Training 7/26-8/1

 7/26- 2.5 miles on Lakeshore plus a half mile cool.  Finished in 20:15 (8:06 pace).  Slower start but stronger finish compared to yesterday.  Overall, this performance was essentially the same, give or take a few  seconds.  Yesterday was 3@8:09 with no cool.  That's a little disappointing.  I should not plateau at this level.  Two possible factors: I could be paying the price for the weekend's workouts or I may need to tinker a bit with the formula.  I don't think I need any major changes but maybe a tweak or two.  I have been taking a bit more CoQ10 and Curcumin to get rid of it and it appears to be tolerated though the B-12 may need to be upped.  I know that without the B-12 and/or Intrinsic Factor, I am completely intolerant to that stuff.

Distance=3.0

7/27- 2 key questions answered today.  Took a triple dose of CoQ10 to finish the bottle this morning but that's not above the allowed amount and had a SIGNIFICANT negative response.  Fortunately, the ill-effects were largely mitigated by extra B-12.  It's possible that will increase the demand for Thym-Adren but that does not appear to be the case early.  Took only 5 of those and hope to eventually decrease it to 3.  Workout was surprisingly good.  2 miles at Vulcan Trail in 15:10 (7:35 pace).  I don't like this route too much.  Most of the views of B'ham are obscured by tree cover and the trail is significantly sloped.  My splits of 7:18-7:52 look pretty bad but figure on level ground, it's more like 7:30-7:40.  I like my chances of going under the Mendoza line for 3 miles.  Going forward, I have already pitched the CoQ10 and Curcumin but I am sticking with increased B-12.  This bottle does come in stronger dose.

Distance=2.0

7/28-AM.  1 mile in 11:16.  Not entirely unexpected.  The extra B12 did indeed spike the adrenals and 6 pills did not even make a dent.  

PM- I knew that I would be a LOT better on just 2 more pills and I was correct.  2 miles on Lakeshore in 17:54 (8:57 pace) with splits of 9:16-8:38.  Where to go from here?  I've got to stick with the higher dose of B12.  If 5000 wasn't enough to prevent a bad reaction to CoQ10, it's clearly not enough.  I need at least 8000, maybe 10,000 but I will not go higher than that.  Eventually, I will be able to reduce the Thym-Adren.

Distance=3.0

7/29-AM- On the full dose of B12, I managed just 4:03 for 1 lap at Montreat (12:09 pace).  Just 2 Thym-Adren pills DID have an impact.  I was 1:39 at the halfway point and figure it would have been no worse than a 3:30.  Had to quit due to time constraints.

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 21:45 (8:42 pace).  1st half-11:07, 2nd half-10:38.  Improvement over yesterday in spite of taking only 6 pills.  I expect that times will get better and better even with gradually decreasing the dose.

Distance=3.0

7/30-AM- On no Thym-Adren and the full dose of B-12, my time was down to 3:46 (11:18 pace).  That's 51 seconds better than yesterday on a per mile basis.  I was pleased with that.  Keep chipping away.  I'd probably be around 3:30 if I ran it tomorrow.  The goal is to survive a 3 miler after a full weekend off those pills.  Long way to go there.

PM- I was not so pleased with my response to Thym-Adren.  On 6 pills, I could barely break 3:00 for 1 lap and was total crap in the real workout. Pace hovered just above 10 minutes and I quit early.   I said earlier that 6 pills were as good as zero.  No, I won't go that far.  They did do something but I needed 8 to get a halfway decent showing.  Simply not ready to reduce the dose just yet.  I'll try again next week.

Distance=2.0

7/31- Improved to a 3:33 without the Thym-Adren (10:39 pace).  Fine with that.  Cut off another 39 seconds, which makes 90 in just 2 days.  Thym-Adren was NOT effective today.  Took a full 8 pills and was actually WORSE than yesterday on 6.  I could not even finish 2.5 on Lakeshore and had to walk the last mile.  What to do from here?  I'm afraid that I'll have to cut the B12 down to 8,000 from 10,000 even though I may still have a bit of sensitivity.  This adrenal spike is TOO MUCH!  I will not exceed 9 Thym-Adren under any circumstances.  

Distance=2.0

8/1- Cut the B-12 down to 8,000 mcg.  It's still too much.  Improved to 3:05 (9:15 pace) on the opener but the real workout was not much better than yesterday.  At least I finished the bottom leg at Lakeshore, which I could not do yesterday.

