Training 9/28-10/4 Race Week

 9/28- AM- Montreat Intervals

Opener- 3:30 (10:30 pace)

TRS- 3:55 (11:45 pace)

Probiotics- 2:14 (6:42 pace)

PLUS 75 on TRS.  MINUS 5:13 on Probiotics.

PM- 3 miles also on Montreat.  Finished in 25:51 (8:37 pace).  Kinda meh on this one.  About the same as yesterday in terms of distance and pace but I did finish stronger with splits of 8:48-8:38-8:25.  I'm past 24 hours without sugar or caffeine and there are no serious withdrawal symptoms.  If I can make it through tomorrow without an adrenal spike, I'm probably in the clear.  Regular use of energy drinks is BAD but an occasional cheat day should not hurt me.  With probiotics, it should be tolerated.  Tomorrow, I want to see the gap reduced, both with the TRS and the Probiotics.

Distance=4.0

9/29- AM- Vestavia Intervals.  I expect paces to be faster here because it is shorter and flat but the gaps should not be affected.

Opener- 1:59.2 (7:56 pace)

TRS- 1:50.2 (7:20 pace).  Shocked at the improvement.

Probiotics- 78.7 (5:14 pace).

MINUS 36 on the TRS.  MINUS 2:06 on Probiotics.  MINUS 2:42 overall.

MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT!  Hard to believe that the TRS made things BETTER today.  I credit the sugar abstinence.  Until the toxic metal were addressed, that would not have helped.  No sign of caffeine withdrawal or adrenal spike after 36 hours.  The 2nd 24 hours are usually the worst.  I still had trouble on a 3rd probiotic however.  Not sure how I would do on 1 of those.  Get the 400 under 75 and I have a fighting chance of a sub-6 minute mile.

PM- Very interesting.  Performance was meh again.  Trak Shak 3 mile in 25:30 (8:30 pace).  Only slightly better than yesterday afternoon, which was disappointing after the big improvement yesterday.  I took 2 additional Probiotics after the morning session.  I felt pretty lousy but it cleared pretty quickly.  Took the large dose of TRS and 1 more Probiotic.  Never felt strong in the run.  I passed the halfway point in 12:50, took another Probiotic and finished in 12:40.  That's pretty much statistical noise.  Slightly better but not enough to be considered significant.  I've had stronger negative splits in the past.  

Got home and did 3x half lap at Montreat.  Opened with a 72, popped 2 more Probiotics and expected to be awful but NO.  Managed a 74, which again is just statistical noise.  Pissed out some toxins and improved to a 65.  That IS a significant improvement.  

Distance=4.5

Reaction:

Tolerance to Probiotics is clearly improved.  That's good news.  Even if I take too many, it probably won't be disastrous.  TRS does NOT seem to trigger an intense need anymore.  Question is how many pills will yield the BEST result?  Is it 4 per day in divided doses or perhaps less?  We shall see. 

9/30-AM- Needed extra sleep so Montreat was the only option.  

4x half lap plus a 1 lap cool

Opener- 69 (6:54 pace)

TRS- 63 (6:18 pace)

1 Probiotic- 52 (5:12 pace)

2 Probiotics- 58 (5:48 pace)

Interesting again.  Opener was much better.  Same amount of improvement with TRS.  Probiotics were the moment of truth.  I felt almost full strength on 1 pill.  This loop is shorter than 400 but the hills partially offset that.  Figure, I would have been close to the 78 400 yesterday but probably don't break it.  I'd guess it would be more like 80 seconds.  Noticeably WEAKER on 2 pills.  Took a total of 8 yesterday and I'm probably still reeling a bit from that. 

PM- DAMN!!  Cannot tolerate probiotics.  Took only 1 this afternoon and it was a disaster.  Hoped to run 6.5 miles on Lakeshore and settled for 1 with a time of 10:15.  Only positive was that I was better, or should I say less awful on the back half.  The watch read 5:27 at the half but after a piss stop, I improved to a 4:48.  That's a MINUS 78.  Why the hell could I tolerate it last night but not today?  I have 2 options.   Go back to energy drinks and 2 probiotic pills twice a day OR go off the probiotics and attempt to gradually re-introduce them while keeping sugar to a minimum.  I do know that after a week off probiotics, the sugar intolerance will be extreme.  I'm leaning towards the latter option.  Prospects of a non-disaster are not good.  Once again, I cannot get through a week without a collapse.

Distance=2.0

10/1- Planned rest day.  Flight to Rapid City.  Night in Sundance, Wyoming.

10/2- 2x600 plus a cool in Wyoming.  I was pretty bad without the probiotics but improved with a pinch and was significantly better on a full pill.  Unfortunately, I was tying up a bit down the stretch and by the afternoon it was clear that the need for probiotics kicked in with a vengence.

Distance=1.0

10/3- Just a few strides.  Felt reasonably well but needed LOTS of probiotics.  

Distance=0

10/4- Race was a disaster.  I was doing okay through Mile 7 then crashed HARD.  I went from relative comfort to flat out awful in a matter of seconds.  I walked/slow jogged it in to a finish at either 2:15 or 2:16.  Who cares?

Distance=13.5

-25 miles on the week.