Injury Update 2/ Para Purge

 The news is mostly good.  I am pain free when walking now.  I did a couple very slow 150 meter jogs this morning and could still feel the pain.  Not quite ready yet.  I will rest this weekend and try again either early next week or next weekend.  Even if I have to wait until next weekend, that's only 3 weeks off, which is not as bad as I feared.

In other news, I ordered a new supplement called Para Purge.  I wasn't expecting it to be very effective.  There are different schools of thought regarding parasites.  ARL claims that most everyone has them and the aim should be to create an environment in your body that is not so hospitable.  However I have read other testimonials that have said it's life changing.  One is the key ingredients is none other than Eye-Vermectin.  Without much to lose, I decided to give it a shot but waited until after California.  A negative reaction is still a possibility.

Early response:  

Not a miracle cure but I did feel slightly better after the first dose so there is no autoimmune reaction to it.  It's kinda difficult to assess how I feel because I am not running.  There is a possibility of nasty diarrhea in which the parasites come out.  Nothing like that yet.  

Vitamin C:

I actually forgot to take it yesterday morning and didn't feel THAT bad.  It does appear that I am becoming less dependent on it.  I have not tried the ADHS yet and will update this when I do so.

Update:  No discernable reaction to ADHS but I was still weakened by Magnesium Malate 

San Diego and Orange County Road Trip

 I took a Los Angeles/Tijuana road trip 3 years ago.  Though I did stop in San Diego and Orange County, I didn't do justice to either of them and sought to change that.  I hastily signed up for the America's Finest City 5K after a week of decent training but injured my hamstring pretty badly just 1 week out.  Racing was out of the question, and I feared that I may not even be able to enjoy the ocean, but the trip was still a go. 

8/14-

3 AM wake up call.  I wanted an early flight but not quite this early, but it worked out fine.  After an easy connection in Dallas, I arrived in Santa Ana just after noon.  It was the closest airport to most of my destinations and probably a smart call to avoid LAX if possible.  From the airport, it was only about 20-30 minutes to Huntington Beach (Surf City USA).  I did take it a little easy out there, but the sore hamstring was of no concern, and I stayed in the water until about 5 PM.  It was a rare overcast day with temps in the low 70s.  The water temperature here normally tops out around 72 but this summer has been cooler than average, so it was around 70.  After the initial shock, I found it comfortably cool out there and still enjoyable even with the overcast skies.   After I got out, I overheard a guy mention Alabama and the Gulf so I struck up a conversation.  Lo and behold, he used to live there.  His name was Javier and I enjoyed meeting him and his girlfriend Sofia.  No pics because I didn't have my phone on me.  This would be the first of five beaches that I would sample on this trip.  My hotel was about 2.5 miles up the road so I grabbed a pizza for dinner and just relaxed for the night.  

8/15- 30 minute drive on PCH down to Laguna Beach.  Every beach has a different vibe but despite a bit of seaweed in several spots, this was my favorite.  Clear water was an aqua tint and strong surf.  I went down a couple times and got consistently good rides to the shore.  There's also beautiful cliff side scenery.  My only gripe was that parking is difficult to find in the afternoon and prices are outrageous.  I cut my session a little short for this reason.  Today, we got some afternoon sun but it clouded up before sunset.  However, it was crystal clear just a few miles inland at my hotel.  Strange.  

8/16- About a 90 minute drive south mostly on the freeway to Ocean Beach just outside of San Diego.  Waves were not quite as strong here but they broke further out, which enabled longer rides.  Free parking as well.  From there, I went to a burger joint just about a mile up the road where I ended up eating with a random woman named Tina.  

After lunch, it was a scenic ride to the marina with views of the San Diego skyline to the race expo.  After much back and forth deliberation, I decided it would be okay to participate in the 5K as a walker.  I checked into my hotel then found the starting line for tomorrow's race.  

