Rant or Rave: Anti-Vax Movement

 Disclaimer:

A certain word will be deliberately misspelled in this post.  I am open minded and able to change my viewpoint if presented with new information that contradicts it.  If you disagree, please do so with respect and civility.  Here we go.

A couple of years ago, I called for the childhood vackseen schedule to be reduced and spread out over a longer period of time.  My views have evolved towards a more fully Anti-Vax position.  Surveys show that the movement has gained traction in recent years, especially among Republicans.  

To me, it's all a matter of risk vs benefit analysis.  For example, chicken pox poses virtually no long-term threat.  Supposedly, I had a pretty bad case when I was about 3.  My parents and I endured a rough week or 2 then it was all over and I gained lifelong immunity.  Elementary school classmates talked about going to chicken pox parties over the summer to get it over with so they wouldn't have to miss any school or risk getting it at another inopportune time.  That shows how little it was feared among the public.  I see no need for a chicken pox vackseen even if it is safe and effective.

I learned just a few years ago that the word measly, meaning small and insignificant, was derived from the measles virus.  How bad is it to get the measles?  For most people, it's a 100-102 fever with a rash that lasts 3-5 days.  More severe cases can occur, which tend to last 7-10 days with a 102-104 temperature.  As with chicken pox, when it's over, 99.90-99.99 percent of people will fully recover with no long-term complications and gain lifelong immunity.  RFK believes that experiencing the measles will leave you with a stronger immune system that is better able to fight cancer and other serious diseases as an adult.  Again, if it were up to me, I'd take my chances with measles rather than get the vackseen.  I know too little about Mumps to offer an opinion and I've heard that though Rubella is rare, it can be dangerous for pregnant women.  There is a school of thought that many of the diseases were already nearly wiped out thanks to improved sanitation before the vax was developed.  

This is a hypothetical example:

Let's suppose that a childhood disease similar to the measles exists.  At worst, you will have to endure a painful 7-10 days but except for maybe 1 in 5,000-10,000 people, it poses no long-term issues.  There is a vackseen available that will eliminate the threat of the 7-10 day illness but the risk of complications is 1 in 250.  If you have a certain genetic mutation, the risk increases to 1 in 50.  Unless my child has a compromised immune system, the vackseen is a far greater danger than the virus.  Hard pass.  Of course, the media will highlight the rare cases when measles is deadly and I don't intend to make light of that, but when vax injuries do occur, it's crickets or outright denial.  

Now, suppose that there is a monster pandemic with a 5 percent mortality rate and 15 percent disability rate.  In that case, gimme the shot even if the risk is the same as described above.  See, I can be reasonable.  However, in order to take the shot, the risk of the disease must be higher than the risk of complications from the vackseen.  Sounds pretty logical to me.

There is no treatment that is guaranteed to be 100 percent risk free.  I recall my 8th grade science teacher told my class a tragic story of a teenage boy who had a severe allergic reaction to Aspirin and died.  Vackseen injuries do occur.  That's indisputable.  I contend that they are more common than we are led to believe.  It's usually not a dramatic downturn but rather a slow fade over time that cannot be traced to a specific event.  

My case:

I recall getting some sort of booster shot almost every time I went to the pediatrician.  I'm betting that almost all of them were completely unnecessary.  I got a free lollipop out of it but I do recall a couple of times when I felt pretty rotten after the shot.  My 5th grade teacher asked me repeatedly "what's wrong with you lately?". Eventually, I did snap out of it.  Perhaps I did better in high school because I wasn't getting the shots anymore.  Who knows?  

Has Autism increased or is it simply better understood and diagnosed more often.  I stated that the truth is somewhere in between and stand by that assertion today.  The rate hasn't really increased 100 fold but it is indeed much more common today.  Teachers who are near retirement say that they didn't see these behavior problems 25 years ago.  

When I was a child, I had numerous traits consistent with mild Autism and almost certainly would have been diagnosed if I was growing up today.  As it was, I grew up with neuro imbalances at a time when it was poorly understood.  You can probably imagine what that was like for me.  My mother agreed that I "had a little bit of Autism as a child" but is convinced that I have fully outgrown it.  I'm not so sure.  I believe that I am better able to mask and perhaps it manifests differently as an adult.  Is the extreme sensitivity to pills Autism related?  Possibly.  I do know for sure that toxic metals are a factor, which can be a root cause of Autism.  A medical report did indeed confirm that I am a poor eliminator of toxic metals and that I have the MTHFR mutation, which is present in 91 percent of people with Autism.  

Getting back to the vackseen debate, I am afraid that there may not be a solution that is in the best interest of all vulnerable people.  With a live virus vackseen, even in its weakened state, the virus still has the potential to cause disease especially among the immune compromised.  I heard about a measles outbreak in Texas that was likely caused by a live virus vackseen.  

