Training 7/7-7/13

 7/7- Planned rest day.  Tired from the trip.  Good news at night.  Despite taking essentially no Malic Acid for 2 weeks, there is still no sign of autoimmune issues.  I may have finally beaten that part.  Unfortunately, the adrenal balance is WAY OUT OF WHACK!  Magnesium is tolerated again.  Endodren is NOT.  Thym Adren does help.  

In other words, I've experienced a flip flop flip back to overstimulation and need adrenal suppressants again.  I cannot allow this back and forth action to continue.  It must be the modulator going forward.

7/8- Opened with a 1:40 on no pills, which was not as bad as I expected.  Took 1 scoop of Malic Acid and clocked a 1:41.  Slightly more than 1 second slower but that's not significant.  Essentially, it was a non-factor.  Not sure what to do about the Malic Acid going forward but am leaning towards only occasional use.  Improved to 1:23 on 2 Modulator pills (ADHS), which is a game changer.  Unfortunately, the gain was short lived and I now have an insatiable need.  

Real workout was 1 Mile in a pitiful 12:33.  Splits were 6:24-6:09 so I suppose that can be considered good news.  Took more pills at work.

PM- Half mile at Montreat in 4:57 (9:54 pace).  Much better.  I don't think the ADHS will cause another flip flop.

Distance-2.0

7/9- 2 miles on New Lakeshore in 19:36 (9:48 pace).  I'll take it.  Quadruple distance at a pace marginally faster.  I'm sticking with this plan.  I will gradually reduce the dosage of ADHS and caffeine.  Splits were 10:01-9:35 so I finished strong 

Distance-2.0

7/10- AM-Aimed for 1 Mile at least under 9:00.  Started off decent but slowed sharply after 300 meters.  Quit after 1000 as my pace slowed to the 11:00 range.  Not a step backwards.  This is a full blown collapse!  Felt very overstimulated as if the ADHS was not enough.

PM- Tested myself with just 1 extra Thym Adren.  Did 2 sprints of roughly a tenth of a mile.  Did a 59 without it and a 56 with it.  Only slightly better and bordering on insignificant but with a 5 percent improvement, yes it did do something.

Distance-1.0

I am NOT taking mega Thym Adren to quickly get in balance.  I know exactly what will happen if I do so.  I will flip flop again and need to temporarily go back to Endodren.  Yesterday, it appeared that the ADHS was working so why did this happen?  The only thing I did differently was take a Liver pill so that's likely the culprit.

If I have beaten the autoimmune issues, the only negative is that I cannot easily identify the culprit. Before, I got a reaction literally within seconds of swallowing the bad pill.  Now, I don't feel anything right away.  I once judged Magnesium to be not a serious problem because I was not significantly slower immediately after taking it.  However, within 2 hours, something was clearly wrong.  I'm betting that the same holds true now with the Liver.  Hopefully, I don't need Thym Adren and the ADHS will work if I stay off the Liver, which is indeed a mild stimulant.  Jury is still out on Malic Acid.  

7/11- Jury has returned its verdict on Malic Acid.  It's a NO.  That's okay.  I probably don't need it anyway.  I will only take it if autoimmune reactions flare up again.  Struggled through 1.5 in 17:21 (11:34 pace) with even splits.  The suckage felt different this time.  More sluggish than overstimulated.  

PM- Same sprints as yesterday.  I thought that perhaps the Malic Acid flipped me so I tried Thym Adren again.  Did a 53 without and a 51 with it.  I have NOT flipped to slow oxidation.  Good news.  I believe Liver will be okay when the adrenal balance is better but I won't mess with it until further notice.  Best news of the day is that my passport was found.  I still plan to get the Star ID but I can fly without it.

Distance-2.0

Miami Trip Report

 7/4- Direct flight out of Birmingham.  I had to get up super early but that was a price that I was willing to pay for more time at the beach.  The flight landed at 9:15 and I eventually found my way out of the terminal and to the bus stop.  No rental car was needed.  It was just a 30 minute bus ride to South Beach and back for just $4.50.  The bus stop was just a block away from my hotel, just 2 blocks from the beach for $150 per night.  That's a smokin' deal!  

As I posted earlier, the weather was a concern.  You can expect about a 60+ percent chance of rain every day but it's rarely a total wash out.  The air temperature remained below 90 for the entire trip.  When it's overcast, it's actually pleasant to walk around but when the sun comes out after it rains, the humidity is extremely oppressive.  The weather is also extremely unpredictable.  Even the hourly forecast is totally unreliable.  It can rain when it's expected to be dry and a predicted storm may never hit.  Fortunately, I was never caught in a storm.  

Today was overcast but mostly dry.  I arrived at my hotel just before noon and surprisingly, my room was ready.  I went straight out for pizza then spent about 4 hours on the beach and in the water.  The water was a crystal clear emerald green with minimal surf.  It wasn't dead flat but very few waves were big enough to ride.  I knew that coming in and didn't even take my board.  Winter or early Spring is your best bet for surf here.  Dinner was a good steak and I had a Spanish conversation with a nice girl from Argentina.  I headed to South Pointe Park for a decent sunset then went to bed early.  I had been up since 4 AM.  

7/5- More sun today but also more rain.  Unless there is lightning in the area, most people, myself included, won't even bother getting out of the water.  It rained 3 times today but none of them lasted more than 30 minutes.  Sometimes it was still partly to mostly sunny but pouring rain at the same time.  Crazy.  I spent the morning at South Pointe.  The only real difference between this area and near my hotel is that it is more shallow and doesn't get deep suddenly.  Ideal for small children.  Most of the day was spent at the beach but I did check out Lincoln Road shopping center after lunch.  Dinner was another steak at a South American themed restaurant.  My server was flat out beautiful and again, I did make small talk in Spanish.  A friend of mine once said that if a guy needs Viagra, just send him to Miami and that will do the job.  LOL.  

7/6- Got up for a nice sunrise then stole another 2 hours on the beach before checking out.  I took the bus back to the airport, dropped off my luggage then hit the subway train to downtown Miami.  I was there for the Marlins game just as much as the beach. 