Distance=3.0

-18 miles on the week

Cities to Live

This ought to be an interesting post.  A few years ago, my parents and I played a game in which you were given a choice to live in 1 of 2 cities and none of the above was not an option.   You had to pick one.  I have visited almost all of the cities listed here and will choose 1 of 5 from 7 different regions.  I may post a follow up with the least desirable option if I get a lot of views here.  The question here is where would I most like to LIVE not just visit.     

For the record, I intend to stay in Birmingham at least until retirement age and prefer mid-sized cities so none of these would be a particularly good fit.  If I do move, it will be to either south Alabama or northeast Florida.  Whether or not I have friends or family in a city is NOT to be a factor in my choice. Some of these cities are notorious for having bad neighborhoods but there are also some really nice areas. 

Here are some of the pros that I am looking for:

A sunny climate.  I also prefer not too much rain.  I like 4 distinct seasons and the occasional snowfall but NOT long cold snaps.  I'd like to see a vibrant downtown with shopping, restaurants and an entertainment district.  I don't follow sports as closely nowadays but would still like a couple of pro sports teams.  I'd like a close proximity to the beach, mountains and nature trails as well as other major cities.  That may be most important.  Also, some interesting historical museums would be nice though that is less important when the question is where to live rather than visit.  

As for the cons:

Pretty much the reverse.  I don't like cloudy and damp climates even if the overall rainfall is relatively low.  The cost of living will be considered as well as traffic congestion.  Also, far-left politics is a big turn off.  Every city listed here will lean Left but some are worse than others.      

Region 1: 

Washington DC

Baltimore

Philadelphia

New York

Boston

 I choose Philadelphia.  It's centrally located along the northeast megalopolis with easy access to DC as well as New York and even Boston.  Each city in this region has a rich history but Philly ranks a close second in historical sites.  There is easy access to the Jersey Shore and the Delmarva peninsula and ski resorts in the Poconos.  Traffic and the cost of living are a little rough but not nearly as bad as New York or DC.

Region 2:

Kansas City

St. Louis

Chicago

Minneapolis

Milwaukee

I'll go with Kansas City here.  There may not be as much to do as in Chicago and it's a long way from the beach, mountains or other major cities but it does have a nice downtown with good BBQ restaurants and fun bars.  Winters will still be a little rough but not nearly as bad as some of the other options.  Lastly, it's not nearly as left-wing so I'd be a much better fit culturally here.  

 Region 3:

Detroit

Cleveland

Cincinnati

Pittsburgh

Indianapolis

 This one is close between Cincy and Pittsburgh.  Cincy has an edge on climate.  It's also bordering on Kentucky and a bit more conservative.  I wouldn't say it's Southern but it's Kentucky suburbs are.  Still, if it's the city and not it's surrounding suburbs that is the question, I'm going with Pittsburgh.  There are so many attractions that are do-able on a weekend trip including the Jersey Shore and Delmarva, major cities, ski resorts and nature in nearby West Virginia.  

Region 4:

Seattle

Portland

San Francisco

Los Angeles

San Diego

 I've not been to San Diego yet but this is my choice all the way and it's not all that close.  Perfect climate on the Pacific coast with access to ski resorts as well.  Nicer parts of Los Angeles would be an easy 2nd choice but San Diego has the edge of traffic, costs and culture.   

 Region 5:

Phoenix

Salt Lake City

Denver

El Paso

Las Vegas

 This one is interesting.  Phoenix and Vegas are just too hot and so is El Paso although all 3 have some really nice scenery nearby.  It comes down to Denver or Salt Lake City.  If it was 10 years ago, I'd probably go with Denver but that city has taken a turn for the worse after the marijuana legalization.  I'm going with Salt Lake City  Not as much to do but awfully beautiful scenery and ski resorts that some say are comparable to Colorado.  

Region 6:

Houston

Dallas

Nashville 

Atlanta

New Orleans

Charlotte

Charlotte is my choice.  If I could live in Fort Worth, I might consider Dallas but no, I'd still likely stick with Charlotte.  I wish I could go back to the 1980s-90s when it was still more of a mid-sized city. Close enough to the beach and mountains for a weekend trip.  Probably has the edge in cost of living and traffic control as well.  Good weather without extreme heat and humidity of the Gulf Coast.  Nashville is a close second.  It too has grown too big and would have been a lot nicer in the 80s or 90s 

Region 7: 

Miami

Tampa

Orlando

Pensacola

Jacksonville

This one comes down to Jacksonville or Pensacola.  Both are still somewhat Southern.  I'll go with Jacksonville.  The Atlantic beaches are not quite as beautiful as the Gulf but the surf is more likely to be up on the Atlantic side.  Jax is also a bit drier and less vulnerable to hurricanes.  It doesn't have the tropical vibe found in Miami or even Tampa but it does have more distinct seasons.  