I found out from a Jillian Michaels podcast that the solution to that problem is to use a dead virus with an adjuvant.  Since the immune system may not even respond to a dead virus, something else must be added to the shot, which are known as adjuvants, to "wake up" the immune system.  These adjuvants are none other than Mercury, Aluminum and a host of other nasty ingredients.  Most people are able to detox.   However, there is a significant percentage of the population with impaired detox pathways that may be vulnerable to complications.  Taking too many of these shots over a short period of time can be especially dangerous.  Even if you reject the Autism link, everyone should be in agreement that injecting toxic metals into young children can damage their health.  I personally believe that vackseens are a contributing factor but not the only reason for the increase in Autism.  Pollution, pesticides and crap food are likely in play as well.  

At the very least, MTHFR positive children's parents should be given the choice to opt out.  Sadly, the problem is that according to many schools of thought, there must be a certain threshold of the population to get the vackseen or the disease could come back.  Because the virus mutates, almost everyone has to get a vackseen.  Therefore, if you are immunocompromised, I can understand your negative feelings towards Anti-Vaxers.

Unless there is a monster pandemic as described above, I would lean against just about any vackseen if I had the choice.  I don't trust it unless it is thoroughly tested especially if it's a new technology such as mRNA.  If Democrats had their way, the COVID shot would still be de-facto required.  Without it, you can't board a plane, attend college or even any public gathering.  They doubled down even after it became clear that it didn't prevent the virus or stop the spread.  No, I will not forget!  

As a conservative, I have my differences with RFK on certain issues, but I am thrilled to have him as HHS Secretary.  I do believe that crap food is certainly contributing to the chronic disease epidemic.  Had the use of pesticides and food ingredients banned in other countries increased in the last decade?  Possible.  I've heard stories of Americans who live in Europe for several months and lose 10-15 pounds without trying.  I normally need to eat a full rack of ribs to be satisfied.  In Mexico, I struggled to finish a half rack plus a small appetizer.  Other tourists agreed with me that the food was more filling and I'd wager it's healthier too.

Sayulita Mexico Trip Report

 Climate and Weather:

Sayulita is located on the Mexican Pacific Coast at a Latitude of 20 degrees, just below the Tropic of Cancer.  It's roughly the same Latitude as Cancun and Punta Cana but it's a bit cooler because of the Pacific current.  It has a 2 season climate with hot and humid summers but winter is cool and dry.  

I was a little worried that it might be too cool.  I checked the forecast in January and found several days with high temps in the low 70s with a water temperature about the same as the air.  If it's sunny with calm winds, that's fine.  If it's overcast and windy, not so much.  The dry season runs from early November through the middle of May.  Though November would have been warmer, I opted for mid February because I can drive to North Florida for a November swim.  In February, I'd have to go as far as Palm Beach.  

It proved to be a good call.  Temps were in the upper 70s with a water temperature of 75.  It was perfectly comfortable to walk through town in shorts.  The water was pleasantly cool.  Chilly at first but only at first.  There were times of sun and clouds but even when it was overcast, it was still enjoyable.

Language:

It's a surf town that attracts a lot of American and Canadian tourists.  Almost everyone has a working knowledge of English.  I found that if I asked a basic question in Spanish, I usually got an answer in English.  If I continued speaking Spanish after that, they were very pleased.

Costs and Lodging:

Flight was a bit pricey but there was no rental car expense.  From the airport, I simply crossed a bridge to a bus stop.  The ride only cost me the equivalent of $4 each way.  There are no major hotel chains here, which made for a more authentic Mexican experience.  It was all boutique hotels that were either dirt cheap (less than $50) or pretty expensive ($200). Nothing in between.  For a 4 night stay, that's a difference of $600.  I opted for the cheap hotel.  No harm, no foul but that was kinda not smart. 

 

You get what you pay for, which is a bed, shower and toilet.  That's it, and I was okay with that. Unbeknownst to me when I booked it, there was no service at the front desk after 5 PM.  I wasn't taking any chances of getting locked out so I cut my afternoon surf sessions a little short.  

1/15-

I opted for a flight out of Birmingham with a connection in Dallas.  Atlanta does have a direct flight but it was no cheaper and I preferred not to spend a night and drive 2.5 hours each way.  As I feared, my first flight was delayed by 30 minutes and I barely made my connection.  That was nerve wracking.  No issues with Immigration but there was a lot of traffic on the bus ride.  I didn't get to my hotel until just after 4.  I took a walk through town and along the beach but didn't get deep into the water.

1/16-1/18-

Pretty much the same.  Full day in the surf, which was tons of fun.  Waves were in the 3-4 foot range.  They broke deep and you can ride them all the way to the shore.  As stated earlier, the water was comfortably cool and refreshing.   A fair comparison could be San Diego in August but this was a tad warmer.  Again, for February, that's a great deal.  

