Training 3/2-3/8

3/2- NADH is starting to work.  It was intervals at Gold's on another rainy day.  Opener was a pitiful 3:43 (11:09 pace).  A shot of caffeine allowed me to improve only marginally for the 2nd straight day.  2nd interval was not much better at 3:40 (11:00 pace).  BUT I was all the way down to 2:30 (7:30 pace) after just ONE NADH pill.  I took a 2nd pill just to see what would happen.  I felt noticeably worse but not as bad as the opener.  Didn't have time for a 4th interval but did do a few strides.  I figured that I would have roughly split the difference for a pace around 9:00.  That's it for today.
Distance=1.0
Reaction:
I know the drill now.  Both the floor and ceiling will rise but the floor will rise much faster and that gap of 3:30 per mile will close quickly.  Tolerance for extra pills is already improving and that will continue.   Also, I should no longer need caffeine to perform.  That's excellent news.  A can of Rockstar every day is NOT good for my long-term health.  I am just under 5 weeks out from Maryland now.  There are 2 other pills that I'd like to try but I predict both will be non-factors.  After last week's long run, I have reason to hope.

3/3- Canterbury 3.5 miler in 31:27 (8:59 pace).  Not great but not terrible.  This is a hilly route.  I was comfortably under 9:00 pace all the way but had to slow down at the end because the trail was a bit treacherous in the dark.  Added a half mile cool.  I expect to continue to improve this week.
Distance=4.0
Felt better after taking another NADH.  I may have to go with 2 of those for the time being.  Hope it's not for long.  This stuff is expensive.

3/4- The second NADH pill was NOT such a good idea after all.  Planned on 3-4 at Gold's and had to quit after 1 in 8:45.  Started off pretty well but faded bigly after the first half mile.  Downed a can of Red Bull and again improved marginally.  2nd mile was 8:41.  Caffeine is basically a non-factor.  What slowed me down today was the 2nd NADH pill.  I'll stick to one of those and should be okay.
Distance=2.0

3/5-AM- 1 lap at Montreat in the rain with no pills.  Time improved to 2:46 (8:18 pace).  That's nearly 3 minutes per mile better than just 3 days ago.  I expect that the ceiling is better than 7:30 pace but not by nearly as much.  I doubt that I have a sub-6:00 pace in me right now and even 6:30 might be a stretch.  The gap is closing as expected.

PM- 2.5 miles at Gold's in 20:30 (8:12 pace).  Not great but I am improving.  Added a short cool.  Faded on the back half (10:07-10:23).
Distance=3.0

3/6- AM- Opener in 2:28 (7:24 pace).  My floor is higher than my ceiling earlier in the week.  Good news there.  Bad news is that my closer was a rather disappointing 2:08 (6:24 pace).  The gap has closed to 60 seconds but my ceiling ought to be closer to 5:24 instead.  1 lap cool.

PM- Naked out and back 3 miler on Jemison trail.  Once again, nothing great but not terrible either.
Distance=4.0

3/7- Skipped the Wine 10K this year in favor of a 10 mile training run.  Route was the double Trak Shak 5 and finished in 87:18 (8:44 pace). Back half was actually slightly faster this time.   9 of 10 miles were under 9 and closed with a solid 8:08.  Once again, I had plenty left in the tank and I believe I had another 5K in me at this pace.  That would be a sub-1:55.  Not significantly better than last week but that's okay.  I'm still adjusting to the NADH.  2 more treatments will be tried but I expect both will be non-factors.  Maybe next week, I'll try for 13+.
Distance=10.0

3/8- Spring Forward Day.  Did 3 miles at Veteran's Park in 24:30 (8:10 pace).  Not bad for the day after a 10 miler.  Faded a bit on the back half but it was not a collapse. 
Distance=3.0

-27 miles on the week.  A little low but I'll take it.  This was an adjustment week.  Should be back over 30 next week.