Training 7/19-7/25

 7/19- Only a half mile at Montreat in the rain in 4:32.  It was 3x1/2 laps but there are signs of improvement.  I opened with a 1:32 then only fell to 1:40 on 5,000 mcg of B-12.  That's a PLUS 48 so that's not a night and day difference.  This time, low dose Thym-Adren DID do something.  Yesterday, I needed mega doses just to make a dent in the adrenal spike.  This time, just 2 pills brought me down to 1:20.  

PM- I was interested to see how I would do on low doses over the longer distance but it was rained out.  Flash floods in the area.  While the Northwest is getting record heat, Alabama can't get out of the 70s.  No sun and occasional rain every day.

Distance=0.5

7/20- AM- 2 miles on North Lakeshore in 21:16 (10:38 pace).  I'm actually pleased with this one because it was done on just 2 Thym-Adren pills.  Just 2 days ago, 6 pills were completely ineffective and I needed 8+.  This pace was faster by 1:48 per mile.  I'm sure that if I took more, I'd be better but I don't think 2 more pills would bring my time down nearly as much.  That's good.  I want stability and gradual but STEADY improvement.  I still have a LONG way to go to get to the point in which I can make it through a weekend without pills.

PM- Trak Shak loop.  Walked up the opening hill and covered 2.5 miles in 23:27 (9:23 pace).  MINUS 75.  This was done after taking another 2 pills at lunch and 2 more in late afternoon.  Yes, the pills did make a difference.  I still believe that I would see BIG improvements on mega doses (9+ pills) but maybe not quite as dramatic as Sunday.  The best and fairly realistic scenario is to steadily get better on lower and lower doses.  For now, I need MEGA.  Supplies are running low but I should not run out because I re-ordered yesterday.

Distance=4.5

7/21-AM- 3x1 lap intervals.  Opened with a 2:45 (8:15 pace) then was only FRACTIONALLY slower on the B-12 so essentially no ill-effects at all.  The B-12 deficiency MAY be resolved.  If that's the case, in THEORY, the adrenal spike is the only thing standing in the way of getting back to respectability.  2 Thym-Adren pills brought me down to a 2:27 (7:21 pace).  MINUS 54.

PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 26:13 (8:44 pace).  1st half- 12:58, 2nd half- 13:15.  I was on pace for a 26-flat through 2 miles before fading a bit at the end.  Pleased with this one because I was done on just 5 total pills.  Supply is down to just 1 day but the new bottle should arrive tomorrow.  Granted, this route is a little easier than the Trak Shak loop but this pace was a MINUS 39 over an additional half mile (20 % longer).  This is REAL progress.  Can I keep it up?

Distance=4.0

7/22- 1.5 miles at Veteran's Park.  This was nothing more than a junk run.  Heart was not into it.  Trail was flooded in spots.  Today, I took Thym-Adren BEFORE the B-12 instead of after.  Bad call.  I still need it after.  Fortunately, the new bottle did arrive today.  Without it, I would have been hurting.

Distance=1.5    

7/23-AM 2x1 mile on Lakeshore to assess my reaction to mega doses.  I did the first mile in 8:15, which was probably skewed by a slow start on 6 pills.  Mile 2 was done on 9 pills.  I didn't feel a significant difference but the watch read 7:43 when I was done.  I'm probably sticking with 6 pills.  Yes, it was a significant improvement on 9 but not a night and day difference.  If I had seen a sub-7:15 on the back half, that would change things.  Also, the hip and groin were both a bit sore this afternoon.  Hopefully, it is nothing to worry about.  

PM- Rained out AGAIN!  So sick of this bad weather.

Distance=2.0

7/24- 6.5 miles starting at North Lakeshore and tacked on another 0.05 to make it a quarter marathon.  Finished in 64:03 (9:47 pace).  I wasn't concerned about the time.  I just wanted to finish comfortably.  Pace was slightly over 9:30 through 5 miles then crashed hard.  Just 5 weeks from tomorrow, I need to double this distance at a pace nearly 40 seconds faster per mile.  Tall order.  Hip and groin were both okay.  Manganese helped but I may have overdone that a bit, which probably slowed me down.  Very humid conditions.  Mornings aren't too bad if the weather was dry the previous day.  Not so lately.