Water had a decent clarity too.  Not nearly as clear as the Caribbean but it had a nice light green shade.  Sand was light brown with plenty of tall coconut palms and mountains on the sides.  It reminded me a bit of Costa Rica in that respect.

I ate a wide variety of food including chicken, seafood, tacos, steak and BBQ.  Interestingly, I found the food to be more filling than in the US.  A half rack of ribs was plenty of food and other tourists felt the same.  I also went out for drinks at night and met several interesting characters including a guy from Australia and a nice Mexican girl named Andrea.  One drunk guy didn't believe that my teeth are real.  LOL.  I've heard that one before.  

  

1/19- Glorious morning surf session on a picture perfect day that left me wanting more.  Unfortunately, I had to check out and catch the bus back to the airport.  I had another hour delay on my first flight.  Immigration was painless but I had to go through security again in Dallas.  I made my connection to Birmingham only because of another delay.  I arrived home at 1 AM and awoke the next day to snow flurries.  

Excellent trip overall.  I could see myself going back.  I might try it in the Spring or Fall and will stay at a real hotel.  

Training 2/10-2/16

 2/10 Interval tests at standard effort.

Opener-82

3 Thym Adren- 89

Recovery jog in between.

Real workout was 2.5 on Lakeshore in 23-flat (9:12 pace) with splits of 11:36-11:24.  Satisfactory again.  Comparable to yesterday if not a hair better but changes need to be made if I plateau at this level.

Distance-3.0

Reaction:

I bet if I cut the dose to 2, I match the opener (give or take) and certainly dip under 9 minute pace in the real workout.  That's probably what I will do going forward.

2/11- It became apparent by the end of the day yesterday that the Thym Adren needs to be cut further if not eliminated altogether.  I was bad with the diet last weekend but I don't think that was a factor.  Melatonin is supposed to stop that from happening.

Opener-1:44

Energy drink-1:35

Adrenal stimulant-1:24

PM- Damp conditions but still managed a half mile at Montreat in 5:02 with an even pace.  Probably would be better with more adrenal caps but I'm not doing that.  I will take neither adrenal treatment for the time being.

Distance-1.0

Adrenal stimulation is not the answer long-term.  Why am I rejecting the Thym Adren now?  Who knows?  The best case scenario is that the toxins were driving the fast oxidation, which has normalized now that they are out.  Hate to say it but I expect it to be another false hope.

2/12-AM. Half mile at Montreat and my time is down to 4:48.  That's still BAD!  It became apparent later in the day that I need to go back to the Thym Adren.

PM- Rained out.  Discovered why I had problems with Thym Adren.  Stand alone B12 is necessary after all.  I thought the dose in the B-complex would be sufficient.  Not so.  Adrenal spike is back.

Distance-0.5

Reaction:  I don't give a damn what pills I have to take and how many I have to take.  All I ask is for STABILITY!

2/13- Back to 6 Thym Adren.  Hated 1.5 mile junk run on Lakeshore in 15:42 (10:28 pace) with splits of 7:49-7:53.  It was horrible but I knew that coming in.  It's been 7 days since I took this dose and actually went in the opposite direction for 2 days.  Never felt uncomfortable but the legs would not produce.

Distance-1.5

2/14- Abject failure.  Couldn't even finish 1 Mile.  Culprit is too much B12.  Just took much of a stimulation.  If I lay off it for a couple days, I should be okay.  

PM- Got home and did a half lap in 1:57.  Popped 2 Thym Adren and was all the way down to 1:32.  YUGE!

Distance-1.0

2/15- Flight to Mexico.  I get credit for 1 Mile for airport running.

Distance-1.0

2/16- Planned rest day 

-8 miles

Poland Trip Idea

 This one won't happen until next year at the earliest but it's still fun to make tentative plans.  

Why Poland and what part?

My maternal ancestors are almost all Polish and my grandfather was the son of Polish immigrants.  Remarkably, Ancestry traced my lineage specifically to the Krakow area and the Tatras Mountains in the southern part of the country near the border of Slovakia.  Krakow will be the home base.

Logistics:

Surprisingly affordable flights are available out of Atlanta with just one layover for under $700.  There is a 6 hour time difference going east so the jet lag will be brutal.  It might be a good idea to take an overnight or even a 2 day layover in the connecting city.  Looks like my choices are London and Amsterdam.  Either one could be interesting but I'd probably lean towards Amsterdam because I want to take a more proper UK trip down the road.

Time of year:

If by some miracle I am healthy enough, there is a half marathon in Krakow in late April, which I would love to do.  If I am not healthy, I still think Spring is the time to go.  Normal temps are in the 50s-60s so it will be comfortably cool but unlikely to be cold.  

Side trips:

There will be plenty to see and do in the city to keep me occupied for a few days.  There are 2 must do day trips.  One is a hike in the Tatras.  I imagine that in April, the peaks will be snow capped, which is another reason to go in the Spring.  The other is a tour of Auschwitz concentration camp.  Mode of transportation will probably be a bus.  

