Training 1/30-2/5

 1/30- AM- 3x 1 lap at Montreat:

No adrenal support- 4:06 (12:18 pace)

1 Stress Pak- 3:48 (11:24 pace) MINUS 54

1 Thym-Adren- 3:33 (10:39 pace)  MINUS 45

GEEZ!  I never thought I would do THIS badly without adrenal support.  Even with the full dose of 3 Thym- Adren, I still didn't feel good.  This is clearly another adrenal spike.  What triggered it?  I don't know!  Clearly, I need to increase the Stress Pak.  

PM- 2 miles easy on Lakeshore.  Forgot the watch so I ran it naked.  I figure that the pace was well over 10, maybe even over 11.  Do I simply have to deal with these adrenal spikes periodically?  Is there anything more that I can do to reduce the severity?  At least for the time being, I will reduce the Probiotics and increase the Stress Pak.  Will I see any gains from increased Thym-Adren?  I'll try it.  At least I got through the distance and I'll be glad I did at the end of the week.

Distance=3.0

1/31- AM.  Found the culprit last night.  It was an amino acid called Glutamine, which I had been taking regularly for the past few days after doing so only rarely before this.  I planned to finish the bottle and be done with it.  You could say that I took it to get rid of it.  Why did it trigger the adrenal spike?  Still not sure but the smart money is that it is related to gut health.  At any rate, I'll lay off it and I should be better in a day or so.  Did half lappers at Montreat.

On nothing- 1:48 (10:48 pace)

Red Bull- 1:33 (9:18 pace)  MINUS 90

Added a naked cool down at a very slow pace.

SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER AFTER SLAMMING A RED BULL??????  One of the worst things you can do for an adrenal spike and gut health!!    What the _______ is up with that??????

I should be well enough to do a standard issue workout this evening.  It won't be pretty but I'll finish it.

PM- No complaints about this one.  Lakeshore 2.5 in 24:08 (9:39 pace).  Again, that's probably about what I should be doing on my easy days.  Smooth and relaxed with an even pace and no attempt to kick at the end.  Splits were 12:03-12:05.  Can't get much more even than that.

Distance=3.0

2/1- Another very positive step.  4 miles in 37:32 (9:23 pace).  I wanted to go beyond the 5K distance without a meltdown and I did it today.  1st half was 18:50, 2nd half was 18:42.  The back half is slightly downhill and it may have been precisely even until a mild pickup in the last quarter mile.  Just wanted to prove that I had something left and I certainly did.  Can I break 60 for 10K?  All I had to do was maintain a 10:00 pace for another 2.2 miles.  I like my chances.

Distance=4.0

2/2- Planned rest day.  Rain is in the forecast all day.  

2/3-AM 400 meters at Vestavia in 86.6 (PR).  I am progressing ahead of schedule.  Granted, my previous PR was over a month ago, but this was a 14 second improvement.  I believe I can do better.  I've done virtually no speed work and the temperature was barely above freezing.  I passed 200 in 41.x so the back half was around 45-flat.  I'd like to see that a little more even but that's still not bad.  Added a warm and cool for a 1 mile session.  Maybe, I can squeeze in 1-2 this afternoon.

This is a 5:46 pace for the Mile so my current time of 8:16 looks awfully soft.  As for the 400, I think a sub-80 is within reach.  Getting under 75 as an over-40 runner would be a pretty solid effort. 

PM- 1 mile junk run at Montreat.  Probably did nothing for my fitness but I'm glad I did it.  I'm off to North Carolina for skiing.  If I can't do any running tomorrow, I only need 3 on Sunday instead of 4.

Distance=2.0 

2/4- Elective rest day.  Good day on the slopes. I may be sore tomorrow but intend to be out there.

2/5- 3 mile Trak Shak loop in 26:50 (8:57 pace).  Good 1st and 3rd mile but slowed in Mile 2 probably because of the hills. My PR for the 5K is only a 29:13 and this projects to a sub-28.  It cannot count as a PR however because the distance is uncertified and I had to stop a few times at intersections because of traffic.  This route does have a few decent sized hills so even with the stops, it probably nets out about even.

