Training 4/28-5/4

 4/28- Planned rest day.  Melatonin is officially BAD.  Bad reaction after not taking it for almost a week.   Probably it's just too much detox when combined with the more effective Malic Acid.  Still, it makes me very ANGRY.  This stuff looked like a miracle back in November but it goes down as yet another false hope.  

4/29- Interval tests.  3x half lap at Montreat.

Opened with a poor 1:47.  Got significantly worse on Malic Acid (1:54) but no "worser" on Vitamin C.  Fractionally better at 1:53.  I'll just wait until the Melatonin clears.

Distance-0.5

4/30-AM.  Better with or without?  93 without Malic Acid and 85 with it plus a cool.  Enough to be considered significant but not enough to be night and day.  Yesterday, I was worse on Malic Acid.  Today, I was better.  How will I react tomorrow?  Your guess is as good as mine.  I expect to struggle mightily if I attempt a real workout this evening.

PM- 1.5 miles on Lakeshore in 17:32 (11:41 pace).  Done without Malic Acid.  Probably sub-11 with it but not by much.  Clearly better WITH.  Splits were 8:55-8:37.  That suggests that better days are ahead.

Distance-2.0

5/1-AM.  Repeated the 1.5 mile distance again on Lakeshore.  Improved to 16:12 (10:48 pace).  I took Malic Acid yesterday evening but not this morning.  Pleased with the improvement.  Another strong negative split (8:17-7:55).  Could this be the start of real sustained improvement?

PM- Lap at Montreat in 2:59 (8:57 pace).  Scoop of Malic Acid plus Vitamin C in 2:46 (8:18 pace) plus a 1 lap cool.  About what I expected.  A significant difference but not enough to be considered night and day.  39 seconds per mile is not a huge gap and that could close further.

Distance-2.5

5/2- 2.5 miles on Lakeshore in 25:10 (10:04 pace) with splits of 12:42-12:28.  Very pleased.  This pace would bring me home in a low-31 for 5K so I have a long way to go but I've shown steady improvement all week.  Added a warm and cool 

Distance-3.0

5/3- 3 miles at Heardmont in 28:15 (9:25 pace). Projects to a 29:26 for 5K so I'm comfortably under 30 with a level course.  Continued steady improvement but the rate of improvement is starting to slow.  The only downer was a positive split (13:59-14:16) and I didn't have much left at the end.  Last lap was 2:13.  Still pleased overall.

Got home and did a Thym Adren test.  94 without and was actually slightly worse with at 97.  Thym Adren will be cut to 1 pill next week.

Distance-3.5

5/4- Tests.  Opener in 77.  Malic Acid plus C and 1 Thym Adren in 69.  Zinc- in 70.  Did not run on extra Thym Adren but expected to be a few ticks slower.  Probably 73-74.  That's it for today.  Need a rest to clear my head as well.

Distance-0.5

Reaction:  MUCH better than where I was 4 days ago with the 93-85 splits.  The gap has remained around 45 seconds per mile give or take a few ticks.  Not sure what to make of that.  I'm not real pleased with how I feel overall.  I'm still quite stiff and sore.  Maybe I'm just not used to doing 3 miles regularly.

Nevertheless, I plan to stick with what I am doing as long as my times continue to improve.  No radical changes.  Cutting the Thym Adren down to 1 is probably the right call but I'm not trying anything new until further notice.

12 miles on the week.

25 Arizona Road Trip Report

  

4/24-

Direct flight from Birmingham to Phoenix.  Because of this, I was willing to chance it and risk missing the baseball game because of a flight delay.  I had almost 3 hours between the scheduled landing and the start of the game.  The flight went off as scheduled but traffic was a little rough on the way.  Still, I had about an hour to spare.  

I wanted to see an evening game because I figured that the roof would be open.  It was.  The stadium was about average.  A good venue but not one that will leave a lasting impression.  It was a pretty good game even though the D'Backs lost in extra innings.  Ballpark number 19 is in the books but it's been a while since I've seen a win for the home team.  I got a drink on the way back, where I met a nice younger couple.  