Distance=6.5

7/25- 3 miles at Railroad Park for a change.  Finished in 24:26 (8:09 pace). This is a BIG improvement over just 4 days ago.  Cut off nearly 2 minutes.  This translates to about 25:30 for 5K.  I got out fast and it looked like I had a shot to go under the Mendoza line but that stretch from about 3K until the homestretch was tough.  Splits were 8:02-8:07-8:17.

Distance=3.0

-22 miles on the week.  I'll shoot for 25 next week.

Maine Trip Plan

 I am now 6 weeks out from race day.  While in theory, I have a path to balance, it never works out in practice.  I am NOT optimistic about a respectable showing.  I am DREADING this race right now but I only have one more left after this one.  Come hell or high water, I am going to finish the challenge to complete a half marathon in all 50 states.  The last one will be Hawaii hopefully in January of 2022 and by that point, I don't care if I have to walk every step.  I just need to get somewhat lucky just one more time and finish within the allowed time (probably 3 hours).  Hawaii has a 5 hour limit so I can definitely walk that one if need be.  While the race will almost certainly be bad, the rest of the trip looks good.

8/25- Leave for Atlanta after work and spend the night there.  

8/26- Direct flight to Boston.  I think this is my best bet.  There are several daily flights from ATL to BOS and the prices are cheap as well.  There is just one direct flight from Atlanta to Portland, Maine and I would have to backtrack to get to my first destination.  B'ham to either Boston or Portland would require a layover and the chance of a missed connection.  No Thanks.  It will be an AM flight but not super early.

From Boston, it is only slightly more than 1 hour to the New Hampshire coast.  It should not be too crowded on a weekday but I know to beware of the traffic and parking on the weekends in August.  Last I checked as of mid-July, the water temperature there is up to 66 degrees F and has yet to peak.  In late August, I figure that temp will hold and it may even crack 70.  As long as the air temp is also above 70, it should be tolerable even without a wetsuit.  My minimum standard is 1 hour in the surf and just one wave on the board.  Which beach?  I have a few choices for the 14 miles on coastline.  Hampton, Rye or Jeness are all viable options.  

I'll take a break for lunch and the best food will almost certainly be in Hampton.  From there, it will be up the coast to Maine.  I have 3 options there as well.  Wells Beach, Long Sands and Old Orchard.  I've read that the latter is "reminiscent of the Jersey Shore" but I can expect better surf at Wells or Long Sands.  Water temperature in Maine in late August?  Maybe 1-2 degrees colder than New Hampshire but it should not be noticeable.  If the weather outside is halfway decent, I expect to enjoy those beaches.  Unfortunately, there is a risk of a cloudy day in the 60s or worse, a rainy day.  If at all possible, I'll put on the wetsuit and stick it out for 1 hour to meet the standard.  Average high temps are about 73-75 degrees.  After this, a bucket list item will be completed.  I will have caught a wave in every state on the Atlantic coast.  

8/27- I will spend the previous night on the town in Portland, Maine.  From there, my plans are somewhat flexible.  If it rains all day on the 26th then clears out today, I can backtrack down to New Hampshire's coast.  It's only 1 hour away.  I could also head up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire (nearly 3 hours) and see Mt. Washington.  However, my preference would be to go directly to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  That's slightly less than 3 hours from Portland via I-95 but US-1 is much more scenic.  Mt. Washington and Bar Harbor?  It can be done but I won't get in until late and would have no time that evening.  Hopefully, I'll be in Bar Harbor that night but if need be, I can save a few bucks by staying in Ellsworth a few miles inland.  

8/28- Full day in Acadia on Park Loop Road and that rocky coastal scenery looks awesome.  Must sees are Cadillac Mountain, Thunder Hole and Sand Beach with several other beautiful hiking trails.  Iffy weather is another good reason to go directly here from Portland.  If one day is bad, I can still salvage part of the previous day.  Bar Harbor is slightly more than 2 hours north of the race site in the small town of St. George and I'll want to get there before dark.  Fortunately, I can pick up my bib race morning but the nearest hotels are a full 20 miles away.  

8/29- Race day and I just hope it's not too terrible.  From there, my preference would be to go to Mt. Washington but if the earlier beach plans didn't work out, I have another chance.  6,500 feet elevation in northern New England even in late summer can have some nasty weather and clear days with beautiful mountains views are rare but this is the best time of the year for it.  I still hope to give it a try but if I can only do this or the beach, I choose the beach.  At any rate, I'll take the Interstate back towards Boston for a flight the next morning back to Atlanta.  I toured Boston twice in recent years and liked it but have no plans to do so again.

