH.
Distance=3.0

2/25- Now 48 hours off caffeine.  Repeated the 3 miles this time on Lakeshore and got to see a real nice sunset.  Fared only marginally better than yesterday.  Finished in 26:04 (8:41 pace).  I was free of GI issues and had a little more left than yesterday so that's a plus.  Still awfully sluggish and if I am not appreciably better by Thursday morning, I'm going back to the caffeine.  There has GOT to be a better solution than downing a can of Rockstar every day, which was poison before the probiotics.
Distance=3.0

2/26- Gold's 3 plus a half mile cool.  Woke up feeling no better after 60+ hours without caffeine so I cheated today, 1 day sooner than planned.  Improved significantly but was hoping for better.  Finished in 23:52 (7:57 pace).  I went out at sub-23 pace and barely held the sub-24 Mendoza line.  1st half- 11:36, 2nd half- 12:16.  Too much caffeine can make the body feel tight and worse yet, it can give you diarrhea.  A can of Rockstar (160 mg) would have been a better choice than Bang (300 mg) despite the higher sugar content in the former.  Again, there has got to be a better solution than this.  I believe the NDUFS mutation is in play here and yes, NADH is the solution.  I've already ordered it.
Distance=3.5

2/27- Reduced my caffeine today and felt better overall.  Lakeshore 5 in 41:49 (8:22 pace).  Dialed back the effort a bit and felt comfortable all the way.  Held the pace a lot better too and felt like I could have held it much longer.  1st half- 20:47, 2nd half- 21:02.  Still had GI issues though.  I have a good feeling about the NADH but there could be an adjustment period. Added a cool.
Distance=5.5

2/28- 2 mile junk run on Lakeshore.  Felt okay.  Not great but okay.  Didn't even time it.  Just wanted to pad the mileage to make it easier to hit 30.
Distance=2.0

2/29- Leap Day.  Group run though my part was only 2.5 with the group before I took off on my own.  Totaled 11 miles in a time of 96:52 (8:48 pace).  That is MUCH better than last week's effort (10@9:33) and this time, I had plenty left in the tank.  Last mile was a solid 8:11.  A pair of 9s to finish would bring me home in 1:55 and change in a half mary.  That would be my fastest time in 2 years.
Distance=11.0

3/1- 2 mile junk run just to hit the quota.  The NADH did come yesterday and it seemed okay at first.  Today sucked however.  I know what to expect in the adjustment period.  Soon, I won't be able to get along without it but I should stabilize by the end of the week.
Distance-2.0

30 miles on the week.

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Rant or Rave: Dangerous Travel Destinations

Out of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, 4 of them are in the United States: Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit and St. Louis.  Chicago is not far behind.  I've been to all 5 and survived.  I did have a close call with a probable mugger in New Orleans but I was young and naive at the time.  I would never allow a random local to take me on a "free tour" nowadays.  I've also driven through some rough areas in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta and South Central LA.  Unbeknownst to me at the time, the Mexican state that I visited (Tamaulipas) has a Level 4- DO NOT TRAVEL advisory.  Pretty scary huh?  Nah.  I've rarely felt unsafe.  If I find myself in a bad area, I'll get out of there quickly.  I'll follow the GPS back to the Interstate.   My time in Mexico was limited to the tourist town of Nuevo Progreso.  There were plenty of American tourists there.  Most of them were there for cheap meds, food, drinks and crafts.  I stuck to the main road and though it did become increasingly seedy as I got further from the border, I never felt unsafe.  Word on the street is that in Nuevo Laredo, also in Tamaulipas, the story is similar.  The first 20 or so blocks across the border are safe for American tourists but it goes downhill fast after that.

Birmingham is consistently ranked as among the most dangerous mid-size cities but as is the case with the cities listed above, most of the crime is concentrated in just a few very bad areas.  No way that I would go there alone at night.  Also, what constitutes the city limits can be tricky.  If you include the suburbs, the metro area as a whole is not particularly dangerous.  Both Hoover and Vestavia have low crime rates but yes, violence does occur on occasion.  I once witnessed a man pull a gun on somebody who backed into their car in Hoover.  Fortunately, he kept his cool.  So yes, even if I stay within a 5 mile radius of my home and work all the time, that doesn't fully guarantee my safety.  Basic common sense goes a long way.  Research the area before your book your accommodations.   Don't talk to strangers if you find yourself in bad areas.  Don't walk alone at night.  Don't mess with or pick fights with nefarious characters.  Don't get too drunk.  Don't carry anything on your person that you cannot afford to lose.  Follow those guidelines and mind your own business and you will probably be okay. 