Going back:  

Another interesting option could be a stop in Berlin on the way back.  Unfortunately, there is no easy train route from Krakow.  If I was staying in Poznan instead, it would be an easy ride to Berlin.  As it is, I'll probably save Germany for later.  No reason to take an overnight layover on the way back but I will almost certainly have to stay in Atlanta for 1 night after I am back in America.

Edit:

There is a direct flight to Munich and a fast train to Berlin.  I'll do Germany another time.

Training 2/3-2/9

 2/3- Repeated the 3 mile distance this time at North Lakeshore and my time is down to 27:24 (9:08 pace).  Negative splits today.  9:18-9:04-9:02.  Didn't have as much left at the end but that's okay.  This is exactly 2 hour pace for a half marathon.  Nearly a quarter of the way there.  25 seconds faster per mile compared to yesterday.  I'd actually like to see a more gradual improvement.

Distance-3.0

2/4- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 17:34 (8:47 pace).  Good job.  I wasn't sure how I would do today because it was an evening workout, 10 hours after taking Thym Adren.  Yes, I was overstimulated and may have been a little better in the morning but I'll take it.  Splits were 8:32-9:02 but I was pretty even after a too fast first half mile.  

In the future, I want all my daily runs to be at least 3 miles.  I will throw in a Mile time trial every now and then but no more 1.5 or 2 mile junk runs.

Distance-2.0

2/5-AM.  Interval tests.  I'll only do this once a week going forward.  Thym Adren was probably beginning to wear off by the evening yesterday.  By the next morning, it was completely out 

Opener was a pitiful 1:42.8 (10:17 pace).  I really could not go any faster.  Popped the 6 Thym Adren and improved to a 59.6 (5:57 pace).  MINUS 4:20!

MASSIVE GAP THAT MUST BE CLOSED!

PM- 4 miles on Lakeshore.  Bottom leg plus extension in 37:50 (9:28 pace).  Overall, I am pleased despite the poor pacing.  Splits were 9:02-9:28-9:42-9:38.  6.2@9:39 seems too tough right now.  Fresh legs will make a difference.  I was spent when I finished and would not have kept the pace under the standard much longer.

Distance-4.5

2/6- Planned rest day.  I've earned it.

2/7- AM-1 Mile time trial at Vestavia.  Finished in 11:42 with splits of 5:40-6:02.  Knew it before I started.  

The culprit is too much Thym Adren.  Just 2 days ago, I was WORTHLESS without it.  Now, I am worthless on the mega dose.  I will sharply reduce the dosage and hope to stabilize on 2-3.

I expect to be better this weekend but will probably not be up for a 10K time trial.

PM- Repeated the Mile distance this time at Montreat.  Improved to 9:48 with a strong negative split (5:03-4:45).  Expected to improve with the clearance of excess pills but not by this much.

Distance-2.0

Reaction: 

 I collapsed because I took excess adrenal suppressants when I no longer needed them.  This hurts but I can accept it.  This is what is supposed to happen and it's a simple fix.  Reduce the dosage and I will feel better. If I collapsed because of the Melatonin, B-Vitamins or something that I ate or drank, I'm screwed.  

Still, it was unnerving to me that I was THAT BAD this morning just 36 hours after a decent 4 Miler.  I probably should have known on Wednesday night when I was SPENT after the workout.  I incorrectly attributed it to normal fatigue from increased training.  The evening session makes me feel a little better.  I was THAT BAD in the morning because it was done just minutes after the pills.  I could have salvaged a workout if I had waited until evening.

2/8- 1.5 mile junk run on Lakeshore extension in 15:32 (10:21 pace).  I don't like doing these but I don't have much choice.  Cut the Thym Adren dose to 2 and this was about what I expected.  Much better than yesterday morning but a tad worse than the evening.  Again, I had a strong negative split (8:02-7:30).  Hope to do at least 3 tomorrow.

Distance-1.5

2/9- 3 miles in 28:08 at Heardmont (9:23 pace).  Satisfactory.  Splits were 9:39-9:21-9:08.  Better than I did 7 days ago but still short of where I was before the relapse.  I think I could have coaxed another mile in less than 10 minutes and matched my 4 Mile time (give or take).  This was done on 3 Thym Adren pills and I hope to hold it there.

Distance-3.0

-16 miles on the week.  Let's shoot for 20 going forward.

Training 1/25-2/2

 1/25- Interval tests

Opener-84.0

Low dose Melatonin-85.4- Not a significant difference but I did feel just a tad more sluggish.

B-Complex-79.5- Significant improvement but not a game changer 

Thym Adren-75.0- Once again, significant improvement but not a game changer.

Methyl Folate- 50.8.  Yes, that's right.  FIFTY POINT EIGHT!  Definitely a game changer!