Next was a walking tour of downtown San Diego on Market Street through the Gaslamp quarter to Kansas City Barbeque (Top Gun bar).  In a mild disappointment, nobody commented on my resemblance to Val Kilmer.  I took an alternate route back through Little Italy and chatted a bit with several people at a sports bar on the way back.  I find it easy to talk with locals here.  Perhaps Southerners mix well with laid back California culture.

8/17- Race morning.  A road race from the very back of the pack was a new experience for me.  Even when I was fast, I always had SERIOUS issues with people who make fun of slower runners.  Anyone who makes an earnest effort and gets out there deserves our respect.  Some people just wanted to take in the experience and didn't seem to put much effort into it but there were others who were honestly giving it their best.  My brisk walk was almost as fast as their run but I still applaud them.  

I walked about 80 percent of the course but did incorporate some very slow and easy jogging at regular intervals.  I could still feel the pain in my hamstring but don't think I made it any worse.  I knew better than to push it.  Of course, it was a personal worst by more than a mile but I didn't care.  The only goal was to finish without aggravating the injury.  According to the results, I wasn't even close to being the last finisher.  I placed 45th out of 55 in my age group and did something positive that I have never done before.  I negative split a 5K for the first time with the back half being about a minute faster than the first half.  Can't say that I enjoyed this experience but it wasn't as depressing as I expected.  

My only irritation came afterwards when I was denied entry to the beer garden without an ID even though my bib listed my age.  Maybe I still appear under 40 but certainly not under 30.  Ridiculous.  In the end, it probably worked out for the best. By leaving early, I had an easier time finding parking at La Jolla Shores, which was a mess in the afternoon.  

La Jolla Shores has a darker green tint and gentler waves but crystal clear water that was so clear that you could see to the bottom.  Yes, such American beaches do exist outside of Florida.  I left just after noon and drove about 20 minutes to Torrey Pines for lunch and a short hike.  

From Torrey Pines, it was only about 20-30 minutes to Oceanside via the Freeway.  Oceanside is a beautiful area with tall palm trees lining the streets.  I had another good surf session.  Oceanside has clear water too but it's a more aqua tint like Laguna.  Less seaweed but no cliffs.  

8/18- Had time for another dip in Oceanside before check out.  I got to see it in all its glory with crystal clear skies today.  After lunch at In & Out Burgers, I had a little bit of dead time because it was only 1 hour to Anaheim and the game didn't start until 6:30.  

I decided to take a short detour through Compton, the birthplace of gangsta rap.  Certainly a rough area but it's not nearly as dangerous as it was in the early 90s.  I've seen worse neighborhoods but I knew better than to get out of my car or venture outside of the main roads.  At any rate, I arrived safely in Anaheim around 3 and just chilled at a very nice pool at my hotel.  

Angel Stadium is my 22nd ballpark and ranks in the middle of the pack.  It's got some nice mountain views but you can tell that it's an old facility.  The game was nothing special as the Angels lost 4-1.  At least I can say that I saw Future HOFer Mike Trout live.  I believe that makes 8 losses in row for the home team.  Yes, I've seen some bad teams but I should get lucky once.  

8/19- Got to sleep in a bit with the flight out being at 12:30.  I had to contend with a bit of Freeway traffic but had more than enough time.  There was a short delay on my first flight but fortunately I had a 2 hour layover scheduled so it didn't affect my connection.  I still got home at a half decent hour.

Excellent trip overall.

Injury Update

 Day 3 and I have improved.  I jogged VERY gingerly for about 20 yards in the parking lot this morning.  It was painful and done with a significant limp but just 2 days earlier, I could not even do that.  No, I didn't strain it further and I know better than to push my luck.  

I should be able to enjoy the ocean as per usual but I actually hope that waves are in the 2-3 foot range rather than 4-6.  5 days out from race day and I'm afraid it's a no go.  I've thought about walking it but I'll probably just skip it.  Knowing me, I am liable to push it beyond my limits and make it worse.  

I predicted anywhere from 2 weeks of rest to up to 8.  Most likely, it will be in the 3-4 week range.  I will not run until I am 100 percent pain free.  