I'm considering a weekend trip to the West Texas town of El Paso on Memorial Day weekend (no time off work) that will include a border crossing into Ciudad Juarez.  Ten years ago, this Mexican city had the distinction of being the murder capital of the world.  Violence has since diminished considerably and I will not disqualify a place from a potential visit because terrible things have happened there in the past.  Birmingham still gets a bad rep because of awful things done to black people 60 years ago. Things have improved a great deal in that regard.   On another note, nobody can predict how the world will look in 40-50 years.  Who would have thought that Vietnam would become a popular tourist destination back in the 1970s?  By the same token, nobody could have imagined that Venezuela would become such a basket cases just 20 years ago.   The only things that will disqualify a city or country from a potential visit are wars and severe human rights abuses.  A high crime rate won't scare me away so long as I know which areas to avoid.  For example, Cape Town, Rio D'Janiero and Tijuana all rank high on the list of the world's most violent cities.  I plan to visit all 3.  Crime is concentrated in townships and flavalas, which you would be strongly advised NOT to visit, especially not without a licensed tour guide.  Tour guide or not, I'm not going.

On Facebook travel group, I expressed interest in visiting several countries that are under the radar as far as tourist destinations.  The response was tremendous.  Several people from those countries friended me and expressed interest in meeting up and being my tour guide.  I want to finish up the USA this year but sure, I'll take them up on the offer down the road.  I follow several YouTube vloggers who make a point to travel off the beaten path.  I'll highlight Drew Binsky, Indigo Traveler and Eva Zu Beck.  Those videos have altered my perspectives of different parts of the world that get a bad rep from the media.  Here are the countries that I listed:

Nicaragua- a cheaper, more rustic and less touristy version of Costa Rica that is just as if not more beautiful than its southern neighbor.  Unfortunately, there is still considerable political instability right now so Costa Rica will be my Central American pick.

Ghana- Becoming popular with African Americans who have traced their ancestry back from here.  Accra looks to be a nice city with beautiful beaches.  The Cape Coast slave castle would deliver an emotional wallop and I do expect to cry.  An Iowa missionary loved it so much that he decided to stay permanently.  It's politically stable too.  My only reservations about going would be the yellow fever vaccination and the threat of malaria.  The latter may only be prevalent in the summer so it could be a nice winter get away.

Slovenia- This southeastern European gem is often overshadowed by Croatia but it appears to be just as beautiful.  Lake Bled and the Triglav Mountains look GREAT.  It's also the home country of Melania Trump.

Taiwan- Vibrant city of Taipei and beautiful beaches without the human rights abuses of China.

Iran- Probably the most surprising pick of them all.  It's still a no-go for me but if they get a new regime, YES I'll go.  The dirty secret is that Iran has a young population, most of which was born well after the Iranian revolution and overwhelmingly rejects Islamic fundamentalism.  I read that 79% of the population would vote to replace the Ayatollah even with uncertainly about the alternative and that number is growing every year.  I pray that the current oppressive regime will fall soon and it will be a relatively peaceful transition.

 According to Drew Binsky, locals will approach you on the street just to welcome you to the country.  Two common questions are where are you from? and what do you think of Iran?  If you tell them that you are American, they LOVE it and immediately become curious to speak further.  It's common for Westerners to be invited into homes for tea or dinner.  Yes, you should take them up on it.  In addition to Tehran, it's got exotic mountain scenery and even pretty good surf in the southwest.

Pakistan- Another surprise pick.  Here, there are most definitely areas that must be avoided, especially those near the Afghanistan border.  The hospitality supposedly rivals that of Iran and Westerners often get free meals and small gifts.  The Karakoram Highway through the Himalayan Mountains looks to put Colorado to shame.

Algeria- It's neighbor Morocco is becoming more popular but based on what I've seen on YouTube, Algeria looks to be the more scenic country.  Mountains, beaches and the vibrant city of Algiers.  Problem is that a VISA can be difficult to get.

On your own or with a guide:
There are several vacation packages that offer a guided 10 day itinerary with a tour group.  I'd have mixed feelings about that.  In Iran, you MUST have a guide if you are American or British.  What I would prefer is a private or small group tour of top attractions over maybe 4-6 days instead of 10.  It would be more expensive but you'll really get to know your guide and it's a good bet that he will become your friend.  I certainly would NOT feel comfortable driving those mountain roads in Pakistan alone so yes, I'd want a guide there.  Marathon Tours and Travel sells tour packages that are short and cover the top attractions.  Two of those available are Cape Town and Jerusalem.   I'd join them and add a day or two at either end on my own.