New Jersey Trip Report

 7/2-7/3

4 AM wake up call to catch a 6:30 flight proved to be unnecessary as the flight was delayed by 2 hours due to maintenance issues.  That was fine with me.  Rain was in the forecast and it was not expected to clear until mid-late afternoon.  I ended up landing in Philadelphia and getting my rental car around noon.  My route was Hwy 55-47 through the countryside of New Jersey to Wildwood.  I didn’t find the scenery too interesting.  It was almost dead flat, straight, and non-descript.  Yes, it did rain heavily at times but as I approached Wildwood, it was merely cloudy with air temps in the mid 70s and water temps in the low 70s.  I found it tolerable.  Chilly at first but fairly comfortable once you get acclimated.  Wildwood surf was decent on both days.  Enough to be exciting but not nearly enough to cause wipeouts.  With the exception of 1 hour of rain on 7/3, the weather was good for the rest of the trip.  I conquered New Jersey and it was on to New York on the 4^th. 

    

The boardwalk looked to be a lot of fun with an amusement park and a water park.  Lots of restaurants looked pretty good but I mostly stuck with pizza and hot dogs.  I also made sure to stop at a famous candy store called Laura’s Fudge.   Overall impression: I am unlikely to return only because it requires a plane flight or 2 full days of driving from Alabama but I’m glad I did come here once.  I still prefer the Southern beaches in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina but I would find some beautiful beaches further north in New Jersey with water clarity that rivals Florida.  I encourage everyone to broaden their horizons and visit new places.  As for the people that I met, I have mixed reviews.  The hotel clerk put on a fake southern accent when checking me in.  I don’t mind a little good-natured ribbing, but you’ve got to know when to stop.  Some people were rude, but others were really nice.  The bartender at my hotel was one of the nicest servers I’ve had.   

7/4-

Got up for a beautiful Wildwood sunrise then headed north to Sandy Hook, where the beaches had views of the NYC skyline.  Unfortunately, it was too far away to capture on my phone.  I was eventually chased out because my boogie board has fins.  Stupid rule but it did enable me to spend more time at Rockaway.  I crossed the famous bridge from Staten Island, which is the start of the NYC Marathon.  This beach was lots of fun.  Waves broke close to the shore which meant short but intense rides and yes, a couple of wipeouts.  Chalk up New York.  Only New Hampshire and Maine to go on the Atlantic Coast.    From Rockaway in Queens, it was about a 20-minute drive to my hotel in Brooklyn.  This part of the trip was a little disappointing.  Parking was an absolute nightmare and if the hotel did not permit me to park in a spot designated for electric vehicles, I don’t know what I would have done.  The garage was full, and I could not find an open spot on the entire block.  I expected Coney Island to be crowded but did not expect a total zoo scene.  I ended up leaving early but still saw some fireworks from my window. 

7/5-

Left NYC early in the morning, which was a good call.  Getting out of Brooklyn was a little dicey but after that, it was okay.  I ended up stopping on the Central Jersey coast in a town called Surf City on Long Beach Island.  I chose it because I liked the name.  Again, it was a beautiful beach.  Unfortunately, surf conditions were not suitable.  There was a steep drop off as soon as you get in the water and most of the waves were just too high.  I still had fun though.  I would leave late afternoon and drive 2 hours to Philadelphia.  There, I took a walking tour of Old City and Penn Landing.  The next day, I would finally get to see the inside of Independence Hall and the Museum of the American Revolution.  The flight home went off without a hitch. 

Methyl B-12 and Intrinsic Factor

 

The first new pill that I tried was Methyl B-12 after bad reactions to Curcumin and even a food-based veggie supplement called Texas Superfood.  NOBODY should react badly to a product like that.  I immediately felt better after taking 1000 mcg of Methyl B-12.  Given that it cleared up much of the bad reaction to TX Superfood, I was nearly certain that it was now tolerated but I also wanted to test out the Curcumin and CoQ10.  That would have to wait until after I got back from Wildwood.    There was no shock reaction later, but I was slightly weakened after 2000 mcg.  For the record, this pill comes in a dosage up to 5000 mcg, so I did not OD. 

About 36 hours later, I went out for a morning run on the boardwalk.  It was a struggle.  I was fighting to hold a low-9 pace but I did last 3 miles in 27:54 (9:18 pace).  I was fading at the end and the pace would have fallen off a cliff if I had to keep going.  By the evening, I was noticeably WORSE and the culprit was an adrenal spike.  I did feel better after popping some additional Thym-Adren.  The next morning, I managed only a 5:38 first half mile without the pills (11:16 pace) and even a full dose brought me no lower than a 4:50 on the back half (9:40 pace).  At least that was a significant difference.  I had to be a little more cautious in the surf because I know that I am more vulnerable to ligament sprains on a wipeout if my body is too far out of whack.  Fortunately, I made it through unscathed. 

