Like almost all Americans, I am DISGUSTED by the horrific actions of this police officer that caused a senseless death. In a case of clear cut police brutality such as this one, I am confident that we will see a conviction. I think it should be murder. He might beat that charge but I see no way that he cannot be found guilty of manslaughter or negligent homicide even if the autopsy didn't reveal strangulation. I am also DISGUSTED by the reaction to this crime on many sides.
Let's start with my fellow conservatives:
While nobody has defended this cop, one person said that because Floyd was a petty criminal, there should not be much sympathy although she re-iterated that he did not deserve to die. She was roundly and harshly condemned for those remarks. And rightly so. I DON'T CARE if he was a petty criminal. This was a terrible and inexcusable crime that was committed. Don't you dare place even a shred of blame on the victim!
Others have brought up black on black crime or white victims of violence in which there is nary a word of media coverage. Now is NOT the time for that kind of talk. I do agree that the media does have an agenda to foster national division especially in an election year. That said, we must NEVER deflect attention from the horrific crime committed here.
A few have suggested that the crime was not racially motivated. In this case, I can respectfully disagree. My personal opinion is that it was an act of racism but it is certainly possible that personalities can clash. Two people could simply dislike each other and it may not have anything to do with skin color. In this case however, especially given our history of emotional response on the subject and the length of the video, I believe that race had to be a factor in his sick decision making process.
Now let's move on to Liberals:
Is America a racist country in 2020? Almost everyone on the Left would say Yes. I have a different question. Is the state of Maine a violent place? Most would say No. What if I told you that several murders occur every year in the Portland area? Still no because its crime rate is among the lowest in the nation, right?
That's pretty much how I feel about racially motivated police brutality and racism in general in America. It happens. I will not deny it or downplay any individual case. Even one instance is one too many as well as a cause for outrage. However, I do feel very strongly that these terrible cases are the EXCEPTION RATHER THAN THE NORM and police brutality does affect all races. There is absolutely no reason to fear that you will be hunted down by white vigilantes or gunned down after being pulled over for a minor traffic violation. Yes, there is a minuscule chance that I could be killed in a shark attack or a hijacked airplane but it's so small that it's not even worth the worry. Sadly, I DO believe that most blacks experience occasional racism today but I doubt that it is pervasive or occurs on a regular basis. Correct me if I am wrong.
Dear White People, this is not okay. Has nothing changed since 1960?
NOBODY is saying that it is okay! There is nearly universal consensus among both blacks and whites that the officer should be tried and convicted. I would argue that the average American in 2020 is LESS racist than the 1990 counterpart and MOST DEFINITELY less so than 1960. In the last 30 years, inter-racial relationships have seen much greater acceptance and the Confederate flag has become increasingly taboo. There is no way that Barack Obama could have won in 1992's electorate. On the Republican side, South Carolina elected an Indian-American governor and black US senator. In the latter case, Tim Scott beat out Strom Thurmond's son in the Republican primary. I'd say that's a pretty strong repudiation of the racist policies of the past.
I visited Selma, Alabama back in March of this year and was both horrified by the injustice that took place there and dumbfounded that it could be accepted by much of the population. Back then, blacks could not drink from the same water fountains or eat inside restaurants. Today, I can have lunch with a black man or woman at the same table and it's not an issue. I know it's true because I've done it myself. There is a scare tactic every 4 years that the Republicans want to bring back Jim Crow or worse. That is ridiculous. If a segregationist candidate was nominated today, he'd lose by more than 50 points even in Alabama. If it became legal to refuse service on the basis of race, would I ever support that business? HELL NO! I'm quite confident that the majority of whites would agree with me on this. Jim Crow is never coming back. Take it to the bank.