The subway dropped me off about a Mile from the stadium.  Though the neighborhood was a bit sketchy and the fans lacked passion, LoanDepot Park itself was surprisingly decent and better than expected.  An indoor stadium really is necessary in Miami.  My seats were on the 1st base side with a view of the city behind the glass.  My losing streak continues as the Marlins went down 3-1.  

After the game, I went back southbound on the subway to a nice park called Brickell Key.  I probably had time to check out the area around Government Center as well but I was getting tired and hungry so it was back to the airport.  

My hotel for this night was connected to the airport itself.  Good call even if it was pricey.  No need to worry about transportation the next morning and didn't have to get up super early to catch my flight.

7/7- Flight went off without a hitch but when I got off the plane, I noticed that my passport wasn't in my pocket.  I checked inside my luggage and it wasn't there either.  Most probably, I lost it after I went through Security.  After I put my wallet and cell phone in my pockets, I got distracted and walked off without the passport.  I'm afraid that I will have to replace it but it could have been worse.  Imagine if that happened on an international layover!  I will get the Star ID for domestic flights.  There are no international trips on my radar until next January.

UPDATE: Passport was found on 7/11 by a friendly rep at American Airlines.  I never did report it lost so I am good to go.  

Not an all time great trip but still worth it.  

Training 6/30-7/6

 6/30- Repeated the 3 mile distance this time on New Lakeshore. Trail ended at 1.4 so I had to improvise to get the full distance.  Improved to 28:42 (9:34 pace), which projects a sub-30 5K.  Solid gain (MINUS 41) but I was hoping for a little better.  Splits were 14:18-14:24 so the pacing was decent but I didn't have much left at the end.  Another 3 miles at that pace still seems insurmountable.  

If I am to race in San Diego, it will have to be the 5K, not the half marathon.  I'm warming up to that idea.  If I continue to improve, I could see a respectable showing by mid-August.

Distance-3.0

7/1- AM- Opener in 1:26 without pills.  Only 3 days ago, my opener was only a 1:44.  Clearly improving but the rate of improvement is slowing.  Real workout was a 1 Mile time trial at Vestavia in 8:12.  Splits were 1:59-2:06-2:06-2:01.  That's just about what I expected.

Moment of truth came when I got home.  No discernable reaction to Yasko's B-complex.  Excellent news.  Not long ago, the reaction was immediate and strongly negative unless I took Malic Acid.  Next, I took just a trace of Malic Acid.  Again, no discernable reaction.  Good news but that stuff may not even be necessary going forward.  Unfortunately, the Magnesium must still be avoided.  Ill-effects were not severe but I was noticeably more sluggish within the hour.  

PM- Did an 83 second half lap after the Mag this morning.  Without it, I'd estimate that I would have been in the mid 60s.  Took 1 Endodren and didn't really feel much difference but was surprised to see a 73 when I finished.  It's gotta be Endodren with no Mag going forward but the dosage is still TBD.

Distance-2.0

7/2- Step backward but it was a risk that I was willing to take.  Hampered by yesterday's Magnesium and I also reduced the Endodren dose from 4 pills to 2.  I only managed a 15:41 for 1.5 miles (10:28 pace) but did have a negative split (7:56-7:45).

Got home and did an 80 at Montreat.  Popped 2 more pills and improved to 74.  Significant but not a game changer.  Popped 2 more and my time was down to 67.  I see this as both good and bad.  I'm not as dependent on Endodren but I still need big doses to see results.  I was hoping to see gains from 2 pills to 4 then no effect beyond that.  I'm going with 6 until further notice and don't feel comfortable beyond that.  Maybe someday I can reduce it but not now.

Distance-2.0

7/3- COLLAPSE!  Quit after less than 1 Mile with a pace over 12.  Got home and found that I was slightly worse on 1 extra Endodren.  88 vs 93.

Distance-1.5

It appears that mega Endodren will only work if I have Magnesium in my system.  I'm going to reduce it and stay off the Mag for now but I believe that soon, the Mag will be tolerated again.  Malic Acid appears to be okay now.  No discernable reaction to the C4 drink that was a problem last week.

PM- C4 Energy definitely did NOT hurt me as it did last week.  The Liver pills arrived today and I got a small gain but not enough to be significant.  Took a modulator later on and the gain was significant.  I hope to eventually stabilize on the modulator with Mag.  It could happen in a few weeks.

7/4- Went to Miami for the weekend and did only a few strides.

Distance-0.5

9 miles 

Sluggish Adrenals?

 Several times in the past, I have needed adrenal stimulants despite overactive adrenals.  Usually, the reason was detox.  The need for the stimulants didn't last long and soon, I was back on the suppressants.  Sometime soon, I will compare my performance on the modulator versus the stimulants.  I would feel safer on the modulator not knowing for sure where my chemistry stands.  

Why might it be real this time?

I have read that toxic metals, specifically Aluminum could have been the driver of both the sensitivity and the excess adrenal activity all along.  In other words, if not for the toxic Aluminum, which has likely been there since childhood, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!   If true, words cannot express my anger.  If I beat this now, it's too late.  Even if I wasn't healed until early adulthood, my life would have turned out very differently.  

There is a different feel to it.  In the past, the shift to stimulants came suddenly and seemingly inexplicably.  This time was different.  I initially needed MORE Thym Adren as the adrenals spiked after solving a major problem.  The slow down was gradual.   I didn't develop an intolerance to all pills that lower tissue Na overnight.  For example, I found that I was marginally slower on 6 pills versus 4 so I reduced the dosage.  However, if I cut those pills too quickly, I had problems.  Another time, I was significantly faster on 3 pills versus just 1.  

Eventually, I was slightly better without the Thym Adren and switched to the modulator.  That said, I still needed Mag to get the Malic Acid to work.  It wasn't until just about two weeks ago that I began to see intolerance to Magnesium and then Malic Acid last week.  

I haven't even tried Thym Adren recently but I am nearly certain that it would trigger a relapse.  It's not just Magnesium and Malic Acid that cause problems.  I had the same reaction to Zinc.  What do all these pills have in common?  They all lower tissue Na!  Pretty strong evidence of sluggish Adrenals.  My only explanation is that my system overshot the balance point.  I was overactive for decades and now apparently I am not.  That's a bit of a shock.  In THEORY I should eventually reach equilibrium but it takes time.  