Distance=3.0

-15 miles on the week and I am clearly improving now.  YTD- 52

I will try again to address my gut health starting next week so I might hit a rough patch.  I'll shoot for 18 miles.  

Expectations

 Just over 1 month into my comeback, I've achieved the following times:

400- 1:40.5

Mile- 8:16.4

5K- 29:13

This was done on a total of 34 miles, or just a hair more than 1 mile per day.  My longest run has been a 5K plus a cool for a total of 3.5 miles.  That is EXTREMELY light and I will certainly improve with higher volume.  It must be done gradually.  I did 12 miles last week and I'll shoot for 15 this week.  By the end of February, I should be logging 20 MPW consistently.  By the end of April, I hope to be up to 30.

What kind of times can I expect by the end of May?

400- Under 90

Mile- Low 7s

5K- High 25- Low 26

Again, my bare ass minimum standard for racing is a sub-60 10K.  If I can get the mileage up, I like my chances.  In fact, I'll go as far as to say that I am almost certain that I can do it ONCE.  Many big time marathons have a companion 5K and/or 10K and yes, I'm willing to travel for that especially during a vacation.  Would I make a special trip?  Probably not a fly away but if it's within driving distance, yes.

I won't run a half marathon unless I think I can break 2 hours.  I'll give myself a 50/50 chance of that.  Would I like to run a full marathon again?  YES but only if I can break 4 hours.  I am NOT optimistic about my chances there.  

What is more important than my PRs is CONSISTENCY!  Again, I'm confident in my ability to run semi-respectable times ONCE but can I do it regularly?  Let's say it's the end of May and I'm only running a 27 minute 5K and a 7:45 Mile  BUT even on a bad day, I can still manage a sub-8:15 and a sub-29.  That would actually be preferable to a situation in which I can run a 24:xx on a good day but can't break 30 on a bad day.  In the former, I am better on my worst day in May than I am on my best day in January.  That would be REAL progress.

Today's afternoon session confirmed that Probiotics are spiking my adrenals.  I do believe that adrenal spikes are part of the healing process and I'll have to deal with them.  I do hope that they will become less severe over time.  I was a full 90 seconds slower per mile after the 3 Probiotics.  Let's project that to my Mile and 5K times:

Mile- 9:46, 5K-33:45.  OUCH!  Still, that's better than my 36:55 nightmare on New Years Eve.  If I'm still under 31 (sub-10 pace) on my worst day, that's progress.  

I'm going with 6 Probiotics (3 morning/3 evening) but no more than 3 Thym-Adren.  It is possible that my need for Thym-Adren will diminish with time.  It always has.  The probiotics will be part of my long-term solution but hopefully at a reduced dose.

Training 1/23-1/29

 1/23- Vestavia Mile in 8:16.4 (PR).  That's a 34 second improvement over my previous best.  Sounds about right.  Slightly more than a 1 minute gap between my Mile and my 5K pace.  The gap does shrink to maybe 45-50 seconds when I'm in top shape.  I had uncharacteristic bad splits.  Normally, my first and last laps are about even and though I slow down a bit in laps 2-3, my 1st half and 2nd half are about even.  Today, the splits were 1:56-2:07-2:12-2:01.  I'm not in sub-8 shape yet but with an even pace I do think I can run 8:06-8:08.  My biggest concern is that I still feel quite over-stimulated.  Without the Thym-Adren, I would have been ugly.  Just how ugly?  I'll find out later in the week.  Added a half mile cool.  May or may not run this evening.  

PM- 3xl lap test intervals at Montreat.  All 3 were run at standard training effort.

No pills- 2:58 (8:54 pace)

3 Probiotics- 3:28 (10:24 pace)

1 Thym Adren- 3:20 (10:00 pace).

This confirms what I have suspected.  Probiotics increase my demand for Thym-Adren.  I wish I had taken 3 Thym-Adren because just 1 was barely enough to be considered significant. Still, I felt noticeably better and I'm sure that 2 additional pills would get me close to 3:00.  I hope that this is just a temporary reaction.  I'll have a full post up soon.