As for the pills, I am off the ADHS.  The only thing I take besides the methylation support is Vitamin C.  It does give me a bit of a temporary boost but it's short lived.  When I get back, I'll try an anti-parasite supplement but I have little confidence that it will work.

Hamstring Strain

 My first injury since 2019 when I twisted my ankle on a pine cone in the parking lot.  Before that I hadn't been hurt since 2014, but given the minimal volume, there should not be much risk.

I really don't think I did anything wrong.  I slow jogged before this and did a few moderately fast strides.  I simply could not handle the speed in my weakened condition.  

As I feared, I am now completely intolerant to ADHS.  Vitamin C does help for a while but the positive effects don't last and it appears to be an insatiable need.  I tried to sprint all out after taking the C.  Though I was still a little stiff and sore, I was moving well.  Pleased, I increased the effort and it felt great.  For about 10 seconds.  About 15 seconds in, my legs started going numb but I was only about 50 meters away from the finish.  I thought I was losing control of my legs and was afraid that I was going to fall.  That would have sucked if I did.  I would have had bad cuts and scratches.  I decided to ease up and cruise it in.  Even still, it would have been my fastest recorded time for that distance.

Too late.  In mid-stride, I felt a sudden stabbing pain in my lower right hamstring.  No pop or tearing sound but I knew immediately that it was serious.  Fortunately I didn't try to continue.  I stopped immediately and remained on my feet.  After walking a few steps, I made a half hearted attempt to slow jog but could not.  Too painful and I knew from the first step.

Is it Grade 1 or 2?   Probably 2.  The day after the injury is usually as bad as it gets.  I am able to walk without much discomfort and it's actually worse when I am seated in certain positions but even 1 step of slow jogging is just too painful.  7 days out from race day, I'm afraid it's out of the question.  Best case scenario is 2-3 weeks recovery time but more likely 4-6 with 6-8 being the worst case 

I'm not terribly upset about the missed race.  Even if it's a good day, the best that I can hope for is a time in the mid-high 27s or just under 9:00 pace.  I never should have signed up being this unstable.  I got excited after 1 relatively good week with much progress.  I will still go to California but I may have to take it easy in the surf.  A wipeout could aggravate it.  Ugh!  Probably should have opted for Washington State.  Hopefully, I will see some improvement over the next 4 days.  

What upsets me the most is that if my pills were stable, this probably never happens.  Since the "miracle" with the Malic Acid that may well have solved the autoimmune reactions, it's been one thing after another.  First, the need for stimulants then flip flop flip then intolerance to Malic Acid then overstimulation from CoQ10 then the extreme Vitamin C need and intolerance to ADHS.  Now this!  Will it ever end?  Probably not.  I CAN NEVER BE HAPPY UNLESS THIS IS AT LEAST UNDER CONTROL!   MY 3 DEMANDS ARE HARDLY UNREASONABLE!!

Training 8/4-8/10

 8/4- Repeated the 2 mile distance this time on Lakeshore.  Improved to 21:11 (10:35 pace).  MINUS 48 compared to yesterday.  Solid improvement but as I predicted, not an instant rebound.  Only 67 degrees this morning.  Summer is not over yet but it's nice to get a break.  Added a half mile cool.

Took just 1 CoQ10 and felt noticeably worse immediately.  Sure hope it's not an autoimmune reaction.  Probably just too much of a stimulant.  I have been good about avoiding energy drinks but still drink an occasional Coke.  I've noticed that I lose something after that as well.

Distance-2.5

8/5- Back to the new normal.  Lakeshore 2.5 in 22:55 (9:10 pace) with a sub-9 on the back half.  Splits were 11:46-11:09 so that's a pretty solid finish.  ADHS plus methylation support is a winning formula and I will not try to mess with it.

PM- Took a pot shot at the sub-8 Mile.  Got off to a fast start but it didn't feel right.  Pace fell off after 200 meters but held it near 8:00 pace for the next 400.  Punted at 800 still under 4:00 but fading and slow jogged the last 2 laps.  