I want to try Liver and the modulator but most likely, it will be stimulants for the near-future.  It's highly unlikely that I will be able to run 13 miles by mid-August but I'm open to the 5K in San Diego.  

Training 6/23-6/29

 6/23- Planned rest day.  Still feeling ill-effects from yesterday's Magnesium.  Got some good news in the evening.  After 3 days off Malic Acid, NO autoimmune reaction to Yasko's B-complex.  

6/24- AM- Very recently, herbal adrenal stimulants were too strong when taken without Magnesium.  I took no Mag last night and the Endodren was still needed.  Opened with a 93.  Improved to 84 on 1 Endodren then did a 74 on a 2nd dose.  That's a game changer.  Unfortunately, I drank a drink that contains Malic Acid later in the day and may be out for the afternoon.

PM- Forced another half mile.  Came through the half lap in 1:53 (11:18 pace) then fared no better on extra Endodren.  Came through 1 lap complete in 3:46 so it was faster by a fraction of a second.  Did the last half lap naked as a cool down.  Clearly, C4 Energy was the culprit and according to the label, it contains Malic Acid.  IDK how much nor did I know that it was an ingredient until I drank it.

Distance-1.0

6/25- Expected result for the day after a relapse.  2 miles on Lakeshore in 20:52 (10:26 pace) with a slight negative split (10:33-10:19).  No Mag last night and no Malic Acid.  3 Endodren this morning. Took Cal last night but it appeared to be a non-factor and I don't believe it will help me tolerate Mag.

Distance-2.0. 

6/26- Much worse on the opener.  The modulator did help but it wasn't a game changer.  Same with Tyrosine.  Endodren was YUGE.  Improved from 87 to 74 on just 1 pill.  Unfortunately, the gains didn't last.  This appears to be an insatiable need that will soon diminish.  Good news is that there is still no autoimmune reactions to Yasko's B-complex despite just 1 dose of Malic Acid in the last 7 days.

Distance-1.0

6/27- Insatiable need for Endodren as I predicted.  My opener was well over 2:00 and 2 Endodren barely made a dent.  I am optimistic that when this fades, Mag and Malic Acid will be tolerated again and the latter may not be necessary.

Distance-1.0

6/28- Opener improved to 1:44, which is a YUGE improvement.  In yesterday's real workout, I didn't even make 1 Mile and the pace was over 12.  Today was a bit better.  Did 1.5 on New Lakeshore in 16:44 (11:09 pace).  Certainly not pretty but clearly a big step forward.  Splits were 8:28-8:16, which suggests that better days are ahead.  Added a short cool.

Distance-2.0

6/29- North Lakeshore 3 in 30:45 (10:15 pace).  Doubled the distance and improved the pace by nearly a minute.  I'll take that any day.  Splits were 15:19-15:26 but considering the slope of this route, let's call it even.  Only downer was that I was pretty much spent at the end.  Even an 8K would not be possible today.  I am not even close to equilibrium so there's room for much improvement.

Distance-3.0

-10 miles

Equality of Outcomes?

 Like most American boys, I dreamed of being a professional athlete from the age of 8 through about 12.  Unfortunately, for 99.9+ percent of the population, that's simply not a realistic goal.  No amount of hard work and determination can make up for lack of natural talent.  At least I was good enough for Varsity in high school.  Some people are not even capable of that.  A baseball manager once said that the only thing that is fair in life is a ball hit between the first base line and the third base line.  

Life isn't fair.  Some people are born into better circumstances than others and thus are more likely to be successful.  That said, if you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the following, I would say that you've been dealt a pretty good hand regardless of your skin color:

Good family with a loving mother and father 

Triple digit IQ

Reasonably attractive 

Generally good health and chemical balance.

I get good marks in the first 3 categories.  Even with Level 1 Autism, my life would be a lot better if I could ever get the autoimmune issues at least UNDER CONTROL.  

If you were born into a dysfunctional family, you are more likely to struggle with substance abuse and get into legal trouble.  If you have an IQ of 75, that's a mental age of 12-13.  You will most likely not graduate high school unless the standards are lowered.  You will have to be content with being a janitor or some other menial labor job.  You will struggle in the dating market if you are unattractive and will be difficult to live with if you have chemical imbalances.  RFK was correct when he said that those with Level 3 Autism cannot live independently.  Sad but true.  

Still, with all of that being said, unless you are severely disabled, you can better your circumstances or at least improve your chances of being successful by making good choices.  My Spanish 1 teacher told our class that she was amazed every year to see kids with IQs over 130 fail the class while others that she never thought would make it get B's and C's.

As bad as my health problems are, it could be worse.  If I didn't take the pills that I need, I don't think I could even work a full time job.  If I smoked a pack of cigarettes, drank a 6 pack every day and didn't even try to exercise, I would certainly feel a LOT WORSE.  

I rarely made all A's but it was a good feeling every semester to look in mirror knowing that I gave it my best shot in every class.  Not everyone can be a A-student but far too often I saw classmates who were perfectly happy with a C.  They certainly could have done better with more effort.  Nobody in their right mind would suggest awarding the same grades to every student regardless of the quality of work.  By the same token, because some jobs require a higher skill level than others, some professions should pay higher than others.

 I met an idiot in college who honestly believed that a cashier or a fast food worker should earn as much as a doctor or lawyer.  One problem.  Why would anyone put themselves through the stress of law school or medical school when they could earn just as much in menial labor?  You can make the case that most people don't have the intelligence to earn an advanced degree and you are certainly right that life is unfair.  Now, is it fair to deny compensation to highly educated people who have worked hard and made tremendous sacrifices? Even with an IQ above 120, getting an MBA was very hard especially with neuro imbalances and constant adjustment to my cocktail of pills.  I deserve a comfortable life.  

I asked several people what needs to happen for them to say that the USA is no longer a systemically racist country.  I rarely got a simple straight answer but a few people pointed to the wealth gap.  Unless the average black person has the same net worth as the average white person, racism is the culprit.  While I agree that the Civil Rights era did not erase the history of slavery and Jim Crow overnight, much progress has been made in the last 60 years.  For Boomers and to a lesser extent, Gen Xers, racism was still a real obstacle.  For those my age or younger, not so much.  