4/25-

Up with the sun and on the road heading north to the Grand Canyon.  It was almost 4 hours from Phoenix.  Last time I was here, weather was bad.  Not so this time.  Every day was mostly sunny or crystal clear.  It was about 90F the first day in Phoenix, about 70 at the Grand Canyon and 75 in Sedona.  When I was back in Phoenix at the end of the trip, the temp had dropped to the low 80s.  

I stuck with the Rim trail and stayed for about 4 hours.  Words cannot do it justice and neither do the pictures but I'll give it a try.

From here, it was slightly more than 2 hours to Page and Lake Powell.  I hoped to arrive before sunset, which I did.  I kinda wish I had gone to Horseshoe Bend because the sunset view is better than the sunrise.  I was tired and didn't want to get back in my car so I opted for a short hike at sunset.

4/26-

Sunrise trip to Horseshoe Bend and a couple of photo ops at Lake Powell.  I did briefly cross into Utah but only met the lenient standard.  From there, the destination was Sedona with a lunch stop in Flagstaff.  

The first hike was Devil's Bridge, which had several challenging staircases.  On the way back, I took a wrong turn, which added about a mile and a half to the hike.  Fortunately, I had plenty of daylight.  With such beautiful scenery, I didn't mind it too much.  Dinner was a steak and I met a nice older couple from Pittsburgh.  

  

  

4/27-

I feared parking issues on a weekend this time of year.  First stop was Slide Rock Park.  In the summer, people get in the water but today wasn't warm enough.  It was still worth it for the scenery.  It was only about 9 AM when I got back to Sedona for the trails but parking lots were already full.  I got lucky and sneaked into a spot just after another car left.  Bell loop would have been a nice place to run but I elected not to do so.  

  

My preference for a 2nd hike would have been Cathedral Rock but it required a shuttle with a long wait.  I opted for a short hike at nearby Red Rock State Park.  It was about 2 hours back to Phoenix.  I decided to check out a wave pool called Revel Surf Park.  I could have rented a boogie board but with a price of $75, I passed and simply got a beach pass.  Perhaps George Strait was right.  There really is oceanfront property in Arizona.  LOL.  

4/28- 

Just enough time to hit South Mountain Park for a short hike just after sunrise.  It offered distant views of the Phoenix skyline with cacti and palm trees.  The return flight back to Bham also went off without a hitch.  

Training 4/21-4/27

 4/21- Interesting observations last night.  I normally take my Methylation and Melatonin together.  Last night, I took them separately.  I was noticeably worse after the Melatonin then "worser" after the Malic Acid.  Not much better today.  

Half mile at Montreat in 5:37 (11:14 pace) with fairly even splits (1:50-1:55-1:52).  Thym Adren dose may need to be cut but that doesn't explain being THIS bad.  Clearly it's detox.  I'm planning to stick with the Malic Acid and cut out the Melatonin.  It's probably redundant anyway as both are detox agents and Malic Acid is more effective.  NOT pleased that Melatonin turned out to be ANOTHER FALSE HOPE after it showed early promise.

Distance-0.5

4/22- No Melatonin last night and cut the Thym Adren down to 2.  Opened with a 92 and it felt sustainable.  Malic Acid- Managed a 93 but felt somewhat weaker.  Still a lot better than yesterday.  Drank a Red Bull and went to the toilet.  Improved modestly to an 85.  Significantly better but not night and day.  I'm sticking with this.  By the end of the week, I will probably see immediate gains from the Malic Acid.

PM- Montreat Mile in 9:38.  Pattern was similar to last week but my time was faster by 26.  I was probably headed for over 10:00 without Malic Acid.  Took a scoop after Lap 2 and found another gear.  Splits were 3:13-3:25-3:00.  I expect to feel better after a trip to the toilet. I expect to feel half decent over the weekend but another less intense detox reaction will hit early next week.  

Distance-1.5

4/23- AM- Vestavia Mile plus a cool with Malic Acid.  Would have been well over 10 without it.  With it, I was less horrible at 8:40.  Even pace but I don't remember the exact splits.

PM- Began feeling rotten again in the afternoon.  More interval testing.  Opener in 91 (9:06 pace) and it was not sustainable.  Closer in 64 (6:24 pace).  MINUS 2:42.  The closer may have been even faster without Vitamin C.  Clearly I am in a season of extreme need for Malic Acid.  I am still predicting another detox reaction next week.  