Distance=2.5

1/24- 2 miles easy on Lakeshore in 19:56 (9:58 pace).  I'm fine with this.  Adrenals are spiked but I didn't feel too awful.  Even pace and did not need a kick at the end.  Felt comfortable but couldn't pick up much speed.  I figure with my current fitness level, I should be doing a 9:40-9:45ish on my easy days so this was only just a tad slow.

Distance=2.0

1/25- 3 miles on North Lakeshore in 28:06 (9:22 pace).  Very good.  This was only ONE second slower than my 5K PR pace and I was not even close to full out effort.  1st half was 13:56, 2nd half was 14:10.  The back half is slightly net uphill so I'd say that's still a pretty even pace.  I think I can come close to the bare ass minimum standard for the 10K.  I'll try it soon but I'll aim for 5 this weekend.

Distance=3.0

1/26- Planned rest day.  I deserve it.

1/27- Lakeshore 2.5 in 22:55 (9:10 pace).  Even pace and felt comfortable except for a bit of stomach cramps.  Getting better every day.

Distance=2.5

1/28- Trak Shak 5 mile loop.  It's been a long time since I've run this route so this was a welcome change from Lakeshore.  Finished in 48:56 (9:47 pace).  Mixed feelings.  This is my longest run since before Hawaii so I'm pleased that I finished and did so in just about the time that I expected.  I was NOT pleased by how badly I faded.  I passed the halfway point at 23:30, give or take.  That's just a hair slower than 5K pace and I felt pretty comfortable through the first half.  The wheels came off in Mile 4 and it took a homestretch rally to secure the sub-49.  Most likely, I just need more mileage.  Simple as that.

Distance=5.0

1/29- Planned rest day.  I've already hit my limit on the week.

-15 miles.  YTD: 37

I need to increase that total but it must be done gradually.  Next week will be rainy so it will be tough to hit 15 again. I plan to increase every other week.  If I did a 10K with my current fitness, I predict a time around 62 minutes.  Not good enough but I am within shouting distance on a per mile basis.

Training 1/16-1/22

 1/16- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 30:21 (10:07 pace).  Doesn't look awful on the surface but this was a STRANGE one.  I aimed for 4 miles at 10-11 minute pace.  I took off at a low-mid 9 pace and could NOT slow down.  Still, I could sense that a crash was coming, and it did.  Passed 2 miles in 18:52 then it took me almost 11:30 to cover the last mile and I shut it down early.  Feels like an adrenal spike because I am addressing my gut health.

Distance=3.0

1/17- Unplanned rest day.  Adrenal spike is BAD!

1/18- 1.5 miles easy at Montreat in 17:12 (11:28 pace).  I'll take it.  This adrenal spike is not as severe as the last one.  I'm quite sure that I would have done better than the 36:55 5K, which was done deeper into the spike.  More on that later.  Passed 1 mile in 11:31 then slightly increased the pace over the last half mile.  It was only just getting dark when I finished.  

Distance=1.5

1/19- MUCH BETTER.  Adrenal spike has gone down.  2 miles on Lakeshore in 17:52 (8:56 pace) on a very pleasant evening.  Even pace with just a mild pick up at the end to shore up the sub-18.  1st half- 8:55, 2nd half- 8:57.  

Distance=2.0

1/20- Planned rest day.  I'll shoot for the 5K PR tomorrow and barring another spike, I fully expect to beat it.  Yesterday's performance suggests that I can break 30.  

1/21- Goal accomplished by a comfortable margin.  5K in 29:13 (PR).  That's a 9:21 pace.  Splits were more typical this time.  1st half: 14:28, 2nd half- 14:45.  Last lap was 2:10.  I'm pleased but not elated.  I improved by more than 2 minutes in just 2 weeks in spite of losing 4 days to a sinus infection.  I'm more than halfway to my bare ass minimum standard of a sub-60 minute 10K.  I bet I can hold a 9:40 pace for 4 miles but I can only hold a sub-4 marathon pace for about 2.5.  LONG way to go.  This is just a stepping stone.