Ben Shapiro aired a podcast in which he said that if you simply finish high school, secure stable employment and do not have children out of wedlock, your odds of living in permanent poverty are very slim regardless of your race.  I am betting that mental health issues are a factor for those who remain poor in spite of good decisions.  Same wealth and same quality of life regardless of your choices?  I don't think so.  What if you factor in those differences?  It may not be equal but I am quite sure that the racial wealth gap diminishes considerably.  

I dislike the term "black fatigue" because I think it promotes stereotypes.  In Chicago while waiting for the subway, I observed a young man talking loudly on his phone using horrible language including the n-word and the MF word in front of children who appeared no older than 7 or 8.  Needless to say, I disliked him but it had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH SKIN COLOR.  In fact, I observed 2 other black people who looked at each other and shook their heads in disgust. What angers me just as much is liberals who make excuses for that type of behavior.  Some have even stated that it should be accepted as part of their culture.  NO.  If you don't expect or demand better than that, you are part of the problem.  I'm no fan of Bush-43 but he was spot on with his soft bigotry of low expectations remark.

One of the highlights of my childhood was the Junior Olympic Nationals in Mobile, Alabama back in 1992.  One of the motivational speakers was a former sprinter by the name of Harvey Glance.  His message left a profound impression.  These are his words, not mine so don't try to twist it.  

Glance said that after track practice, "I went home and did my homework.  I was considered weird.  I didn't drink alcohol or experiment with marijuana.  I was considered weird.  I didn't fool around with girls until I was ready for a serious relationship.  I was considered weird.   Problem was that the same people who called me weird because of my consciencious effort and rejection of drinking and womanizing were on their way to minimum wage jobs with much of their earnings going to child support." 

Training 6/16-6/22

 6/16- Cut the Mag down to 1 and took the adrenal stimulants before the run.  Felt noticeably better and the results showed it.  3 miles in 27:06 (9:02 pace).  Doubled the distance and improved the pace by 60 seconds.  Only downer was that I faded down the stretch.  I was on pace for a sub-27 most of the way but lost it in the last half mile.  Splits were 13:27-13:39.  I will stick with this formula until it stops working.  A 5K would have been about 28:15 so I still have a ways to go.

Distance-3.0

6/17- TORTURE!  It never fails.  I get a little better then collapse.  Today, I lasted just 1 Mile and my time was over 12 minutes.  The smart money is on Magnesium as the culprit and I've become completely intolerant.  Without Mag, I can't tolerate Malic Acid.  Without Malic Acid, the autoimmune reactions will return with a vengeance.  The herbal stimulant isn't enough.  The only hope is Endodren, which should arrive any day now.

PM- Got home to find that Zinc is also bad.  Perhaps I really have tanked my adrenals.  I will cut the Malic Acid down to 1 scoop per day.  I'll lay off the Mag for just a couple of days then hope to gradually re-introduce it.  I will pitch the Zinc and order Liver.

Distance-1.0

6/18- 2 miles on New Lakeshore going west towards Bessemer.  Liked the route and will do it more often.  Finished in 20:16 (10:08 pace) with a strong negative split (10:25-9:51) and didn't push much harder on the back half.  About as expected.  A lot better than yesterday but not even close to acceptable.  Might try the quarter marathon tomorrow.  

Distance-2.0

6/19- TORTURE CONTINUES!  I went with neither Malic Acid nor Magnesium today.  I know it's not the long-term answer but I thought it gave me the best chance to be successful today.  Nope!  Quit after just a half mile in a time over 6 minutes.  

Culprit was the herbal adrenal stimulant.  Apparently, it only works if I take the Magnesium prior to it.  Popped 1 Mag pill and was initially better but it turned ugly after the full effects kicked in about an hour later.  A 2nd Mag pill made things much worse.  

Fortunately, the Endodren arrived last night and I gave it a shot.  Results were encouraging.  Opened with an 82 then dropped all the way to 70.  That's a game changer.  I hoped that it would enable me to tolerate Mag.  Nope.  Collapsed to 95.  Add to that, I seemed to get even worse on Malic Acid.

Distance-1.0

I suspect that the Malic Acid is causing the intolerance to Magnesium.  I've never had problems with Mag before this.  If true, I don't know what to do.  Definitely panic time and I am close to doom.  I can only hope that by some miracle, I don't need Malic Acid anymore or I can detox with something that is not as strong.

6/20- Malic Acid MUST be cut if not eliminated altogether.  Bad reaction last night even though I loaded on both forms of Vitamin C and I have plenty of Mag in my system.  Needed extra sleep but had enough time to squeeze in 1 Mile at Montreat.  Finished in 10:37 with splits of 5:26-5:11.  This was about what I expected.  Much better than yesterday but not even close to acceptable.

Distance-1.0

6/21- Needed extra sleep again.  Last night, I went with neither Mag nor Malic Acid again but this time, no adrenal support either.  Only did a half mile at my parent's neighborhood.  Finished in 4:15, so I would have been a lot better than yesterday over a full mile.

Distance-0.5

6/22- Same junk run as yesterday.  Improved to 4:00 but something felt like it was missing.  Probably needed some type of adrenal support.  Took Magnesium in the evening and it was not the answer.  Not an immediate reaction but it got ugly after a couple hours and I was still bad the next morning.

Distance-0.5

9 miles

Training 6/9-6/15

 6/9- AM. Lakeshore 2.5 in 23:38 (9:27 pace).  Even pace (11:50-11:48).  Big improvement over yesterday.  Well under 30 for 5K so I'm halfway there.  That's it for today.  Afternoon is likely to be stormy.

PM- Decided to test my response to Magnesium.  Opener in 66.1 (6:37 pace), nearly all out.  After 4 Mag pills (recommend dose), I slipped to a 71.3 (7:08 pace).  PLUS 31.  Tacked on a half lap cool. Yes, that's enough to be considered significant but certainly not a collapse. 

 I'm still not quite at equilibrium after last week's excess but I'll get there very soon.  Stopping Mag completely will put me right back to where I was after Alaska.  Intolerant to Malic Acid and a return of the autoimmune reactions to pills.  In THEORY, I have it all sorted out now but how many times have I thought that before?

Distance-3.0

6/10- PM- Hoped to run 5 miles today but had to settle for 1 and my pace was pathetic.  Culprit was likely insufficient Malic Acid.  I didn't skip the morning dose but did take less than a full scoop.  Felt noticeably better after taking another scoop in the evening.  No discernable difference with Vitamin C but I still feel safer with it.