Distance-2.0

4/24-  CRAP!   2 miles on Lakeshore in 19:56 (9:58 pace) with splits of 9:13-10:43.  Feels like another detox reaction, which happened much faster than expected.

Distance-2.0

Did not run at all in Arizona though I had access to a nice trail in Sedona.

6 miles

Autism What ifs

 I want to start by addressing another argument that I heard on social media:  Autism must be purely genetic because my son wasn't vaxxed yet he has Level 2 Autism.

My response:  Lung cancer does occur in non-smokers.  That doesn't mean that smoking has nothing to do with it.  I never said that vackseens are the sole reason for the increase.  In fact, I've been clear that multiple factors are in play.  However, I do believe vackseens increase the risk.  Too many mothers have said that they decided not to vacksinate after their first born had an adverse reaction.  Many of them report that their unvaxxed children are perfectly healthy.

Some people were offended by RFK'S remark about how autistic people will never date or hold a job.  It's obvious that he was referring to Level 3 cases who are non-verbal and require nearly constant supervision.  There's a night and day difference between Level 1 and Level 3 but I am proof that high functioning Autism is certainly no picnic either.  Another person said to love them as they are and don't seek a cure.  I'm all for the former but not seeking a cure or at least improvement in their function?  What the _________!

It's pretty obvious to me that if I was never sick or I was cured at a younger age, my life would have turned out very differently.  Let's consider some possibilities:

If I was growing up today and presented the same traits that I did in elementary school, everyone would have known.  It was that obvious.  Teachers would have been more apt to punish bullies for targeting an autistic kid.  However, I could see myself playing the victim card.  I may have settled for average academic performance when I was clearly capable of better.  

By the time I got to high school, it was less obvious, but nobody would have been terribly surprised if I revealed the diagnosis.  I've imagined being asked to try a new and highly effective treatment in 9th grade.  What would have happened?

After much deliberation, I ultimately decide to try it even if it is risky.  I endure a couple of rough months while detoxing over the summer but come back better than ever in 10th grade.  I'd imagine that some people might be uneasy with the changes in me.   I could strain a few friendships but overall I have a much better social life.  A conservative estimate is that I can run 5-7 percent faster across the board and score 100 points higher on my SAT.  I could envision becoming a little bit arrogant but not nearly as bad as I've seen from other elite runners.  There is no subtle rejection from my teammates and very little disrespect from classmates.  I probably choose a different school for undergrad with a different major.  Where does life take me from that point?  Impossible to say, so I won't bother to speculate.

How I thought it would play out was being able to wean off the thyroid and adrenal supplements in 2003.  I have a much better experience at Clemson and get a good job in the private sector.  Most likely, I stay in South Carolina but would be open to relocating within the South.   I'm sure that I would still run and travel but not to the extent that I did in this timeline.  Maybe I hit 25 half marathons states with a PR just north of 1:35.  Would I be happy in that life?  Much of that would depend on what happens outside of work.  Would I make a good choice with my life partner?  I am not sure.  I don't think I would have been a full fledged cuck but definitely a simp.  I could envision myself walking on eggshells to avoid the wrath of my wife while tolerating verbal abuse myself.  A child with severe Autism knowing that it was my genes that caused it?  Words could not express my heartbreak.  I read today that autistic children put a tremendous strain on marriages and 80 percent end in divorce. Very sad but I believe it.  

Even when I was running well in the early 2010s, I had to take an exact cocktail of pills to make it work.  Still, for several years, it appeared that I would be able to get and stay in balance without pills.  For a few glorious months, I seemingly had it.  In this timeline, I am content with my current job here in Birmingham.  That's the outcome that I would have chosen.  Again, the only way that I am not happy is if I marry the wrong woman and have a handicapped child.  

By 2015, it was clear that my treatment had to go in a different direction.  I felt lied to about my healing and used to spread false hopes.  Suppose that I endure a rough year or two then bounce back most of the way?  I'd still be hurt but eventually I'd be okay spiritually and emotionally.  Even if my current plan succeeds, which is no guarantee, I had to wait another decade while getting worse all the time.  It wouldn't be so bad if I was at least holding up or not regressing so quickly.  The only positive is that I was not coerced into getting the COVID jab.  It took something like COVID to get people to wake up.  