Quercetin and NAC- Noticeably weaker.  Treated it as a cool down.  Untimed.

Distance-1.0

Reaction:

I had trouble with Melatonin last week but found the solution.  I need a B-complex, which is not unexpected.  MF without the B-complex is usually not a good idea.  I won't need the complex every day.  Just don't go a week without it.

MF is still the key.  I am disturbed by just how much difference it did make.  That's more than a 3 minute gap.  That's got to shrink in the future.  Unfortunately, Melatonin is still needed at 5 mg or else the sensitivity will flare up again.

1/26- 3 miles on North Lakeshore in 26:48 (8:56 pace).  Very pleased especially with the splits.  9:08-8:58-8:42.  I did increase the effort in the last mile but I was far from all out.  This projects to about a 27:53 for 5K.  That's about a minute off my reset PR.

PM- Interval tests at base effort.

Opener-75.5 (7:33)

10 mg Melatonin-78.3 (7:50)

B-complex- 73.3 (7:20)

Not a severe reaction to Melatonin but if I hadn't been taking B-complex before this, it would have been a disaster.  As it is, the reaction was borderline insignificant.  I did gain after taking the B-complex but it was not a significant improvement over the opener.  Good news all around.  If for whatever reason, I need extra Melatonin, I won't react that badly to it and the B-complex will get me back to where I was before if not a hair better.

Distance-3.5

1/27- AM- Just 1 sprint.  Wanted to be under 80 or at least see an improvement from the 84 last opener.  Running all out, I managed a 70.5 on no pills.  Still a long way from the 50.8 ceiling but it's progress.

 PM- Planned on either 2 or 2.5 miles but called it at 1.33 for a total of 1.5 on the day.  Felt pretty good during the day and started off pretty well with a pace around 8:30 for the first quarter mile.  The power cut off after that.  The back half was approaching 12 minute pace.  Probably not enough MF.  I only took a low dose this morning.

Distance-1.5

1/28- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 17:58 (8:59 pace).  This is what I meant to do yesterday.  Looks okay on the surface but the splits were BAD (8:17-9:41).  I was doing sub-8 for most of the first half mile but felt the power fade after about 0.4. At least I didn't completely collapse this time and rallied in the last 0.1 to get the sub-18.  I have an INSATIABLE NEED FOR METHYL FOLATE.  Surely, this pattern won't last much longer.

Distance-2.0

1/29- Felt awful at work today even though I took plenty of MF.  It's obvious that I still need Intrinsic Factor.  Shortly after popping one of those pills, I was MUCH BETTER.  Workout was 1 Mile at Vestavia in 7:34.1 (3:44-3:50).  Just 4 seconds off my reset PR.  Good start, struggled in the middle but came back in the last 200.

Distance-1.0

1/30- Awful again.  Hoped for 3 miles this morning but settled for 1 in a time well over 10 minutes.  Never did have a good pace and it was worse in the back half.  Took plenty of MF and it didn't help.  My only conclusion is that I am seeing an increased need for Intrinsic Factor.  The new bottle should arrive today.

Distance-1.0

Update: Learned that MF increases the need for B12.  Intrinsic Factor is needed to absorb it.

1/31- Planned to rest today but needed a test at standard effort.  No sprinting.

Opener-92

Methyl Folate-88

Intrinsic Factor- 78

Extra MF-81

1 lap cool.

Confirmed that Intrinsic Factor is what I need.  Maybe I can reduce the MF.

Distance-1.0

2/1- It appears that the need for MF has diminished.  Not surprisingly, it has been replaced by an adrenal spike.  Did 1 Mile at Heardmont in 9:47 overall.  1st half in 5:18 then improved to 4:29 after I popped 2 more Thym Adren.

Distance-1.0

2/2- 5000 meters at Heardmont in 29:45 (9:33 pace).  An improvement over yesterday and hope to build on it.  The adrenal spike is not going to go down any time soon so it will be 6 Thym Adren until further notice.  

This wasn't good by any stretch but it ends on a note of hope.  Splits were 9:18-9:50-9:34-63.  I wasn't sure if I would even finish at the halfway point but showed surprising life at the end.  Passed 12 laps in 28:42 and planned to stop there but with the sub-30 in the bag, I kept going to make it legit.

Distance-3.1

-15 miles total 

Cartagena Colombia Trip Report

 Why here?

I got this question several times.  Prior to this year, Colombia had been on my bucket list but didn't rank very high.  The original plan was Maui, Hawaii in January then nothing until April.  Instead of that, I figured that I could take 2 smaller tropical trips for roughly the same price as Hawaii.  I just felt like it was the right fit for this year and was excited about my first foray into South America.  This is not the furthest south I've been.  That title belongs to Jaco, Costa Rica by a slim margin.   