Monday, February 17, 2020

Utah Road Trip Report

2/12- Flew out of Atlanta and after a quick connection in Chicago, I was on the ground in Salt Lake City just after noon.  I ate a quick lunch at the airport then headed south to Moab via the Interstate then eventually US-191.  The snow capped Rocky Mountains gradually gave way to more red rock scenery further south.  It's been a mild but rainy winter here in Birmingham so even with the chilly 40 degree weather, the sunshine was a welcome change.  Southern Utah has been described as "Mars on Earth" by tourists and it most definitely has the feel of otherworldly beautiful scenery.  I stopped several times to snap some pictures on the road but had to limit my time at those pull outs if I was to make it to Arches National Park before sunset.



It was a challenging 3 mile round trip hike and I reached Delicate Arch just after the sun went down.  Good call not to stop any more on the road.  It would NOT have been safe to be on that trail if it was completely dark.  Fortunately, I was back to my car before that happened but not a moment too soon.  Needless to say, I was wiped out from the hike and the travel so I was ready for bed and slept in as long as I wanted.






2/13- Backtracked a few miles north to Dead Horse State Park.  Though often overlooked by tourists because it is so close to Arches NP, the scenery here was PHENOMENAL.  Pictures don't do it justice.






 Next, was a southwesterly turn to Monument Valley on the Utah/Arizona border.  Fans of the movie Forrest Gump know that this is where the title character stopped running.  I didn't spend much time here but I got the shots that I wanted.  The final stop on the day was Horseshoe Bend Park in Page, Arizona.  This was an easier hike with scenery that was just as rewarding.







2/14- Headed north back to Utah's Bryce Canyon NP.  Here, it was too cold and icy to do any serious hiking as the elevation was over 8,000 feet but that was fine with me.  Time was limited and unlike nearby Zion NP, the best scenery was just off the road on pull outs.  Perfect.   I was out of there by mid-afternoon after a mediocre lunch.






After 2 more hours on the road, I was at my destination of St. George.  Though it was only about 100 miles south of Bryce Canyon as the crow flies, it looked like a different world.  Instead of snow covered hoodoo rock formations, I was basking in 65 degree temps with sunshine and palm trees.  Yes, that's right, PALM TREES!  I got one great shot just after sunset with red rock and snow capped peaks in the background.  For the record, St. George is more than 5,000 feet lower in elevation and just 2 hours from Las Vegas.   I had time to tour part of the race course and found that though it was net downhill, it did have some pretty significant climbs as well.  That was good to know.



2/15- Race day.  No pressure and virtually no chance of a respectable showing.  It really was a beautiful course with canyons, red rock mountains and palm trees.  I felt reasonably well for the first 5 miles and passed the halfway point in 58:30.  I knew I was in trouble though as I could not pick up the pace much despite a mile long steady decline.  I managed to stay on pace through about 8.5 miles but it was a death march to finish.  To my credit, I did manage a minor resurgence in Mile 13 and finished on my feet.  State #45 is in the books.  Maryland will be next.  I did feel noticeably better after an extra dose of probiotics later in the day.  I don't think it would have been a night and day difference but it probably would have allowed me to hold the pace for another few miles.  My first post-race workout confirmed those feelings.  Only 5 more to go and it is important to finish this challenge now while I still can.

It was 4 hours northeast on I-15 back to Salt Lake City for the night.  As expected, it became much colder and cloudy as I went north and up in elevation.  I captured a shot of the body of water that gave Salt Lake City its name and got some dinner at a local bar and grill.  No interesting characters here and it was a rather uneventful night.



2/16- Direct flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta.  This time, the flight home was delayed.  Fortunately, I did not have to worry about a missed connection but I lost 2 hours then re-gained 1 hour on the drive back.  It was about 8 PM local time when I got home.

Final Thoughts:
Excellent trip.  Lots of driving but the scenery was worth it.  I take great pride in seeing as much as I can in limited time but I had to skip Mesa Verde, Colorado, Antelope and the Grand Canyon because I didn't have time to do justice to any one.  I only had to go about an hour out of my way to visit Mesa Verde and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.  Antelope would have required several hours and a tour reservation.  The only thing I may have changed would be to wait until March or early April.  The mountains in Salt Lake would likely still be snow capped but the hiking trails would be less likely to be covered with ice.  The race in February fit my schedule and I want to space those out this year.