Some have even gone as far as to call for killing cops in retaliation and have praised Antifa as well as the rioters and looters. It's funny that people who are now calling for mass protests are the same ones who until just days ago called for everyone to stay at home due to COVID but that's another issue. I would not criticize anyone who is angry about racism even if their comments are over the top. If you go to this extreme, it's game on. Trump was called racist for using the term "thugs" even though Obama used it as well and there are plenty of whites who are also protesting violently. Black people have no other recourse other than to riot? What the _____! If you do not expect or demand better than this from the black community, you are the real racists. That's the soft bigotry of low expectations. Beating a store owner to death or burning down a building that houses an innocent child is INEXCUSABLE!
Every profession has its share of crooks. Do we malign all religious leaders because of a few pedophile priests? Some lawyers knowingly prosecute innocent defendants while others get rapists and murderers off on a technicality. Are they all bad? No. In my line of work, taxpayers have been cheated out of money because somebody wants a good appraisal or a promotion. It happens but it's not the norm. Liberals have been strong on NOT condemning Muslims because of the actions of a few. Why not have the same attitude towards police officers? End rant.
Sunday, May 31, 2020
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Training 5/25-5/31
5/25- Planned rest day. Drive home
5/26- Just 1 mile in 7:44 at a comfortable effort. Sustainable for 3 miles.
Distance=1.0
5/27- AM- Tested the CoQ10 and the gap remains significant but it has diminished. I was 2:48 without it and 2:36 with it. Gap is only 36 seconds per mile.
PM- Crash. 2 miles in 21:12 (10:36 pace). I'll explain later.
Distance=3.0
5/28- I've had BAD joint pain the last couple of weeks, especially in the hip and groin. Toxic metals are most definitely the culprit. I woke up feeling MUCH worse than yesterday but was actually slightly better on caffeine. TRS made a YUGE difference. Apparently, I've uncovered another layer of toxic metals. I'll need mega doses of TRS going forward. I have extra bottles.
Distance=2.0
5/29- Not pretty at all but I'll take it. In the morning, I was slightly better WITH caffeine but I'm still staying off it. PM was Lakeshore 2.5 in 23:21 (9:21 pace). I was 12-flat at the half but finished in 11:21 so that's a good sign. I don't have much faith that I will EVER recover my energy and vitality.
Distance=3.0
5/30- Crash #2- 1 mile in 11:20 on Lakeshore. Caffeine was actually helpful yesterday but today, it was not tolerated. I was only marginally better in the afternoon.
Distance=2.0
5/31- AM- Opener in 3:52. With CoQ10, I was only down to 3:47 so it's now official that CoQ10 no longer makes a significant difference. With only 3 sprays of TRS, I was all the way down to 3:16 (MINUS 93/mile). With a full dose, it would have been another MINUS 93 at least.
PM- Re-assessed my tolerance for caffeine and TRS and surprisingly, I was tolerant today. Dipped down to 59.2 seconds for a half lap (5:55 pace). I will try again to go clean starting tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
-13 miles on the week
5/26- Just 1 mile in 7:44 at a comfortable effort. Sustainable for 3 miles.
Distance=1.0
5/27- AM- Tested the CoQ10 and the gap remains significant but it has diminished. I was 2:48 without it and 2:36 with it. Gap is only 36 seconds per mile.
PM- Crash. 2 miles in 21:12 (10:36 pace). I'll explain later.
Distance=3.0
5/28- I've had BAD joint pain the last couple of weeks, especially in the hip and groin. Toxic metals are most definitely the culprit. I woke up feeling MUCH worse than yesterday but was actually slightly better on caffeine. TRS made a YUGE difference. Apparently, I've uncovered another layer of toxic metals. I'll need mega doses of TRS going forward. I have extra bottles.
Distance=2.0
5/29- Not pretty at all but I'll take it. In the morning, I was slightly better WITH caffeine but I'm still staying off it. PM was Lakeshore 2.5 in 23:21 (9:21 pace). I was 12-flat at the half but finished in 11:21 so that's a good sign. I don't have much faith that I will EVER recover my energy and vitality.
Distance=3.0
5/30- Crash #2- 1 mile in 11:20 on Lakeshore. Caffeine was actually helpful yesterday but today, it was not tolerated. I was only marginally better in the afternoon.