Logistics:

Direct 4 hour flight from Atlanta or fly out of Birmingham with a connection in Miami.  I chose the former and there was some drama as I will explain later.  There was no need for a rental car.  It was only a 15-20 minute taxi ride from the airport to my hotel.  I chose to stay on the north side of Playa Boca Grande, which proved to be a good call.  I was right on the beach and the Centro Historico was not too far to walk.   I was warned about aggressive vendors but had no such problems.  I found that if you simply walk away, they won't follow you.

Language:

I've been to several other Latin American destinations.  This is the first time I've been in a situation in which knowledge of basic Spanish was necessary.  Most people that you encounter here have limited English skills.  For example, I found a Tex Mex bar that played American country music but the servers didn't speak English.  However, when I switched to broken Spanish, yes I was understood.  I'll need to actually speak Spanish more often to become conversationally fluent but Duolingo counts for something.  

Food:

Normally, this is not a priority for me on my trips but this time, I did get some more authentic Colombian cuisine.  I got a delicious seafood dish from a restaurant on the beach and grilled beef with fried bananas on the side from the mall.  The rest of my meals were nothing special.  I did eat my first empanada and it was pretty good.

1/18- Flight went off after a short delay and I was able to get a sit down breakfast.  That was necessary because there would be no lunch.  The flight landed at about 2:30 PM then it was a 2+ hour line at Immigration.  Because it was a holiday weekend, that should not have been a big surprise.  At any rate, there was no hassle when it was my turn.  I was simply asked where I was staying then my passport was stamped and I was in South America.

   

No big plans for the night.  I did catch the sunset over the water.  Dinner was a mediocre pizza but I liked my server and the views of the city were beautiful at night.  

1/19- Mostly a beach day.  If you are looking for snow white sand and clear turquoise water, this isn't the place.  The sand is dark and the water isn't clear but I wasn't about to complain.  Every day was at or near 90 degrees F with nary a cloud in the sky.  This is at a time when much of the USA was in deep freeze.  Water temperature was 85 with decent surf conditions.  Waves broke deep but did not take you all the way to the shore.  One blogger described it as being comparable to South Carolina in early August without the rain chances.  I'll go along with that.  You can take a day cruise to a beach with clear and calm waters but I elected not to do so.  

I'm leery about leaving stuff unattended on a beach while I am riding the waves.  Fortunately, the lifeguard stored it in a locked door so I didn't have to worry about it being stolen.  I only would have lost a ratty t-shirt but it would have been awkward to go into the hotel lobby without a shirt to explain why I needed a new room key.  

In the evening, I took a walk to the Centro Historico just to check out the Wall.  I would save the night out for the next day.  I did get a cheap burger for dinner and kinda wish I had tried my luck back in Boca Grande but I spoke nothing but Spanish during the meal.  On my way back, I checked out a shopping mall, where I would get my lunch the next day.  

1/20- Morning walk to scout out the Getsemani neighborhood and I determined that it was worth another night out.  In both Getsemani and Centro Historico, it's easy to get lost briefly but if you make enough turns, you will eventually see the famous clock tower.  Once I got back there, I knew where to go.  Got lunch at the mall then stayed at the beach until 4 PM.  

Changed clothes then headed to Centro Historico.  Dinner was a T-bone steak then a drink at the aforementioned Tex Mex bar.  I also got some delicious gelato for dessert.  Centro Historico reminded me a bit of St. Augustine but it was bigger and better.  

1/21- Checked out more of Boca Grande in the morning and it looked to have some fun restaurants and bars but most of the action was surely in Getsemani.  That proved to be a good call.  After another fun surf session, I got a beef and chicken combo for dinner then met a nice couple from Montreal.  

 

1/22- Had time to take a dip in the morning before my flight out.  I just took it all in with the cloudless sky and high rise buildings.  I wanted 3 hours in case of a long line at security and that proved to be a bad call.  Because of a freak snow storm the previous day in Atlanta, the flight was delayed 3 hours.  I was back in America at 10:30 PM.  Surprisingly, there was no line at Immigration here but I did have take a shuttle back to the Domestic terminal to get my car.  I was looking at a 1:15 AM arrival in Bham.  I probably could have done it but elected to get a cheap motel about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta.  Very good trip overall.  I'll certainly be back to South America.  

Training 1/13-1/19

 1/13- Opener is down to 2:40 (8:00 pace).  Cut off another 36 seconds per mile but I was pretty winded when I finished and didn't feel like another full lap would yield an accurate assessment. Did a half lap on NAC and Thym Adren in 71.1.  Figure that's worth a 2:30 give or take.  Helpful but not a game changer.  Very sore when I finished too.  

PM- Repeated the half lap on MF and improved to 58.6 (5:52 pace).  MINUS 75 due to MF alone plus about 30 from NAC and Thym Adren.  Figure that the gap is about 1:45 per mile from no pills to the stacked deck.  Felt pretty rough at work without the MF.  I will start taking it in divided doses and see how that works.