Training 2/17-2/23

2/17- 3 mile recovery jog on Lakeshore.  Glad to have the day off for President's Day.  Finished in 28:28 (9:29 pace).  That's fine with me.  Effort was in the easy range.  I can't jump back into it so soon after a race anymore.  If you dig deeper, there is more good news.  Did the first half in 14:29 without any probiotics then improved to 13:59 on the back half after popping 2 pills (MINUS 20).  That's what I want to see.  A single pill won't make a significant difference.  Even a big load won't cause a night and day change BUT I am improving with treatment.  Effort was even on both halves too.  That's it for today.
Distance=3.0

2/18- 4 miles at Gold's (sick of all this rain) in a time of 34:32 (8:38 pace).  Rather mediocre effort but at least I'm not collapsing.  Still, the energy is not coming around like I hoped it would.  There may yet be another missing piece.  On the bright side, the pace was pretty even (17:12-17:20) with a decent pick up at the end.
Distance=4.0

2/19- Trak Shak 3.  Just enough daylight to do it.  Finished in 23:24 (7:48 pace).  Below the Mendoza line and felt noticeably better too.
Distance=3.0

2/20- Gold's 4 in 31:19 (7:50 pace).  The rain has finally stopped but it will turn cold.  That's okay.  Spring is just around the corner now.  Much better than the same workout 2 days ago but not significantly better than yesterday.  Struggled a bit once again in the back half.  Splits were 15:28-15:51 and I was working to keep the pace below 8.  No collapse.  If I make it through the weekend, it will be 2 weeks.
Distance=4.0

2/21- Interesting.  Did a few sprints of roughly 200 meters in the morning.
Without Caffeine- 50
With Caffeine- 44
Probiotics- 42
It's possible that caffeine gives me a temporary boost so going off may produce some negative effects but I know I won't crash.  It's possible that the first interval was slow because I wasn't warmed up.  Probiotics did help but it wasn't significant.  That's good.  Looks like I can get by without probiotics at least for a few days just like the other treatments.
Distance=0.5

2/22- AM- CRASH.  2 miles in 20:46 (10:23 pace) with a 2nd mile over 11 minutes.  I need Methyl Folate AND TMG after all.  Tacked on a half mile with the MF but no TMG and wasn't much better.  Time was 5:33.

PM- Took the TMG and managed to get through the long run.  10 miles on Lakeshore in 95:32 (9:33 pace).  Not pretty but I got through it and held the pace well too.  First half- 47:15, 2nd half- 48:17.  Showed life with a last mile in 8:32.  I believe I had a sub-2:05 half in me today.  It usually take 2-3 days before getting back to equilibrium after getting back on a needed pill.  This does NOT count as a crash because I bounced back the same day.
Distance=12.5

Reaction:
I can get by without a key pill for at least 5, maybe 6 days but NOT 7.  I'm okay with that.  It's still "under control" right now but the energy still hasn't come around like I hoped it would.

2/23- AM- 3 mile recovery jog at Montreat in 26:49 (8:56 pace).  I'm okay with this.  I can't expect to bounce back from a double digit run the next day.  Pace stayed around 9 give or take most of the way but it took a last lap rally to get under overall. 

PM- Interesting.  Limited myself to 1 mile also at Montreat to avoid too much mileage too soon.  Came through free and easy at 7:40 and it felt sustainable for 2 more miles, which would have been my best effort of the week.  Again, this was done just 1 day after a 10 miler.  The difference was a shot of caffeine.  So there you have it.  I won't collapse after quitting caffeine but I will feel a bit sluggish for the first couple of days off it.  I believe it will be worth it in the end.  More importantly, cheating will NOT trigger a relapse thanks to the probiotics.
Distance=4.0

-31 miles on the week.  I'll look to stay in the 30 range in March then boost it to 35 in April.

Monday, February 10, 2020

Training 2/10-2/16- Race week

2/10- Intervals at Gold's 3x4 laps.  Same distance as Montreat but with turns and no hills.  The CBS/NOS DID come in the afternoon as expected.  That's a relief.  Without it, I can't finish a half mary.  I was awful all day but felt better immediately after taking it.
Opener on 1 CBS/NOS- 2:37.1 (7:51 pace)
Add Taurine- 2:29.8 (7:29 pace).  MINUS 22
I expected to fall off considerably after Taurine but no, I was actually better and it was enough to be considered significant.
2nd CBS NOS- 1:59.1 (5:57 pace).  That was YUGE!  After just 2 doses, I'm right back to where I was last Friday.  Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5
Reaction:
If only the pills came on Saturday, I would have been able to finish the long run.  This blip was my fault for not re-ordering until I was out.  I still believe that I've got this under control.  Again, what is the definition of "under control"?  Nothing that I eat or drink will cause a relapse AND if I forget to pack a key pill for a long weekend (3-4 days), I won't feel significant ill-effects.  A full week without it is another matter.  Lastly, if I do experiment with a pill that turns out to be not good for my chemistry, I'll get nicked a little bit but a SINGLE dose will not trigger a reaction.