Distance=2.0
5/31- AM- Opener in 3:52. With CoQ10, I was only down to 3:47 so it's now official that CoQ10 no longer makes a significant difference. With only 3 sprays of TRS, I was all the way down to 3:16 (MINUS 93/mile). With a full dose, it would have been another MINUS 93 at least.
PM- Re-assessed my tolerance for caffeine and TRS and surprisingly, I was tolerant today. Dipped down to 59.2 seconds for a half lap (5:55 pace). I will try again to go clean starting tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
-13 miles on the week
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Rave: Beach Hopping
I’m often asked how I can afford to travel so much. The answer is that I am frugal on my
trips. Many people that I have traveled
with in the past would insist on staying at a luxury hotel on the beach for at
least $250-300 per night plus an expensive dinner with drinks and dessert that
could cost you upwards of $70 per meal.
I don’t need to do any of that, and it really does not add to my
enjoyment. I’m perfectly fine
with using the public beach lots and if you arrive early enough, parking is not
a problem. If you travel just a few
miles inland, you can score a deal for half price or even less. I’ve been known to make an exception to the
rule and stay on the beach during the shoulder season. From late April through mid-May as well as
October and sometimes into November, it’s usually warm enough to swim but
prices will drop considerably. It’s
worth it to pay a few bucks more for a beachfront hotel but certainly not
upwards of $100 more per night. Also, I
often find that it is more fun to check out multiple beaches on the same trip
rather than be tied down to a single location.
Here are some distances:
Jacksonville to Panama City- 4-4.5 hours
Cocoa to Sunny Isles (Miami)- 3 hours
Sunny Isles to Clearwater-4 hours
Port Aransas to Galveston-
4 hours
Tybee (Savannah) to Isle of Palms (Charleston)- 2.5-3 hours
A 4 hour drive may seem like a lot but if it’s split up over
2 days, it’s really easy. Let’s say that
you finish up your afternoon beach session at 5:00 PM. You can eat dinner on the way, drive 2 hours
and arrive at a Motel 6 or Super 8 at a decent hour. The next morning, it’s an easy ride to your
next destination. Often, it will only
set you back about $60 per night. I've taken beach hopping road trips the last 2 weekends.
Trip 1- Left after work on Thursday and drove to Cordele, Georgia (between Macon and Valdosta) then ended up in St. Augustine, Florida (between Jacksonville and Daytona). I'd probably recommend Jacksonville instead because it's closer but I had already been there. In St. Augustine, I got to see the Old City with the fortress plus some lush palm trees and Spanish moss. As far as the beach was concerned, the sand was a bit softer than Daytona and had a bit of a pinkish tint. My only gripe was that the ocean floor was quite shelly. A pair of aqua socks would have been appreciated. Call me crazy but I like how it feels when a wave breaks on my neck and I don't mind the occasional wipeout even if I get a mouthful of salt water. In this case, the surf was actually a bit too rough even for me. Waves came one after another and I often got wiped out before I made it past the breakers. Nevertheless, I caught more than a few perfect rides from chest high water all the way to the shore.
Friday- Spent the previous night in the Tallahassee area then took a short detour through the Forgotten Coast from Carrabelle to Apalachicola. Parts of the road ran right along the Gulf. The water here is not the best for swimming but still scenic nonetheless. I arrived in Panama City to find calmer conditions with the usual sugar white soft sand and clear emerald water. The waves here were still pretty high but much gentler with no wipeout potential. It was enjoyable but more relaxing. I hoped to see a nice sunset but unfortunately, the skies became cloudy in the evening.
Saturday- Spent the previous night in Crestview, about 20 miles inland then drove to Perdido Key on the Alabama line. After another enjoyable session that was slightly better than the previous day, I had a late lunch at FloraBama then headed home.