You might think that I was just too tired from the morning but I can tell the difference between natural fatigue and pill issues.  This is clearly the latter.  It seems like I took too much ADHS.  I predicted that my need would diminish without CoQ10 but I SHOULDN'T REACT BADLY TO A MODULATOR!  Too much of a suppressant can hurt but a modulator?  Should not!

Distance-3.5

8/6- AM- Needed an extra hour of sleep because of crazy dreams.  Dreamed that I hung out with a guy from my childhood that I  haven't even thought about in several years. We didn't like each other growing up and didn't like each other in the dream either.  LOL.  

Did have time for Sprint tests.  Did a 41/32 plus a warm and cool.  The final sprint felt good.  I am still too dependent on ADHS but the dosage will be reduced and I may no longer need the afternoon dose 

PM- Hoped to run 3.5 from the Shak.  Called it quits after 1 Mile in 10:03.  Cut the ADHS from 9 pills to 6 but it was still too much.  Concern, panic or doom?  Concern but on the edge of panic.  It's not a surprise that cutting CoQ10 affected the adrenal balance.  I plan to cut it down to 4 tomorrow and I had better see significant improvement.

Distance-1.5

8/7-AM- 2 miles in 17:56 (8:58 pace) plus a cool.  Splits were 9:10-8:46 with most of disparity coming in the last quarter mile.  Still concerned but no panic.  I still need the pills but there is a magic number, which is clearly going down.  Am I headed towards complete intolerance?  If so, I got big trouble.  Took only 3 pills this morning and will take 1 in the afternoon.

PM- Noticeably weaker after the afternoon dose (just 1 pill).  After a half lap warm, I ran another half lap at base effort and clocked an 83 (8:18 pace).  Over a full mile, I estimate that I was good for a low-mid 9.  Better than yesterday afternoon but clearly a step backwards from this morning.  

New theory:  The Zinc/Copper ratio in ADHS is only 10:1, which is too low.  At a low dose, it probably doesn't matter, but on 8 pills, it sure does.  Popped a Zinc pill and walked back to the start line for the half.  Time improved to 74 (7:24 pace).  If the problem with ADHS is a Zinc/Copper imbalance rather than adrenal suppression, that makes me feel a LOT BETTER!

Distance-3.0

8/8- Took 1 Liver pill last night and it wrecked me.  Not a big surprise and it was a risk that I was willing to take to confirm the Zinc/Copper issue.  This ratio is often problematic with Autism and I don't believe it is an autoimmune reaction.

I was worthless this morning.  I would have been better off without ANY ADHS pills but just 2 of those made it much worse.  Just slow jogged 1 Mile untimed.  Even Zinc was not enough to counteract the Copper in the Liver pills but Vitamin C was effective.  That's what I'm going with until San Diego.  Lots of new experiments to come afterwards.

PM- Turned away at the DMV in an attempt to get a STAR ID.  AARGH!  Fortunately my passport should still work.  I never reported it lost to the government.  2 sprint with and without Vitamin C.  57 without and a 40 with.  Gap of 17.  If I simply need to add Vitamin C to my cocktail, I can live with that as long as it doesn't become a magic number.

Distance-1.5

8/9- DISASTER.  Took some Vitamin C and felt like it triggered the need for ADHS again, which is actually what I wanted to see.  Took 3 ADHS- pills and quit after just a half mile in 5:38 plus a warm.  Got home and took more Vitamin C.  Tried to sprint and I was moving fast.  It felt good for a few seconds then my hamstring gave way.  Likely out for San Diego.

Distance-1.0

8/10- Unplanned rest day.  Too soon to say how long I will be out.

13 miles on the week 

Place To Live in Each State

 A You Tuber did this video so I thought I'd give it a try myself.  This is where I would LIVE, not necessarily my favorite place to visit.  For example, I have enjoyed my visits to NYC but you couldn't pay me enough to live there.