On my first full day back in the Ham, the adrenal spike was beginning to die down.  I managed a 90 split for a 1/6 mile at Montreat on no pills (9:00 pace) then improved to an 81 on Methyl B-12 (8:06 pace) then a 73 on Adenosyl (7:18 pace) and this was still done without Thym-Adren.  This interval session answered a key question.  Methyl plus Adenosyl B-12 together will work better than either of them alone. 

I took 4 Thym-Adren pills at work and was back in action that evening.  My time was down to 60 on the same half loop.  Next, I took both the CoQ10 and Curcumin hoping that it would be tolerated.  I got exactly what I wanted with an insignificant improvement down to 58 seconds.  Both are tolerated and I’m sure that TX Superfood is as well even though I finished that bottle and will not re-order.  I’ll do the same with these 2 products.  Neither is essential to the plan and I doubt that I will see more than a marginal improvement.  Still, the fact that I can tolerate them now when I could not before is definitely a good sign. 

The moment of truth came on the last interval.  This pill contains an ingredient called Intrinsic Factor, which is a stomach protein necessary for absorption of B-12 and possibly other stuff as well.  I suspect that a deficiency here played a role in my sensitivity for many years.  I felt noticeably better immediately, and it showed as a clocked a 52 second split (5:12 pace) and with additional Thym-Adren, I may have seen a sub-50.  Unfortunately, the good feeling did not last as a HARD adrenal spike kicked in just a few hours later.  That was not a surprise after solving a long-standing problem.  Once again, in THEORY, I’ve got this squared away.  If I fail again, I will try Fulvic Acid before seeing a “real doctor.”

Rant or Rave: Libertarian Politics

 

It has long bothered me to see strict enforcement of rules against trivial things while allowing serious stuff to go unpunished.  Also, there must be equal justice under the law regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status.  Let’s go back to my school years.  I had an elementary school Gym teacher who took away my recess for heinous crimes such as forgetting to push in my chair or standing up when I was supposed to be sitting down.  Yet, he allowed kids to put others in a headlock and throw them down headfirst without any punishment at all.  Indeed, several other teachers who were lax when it came to bullying made darn sure that nobody ever did something as awful as chew gum in their class or wear a baseball cap in the hallway on the way to the bus.  In high school, I had a teammate who punched another kid in the face for making fun of his Mom.  He went unpunished and I’m quite sure it was because he was a straight-A student and Varsity athlete.  If he was merely an average kid that didn’t matter much, you better believe he’d be suspended. 

Now, let’s go back to the adult world.  There is a school of thought that you ought to be permitted to do whatever you like as long as you do not hurt or pose a danger to anyone other than yourself.  I do not go that far.  The more appropriate question is this:  Would there be a negative impact on society if a large percentage of the population engaged in that activity?  If the answer is yes, there should be at least some restrictions.  On a scale of 0-100 with 100 being the most Libertarian, I’m probably between a 50 and a 60.  That number has increased a bit in recent years.  As a Conservative, I tend to support Capitalism and free market economies while favoring more restrictions on personal conduct but again, I would usually let the small stuff go. 

When it comes to smoking, yes, I do support bans inside shopping malls, movie theaters, and most indoor venues.  No smoking within 15 feet of an entrance to a building?  That’s a little overkill.  As far as bars and restaurants, I would leave it up to the individual establishment.  If everything is equal, I would opt for the non-smoking establishment, but I would be willing to make an exception for good food and/or outstanding service.  I used to eat lunch at a local pub that allowed smoking because I got a hug from one of the servers before I left.  Sure, I’m willing to tolerate a little second-hand smoke for something like that.  Occasional exposure won’t hurt me but no, I would not want that every day.  For the record, I’ve not been back much since my friend left that job. 

In Wildwood, there is a strict no smoking policy on the boardwalk outdoors and a police officer even warned a man not to VAPE on the boardwalk.  C’mon man!  That’s not hurting anyone even if lots of people did it.  It’s virtually odorless especially if it’s done outdoors.     Drinking and smoking age?  I’d make both of them 19 or perhaps 20, but I’d lower it from 21.  High school kids should not have easy access and there is still high potential for abuse among college freshmen but once you are college age, you are old enough to make those decisions.  No boogie boards on a beach because you might hit a child?  Stupid!  Just designate a section of a beach for surfers and boarders if it is a problem.  New Orleans, Memphis and Savannah allow open alcohol containers in their entertainment districts.  I have no problem with that.  Same with boardwalks or the beach itself.  Just don’t get intoxicated. 