Trip 2-
For Memorial Day weekend, I figured that the beaches in Florida and Alabama would be PACKED so I wanted to go off the beaten path. I would start out on the Bolivar Peninsula in Crystal Beach, just outside of Beaumont, Texas then hop back east. Crystal Beach is about 9 hours from Birmingham so that's not bad if split up and can be done in one day if need be. I would leave Friday afternoon and made it to Lafayette, Loosiana. That's the correct pronunciation of the state west of Miss'Sippy.
Saturday-
Made it to my destination pretty early. The vibe on the Texas coast is totally different than FLA/ALA. Here, the sand is hard and brown and you can actually drive and park on the beach itself. Though the waters were uncrowded, there were plenty of people on the sand playing loud music that could be heard in the sea. This place can grow on you. Though the water with its brownish tint is not so great to look at, it feels just fine. The surf was just strong enough to be exciting but I would not have called it rough. Further south, in Port Aransas and South Padre, the beaches are much nicer with clearer water. I ended my session around 5 PM then headed back east for a Loosiana Saturday night. Yes, I played Mel McDaniel's song several times along with a cover.
Sunday-
Cajun coast day. Left Lafayette and it was another 3 hours to Grand Isle. I have been to the Cajun Riviera before around Holly Beach about 4 year ago. I found it to be unspectacular. The water and sand were muddy brown with no wave action. Lake Charles looks to have a nice swimming area but Grand Isle, a full 2 hours south of the city of New Orleans, is the only place in the state with ride-able waves. The water here looked less inviting on the surface but still felt fine. I'm sure it's safe for swimming but I would not have wanted a mouthful of that water on a wipeout. Fortunately, the surf was fairly calm though once again, I got plenty of good rides on the board. Overall, it was worth seeing for something different but I am unlikely to return as it is just too far out of the way. On the plus side, if you are worried about the coronavirus, this beach probably will not be crowded even on a holiday weekend. I had to leave a little early to ensure that I would make it to the Miss'Sippy Sound before sunset. That's the correct pronunciation of the state to my west. Here, the sand is as white as FLA/ALA but the water is still brown with no wave action. However, if you take a short cruise to Ship Island just off the coast, it supposedly rivals the beauty of the Emerald Coast. Unfortunately, tickets were sold out for Monday so that will have to wait.
Monday-
Plan B was to head back to Ala-dam-bama at Gulf Shores and it worked out just fine. The beauty of the beach puts all the others to shame and the surf was excellent too. After an epic session, I had to leave before it got too crowded. Good thing I did because traffic was rough coming home. It took 2 hours longer than expected.
Trip 1- Left after work on Thursday and drove to Cordele, Georgia (between Macon and Valdosta) then ended up in St. Augustine, Florida (between Jacksonville and Daytona). I'd probably recommend Jacksonville instead because it's closer but I had already been there. In St. Augustine, I got to see the Old City with the fortress plus some lush palm trees and Spanish moss. As far as the beach was concerned, the sand was a bit softer than Daytona and had a bit of a pinkish tint. My only gripe was that the ocean floor was quite shelly. A pair of aqua socks would have been appreciated. Call me crazy but I like how it feels when a wave breaks on my neck and I don't mind the occasional wipeout even if I get a mouthful of salt water. In this case, the surf was actually a bit too rough even for me. Waves came one after another and I often got wiped out before I made it past the breakers. Nevertheless, I caught more than a few perfect rides from chest high water all the way to the shore.
 |
| St. Augustine |
Friday- Spent the previous night in the Tallahassee area then took a short detour through the Forgotten Coast from Carrabelle to Apalachicola. Parts of the road ran right along the Gulf. The water here is not the best for swimming but still scenic nonetheless. I arrived in Panama City to find calmer conditions with the usual sugar white soft sand and clear emerald water. The waves here were still pretty high but much gentler with no wipeout potential. It was enjoyable but more relaxing. I hoped to see a nice sunset but unfortunately, the skies became cloudy in the evening.
Saturday- Spent the previous night in Crestview, about 20 miles inland then drove to Perdido Key on the Alabama line. After another enjoyable session that was slightly better than the previous day, I had a late lunch at FloraBama then headed home.