Northeast:

Maine- Portland

New Hampshire- Manchester 

Vermont- Probably the northern part to be close to Montreal.

Massachusetts- Cape Cod

Rhode Island-Newport

Connecticut- New Haven

New York- Albany 

Pennsylvania- Pittsburgh 

New Jersey- Long Beach Island 

Delaware- Wilmington 

Maryland- Salisbury 

South:

West Virginia- Charleston 

Virginia- Richmond 

Kentucky- Louisville 

Tennessee- Chattanooga 

North Carolina- Wilmington 

South Carolina- Greenville

Georgia- Savannah 

Florida- Jacksonville 

Alabama- Birmingham 

Mississippi- Tupelo 

Louisiana- Alexandria 

Arkansas- Little Rock 

Texas- Torn between San Antonio and Fort Worth 

Oklahoma- Oklahoma City 

Midwest and Heartland:

Some of these are tough because I haven't thoroughly explored a few of these states and it's based partly on reputation 

Ohio- Cincinnati 

Indiana- Indianapolis 

Illinois- Chicago suburbs 

Michigan- Grand Rapids 

Missouri- St. Louis

Kansas- Initially I thought Topeka but I might go with the Kansas side of KC.

Iowa- Des Moines.  Never actually been there but this is probably the state that I have explored the least

Wisconsin- Milwaukee 

Minnesota- Minneapolis 

North Dakota- Bismarck 

South Dakota- Rapid City 

Nebraska- Omaha 

Mountain West:

Montana- Missoula

Idaho- Boise

Wyoming- Cheyenne 

Colorado- Colorado Springs 

Utah- Salt Lake City 

Arizona- Sedona might be too congested.  Leaning towards Tucson.

New Mexico- I initially said Santa Fe but I now lean towards Las Cruces.

Nevada- Carson City

West Coast:

Alaska- Anchorage 

Washington- Yakima

Oregon- Medford 

California- Orange County 

Hawaii- Kona

Washington and Oregon are tricky.  I'd want to be far enough inland to get away from the rain in the winter but close enough to enjoy the coast in the summer.

Training 7/28-8/3

 7/28- Sprint tests.  Did the opener in 55.  Very pleased with that.  Last week, it took 3 pills to hit that time.  After 4 pills, I was all the way down to 43.  The gap has not closed at all.  Not so pleased about that but it does suggest room for much improvement.

Real workout was 2.5 in tough humidity.  Finished in 23:21 (9:20 pace).  That's a pretty significant improvement over last time (25:09) but the rate of improvement is slowing.  That's okay.  I knew it was unsustainable.  As it is, I skipped the 24s and came closer to breaking into the 22s.  Splits were 11:44-11:37.  No real ill-effects from the 6 miler and no sign of autoimmune reactions.

Distance-3.0

7/29- Vestavia Mile in 8:04.  Improvement over last time but hoped for better.  Heart wasn't into it this morning and it was probably the most uncomfortable weather yet this summer.  Already pushing 80 degrees at sunrise with nearly 100 percent humidity.  Still, cutting off 20 seconds in 4 days is nothing to sneeze at.  If I was fully fresh, I am pretty sure that I come in under 8.  Well paced again.  Splits were 2:00-2:04-2:04-1:56.  20 seconds down, 34 to go.  Might be out this evening for a light workout.  It will be very hot but less humid.  I get a rest either tomorrow or Thursday.

PM- 1.5 miles at Crest line (Dexter loop) in 13:21 (8:54 pace).  It was a fast finish easy run.  Passed 1 Mile at 9:10, 1.25 at 11:26 then closed with a 1:55 last quarter mile.  I was moving well in the last 200 and believe my split was between 50-55.

I found it to be more comfortable at 6 PM than it was at 6 AM despite the higher temp.  You wouldn't think that 77 degrees in the morning feels much different than 72 but with nearly 100 percent humidity, yes it does!  I will take the morning off tomorrow but plan to be out in evening, weather permitting.