Distance- 1.0

Reaction:  I'm pissed and rightfully so!  Just 2 days ago, I declared that extra Malic Acid didn't make a significant difference and the interval test showed just that.  When I take 4 scoops per day, a little extra doesn't make much difference.  If I only take 1-2 scoops, skimping on just 1 dose makes all the difference in the world.  I will load on Malic Acid going forward.  Does Magnesium increase the need for it?  Probably but that's unconfirmed.  It definitely increases the tolerance.  As long as my Magnesium stores are sufficient, too much Malic Acid SHOULD NOT hurt me.

6/11- Magnesium was likely the culprit, not insufficient Malic Acid.  Took plenty of the latter before the run and it made no difference.  Quit after just 1.5 miles with a pace over 12.  Got home and confirmed that Magnesium was the culprit as I was even WORSER after an additional pill.  Why didn't I immediately collapse on Monday evening during the interval test?  Probably because it's a sustained release.  The full effects don't kick in right away.  If I had waited a couple hours after taking the 4 pills, it would have been ugly.

Distance-2.0

6/12- AM- Took a total of 3 Mag pills yesterday but only 2 in the evening.  As expected, I saw significant improvement.  2 miles at Vaughn Road Park in 20:44 (10:22 pace) with a strong negative split.  Nearly 2 minutes faster per mile.  Ridiculous that ONE EFFING PILL makes this much difference.

Million dollar question:  Is there a Magnesium dosage that is strong enough to allow for enough Malic Acid to prevent the autoimmune reactions without a reaction to Magnesium itself?  I'm pretty confident that 2 pills will be enough but not just 1.  3 will likely be too much but I will give it a try.  Also, if I load on Malic Acid, that will likely reduce the tolerance to Magnesium.  What a mess!

Distance- 2.0

6/13-AM.  3 Mag pills yesterday all in the evening with basically the same result.  1.5 miles at Vaughn Road Park in 15:29 (10:19 pace) with another negative split.  Early pace was over 11 but dipped under 10 for the last half mile.  

Reaction:  This raises as many questions as it answers.  3 Mag pills are clearly too much.  I will reduce it to 2.  I'm confident that it will be enough to tolerate Malic Acid.  If I have to reduce it to 1, I am not so sure.

Is there anything that can be done to increase the tolerance to Magnesium?  Loading on Malic Acid may may actually reduce the tolerance.  I'll have to test that out.  What about the adrenal balance?  Maybe I will have a resolution by the end of the month.

PM- Opener in 82

Adrenal Modulator-75

Malic Acid- 73

The adrenal balance may be a factor in the intolerance to Magnesium.  I took 2 ADHS pills (modulator) and the improvement was significant.  Malic Acid was pretty much a non-factor.  My time for that interval was almost a 74, so it was slightly more than a 1 second difference.

I still want to gauge my reactions to Magnesium on days that I load on Malic Acid versus taking 1 scoop.  Most likely, I have 2 options:  Reduce the Magnesium and take just enough to tolerate the Malic Acid OR go on adrenal stimulants in order to tolerate the Magnesium.  This is probably a detox reaction and the need for stimulants is only temporary.

Distance-2.0

6/14- 5 miles on Lakeshore in 53:17 (10:39 pace).  Even pace with something left.  Splits were 26:44-26:33.  May have been dead even without a small push at the end.  The most important thing is that I finished and had more in the tank.  Another 8.1 miles?  No way.  Another 1.55 without much of a slow down?  I think I could do it.  Next time, I will shoot for the quarter marathon distance.  

Bad news is that this was MUCH TOO SLOW.  I cut the Mag down to 2 and hoped to at least match yesterday's pace over the longer distance.  I was 20 seconds slower but with more than triple the distance, it's still an improvement.  

It seems unlikely that I will improve significantly on 2 Mag.  More likely, I will plateau or get worse.  I did feel noticeably better after adrenal stimulants.  That may be the ticket to tolerate Mag.  Option 1 or 2?  Time will tell which works best.

Distance-5.0

6/15- 1.5 on North Lakeshore in 15:03 (10:02 pace).  On my second day at 2 Mag, I was only slightly better than I was on 3.  That leads me to believe that my intolerance to Magnesium is slowly getting worse.  I will go down to 1 but am unsure if it will be enough to stop the autoimmune reactions.  

Got some good news when I got home for the interval test.  Opened with an 84 then repeated the 84 on Curcumin so that stuff is a non-factor.  Improved to 74 on herbal adrenal stimulants.  When the Endodren arrives, it may resolve the Mag intolerance.

Distance-2.0

-17 miles on the week 

Late Summer Road Trip Plan

 Down to 2 finalists.  Washington State or Southern California.  I can't go wrong with either.  If I am healthy enough to run 13 miles, it's gonna be SoCal even if my time will be over 2 hours.  Would I do SoCal if I have to downgrade to the 5K?  Not sure about that.  

Here's what Washington State would look like:

Day 1- Fly to Seattle with a preferred connection in Denver.  Night will probably be in Seattle but I can be flexible.  If a Mariners game fits my schedule, I will consider it but I've already done the tour.  I can be flexible with the weather forecast.  It's usually pretty nice in late summer but I definitely want a clear day for Rainier and North Cascades.  I don't care if it's dreary at Olympic.  

Day 2- Leave Seattle, hopefully ahead of the traffic to North Cascades and Ross Lake.  Night will definitely be in Tacoma.

Day 3- Olympic NP then a ferry to Victoria BC with a night in Canada.  

Day 4- Morning ferry back to USA.  Rest of the day at Rainier NP.  Tacoma for the night.  Edit: a night in Canada will not leave enough time for Rainier.  I'll either have to skip it or make it a day trip.

Day 5- Fly home.  

Southern California:

Day 1- Fly to John Wayne airport in Santa Ana, Orange County.  Probably connect in Dallas but open to other cities.  The John Wayne airport should be much less crowded than LAX or San Diego.  Should have time to take a dip at Huntington Beach.  It's only 20 minutes from the airport.  I would have preferred to get a hotel in Laguna but prices are outrageous.