Trip 2-
For Memorial Day weekend, I figured that the beaches in Florida and Alabama would be PACKED so I wanted to go off the beaten path. I would start out on the Bolivar Peninsula in Crystal Beach, just outside of Beaumont, Texas then hop back east. Crystal Beach is about 9 hours from Birmingham so that's not bad if split up and can be done in one day if need be. I would leave Friday afternoon and made it to Lafayette, Loosiana. That's the correct pronunciation of the state west of Miss'Sippy.
Saturday-
Made it to my destination pretty early. The vibe on the Texas coast is totally different than FLA/ALA. Here, the sand is hard and brown and you can actually drive and park on the beach itself. Though the waters were uncrowded, there were plenty of people on the sand playing loud music that could be heard in the sea. This place can grow on you. Though the water with its brownish tint is not so great to look at, it feels just fine. The surf was just strong enough to be exciting but I would not have called it rough. Further south, in Port Aransas and South Padre, the beaches are much nicer with clearer water. I ended my session around 5 PM then headed back east for a Loosiana Saturday night. Yes, I played Mel McDaniel's song several times along with a cover.
 |
| Crystal Beach |
Sunday-
Cajun coast day. Left Lafayette and it was another 3 hours to Grand Isle. I have been to the Cajun Riviera before around Holly Beach about 4 year ago. I found it to be unspectacular. The water and sand were muddy brown with no wave action. Lake Charles looks to have a nice swimming area but Grand Isle, a full 2 hours south of the city of New Orleans, is the only place in the state with ride-able waves. The water here looked less inviting on the surface but still felt fine. I'm sure it's safe for swimming but I would not have wanted a mouthful of that water on a wipeout. Fortunately, the surf was fairly calm though once again, I got plenty of good rides on the board. Overall, it was worth seeing for something different but I am unlikely to return as it is just too far out of the way. On the plus side, if you are worried about the coronavirus, this beach probably will not be crowded even on a holiday weekend. I had to leave a little early to ensure that I would make it to the Miss'Sippy Sound before sunset. That's the correct pronunciation of the state to my west. Here, the sand is as white as FLA/ALA but the water is still brown with no wave action. However, if you take a short cruise to Ship Island just off the coast, it supposedly rivals the beauty of the Emerald Coast. Unfortunately, tickets were sold out for Monday so that will have to wait.
 |
| Grand Isle |
 |
| Mississippi Coast |
Monday-
Plan B was to head back to Ala-dam-bama at Gulf Shores and it worked out just fine. The beauty of the beach puts all the others to shame and the surf was excellent too. After an epic session, I had to leave before it got too crowded. Good thing I did because traffic was rough coming home. It took 2 hours longer than expected.
 |
| Gulf Shores |
Monday, May 18, 2020
Training 5/18-5/24
Did very little running last week but made an important discovery. I took a trip to North Florida last weekend and stayed mostly clean with the diet. I did have one beer for dinner on Friday then one mixed drink with lunch on Saturday with no caffeine. That is HARDLY a binge but I could NOT tolerate it. Water only until further notice with no cheat days at all? I don't think I can do that and if I can't tolerate just 2 indiscretions per week, that's a big problem. The culprit is NOT CoQ10 after all. It is ATP. Indeed I have read that caffeine interferes with adenosine receptors and I'm betting that sugar and alcohol do as well. That's okay. I don't need to take ATP every day. I only need enough to transport B-12. Occasional use (once per week) will do me fine.
5/17- Very good news. Without ATP, caffeine was tolerated and CoQ10 actually made things better. Even better, I had no significant difference between 2 pills and 4. I was 2 seconds slower per lap on extra so that's just statistical noise.
5/18-AM- Opener in 59.4 (5:56 pace). Very impressive opener. With 2 CoQ10, I was down to 50-flat (5:00 pace) then added a cool. That's my fastest time on that loop by nearly 2 seconds and it was done WITH caffeine. I'm sure it's not good for me but even if I had a daily habit, it should not hurt me NEARLY AS BADLY as it has before. I'm quite sure that if I popped just one ATP pill, it would have been a disaster. Still a little concerned that the gap (56 seconds) is still significant but I'm quite sure that I would have been no better or worse if I had taken extra.