Distance-3.0

7/30- Trak Shak 3 mile loop in 29:36 (9:52 pace).  Not a collapse but definitely a downer.  Felt decent early and passed halfway in 13:55 but died on the back half (15:41).  There was a brief shower then the sun came out so that's a double whammy.  Over 80 degrees plus high humidity.  The weather certainly didn't help but I think I need to raise my dose.  Not pleased about that and I hate being so dependent on one pill.

Distance -3.0

7/31- Planned rest day.  Felt noticeably better last evening after just 1 additional ADHS pill.  Dosage must be raised.  Neither Zinc nor Liver does much.

Observations: 3 pills in the morning was clearly not enough.  I didn't need to run to know that.  I don't take methylation support every night because it's not necessary but it didn't really move the needle after I did take it.  Perhaps I am just tired because I am not used to consistent training.  Hope to be fresh tomorrow.

8/1- Good news in the Sprint tests.  Opener is down to 48 and the closer was 38.  Both improved since Monday but the floor is rising faster than the ceiling, which is what I want to see.  Gap is still too large but it was reduced from 12 to 10.

Expected a little better in the real workout but I'll take it.  2 miles in 18:18 (9:09 pace) plus a cool.  This time, I started slow but finished strong (9:24-8:54) despite continued warm and humid conditions.  Relief will come next week but rain will be a threat. Can I handle the BTC workout tomorrow? 

Distance-3.0

8/2- Did attempt the BTC and it did not go well.  Not a collapse but certainly a downer and disappointment.  Finished 5 miles in 52:58 (10:36 pace).  Struggled on the early hills but found a groove in Mile 2 then hit the wall at the halfway point and the rest of the run was approaching 12 minute pace.  Suspected culprit is CoQ10, which may be a mild stimulant.

PM- Forced myself to jog another mile so that's 1 less that I have to do tomorrow.  Culprit is definitely CoQ10 and odds are that it's just too stimulating.  Perhaps my need for ADHS will diminish when it clears.  The only good thing about autoimmune disease is that if you take a bad pill, you know IMMEDIATELY.  Nowadays, it takes several days and several doses for the ill-effects to kick in.  I can probably tolerate occasional use but it's best that I pitch the bottle.

Distance-6.0

8/3- 2 miles at Veterans Park in 22:46 (11:23 pace).  OUCH!  Expected to struggle but not like this.  I took 3 CoQ10 yesterday and it will just take time to clear.  Unfortunately, it probably won't be a quick bounce back but a slow climb.  3 loops around the lake as usual but in the reverse direction with a different starting point.  This route was probably a little easier.

Distance-2.0

Up and down week but I did hit 20 miles for only the 2nd time all year.

Training 7/21-7/27

 7/21- Unplanned rest day.  I am completely intolerant to Magnesium Malate and didn't even try to go today.  Why was it helpful just a few days ago?  Maybe if I gradually re-introduced it, things would be different.  Good news is that Magnesium is not the problem.  Only the Malate is and that problem stems from excessive Malic Acid scoops, which was necessary to detox Aluminum.  Glycinate is well tolerated and that's what I will take.  If I collapse one more time, I am out for San Diego.

7/22- AM- Curious finding.  Extra ADHS didn't really move the needle much today.  Sprint time improved from 61 to 59 on 6 ADHS instead of 3.  Not a significant gain.  The real workout was as ugly as expected.  1 Mile on New Lakeshore in 12:19.  Splits were 6:14-6:05.  I expect to be better tomorrow and the overstimulation will really kick in when the Malate clears 

PM- Repeated the 1 Mile distance this time at Montreat.  MUCH less ugly.  Time is down to 10:30 with a strong negative split (5:24-5:06).  I will go with this formula until it stops working.

Distance-2.5

7/23- 2 miles in 20:48 (10:24 pace).  I'll take it.  Only marginally faster pace than yesterday afternoon but I did double the distance.  Slight negative split (10:28-10:20) in soupy conditions.  Heat should begin to die down in about 3-4 weeks.  Very overstimulated and again, not much difference on mega ADHS.