Distance-1.0

1/14- AM-Did a 68.8 opener on no pills (6:53 pace).  Not even NAC or Thym Adren. Probably at least 30 seconds per mile better than yesterday.  Soon, I will break 60 without pills.  Though it's a big step, I still have a long way to go.  A half lap is only a sixth of a mile or roughly 270 meters.  A good pace in a 5K or even 1 Mile is TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

  A bit sleepy at work.  Perhaps the divided Melatonin dosage was a problem.  I'll try a divided MF dosage but only take the Melatonin at night.  Will the MF remain effective?  We shall see.

PM- Much worse after the evening Melatonin dose.  I am fairly certain that I accidentally took a double dose this morning after a normal dose yesterday evening.  That explains it.  I should be better tomorrow.  Curious as to how I'd do on a day or 2 off the Melatonin.  I was okay in December but that was before I added the MF.  Did 1 untimed lap at junk pace.  

Distance-0.5

1/15- AM- 1.5 miles on Lakeshore in 15:52 (10:34 pace).  Very poor.  I hope I can chalk it up to excess Melatonin and I sure hope that I'm not becoming intolerant to it.  Only positive is that I was significantly better after popping 2 MF pills at the midway point.  Splits were 8:10-7:42.  That's probably all for today.

PM- Once again, a bad reaction to Melatonin and I only took 6 mg.  Very worried.  If I become intolerant to Melatonin, the sensitivity could be back with a VENGEANCE!

Distance-1.5

1/16- Unplanned rest day.  Still clearing out the Melatonin.  I will try to quit that stuff altogether and hope the sensitivity doesn't come back.  I don't think it was a Melatonin deficiency that caused these problems but rather toxic metals that Melatonin helped remove (hopefully).  I am still getting benefits from Thym Adren and NAC as well as Methyl Folate.

Even though it's unlikely that Fulvic Acid is the problem, I will lay off it for a few days just to see if the need for Melatonin kicks back in.  Also, am I completely intolerant to Melatonin or have I just taken too much and will tolerate occasional use?

1/17- Opener in 70.5 (7:03 pace).  Almost back to where I was before the problems with Melatonin.  

Took Thym Adren, NAC, MF plus 2 other formerly problematic pills.  Improved to 64.0 (6:24 pace) then added a cool.

Good news all around.  Sensitivity has not returned yet.  The gap in performance is down to 39 seconds.  That's significant but no longer in game changer territory.  Perhaps I can soon pass the test of no extreme dependency 

Distance-0.5

1/18- Planned rest day.  Flight to Cartagena 

1/19- Half mile junk run at Boca Grande.  Heat was tough even at 8 AM

Distance-0.5

Training 1/1-1/12

 1/1- I did intervals yesterday and my opener was AWFUL (2:07).  NAC was a game changer at 1:47 while a can of Rockstar was a bigger game changer at 1:20.  That said, I really don't want to rely on stimulants to speed up the detox.  Not good for me over the long haul.

Today, the opener was much better at 1:47.  Again, the NAC was a game changer at 1:30.  It's tempting to take more of that stuff and you would think I'd continue to improve but it doesn't work that way.  Instead of caffeine, I went with Thym Adren for the 3rd run.  I hoped that it would be a non factor like before Christmas.  Nope.  Significant negative reaction.  Slipped back to 1:45.  Finished with a half mile junk run and found that this time, stimulants didn't help.  

Eventually, the Thym Adren will be tolerated and then necessary.  Before the adrenal spike hits, I will increase the Methyl Folate, which will probably trigger more detox.  If the increased MF together with the Melatonin is tolerated, I am improving.

Distance-1.0

1/2- No intervals this morning.  Just a 1 Mile at Montreat in the evening.  Days are getting longer and it wasn't pitch black until after I finished.  Time was 10:50 (5:28-5:22) and it took a late rally to shore up the sub-11.  Better than yesterday and about what I expected.  I will look for steady improvement going forward.  

If my progress is stymied, I do have a couple options.  I thought perhaps NAC is causing excess Sulfur.  Yasko has a product for that, which I have ordered.  The second thought is further off the beaten path: Parasites.  I haven't ordered this one yet but one of the active ingredients is none other than Eye-Vermectin.

Distance-1.0

1/3- Interesting finding in the morning.  I was significantly better after taking a Probiotic.  That suggests that my limited tolerance for NAC may be Sulfur related.  I forgot to take NAC before work and endured a rough day.  

Repeated the Montreat Mile in the evening after NAC and improved nicely to a 9:54 (MINUS 56) plus a short cool.  Splits were 5:01-4:53 despite coasting in the final stretch.  Now, can I keep this streak going?  The rate of improvement will slow but it must be steady.

Distance-1.5

1/4- Interesting day.  Probiotics do help with the ill-effects of taking too much NAC but it's not enough and I get no additional benefit beyond the first pill.  