2/11- 2 miles at Gold's in morning.  Finished in 15:04 (7:32 pace).  Splits were 7:31-7:33 so that's a lot better in holding the pace.  Can I hold a respectable pace for 13 miles?  I doubt it.  Added a half mile cool.
Distance=2.5

2/12- Flew to Salt Lake City and drove to Moab.  3 mile hike in Arches NP with a few spurts of running.  I'm counting it.  The hike was just as hard as a run.
Distance=3.0

2/13- Planned rest day.  Kinda wish I did a junk run in Moab.  There is a nice paved trail with beautiful scenery.

2/14- Junk run in the parking lot at Page, Arizona just to keep the legs moving.  Don't know the exact distance but I figure about 1 mile give or take a tenth or so.  No complaints.
Distance=1.0

2/15- Sun Half Marathon in 2:10:xx.  I was on pace for a sub-2 through 8.1 miles then it was a death march.  Managed a minor resurgence in the last mile. 
Distance=14.0

2/16- Planned rest day.  Back to Birmingham.

-22 miles on the week

Monday, February 3, 2020

Training 2/3-2/9

2/3- AM Intervals
I expected to open with a pace in the 9s, get better on half a probiotic then lose it on a full pill but hopefully at least do better than the opener.
Opened with a surprising 2:50 (8:30 pace) then improved all the way to a 2:14 (6:42 pace) on half a pill.  Pleased with how well I held it on a full pill too.  Managed a 2:28 (7:24 pace). PLUS 42.  That is a significant decline and yes, I could feel it but it was NOT a night and day difference.

PM- Struggled in a Lakeshore 3.  Finished in 28:29 (9:30 pace) but did show some life at the end and could have gone longer.  There is a BIG difference between a 1/3 mile sprint and a 3 mile run.  The goal going forward is to get to a point in which there is not a significant difference between my opener and 1 pill, which is not a significant difference from 3 pills.  To simplify, I want to reach a point in which my dosage does not matter for a least 1 day.  I think I can get there sooner rather than later.  I will attempt 3 pills tomorrow morning so yes, I expect to struggle again.
Distance=4.0

2/4- Another very positive step.
Opener in 2:22 (7:06 pace).  MASSIVE improvement
1 pill- 2:07 (6:21 pace).  MINUS 45
Just as I'd hoped, the ceiling did rise but not as quickly as the floor.  The gap was reduced from 1:48 to 45.  3 pills, I knew I'd falter.
3 pills- 2:19.9 (6:59 pace).  PLUS 38.  Significant but NOT night and day and that was on 2 extra pills, not just 1.
The goal is to stay within 15 on both the plus side and the minus side.  I think I'll get there by the end of the week.

PM- I barely held a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile this morning so that doesn't bode well for a 3 mile.  Nevertheless, it was an improvement of yesterday.  Finished in 25:51 (8:37 pace).  MINUS 53 compared to yesterday and it was done after 3 pills versus just 1 yesterday.  No more overloading on pills until Friday.
Distance=4.0

2/5- Very sore and stiff legs today.  Didn't expect to see much improvement but my time is down to a 24:14 (8:05 pace). MINUS 32.   I was under Mendoza pace for the first half and still had a shot with a mile to go but faded in Mile 3.  Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5

2/6- Repeated the Gold's 3 mile and my time is down to 23:30 (7:50 pace) plus a half mile cool.  MINUS 15.  Probably the last day that I will see significant improvement but that's okay.  As I've said a thousand times, all I have to do is avoid the relapse and the improvements will come with steady training.  Once again, I faded bigly in the 3rd mile.  That does NOT bode well for a 13 mile race.  I MUST finish a long run this weekend.
Distance=3.5

2/7- Opener in 2:04 (6:12 pace).  That is LIGHT YEARS ahead of where I was just 4 days ago.
1 pill- 1:58 (5:54 pace).  MINUS 18.
3 pills- 2:06 (6:18 pace).  PLUS 24
I was hoping to be plus or minus
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">Distance=1.0 
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">2/8- FAILED again.  
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">-24 miles on the week.