The only way that my faith is restored?  People listen to what I say about healing and I successfully lead many others to better health.  There's a woman out there that I would have overlooked or would not have been a good fit if we met a decade ago.  I don't want a pity party over my situation but I do expect others to acknowledge that I face unique challenges that they don't understand.  Do NOT judge me for being single!

Training 4/14-4/20

 4/14- AM.  Not pleased.  Took 4 Thym Adren and actually took a step backward.  Passed half mile in 3:55 and quit.  I wanted to save some strength for an interval test.  Figure that I was headed for 8:00 if not worse based on how I felt.  

In what I suppose is good news, I was only slightly worse on 1 additional pill.  88 vs 92.  3 is currently the magic number but I am trending down.  It might very well be 2 by the end of the week.  Most likely, that's it for today.

PM- Did attempt to run this evening and was beyond AWFUL.  I was MUCH WORSE AFTER taking the Malic Acid.  Perhaps that does make sense.  If my theory is correct, the more Aluminum that I eliminate, the less I need the adrenal suppressants.  I took 5 pills today.  Down to 3 tomorrow, which still might be too much.  I am clearly trending down.

Distance-2.0

4/15- More anti-scientific interval tests.  Splits were 93-92-99 with Malic Acid then Thym Adren.  About as expected.  Not good by any stretch on the opener but still better than yesterday evening.  Fractionally better on Malic Acid, so it did essentially nothing YET.  On 3 Thym Adren, I was significantly worse but it wasn't a collapse (PLUS 42).

What is interesting was what happened after I went to the toilet.  Though I didn't run, I was noticeably MUCH WORSE.  Again, if my theory that Aluminum was responsible for the adrenal dysfunction is correct, that might make perfect sense.  The Malic Acid doesn't immediately eliminate the Aluminum but when it does (through urine and feces), less adrenal suppressants are needed and I end up sluggish if I take too many.  I might be better by the evening but won't be up for anything hard.  Down to 2 pills tomorrow.

Distance-0.5

4/16- Similar to yesterday.  One difference was that today, Thym Adren did nothing.  My split time with it was exactly the same as without it.  Took a 3rd pill and again saw no noticeable changes.

Two trips to the toilet at 8:30 and 9:30.  Significantly WORSE after each one.  Perhaps it's not Thym Adren that is the problem.  I may have uncovered another layer of Aluminum and need to slow down with the detox.  Not sure what to do going forward but I am leaning towards taking the Malic Acid at night only.

PM- BETTER after several trips to the toilet then worse again after more Malic Acid.  Clearly detox.  Maybe I can reduce the Thym Adren from 3 pills to 2 but I can't quit yet.  I plan to roll with the detox.

4/17-1 Mile at Montreat in 10:04 but that doesn't tell the whole story.  My first 2 laps were 3:23-3:37 but after a scoop of Malic Acid, I was immediately BETTER.  Last lap was a less horrible 3:04.  Nearly certain that it's detox, not adrenal issues.

Distance-1.0

4/18- AM- Opened with a pathetic 1:56 on 1 Thym Adren and was only slightly better on 3 (1:52).  This was done without Malic Acid.  Didn't run after the scoop but was noticeably better.  What will happen after I hit the toilet?

PM- Not a significant difference after the toilet.  I can confirm that what happened earlier this week was DETOX, NOT ADRENAL ISSUES.  Repeated the Montreat Mile and improved to 9:11.  Decent pacing (2:58-3:07-3:06).  53 seconds better than yesterday.  Today, I did NOT take a scoop after lap 2.  I would have been under 9 if I had done so.  I predict several more days of improvement followed by another detox reaction after I get down to the 7:30 range.  BUT it will be less intense.

Distance-1.5

4/19- 3 miles on North Lakeshore.  Wasn't expecting anything great but hoped for a sub-30.  Settled for a finish in 32:17 (10:46 pace).  Splits were 15:48-16:29.  I wouldn't call it a collapse but it was a step backward from yesterday.  I took extra Methyl Folate last night and that was the culprit.  No big deal.  Should be better tomorrow.  

Distance-3.0

4/20- Heardmont.  2 miles in 18:54 (9:27 pace).  Splits were 9:09-9:45.  Better than yesterday but still not pleased that I faded so badly.  Added a half mile cool.  May cut the Thym Adren dose down to 2.