Distance=3.5

1/22- Easy 2 miler.  Out and back route from the Trak Shak.  I aimed for a pace in the mid-high 9s and came in a little fast.  Finished in 18:36 (9:18 pace).  Splits were 9:14-9:22 even though I really tried to slow down in the back half.  Not sure what to make of this.  Adrenals still feel over-stimulated..

Distance=2.0

-12 miles on the week.  No real problem with this distance.  I'll shoot for 15 next week.  My Mile PR of 8:50 looks awfully soft.  That one is going down.

Training 1/1-1/15

 I was in Costa Rica from 1/1 through 1/5 and needed a day to recover from the trip.  As I predicted, I was able to get a couple of junk runs in.  One was a 1.5 miler out and back on the road.  The other was a 1 miler on the beach itself.  Paces were steady in the low-mid 9s but my legs were very stiff and sore.  I had been slacking on taking the methylation support and didn't even pack it for the trip.  While I did feel noticeably weaker by the last day, it did NOT wreck the trip.  

This actually makes me feel a little better about my situation.  I know now that I never had a chance of finding a stable cocktail until I addressed the autoimmune issues but I still need the methylation support at least occasionally.  I thought that perhaps I no longer needed it but in fact I do.  All the struggles that I faced in finding the right cocktail of methylation support was a false hope, but it was NOT all in vain either.  

Distance=2.5

1/7- Repeated the New Year's Eve 5K time trial at Vestavia Hills.  Improved from a 36:55 to a much less pitiful 31:24 (PR).  My bare ass minimum standard for racing again is a 10K below 60 minutes (9:40 pace for 6.2).  Today, I did 3.1 @ 10:06 pace.  It looks like I now have a realistic chance of achieving this goal.  Can I do with consistency and maintain it until I turn 50?  I've never negative split a 5K in a race setting but I did it today with a 1st half in 15:55 and a 2nd half in 15:29, which included a 2:11 last go-round.

Distance=3.5

1/8- Elective rest day due to rain.  Adrenals appear to have spiked again.

1/9- Junk run.  Laps around a soccer field in Mountain Brook while waiting for pizza.  Exact distance is unknown but the time was slightly over 10 minutes, so figure about 1 Mile give or take a couple ticks.  The adrenals have NOT spiked.  I have a mild virus.  It probably would have been better if I did not run today.  Fever is gone but I am very weak and slightly congested.

Distance=1.0

1/10- Another junk run.  Nude mile this time at Montreat.  I had jury duty this week but was not selected.  I expect to be almost back to normal tomorrow.

Distance=1.0

1/11- NOT GOOD.  Unplanned rest day.  Fever hit 101 this evening.

1/12- Fever is down to 99 but I am extremely weak and bedridden.  Massive headache due to sinus pressure. This might be COVID.

1/13- Felt about the same but at least I was able to go out and pick up food for lunch.

1/14- Much better.  Nasty cough remains with some residual crud.  No doctor visit necessary.  I'm going to be okay.  Maybe could have junked a mile but took an elective rest day.

1/15- 2 miles on Lakeshore.  Did surprisingly well.  Finished in 18:50 (9:25 pace) with even splits.  Even with the crud and 4 days off, I'm sure that I would have beaten last week's 5K.  I don't think I could have broken 30 but I'm close.

Distance=2.0

-10 miles total.

Costa Rica Trip Report

 Including the USA, this was my 8th country but my first solo trip to a country that does not share a border with the USA.  I had to stay overnight in Atlanta because my fight left at 6:30 AM the next day.  

1/1- My flight was a 4 hour trip to San Jose, which went off on time and I met a nice lady from Pasadena, California.  The trip did not get off to a smooth start.  I took a cab to the bus station and I thought it would be an easy $5-10 cab ride.  Nope.  The bus station is not close to the airport and cost me $30.  Especially if you are in a group, I would advise you to bite the bullet and pay $100-120 for a private cab to Jaco.  Word on the street is that the bus ride is VERY uncomfortable and crowded with no air conditioning.  