Day 2- Morning session in Huntington Beach then head 30 minutes south to Laguna.  Need to go on a week day.  It will probably be Friday.  Night in San Clemente.  Laguna to San Diego is less than an hour and a half.

Day 3- If I am to race, I should take it easy today.  Stop in Oceanside on the way to San Diego.  Tour San Diego and may or may not take a dip.  

Day 4- Race day.  Rest of day in La Jolla and Torrey Pines.  From there, it's only a half hour to Oceanside.  

Day 5- Can be flexible in the morning.  I can either stay in Oceanside or go back to Laguna.  By late afternoon, I will need to be in Anaheim for the Angels game.  Anaheim is just under an hour from Oceanside and there are several hotels within walking distance of the stadium.  

Day 6- Fly home.  The airport is just 15 minutes from Anaheim.  Option of an overnight layover in Dallas.

Miami Trip Plan

 I'm about 75 percent sure that this will be a go.  The Marlins are home for the 4th of July weekend and that will take me up to 21 ballparks.  Even if this is my last one of the year, I can finish in 2028 with just 3 per year going forward.

Of course, the big negative is that it's the wrong time of year to visit Miami.  That said, I'm betting that the rainy season is not as bad as you might think.  Figure that on any given day, the weather will be about the same.  Temps will top out around 90F with a heat index over 100 and about a 60 percent chance of rain.  That's really not much different than the Gulf coast. Mornings are usually nice but you can expect a heavy downpour around 3 or 4 PM then it clears up by the evening.  I can live with that.  July is actually the driest month of the rainy season on average.  

The positive is that prices are much more affordable.  You can get a decent hotel right on the beach for around $100.  I'll fly out of Atlanta because there are multiple cheap flights every day to and from the cities.  I don't need to rent a car either.  The MIA airport has a shuttle every half hour from the airport to South Beach.

7/3- Leave work maybe 2 hours early and drive to Atlanta to catch a morning flight the next day.  

7/4- Land around 11AM and figure that I get to South Beach around 1ish.  I'll drop off my bag and take a quick dip before it rains.

7/5- All day on the beach.  I don't expect much surf and I may not even bring my board but I will have beautiful blue water with abundant lush palm trees.

7/6- I'll have time for a morning session at the beach.  I'll check out around 10 AM then take the shuttle back to the airport.  MIA does have one hotel connected to airport.  It will be a little pricey but worth it because I won't have to worry about transportation the next morning.  The ballpark is about 3 miles from the airport.  Too far to walk but taxis are readily available.  There is bus service as well.  The game is at 1:30.  After it's over, I'll check out the surrounding area and may have dinner there.  I'll get back to the hotel by early evening then just chill for the night.

7/7- If I get an early flight out, I might work half a day.

Relapse and Recovery

 Over the past few weeks, I've had progressively more trouble with detox supplements.  First, it was the Melatonin.  I was only a little bit upset about the bad reaction to that stuff because I didn't think it was necessary and was a little leery about long-term high level use anyway.  A couple of weeks later, I began having problems with Lactoferrin.  That was a real concern.  In fact, I called it a reason to panic.  Since I was almost done with the bottle, I just took the last few pills, tossed it and did not re-order.  I read later that Lactoferrin is involved with Aluminum detox, as is Melatonin.  I surmised that combined with the Malic Acid, the detox action was just too much for my system to handle.  Interestingly, I found that Taurine mitigated much of the ill-effects if I took Lactoferrin and wasn't sure what to make of that.  All of this occurred before I left for Alaska.  

In Alaska, I only did a couple of junk runs.  I found that after stopping the Lactoferrin, the Taurine became a non-factor.  However, something did happen that was very disturbing.  I got a negative reaction to Malic Acid.  Fortunately, I was better after taking Vitamin C.  Apparently, Malic Acid had to be taken with C.  I don't like it but I can live with that.  I took some OJ without Malic Acid before my next flight.  I actually felt pretty good in San Francisco.  No workout but I did sprint across the street to beat a traffic light and impressed an onlooker.  

When I got home, extra C made things worse but I got better after a scoop of Malic Acid.  Again, I can live with having to take them together.  I took 1 Curcumin pill, which is also involved with Aluminum detox.  Not surprisingly, I got a bad reaction but that was a risk that I was willing to take.  I wanted to confirm that Lactoferrin itself was not the problem, but rather all pills that are involved with Al detox should be avoided.  Malic Acid, even with C was not tolerated with the Curcumin.  Not a surprise because that's just too much detox.  What was VERY disturbing was that the next day, it STILL wasn't tolerated even without the Curcumin.  No choice but go off the Malic Acid.  Maybe by some miracle, I don't need it anymore.  I did gradually get better over the next few days without the Malic Acid.

The idea that my autoimmune issues were solved after a course of Malic Acid was rudely quashed over the weekend.  I had a bad reaction to Yasko's Ultimate B Complex and I know it was two specific ingredients that caused problems in the past.  Just a trace of Malic Acid made things noticeably better but a full scoop was NOT tolerated.  It appeared that I was doomed until I noticed improvement after taking 1 Magnesium pill.  I had been slacking on the Magnesium because when taken with C, it causes diarrhea.  I also thought that Malic Acid helped produce Mag.  Probably wrong on that.  

I loaded on Magnesium the next day and initially improved but awoke from a nap with a SEVERE need for Malic Acid.  I took a scoop and not only was it tolerated, it was more effective than in the past.  Also, Curcumin, which was not tolerated just a week ago, is now BENEFICIAL!    Apparently, Magnesium is necessary for the detox to be tolerated.  I will increase the Mag at night and only take the C in the morning with the Malic Acid.  I will need the Malic Acid for the foreseeable future.  The fact that my autoimmune issues flared up after just 3 days off it is VERY DISTURBING!  

Time is ticking away.  I need to be able to run at least 10 miles consistently on the weekends in order to attempt the half in San Diego in mid-August.  I cannot afford any more meltdowns.  Washington state will be a nice trip too but I'd rather go to SoCal this year.         

Training 6/2-6/8

 6/2- 1 Mile at Montreat in 9:44.  Passed half in 4:54 then popped Magnesium and did the back half in 4:50.  Exactly what I wanted to see.  Marginally better but not enough to be significant.  