Distance-2.0

7/24- Sprint tests.  Roughly 0.1 miles.

Opener-64

3 ADHS- 55

6 ADHS- 52

No big surprise.  Opener was pathetic.  I expected a larger gain on the 3 pills but that's still BIG.  A smaller gain from 3 to 6 but still more than 5 percent.  At the end of the month, I will reduce the dosage to 3.  If I took any more than 6, the effects are probably negligible.  

Real workout was 2.5 on Lakeshore in 25:09 (10:04 pace).  Hoped for a little better but a gain is a gain and it beats the alternative.  Splits were 12:38-12:31. It's probably a good sign that I am improving gradually because it shows more stability.  Increased the distance by 25 percent and my pace was 20 seconds faster.  I'll take that any day.

Distance-3.0

7/25- Cut the ADHS down to 5 and it didn't hurt me.  Vestavia Mile in 8:24 plus a warm and cool.  Splits were 2:05-2:09-2:10-2:00.  May have left a few seconds out there but still very pleased.  I bet that I would have been 30 seconds faster per mile than yesterday if I ran 2.5.  I am within 54 seconds of the reset PR and I will try to break it next week. Still too soon to get my hopes up but I am leaning towards doing the 5K in San Diego.

An improvement from 10:30 to 8:24 in just 3 days is YUGE!  Obviously, the rate of improvement is unsustainable but I might not be horrible in San Diego if this continues.

Distance-1.5

7/26- 6 miles in 59:36 (9:56 pace).  Extension-New Lakeshore-South Lakeshore with 2 Gatorade stops.  Passed 1.5 in 14:30 and 3 miles in 29-flat.  I knew the back half would be ugly and it was.  I passed 4.75 in 46:33 and trudged home in 13:03, which is still under 10:30 pace.  This projects to a 10K in about 62-flat and a quarter marathon in the low 65s.  The 5K is definitely the right call even if my fitness improves over the next 3 weeks.  Very pleased overall.

PM- I have noticed a pattern the last few days.  I feel half decent through mid-afternoon then the energy drops off considerably in the evening.  I needed a test despite tired legs.  

Did 1 lap at Montreat at standard effort in 3:09 (9:27 pace).  Popped 2 pills and took about 2 minutes to recover.  Did the next lap in 2:49 (8:27 pace).  Fully 60 seconds faster on the same effort.  I'll probably keep the dose the same but it must be taken in divided doses.  A mega dose in the morning isn't much better than a low dose and it wears off just as quickly.  Added a very slow cool down lap.

Distance-7.0

7/26- Easy 2 miles at Veterans Park.  3 laps around the lake.  Felt surprisingly well after yesterday but it could hit tomorrow.  Finished in 19:32 (9:46 pace) with a slight negative split (9:52-9:40).  Little more than a recovery jog effort.

Distance-2.0

18 miles on the week.  Signed up for the 5K in San Diego.

Training 7/14-7/20

 7/14-AM- Opener in 1:41 (10:06 pace).  A little slower than expected but no panic.  On the full dose, I felt somewhat better and knew it was under 90 but I was surprised to see a 78 (7:48 pace) at the finish.  That's a 2:18 gap, which is much too big.

PM- Unsure of myself after caffeine withdrawal, which wasn't bad because I weaned off.  Intended for it to be an easy day but did a little better than expected.  1.5 miles in 14:24 (9:36 pace) with even splits (7:10-7:14) despite backing off a tad on the back half.  Also, the Liver appears to be tolerated but I am not messing with it unless it's needed.  Last week's culprit was Malic Acid.  I can only hope that the autoimmune reactions are gone forever.

Distance-2.0

7/15- 3 miles on Lakeshore plus extension in 28-flat (9:20 pace).  I'll take it.  Only downer was that I struggled on the back half.  Then again, it was more humid than usual this morning.  Splits were 13:52-14:08.  Legs had decent pop all the way but I still feel quite overstimulated.  