California in particular has got a lot of things bass ackwards.  A trans-woman can expose their penis to small children in a spa or changing room.  Shooting up heroin on the streets of San Francisco is rarely punished and shoplifting up to $1000 will not be prosecuted.  However, drinking out of plastic straws?  Smoking or vaping too close to an entrance of a building?  Oh no!  We can’t have any of that!  No, I would not throw the book at you for petty theft but there needs to be at least some deterrent because it raises the prices for honest folks and no business (jobs) can survive if much of their inventory is stolen. 

The big debate nowadays is marijuana legalization.  I still remain opposed to it on the grounds that it is not a good thing for society if lots of people did it regularly.  Colorado’s culture has changed in recent years and not for the better.  True, some pot smokers can be productive citizens, but many others cannot.  Moreover, I do believe it is a gateway drug that can lead to much harder stuff.  Nobody on Intervention started with heroin or methamphetamine.  They all started with marijuana.  With all that said, my view is evolving.  I’m fully on board with decriminalization.  You pay a fine and that’s it.  Nothing on your permanent record and no harm to your job prospects.  Medical marijuana?  I believe there are better ways to treat those illnesses but I’d rather you smoke weed than opt for opioids.  I believe the THC content is lower for the medical variety. 

In a recent shift, I no longer support punishing athletes for a positive marijuana test.  It’s not a PED.  It hinders your performance.  If a cop or firefighter tests positive or shows up for work stoned? Yes, I’d fire them because it puts the public in danger.  An athlete poses no danger to the public.  Let Richardson run in the Olympics.

Training 7/8-7/18

 7/8- Lots has gone on since I last posted.  In short, my adrenals have SPIKED something awful but in THEORY, I have a path to balance.  Today was one of my worst performances on record.  1 mile on Lakeshore in 13:32.  OUCH!

Distance=1.0

7/9- AM- Lakeshore 2 mile in 22:56 (11:28 pace) with even splits (11:31-11:25).  That's a BIG improvement.  Doubled the distance and increased the pace by more than 2 minutes.  I'm not taking any more Thym-Adren during the day and hope to see further improvements this afternoon.

PM-Repeated the same course and my time is all the way down to 19:12 (9:36 pace) with splits of 9:42-9:30.  Chopped off almost 2 more minutes per mile.  Obviously, this rate of improvement is unsustainable but I will enjoy it while it lasts.  

Distance=4.0

7/10- 4 miles on Lakeshore in 37:34 (9:24 pace).  1st half- 19:02, 2nd half- 18:32.  I'll take it.  It was an improvement over last time but as I predicted, the RATE of improvement is slowing.  It is clear that the adrenal spike is not going to die down any time soon and I could face another one soon.  In the past, I used to get an instant reaction to pills.  Now, it seems like it's more of a sustained release.  I won't get all the benefits right away but I will feel better by the afternoon.  I'll confirm that next week.  If true, I'd say that's a sign of more stability, which is good.  I'll finish the bottles of CoQ10 and Curcumin but won't re-order.  Both will last a month.  Manganese will only be taken occasionally.

Distance=4.0

7/11- Junk Intervals but that was the plan today.  3x1 lap at Montreat.  Lately, I've been feeling noticeably better in the afternoon and evening versus the morning and I wanted to test that out today.

Opener (no pills)- 2:56 (8:48 pace)

Full pills- 2:20 (7:00 pace)

MINUS 1:48 and I'm pleased with that.  The gap is narrowing.  I bet that by the end of the week, it will become insignificant.  

PM- 2:07 (6:21 pace).  MINUS 39 and it may have been even better if I waited until the evening.  My theory was correct.  It takes time for the pills to fully kick in and I don't get the full benefit immediately, which is a shift from the past.  I was a little disappointed yesterday that I didn't show much improvement from the evening of 7/9 to the morning of 7/10 but I'm sure that the evening of 7/10 would have been a good deal better than the morning.

Distance=1.0

7/12- Very interesting.  Before bed yesterday, I was starting to feel pretty rough and it was not because it was bed time.  Woke up feeling awful.  Took only 3 Thym-Adren pills and it was almost like I took nothing at all.  Opening mile was a pathetic 11:36.  Took 2 more at the turnaround and came back with an 8:24 for an even 20 overall (10:00 pace).  Not sure what to make of this.  MINUS 3:12 after 2 additional pills?   I don't like that.