Aftermath:

Took Curcumin, a formerly problem pill and did a half lap in 85 (8:30 pace).  Then, it was a scoop of Malic Acid and I improved to 75 (7:30 pace).  I tried to keep the effort even with the Mile and this was not a sprint.  I don't think I could have held 7:30 all the way but I certainly would have done a lot better than 9:44.  Added a half lap cool.  Most likely, that's it for today.

Distance-1.5

Reaction: Good news is that now that the Magnesium is restored, extra by itself doesn't matter.  Malic Acid is not only tolerated again, it is more effective but may be more necessary.  By that, I mean that I may NOT be able to get by without it for a long weekend.  Detailed post coming.

6/3- Struggled as expected.  1.5 on Lakeshore in 16:15 (10:50 pace)  Did manage a slight negative split (8:11-8:04).  Took a scoop in the morning but not in the afternoon.  Also dealing with caffeine withdrawal.  Should be better tomorrow.

Distance-1.5

6/4- AM- Merely hoped for a modest improvement but got worse instead.  Could not even finish a half mile without walking.  Good news is that I was noticeably better after the scoop of Malic Acid.  Bad news is that it's an insatiable need.

PM- 3x half lap intervals at Montreat.

Naked-98 (9:48 pace)

1 scoop- 78 (7:48 pace)

2 scoops- 62 (6:12 pace)

No words are necessary.  This is an insatiable need that will eventually diminish.  Even the Naked interval was better than the morning session.  Sadly, if I ran it again just a couple hours later, I would not even come close to that 62.  

Distance-1.0

6/5-AM.  No pills.  Lakeshore 1 Mile in 11:12.  An improvement over yesterday morning but I won't get better until I take a scoop and even then, it won't last.  Splits were 5:45-5:27 so that's encouraging.

PM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 20:42 (10:21 pace).  I will take it.  Doubled the distance and improved the pace by 51 seconds.  Obviously, I would have been a lot better if this was run immediately after a scoop.  Nevertheless, I was still holding on to some benefit a full 10 hours later. Splits were 10:26-10:16.

Distance-3.0

6/6- AM Repeated the 2 mile on Lakeshore and improved to 19:40 (9:50 pace).  I'll take it.  Cut off another 31 seconds per mile on tired legs.  With the Malic Acid, I think I lose more benefits overnight than during the day despite it being the same amount of time between scoops.  That's it for today.

PM- Planned rest but there was a REVOLTING development this morning.  I was noticeably WORSE after taking 2 scoops after the run.  It's confirmed that the form of Magnesium needed must be Malate.  Glycinate won't do it.  I suppose that makes sense.  Unconfirmed but strongly suspect that the form of Vitamin C must be Ascorbic Acid rather than Whole Food.  I don't like that.

Distance-2.0

6/7- Failed long run, which wasn't a surprise.  What was surprising was that the culprit was Magnesium Malate.  Glycinate wasn't the issue after all.  I overshot the balance point with Magnesium. Scoops of Malic Acid didn't make much difference either way.  Workout was pathetic.  Lasted 2 miles but the pace was over 12.

Distance-2.0

6/8- 1.5 miles at Heardmont in 15:29 (10:19 pace) with splits of 7:47-7:42.  Can't say that I am pleased but it was an improvement over yesterday.  I only took 1 Mag pill last night.  Got home and did some tests with Malic Acid and Vitamin C.

Opener-86.5 (8:39 pace)

Scoop of Malic Acid- 84.1 (8:25 pace)

Whole Food C- 84.4 (8:27 pace)

Ascorbic Acid- 83.7 (8:22 pace)

This is good news.  I am sure that I still need the Malic Acid but if my Magnesium stores are sufficient, it may not be a critical need every day.  14 second improvement in pace is not enough to be considered significant.  Both forms of Vitamin C were non-factors.  Fractionally slower on Whole Food and fractionally faster on Ascorbic Acid.  The reverse could happen next time.  

Distance-2.1

13.1 on the week.  Didn't plan on that.  Time is ticking away.  Need to get up to at least 25 over the next 6-8 weeks.

MLB Stadium Count and Rules

 With the White Sox game in Chicago, I have reached the 20 mark.  Only 10 to go and my goal is to finish the challenge by the end of the decade.  Here are the 10 that I have NOT seen:

National League:

Marlins, Gnats, Phillies, Cubs, Brewers 

American League:

Guards, Tigers, Twins, Angels, Athletics

The only ones that might require a special trip are Twins, Gnats and Phillies but I am hoping that by some miracle, I will be healthy enough to combine it with a race.  

Like the Visit All 50 States, there are debates as to what constitutes an official visit.  The most strict standard only counts a home game played by the team that plays there.  The most lenient actually counts walking past it from the outside.  Here's what I count and don't count:

Exhibition game played by other teams in the same sport- COUNTS.  

For example, the 2025 MLB All Star game will be in Atlanta this year.  If you attend that game, you can check off Truist Park and the Braves without seeing a Braves game. Also, a World Baseball Classic in Miami counts for the Marlins.  I don't expect much dispute over that.  

Though I have no plans to see all 32 NFL teams, I did see a college football game in the Carolina Panthers stadium in Charlotte.  I would count that too.  

This is probably a moot point now but what about multi-purpose stadiums?  Let's say that you saw a Steelers game at old Three Rivers in Pittsburgh.  Can you count the Pirates because they shared the same venue?  I say NO.  You never saw the baseball dimensions.  Every football field is 100 yards.  A ball hit 400 feet to dead center field may or may not be a home run.  I heard about a hockey game at Boston's Fenway Park.  No, you can't count the Red Sox for a hockey game.

Teams that move to a new stadium or a new city:

I saw several Atlanta Braves games at old Turner Field.  Yes, I did see the new park but it was not required to check off the Braves.  I heard that the Kansas City Royals may be getting a new stadium in 2028.  I've seen the old one so the new one is not required.  

Edit: Can you count a Montreat Expos game for the Gnats?  I am undecided but would lean towards no.  Although it is the same franchise, it has been totally rebranded.  The Oakland Coliseum counts for Las Vegas because the team will remain the Athletics.  If the re-located team became the Gamblers instead, I would have to re-think it.

Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland A's are temporarily playing in minor league parks.  If you see an MLB game there, can you check off that team?  I say NO.  It's only a temporary home.  I did not see the Oakland Coliseum when I was in the Bay area last summer.  I will have to wait until they play in their permanent home in Las Vegas.  The plan is an overnight layover from Hawaii.  Also, a Dodger game in Japan doesn't count.  You have to see Dodger Stadium.  

Stadium Tours:

This is probably the most controversial.  It's debatable but I say YES, it counts.  You pay money specifically to the home team and in many cases, you have access to areas that are off limits on game day.  Not only can you sit in the stands, you can often access the press box, the dugout or even the field itself.  For the Mets, Red Sox, Cardinals and Mariners, I have yet to see a game but did do the tour and I count it.  

Concerts or other events:

A hard NO on concerts.  Same with any other non-baseball events.  I've done a few races with a stadium finish.  NO, I don't count that even though I did step foot inside and on the field.  Walking past a stadium in which case you only see the outside?  NO way!  That's the equivalent of an airport layover.  

Chicago/Alaska/SF Trip Report

 

5/21- Early wake up for a 6:40 flight to O'Hare airport in Chicago.  The main destination was to be Anchorage, Alaska but the plan was to break it up to reduce the risk of delays and allow for some fun instead of spending all day en route.  The flight went off on time and we landed just before 9:00 local time.  Chicago's subway system is connected to the airport and I got a 24 hour pass for unlimited rides that cost me just $5.  Smokin' deal.  The trip into the downtown loop normally takes 45-60 minutes.

As expected, the weather wasn't great.  Temps were in the low 50s all day with occasional drizzle.  Could be worse.  At least it wasn't a downpour and with relatively calm winds, I wasn't too uncomfortable out there.  After dropping my bag off, I took a short walk to Grant Park and saw a nice fountain and a view of Lake Michigan.  I had plenty of time before the game and actually arrived before the gates even opened.  My losing streak continues as the Mariners beat the White Sox 6-5 but it was a pretty good game in a decent ballpark, number 20 for me.  Only 10 to go.

It was nearly 5 PM when I got back to the hotel and I relaxed for just a few minutes and decided what to do for the rest of the day.  No use seeing a skyscraper because it was too foggy at the top.  I took the Red Line to Grand then walked a fair distance to Navy Pier and Ohio Street Beach.  The latter looks like it will be nice in the summer.  Water temperature hits 70 by July but wave action is rare.  

I hit the Magnificent Mile on Michigan Ave on the way back and got some Chicago style pizza there.  It was good but I still prefer the New York style.  It was now past sunset and I took a nice little walk by the river but called it a night pretty early.  I did meet a guy from Trussville, AL on the way back. Tomorrow's flight would leave at 9:30, so that meant that I had to be out the door by 6:30.  

5/22-With 3 days in Alaska, I only hoped for one sunny day with good views of Denali.  I would get 2 good weather days (sunny and 60-65), which turned out to be the nicest weather of the entire trip.  I arrived just after 1:00 local time and took it easy.  Even though jet lag is not as bad going west, I was still quite tired from the long flight.  I decided to just chill in Anchorage for the rest of the day.  I did check out a couple of parks and got a steak dinner and a drink at a bar, where I had a good conversation with a guy from Seattle.  

5/23- With Anchorage as my home base, I could be flexible with my plans.  Though both of the next two days turned out to be good, the forecast looked better today.  I headed north to Talkeetna, which is basically a one street town with a few restaurants and hotels.  It serves as a gateway to Denali and does have a nice lake with views of the mountain. 

 From Talkeetna, it's about an hour to the South entrance of Denali State Park with the North entrance being another 30 miles up the road.  There are a couple of other trailheads in between.  I drove up to the North entrance first, then turned around.  The best hiking trail here is Curry Ridge, which rises above the trees for spectacular views of the mountain.  IMO, this is better than Denali National Park and doable on a day trip from Anchorage.  

I got back at a decent hour then saw a beautiful sunset over the bay.  The sunset was at 11:00 PM this time of year and it does not get fully dark until after midnight.  A few hours further north, it never does get fully dark.  It's a little surreal for it to be so bright at 10:00 and I got a bit of a second wind.  Yes, I was able to sleep but awoke much sooner than usual.  About 5 hours of sleep was all that I needed.

5/24-Headed South to Seward and arrived by about 9:45.  I walk through town then up and down the coast until the restaurants opened at 11.  I got some good seafood then stopped at the Visitor's center.  In a change of plans, I decided to get cruise tickets for the Kenai Fjords NP.  Probably a good call but I have mixed feelings. The views were awesome but it was just too long and too expensive.  

 The shortest cruise was 4.5 hours, which meant that I would have to skip the hiking trails, which were located almost an hour away.  Maybe I could have done it, but I would have arrived very late back in Anchorage with a plane to catch the next morning.  Oh well, I did plenty of hiking the previous day and wasn't feeling great because of the pills.  I only wish that a 2 hour cruise was available, which would have allowed me to comfortably do both.  

5/25- Slept in a bit more but still got out the door at 8 so I could get a sit down breakfast at the airport.  There was a short delay but I landed in San Francisco just after 5.  The BART ride and the walk to my hotel took almost an hour and a half so that left me with about a 2 hour window for sightseeing before dark.  As I predicted, I had time for either Baker Beach or Golden Gate Park but not both.  

With overcast skies and no visible sunset, it was an easy call.  I went to Golden Gate Park.  I climbed Strawberry Hill, which offered nice views of both Stowe Lake and city streets.  By this time, I was feeling better and my mood had brightened.  I got some quick pizza then took Muni back to my hotel.  Before calling it a night, I went to a fun karaoke bar.  As usual, Californians treated me very well.  

5/26- Rough day.  I had 2 flights on tap today and wasn't scheduled to land until 11PM.  That's the price you pay if you want to squeeze in more sightseeing.  I awoke to foggy conditions, as is common this time of year.  I still enjoyed the hike up to Twin Peaks but could not see anything at the top.  I passed the famous Castro theater on the way back.  By 10:00, the weather was nice but I couldn't wait.  Check out was 11 and my flight was scheduled to leave at 2.  Because of bad weather in Dallas, both flights were delayed and I didn't get home until after 1 AM.  I took 2 hours off work.  Should have taken an earlier flight with a different connection city.  Good trip overall.