Distance-3.0

Shipment of ADHS is delayed so I will have to use Thym Adren for the next 3 days.  Which will be more effective?  Probably Thym Adren.  I'll have to keep the dose low to prevent a flip flop.

7/16-AM.  Switched from 6 ADHS to just 3 Thym Adren.  Collapsed but that probably wasn't the reason.  I passed the 1/4 mile in a time over 3 minutes so I just walked back.  Most likely, it's an adrenal spike, which can happen 3-4 days after quitting caffeine.  It should pass quickly.

PM- Much better.  Did 3/4 mile at Montreat in 7:14 (9:39 pace).  Should be ready to train again tomorrow.  That's right at 30 pace for 5K.

Distance-1.0

7/17- Good news and bad.  The good news is that my opener was down to 85, which was much better.  Bad news is that the Thym Adren wasn't very effective.  I did improve to 75 on the closer but had NOTHING in the real workout.  Perhaps, the negative didn't kick in right away.  At any rate, I passed half mile in 5:30 then walk jogged back.  Extra pills made it worse.  

Distance-1.5

Good news is that the ADHS arrived and that's what I'll be taking going forward.  At least that question was answered.

7/18- Labored through 1.5 miles in 16:27 (10:58 pace) with even splits. Marginally better than yesterday.  Back to feeling overstimulated and back on ADHS.  I suspect that Magnesium is also a necessity and will test that out when I get home.

PM- Magnesium is indeed a necessity.  Less than a month ago, I could not tolerate it.  Now, I can't get along without it.  What else is new?  Opened with a 90.  Popped just ONE Mag pill and slow jogged another half lap.  My closer was down to 80.  MINUS 60 per mile.  Significant gain.  The full dose would have been a game changer.  

Distance-2.0

Magnesium plus ADHS with methylation support?  That's a cocktail that is manageable.  The latter is not required every day.  I am HOPING that the same will be true eventually with the first 2.  As it is, this is extreme dependence and my energy is still inadequate.  I fail 2 out of the 3 demands.

7/19- Lakeshore 2.5 in 26:14 (10:30 pace).  Improvement over yesterday and it was enough to be considered significant but I was hoping for better.  Even pace (13:05-13:09) but no power and still quite overstimulated.  Perhaps taking the Mag in the morning will make a difference.

Distance-2.5

Sustained improvement must start now or I am out for San Diego.

7/20- Magnesium in the morning was NOT the answer.  Bailed after just 1.5 miles @ 11:15 pace and fading.  Extra Mag when I got home made it worse.  The form of Magnesium that I take is Malate, which is bound to Malic Acid.  Perhaps that's the problem.  Either I switch to Glycinate or I need the Malate but at a lowered dose.

PM- Sprint improved from 55 to 50 after taking Glycinate so that's a viable option.  I will go back to low dose Malate tonight but if it doesn't work, it's Glycinate.  This MUST be resolved next week.

Distance-2.0

14 on the week 

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

7/12- 2 miles in 21:46 (10:53 pace).  Ugly showing but it was an improvement over yesterday.  Splits were 11:00-10:46.  Increased the distance by 33 percent and improved the pace by 41 seconds.  Totally different from yesterday.  Felt extremely overstimulated but I will resist the urge to seek quicker gains from Thym Adren.  No more flip flops!

Distance-2.0

7/13- 4 miles at South Lakeshore in 39:53 (9:58 pace).  Much better than yesterday in terms of both pace and the way I felt but still significantly overstimulated.  Splits were 10:13-9:47-9:49-10:04.  Legs started feeling heavy at the end of Mile 3 but I had enough in the tank to hold it together and found some life in the homestretch.  Caffeine withdrawal may hit this afternoon.

Distance-4.0

13 miles on the week.  There is no way that I can do the half in San Diego but I still might make the trip for the 5K.  At any rate, the long run must be extended.  I'll shoot for 6.5 next week.

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.