PM- The morning was it for the day.  Bad weather.  I was a little better on additional Thym-Adren.  BUT the real issue was the lack of methyl B-12.  I need that stuff as a stand alone.  I may need to increase the dose.

Distance=2.0

7/13- Felt AWFUL all day at work.  Junk intervals was all I could do but the result left me hopeful.  

Opener in 2:53 (8:39 pace)

Extra B-12 (methyl and adenosyl)- 2:37 (7:51 pace)

Extra Thym-Adren- 2:18 (6:54 pace).

Yes, the opener was bad but I thought it would be approaching 4 minutes.  It would have been if I did not take 6 Thym-Adren during the day.    Here is what I think is happening.  The Intrinsic factor FINALLY helps absorb the B-12, which is a long-standing problem.  Whenever that happens, I can expect an adrenal spike.  Though it helped absorb the B-12, it also exposed a deficiency in that area.  The fact that I am benefiting from additional B-12 suggests that I am correcting a long-standing deficiency.  Again, that FURTHER spikes the adrenals.  The spike is not going to die down any time soon but eventually, it should be managed with mega Thym-Adren and B-12.

Distance=1.0 

7/14- Woke up feeling pretty rotten and wasn't much better after taking the full dose of Thym-Adren.  Only the B-12 made a difference.  Unfortunately, that triggered more need for Thym-Adren.  Workout was 3 miles in 29:36 (9:52 pace).  That's weak but I did have a negative split.  I was 15:30 at the half and finished with a 14:06.  Mile 3 was a less anemic 9:13.  The difference?  I popped 2 Thym-Adren at the halfway point.  In the future, I will take the B-12 FIRST then Thym-Adren. 

Distance=3.0

7/15- My theory was correct.  The B-12 is needed but it also causes the adrenal spike.  I was less awful when I woke up.  I was around 1:30 on my opener but over 2:00 (12+ minute pace) after the full dose of B12.  I was at 67 (6:42 pace) with both.  Figure that's a SIX minute gap.  That's got to come down.  Good news is that I took the full Thym-Adren and the real workout was better today.  Did 2.5 miles on Lakeshore in a time of 21:18 (8:31 pace) with splits of 10:45-10:33.

Distance=3.0

7/16- Everything is confirmed now.  

Opener- 2:48 (8:24 pace)

B-12- 3:18 (9:54 pace)

Thym-Adren- 2:09 (6:27 pace)

The gap is down to 3:27.  I was very pleased that I didn't react as badly to the B-12 but not as pleased that I didn't gain as much from the Thym-Adren.  Yesterday, it would have taken me over 4:00 on the B-12 alone but when I saw the sub-10 pace, I thought I could go sub-6 on Thym-Adren..  Since I usually don't get the full effect until afternoon, I may have seen a sub-6 pace after work.  As usual, this is how it works with the closing gaps.  The floor rises much faster than the ceiling.  The gap is probabaly down to the low 2s by tomorrow.  That's it for today.

Distace=1.0

7/17-Another failed long run and another new culprit.  This time it was lack of Manganese.  I thought I no longer needed it.  It is obvious now that I do.  Good news is that I can get away with a few missed doses on occasion but not with regularity.  I was shooting for 6 miles today and had to settle for 4 with a time of 42:37 (10:39 pace).  Pace was in the low 9s through the first 2.4 miles then collapsed HARD.  Mile 4 was over 13 minutes.  Popped just ONE Manganese pill shortly after I got home and was better immediately.  I may try again tomorrow.

Distance=4.0

7/18- AM- Tried again and failed again.  2 miles in 24:52 (12:26 pace) with Mile 2 approaching 14 minutes.  Took 6 Thym-Adren this morning and it was NOT enough.  Something similar happened earlier this week in which 5 pills were almost like taking none at all BUT I was LOTS better after additional doses.

PM- Same thing happened today.  After just 2 more pills, I repeated the 2 miles and my time was down to 17:44 (8:52 pace) with splits of 8:56-8:48.  I'm probably better if I took another but I really prefer not to go that high with the dose.

  If I skimp on the Manganese, I will not be as bad without the Thym-Adren but it will be less effective.  If I stop it altogether, Thym-Adren won't be tolerated at all.  I believe B-12 is driving the adrenal spike but the Manganese isn't causing it.  It reveals the spike.  I'm an extreme fast oxidizer either way but only show the symptoms of it when I take the Manganese.  The only question left is to take the pills all at once or in divided doses?  I'd prefer the divided doses.

Distance=4.0

Update:By the evening, I needed more Thym-Adren.  I MUST take as much as necessary and damn the costs.

-29 miles