When I entered the bus station, I was told that because it was a holiday, there would be no busses for another 4 hours but a taxi could take me to my hotel right now.  I got a funny feeling about this guy but decided to trust him because he was wearing an employee badge.  Surely, he was a legitimate driver.  Bad call.  After we agreed on the standard fare, he demanded more money when when we arrived.  I protested and he eventually settled for half of his demands.  Pendejo!  Congratulations on ripping off a gringo.  Especially when traveling solo, trust your instincts.  If you get a strange vibe about a person or situation, walk away.  It could have been worse.  I did make it safely to my hotel.  It just cost me more money than it should have.  I don't mind spending money but I do NOT like being ripped off.  Assholes exist everywhere and I knew that this is not the norm in Costa Rica.  This would be the last of the drama and the rest of the trip went well.  

1/1-1/4-

Most of my time was spent on the beach in the surf with the exception of my lunch break.  I did go on a hike to see an overlook one morning and of course, went out for dinner and drinks in the evening.  Excursions were offered such as waterfall tours that I considered.  I decided against that and stuck to the beach.  You can even take a bus to Nicaragua.  I've considered San Juan Del Sur before but decided on Costa Rica because of the political stability.   Surf conditions were in the nice range with 3-4 foot waves.  Plenty big enough to be exciting but not dangerous.  The biggest waves broke too deep and I did not go after those but got plenty of good long rides to the shore.  Water temp was about 82-83 degrees so it wasn't quite as warm as the Florida Gulf in the summer but comparable to South Carolina in July.  This was in early January so you can't beat that.

Weather:

Dry for the most part with the exception of a brief shower in the evening of 1/2.  I expected a sunny climate with pop up storms in the summer.  In fact, there is usually a fair amount of cloud cover especially in the rainy season.  That's actually a good thing.  It is EXTREMELY oppressive when the sun is out.  After all, this is by far the closest I've been to the Equator with a latitude of 9 degrees North.  When it is overcast, it's actually pleasant.  It's totally immune to cold fronts.  The Arctic blast over Christmas brought the high temperature down to 59 in Miami.  Even Cancun, which is below the Tropic of Cancer, barely hit 70 degrees.  On the coast in Jaco, you won't see any days with a high temperature below 80.     

Beach:

If you are looking for snow white sand and crystal clear turquoise water, go elsewhere.  Here, you will find dark brown sand and darker blue water that is not especially clear.  To me, that's got a special charm of its own.  It is a bit stony near the shore so aqua socks are a good idea but there are no big rocks to worry about and the bottom is all sand once you get out in the surf.  Perhaps the best part is a large forest of coconut palm trees near the edge of the sand and some mountain views to the side.  I could never get tired of seeing that.  

People:

Yes, you will get smiles from random locals on the street, which I like very much.  I would have liked to have had more interactions with Costa Ricans in restaurants besides my servers.  Most of the customers are Americans so Spanish is not necessary but appreciated.  I was asked where I was from and what do I think of Costa Rica.  They were truly sincere and wanted me to have a good time.  I did not share the bad experience with the cab driver.  A woman from my hotel was amused by my imitation of the judge from My Cousin Vinny and referred to me as "Your Honor."  I also met two interesting guys at restaurants who share my passion for travel.  One is from Cleveland, Ohio and the other is from Lafayette, Loosiana.  I did get to sit near a local girl at a bar one night.  She was flat out beautiful, and I was able to have a brief conversation with her in Spanish. 

Trip home:

The day before my flight, I arranged for a private shuttle and paid the fare in advance.  There would be no scam this time.  Unfortunately, the fight was delayed by 2 hours and I did not get to Atlanta until 8:30 and did not get home until 11 PM.  OUCH!

Overall:

I don't regret this trip but as is the case with most others, I am unlikely to return any time soon.  I could have planned it better to save money by taking a later flight and not staying in Atlanta the night before. I am a variety seeker and there are too many other options.  My next winter getaway will probably be Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.  If I am to go back to Costa Rica, I will fly to Liberia instead of San Jose and it will be combined with Nicaragua.