Opened with a 1:52 then improved significantly to 1:40.  Popped 2 more and clocked a 1:38.  Not good enough.  NAC must be limited to 2 pills in divided doses.  It's possible that Yasko's product may help.

Later on, I could feel the adrenals beginning to spike.  Last time, it was a slow process that started with mere tolerance to Thym Adren.  Today, I improved to 1:26 on 1 pill and had a strong feeling that I needed more.  

Added a 2nd MF pill with the Melatonin and this time, the detox reaction wasn't bad.  In fact, I improved again to a 1:11.  I don't know what to make of it.  I'm betting that Thym Adren would make it worse but I didn't try.

Distance-1.0

1/5- Woke up severely overstimulated.  Significantly better after 1 Thym Adren.  Added more MF and it was a game changer again in a positive way.  Took Thym Adren again after the extra MF and it was NOT TOLERATED!

Yes, that's right.  The same pill that helped me in the morning hurt me just a couple hours later.  WHAT A LIFE!  Good news is that I can definitely tolerate extra MF as long as I don't touch the Thym Adren.  I won't be shocked at all if even on the extra MF, I will again need the Thym Adren.  

Distance-1.0

1/6- Unplanned rest day.  Loading on MF didn't seem to hurt yesterday but this morning, it felt like I was hit by a truck.  I will cut that down to 2 pills until the adrenals spike again.

1/7- Opened with a 1:40 then down to 1:21 on NAC.

PM- Adrenals spiked BIGLY after lunch.  Upped the MF to 3 pills and it stopped the spike.  NAC had an even greater effect than usual (1:45-1:11).  I did not mess with Thym Adren.  If I had taken it, it would have been helpful before the MF but harmful after.  WHAT A LIFE!

UPDATE: Adrenals are still spiked despite increased MF.  I'll probably have to raise it again tomorrow.  How high do I go?  Unsure.  I think it's possible that Yasko's product could help and possible that Fulvic Acid could help.

Distance-1.0

1/8- Unplanned rest day.  Insatiable need for MF.  I don't even know how much I took but even a mega dose didn't stop the adrenal spike.  

1/9- Very interesting.  Need for MF has diminished and tomorrow, I will go back to 4 at night with the Melatonin.  

Opener-82.7

Extra Methyl Folate- 79.2

1 Thym Adren-75.1

NAC-73.0

3 Extra NAC-73.4

Reaction:

Taken together, I gained slightly less than 60 seconds per mile.  Certainly enough to be considered significant but not a game changer.  The only one that was significant on its own was the Thym Adren while the MF was borderline.  

I am VERY encouraged that the NAC really didn't move the needle.  The gain here was NOT significant and I was only fractionally slower on extra.  Yasko's product was ineffective in that regard but it's possible that the Fulvic Acid helped.  Just 2 days ago, 1 NAC was a game changer but 3 were not tolerated.  

Still feel a little sluggish and this was a far cry from the sub-60 that I did a few months ago.  I do have excess Melatonin in my system.  Cut that back down to 5 mg and I should do better.

Distance-1.0

1/10- Snow Day and a planned rest.  Woke up feeling pretty rotten.  Thym Adren did help a bit but the needle didn't really move until I took 4 MF in the evening.  I plan to stick with this formula.  Low dose Thym Adren and a high dose of MF with Melatonin and NAC.

1/11- Very interesting yet again. Still BAD in the morning but perhaps not as awful as yesterday.  Took 2 MF in the morning and got somewhat better.  In the afternoon I did 1 lap in 3:04 (9:12 pace) then popped 4 MF pills, which brought me all the way down to a 2:17 (6:51 pace).  Added a 1 lap cool down.

Distance-1.0

2 days ago, I got a reaction to extra MF but it was bordering on insignificant.  Probably because I had already taken a mega dose.  Today, it was MINUS 2:21.  I expect to follow the usual pattern.  Both the ceiling and the floor will improve but the floor will rise faster.  The gap will diminish and eventually become insignificant.  In theory, it will be squared away but something else will pop up 

1/12- Mostly pleased with today's outcome.

AM- 1 lap at Montreat without pills in 2:52 (8:36 pace).  Compared to yesterday, it's MINUS 36.  Did not attempt to run it with a stacked deck.  Merely added a half lap cool.  I figure that my ceiling would improve by 18-24 so the gap is still probably over 2 minutes per mile.  When it drops below 60, I feel like I am on the way.  Thym Adren and NAC are helpful but neither is a game changer.  Only the Methyl Folate is in that category.

PM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 18:58 (9:29 pace).  Pacing wasn't great (9:20-9:38) but if I fell behind 19 pace, I bet I could have rallied.  My last real workout was barely under 10 for 1 Mile so this is a lot better.  This is 10 seconds faster than sub-60 pace for 10K.  I figure I could have held it for another half mile.  40 percent down.  60 to go.

Distance-2.5

-11 miles total