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 19:36 (7:51 pace). Not a bad showing. Felt comfortable most of the way though my legs were a little heavy. Started a little fast then backed off on the back half to 8:00 pace.
Distance=3.0
5/19- No AM workout but I could tell without running that just 1 CoQ10 pill would NOT be enough. Not pleased about being so dependent on this or any other pill. Gotta hope that will eventually fade. Then again, at least I don't need mega doses. The eventual workout was 3 miles at Montreat in a time of 23:22 (7:47 pace) with relatively even splits. Don't think the pace ever went above 8. Half mile longer on a route that was a bit tougher than Lakeshore. I'll take it. Not a significant difference versus yesterday but the sum of small gains is the goal. Legs were still heavy and breathing was labored at times.
Distance=3.0
UPDATE:
The South Dakota race scheduled for July was CANCELED due to Corona. I've had enough of this. I was willing to go along with the lockdown for 2-4 weeks but it's past time to open up. My next race option is not until September in Minnesota.
5/20- CRASH! Lithium was the culprit this time. Since it is related to ATP, it's not a big surprise. I should not need that stuff at all going forward because it is an ingredient in ADHS (adrenal modulator). I may take it once per week to be safe however. Forced myself to jog 1 mile but that pace was likely over 12 minutes. I expect a nice rebound tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
5/21- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 28-flat (9:20 pace). Big improvement over yesterday. I was only doing 9:40 pace for the first half but managed a 9:00 flat on the back half with an 8:46 in Mile 3. Nothing to celebrate but I should be back to the Mendoza line by tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
5/22- Repeated the Lakeshore 3 and my time is down to 25:36 (8:32 pace). 1st half- 12:52, 2nd half- 12:44. I'll take it. MINUS 52 overnight.
Distance=3.0
Impromptu trip to the Coast.
Only 1 additional junk mile.
- 13 miles on the week.
5/17- Very good news. Without ATP, caffeine was tolerated and CoQ10 actually made things better. Even better, I had no significant difference between 2 pills and 4. I was 2 seconds slower per lap on extra so that's just statistical noise.
5/18-AM- Opener in 59.4 (5:56 pace). Very impressive opener. With 2 CoQ10, I was down to 50-flat (5:00 pace) then added a cool. That's my fastest time on that loop by nearly 2 seconds and it was done WITH caffeine. I'm sure it's not good for me but even if I had a daily habit, it should not hurt me NEARLY AS BADLY as it has before. I'm quite sure that if I popped just one ATP pill, it would have been a disaster. Still a little concerned that the gap (56 seconds) is still significant but I'm quite sure that I would have been no better or worse if I had taken extra.
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 19:36 (7:51 pace). Not a bad showing. Felt comfortable most of the way though my legs were a little heavy. Started a little fast then backed off on the back half to 8:00 pace.
Distance=3.0
5/19- No AM workout but I could tell without running that just 1 CoQ10 pill would NOT be enough. Not pleased about being so dependent on this or any other pill. Gotta hope that will eventually fade. Then again, at least I don't need mega doses. The eventual workout was 3 miles at Montreat in a time of 23:22 (7:47 pace) with relatively even splits. Don't think the pace ever went above 8. Half mile longer on a route that was a bit tougher than Lakeshore. I'll take it. Not a significant difference versus yesterday but the sum of small gains is the goal. Legs were still heavy and breathing was labored at times.
Distance=3.0
UPDATE:
The South Dakota race scheduled for July was CANCELED due to Corona. I've had enough of this. I was willing to go along with the lockdown for 2-4 weeks but it's past time to open up. My next race option is not until September in Minnesota.
5/20- CRASH! Lithium was the culprit this time. Since it is related to ATP, it's not a big surprise. I should not need that stuff at all going forward because it is an ingredient in ADHS (adrenal modulator). I may take it once per week to be safe however. Forced myself to jog 1 mile but that pace was likely over 12 minutes. I expect a nice rebound tomorrow.
Distance=1.0
5/21- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 28-flat (9:20 pace). Big improvement over yesterday. I was only doing 9:40 pace for the first half but managed a 9:00 flat on the back half with an 8:46 in Mile 3. Nothing to celebrate but I should be back to the Mendoza line by tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
5/22- Repeated the Lakeshore 3 and my time is down to 25:36 (8:32 pace). 1st half- 12:52, 2nd half- 12:44. I'll take it. MINUS 52 overnight.
Distance=3.0
Impromptu trip to the Coast.
Only 1 additional junk mile.
- 13 miles on the week.
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Training 5/4-5/10
5/4- Junk run was all that I could do. I've found that being off caffeine for just 24 hours will allow me to tolerate CoQ10 again. Additional doses helped but not as much as the first dose. I will probably settle on 100 or 200 CoQ10 and don't expect much benefit. Eventually, if I do everything right, I'll get by without it for a few days just like the others.
Distance=1.0
5/5-AM Improved my Montreat laps from a 3:57 to a 3:28 (MINUS 87) with CoQ10
PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 28:31 (9:30 pace). Not a great showing but I am improving and expect the pattern to be similar to last week. This time, let's hope it is permanent.
Distance=4.0
5/6-AM-Lakeshore 3 with a slightly different route this time. Improved to 26:15 (8:45 pace). Relatively even pace. Struggled but it was a significant improvement over yesterday.
PM- Jemison 2 mile in 19:06 (9:33 pace) OUCH! The need for CoQ10 has increased. I was considerably BETTER after 2 more pills. Improved from 84 to 62 on a Montreat sprint.
Distance=5.0
5/7-AM. Without CoQ10, I was just about as bad as you can possibly imagine. Opener was a 4:24 (13:12 pace) and I honestly could not go any faster. On 200, I was down to 3:37 (10:51 pace) then all the way down to 2:34 (7:42 pace) on 400. The gap between the floor and ceiling is a MASSIVE 5:30 per mile. Once again, I know the drill. Both the floor and ceiling will increase but the floor will rise much faster, resulting in a lower gap. That's it for today.
Distance=1.0
5/8- AM. As expected, the floor improved to 3:32 (10:36 pace) and the ceiling was 2:18 (6:54 pace) then added a 1 lap cool down. The gap has been reduced from 5:30 to 3:42. It should be in the low-mid 2s by tomorrow.
PM- Not surprisingly, if I can barely hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 mile in the morning and am weakened by going several hours without CoQ10, I will struggle. Called it quits after a 9:17 effort in the Montreat Mile but each lap was faster than the previous one. Lap 3 was a 2:53 (8:39 pace) so yes, I am improving. Tempted to get caffeine at lunch but held strong. Now 5 days clean.
Distance=2.0
5/9- AM- Opener in 2:53 (8:39 pace). Closer in 2:08 (6:24 pace). Gap has narrowed to 2:15 just as predicted. It will probably be 75-90 tomorrow. 1 lap cool. The closer needs to be 1:55 or below in order to get anywhere close to respectability in longer distance. I often get stuck around 2:10, which is not good. A floor at 6:50 pace and ceiling at 6:20 is not acceptable even though the gap would be okay.
PM- 3 miles at Oak Mountain. Tough but fair route. Finished 3 miles in 25:14 (8:25 pace). Strong negative split in which I dipped under 8 on the last mile but it was mostly downhill at the end. Another very positive step. Can I keep it going?
Distance=4.0
5/10- Yesterday was my cheat day and I found that one forbidden drink was tolerated but not 2. That's okay. Just don't do it again and I should be okay. As for the workout, I was very pleased with my opener in 2:27 (7:21 pace) but could only muster a 2:20 for the closer (7:00 pace). Gap is barely enough to be significant but the ceiling is MUCH too low. Additional CoQ10 was tolerated, which is good but if I did this every day, it would not be long until I'm right back to where I was last weekend.
PM- Expected to have nothing in a real workout if I could not hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile. Turns out, it wasn't as bad as expected. 3 miles at Lake Lurleen outside of Tuscaloosa in a time of 25:42 (8:34 pace). Only 9 ticks slower than yesterday though this route was a bit less hilly. Tomorrow might be a little rough but as long as I don't cheat again, I should be back on track by Tuesday.
Distance=4.0
-21 miles on the week.
Distance=1.0
5/5-AM Improved my Montreat laps from a 3:57 to a 3:28 (MINUS 87) with CoQ10
PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 28:31 (9:30 pace). Not a great showing but I am improving and expect the pattern to be similar to last week. This time, let's hope it is permanent.
Distance=4.0
5/6-AM-Lakeshore 3 with a slightly different route this time. Improved to 26:15 (8:45 pace). Relatively even pace. Struggled but it was a significant improvement over yesterday.
PM- Jemison 2 mile in 19:06 (9:33 pace) OUCH! The need for CoQ10 has increased. I was considerably BETTER after 2 more pills. Improved from 84 to 62 on a Montreat sprint.
Distance=5.0
5/7-AM. Without CoQ10, I was just about as bad as you can possibly imagine. Opener was a 4:24 (13:12 pace) and I honestly could not go any faster. On 200, I was down to 3:37 (10:51 pace) then all the way down to 2:34 (7:42 pace) on 400. The gap between the floor and ceiling is a MASSIVE 5:30 per mile. Once again, I know the drill. Both the floor and ceiling will increase but the floor will rise much faster, resulting in a lower gap. That's it for today.
Distance=1.0
5/8- AM. As expected, the floor improved to 3:32 (10:36 pace) and the ceiling was 2:18 (6:54 pace) then added a 1 lap cool down. The gap has been reduced from 5:30 to 3:42. It should be in the low-mid 2s by tomorrow.
PM- Not surprisingly, if I can barely hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 mile in the morning and am weakened by going several hours without CoQ10, I will struggle. Called it quits after a 9:17 effort in the Montreat Mile but each lap was faster than the previous one. Lap 3 was a 2:53 (8:39 pace) so yes, I am improving. Tempted to get caffeine at lunch but held strong. Now 5 days clean.
Distance=2.0
5/9- AM- Opener in 2:53 (8:39 pace). Closer in 2:08 (6:24 pace). Gap has narrowed to 2:15 just as predicted. It will probably be 75-90 tomorrow. 1 lap cool. The closer needs to be 1:55 or below in order to get anywhere close to respectability in longer distance. I often get stuck around 2:10, which is not good. A floor at 6:50 pace and ceiling at 6:20 is not acceptable even though the gap would be okay.
PM- 3 miles at Oak Mountain. Tough but fair route. Finished 3 miles in 25:14 (8:25 pace). Strong negative split in which I dipped under 8 on the last mile but it was mostly downhill at the end. Another very positive step. Can I keep it going?
Distance=4.0
5/10- Yesterday was my cheat day and I found that one forbidden drink was tolerated but not 2. That's okay. Just don't do it again and I should be okay. As for the workout, I was very pleased with my opener in 2:27 (7:21 pace) but could only muster a 2:20 for the closer (7:00 pace). Gap is barely enough to be significant but the ceiling is MUCH too low. Additional CoQ10 was tolerated, which is good but if I did this every day, it would not be long until I'm right back to where I was last weekend.
PM- Expected to have nothing in a real workout if I could not hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile. Turns out, it wasn't as bad as expected. 3 miles at Lake Lurleen outside of Tuscaloosa in a time of 25:42 (8:34 pace). Only 9 ticks slower than yesterday though this route was a bit less hilly. Tomorrow might be a little rough but as long as I don't cheat again, I should be back on track by Tuesday.
Distance=4.0
-21 miles on the week.
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