Distance-2.5

-11 miles on the week

RANT: Measles Hysteria and Vackseen Misinformation

 The media has been harping on the so-called "deadly measles outbreak.". Out of more than 800 confirmed cases, and I'm sure many others were unreported, it has claimed a grand total of TWO lives!   At least one of those 2 was later determined to be a due to a medical error.  The measles rash was already fading when he passed away.  In other words, it's probably less deadly than influenza, so why the fear mongering?  Clearly, it is to sell more vackseens and boosters.

Some of the comments from the pro-vax crowd are beyond outrageous.  Some actually mean well but are brain washed.  They say that it's totally preventable if everyone would just get the jab and dismiss the possibility that the vackseen could be dangerous for people with impaired detoxification pathways.  Many others are insulting to those who disagree with them and even wish harm on Anti-Vaxers.

As we learned from COVID, breakthrough cases can occur and it's been suggested that protection waned in a few years, so it's boosters every few years for the rest of your life to prevent what is almost always, a 3-5 day illness that is treatable?

I've done over 1000 tests to gauge my reactions to certain pills in hopes of finding the source of my autoimmune reactions.  Yet, somehow I am anti-science because I question the safety or efficacy of the ingredients in a vackseen.  GTFO!  I'd wager that most of the pro-vax crowd doesn't even know the ingredients.  They just blindly trust the medical establishment.  Brush up on the Scientific Method and hypothesis testing, which I learned in 6th grade.  

Argument: Vackseens must be safe because I've never had a problem with them, nor has anyone I know 

My answer:  Individual results will vary.  For one person, a new drug is a miracle.  Life changing benefits with minimal side effects.  Another person with the same disease will try the drug and get scary side effects and no relief.  Doctors will admit that it happens but maintain that vackseens are safe for all.  

Some people can smoke over a pack of cigarettes every day and live well into their 80s in relatively good health.  Al Gore's sister was dead at 46 from a smoking related disease.  A college acquaintance could smoke half a pack when she was out drinking, which was almost every weekend.  She was not addicted and I never saw her light up on campus during the week.  Another person tried one cigarette and found it to be addictive immediately and was fighting the urge to go to store and buy a pack.  

Argument:  Yes, vackseens do contain Mercury and Aluminum but it's such a small amount that it won't hurt anyone.  The Aluminum is actually a good thing because it stimulates the immune system.  

My answer:  I don't personally know anyone with a peanut allergy but I know it exists.  For them, there is no safe amount.  Just one peanut can be deadly.  What if you cannot eliminate Aluminum and it overstimulates your immune system and causes reactions to substances that should be beneficial or necessary to balance your chemistry?  Pretty clear that's what happened to me.  

I've heard reports about children who are behind on their vackseen schedule so the pediatrician tells the mother to double up on the shots to catch up.  VERY DANGEROUS thing to do!  Sometimes, mothers will say that they don't feel comfortable with multiple shots in a single visit.  Pediatricians are coached on what to say in response to get the parents to go through with it.  Man, I can't imagine the anger and grief that they must feel if their child had an adverse reaction!  

Argument:  I am autistic and I'm doing fine.  Even if vackseens increase the risk, I'd rather have Autism than the measles 

My answer:  I should not even engage with such stupidity.  You would actually prefer a lifetime of Autism over a 5 day illness?  What the ______!  I am certainly NOT doing fine.  I'm high functioning and most people that I encounter would not know.   However, if you read this blog, you know that I face unique challenges that very few people can understand.  One person said that measles can kill you but Autism can't.  I beg to differ.  The life expectancy for autistic people is 58 and the suicide rate is high as well.  While Autism itself won't kill you, the shots can.  Over 90 percent of SIDS cases got a vackseen in the previous 7 days.  The MMR vackseen has killed more people than measles itself.

Argument: Vackseens don't cause Autism and people who report vackseen injury are lying.

Response: The latter is one of the most disgusting things that I have ever seen.  I have read reports that concluded that vackseens increase the risk yet they are ignored or suppressed.  We shall see what RFK's report says.  Many drugs initially thought to be safe were taken off the market.  We were told that cigarettes don't cause lung cancer and asbestos and DDT were safe.  I don't need to see scientific studies.  Too many mothers from all walks of life and all over the political spectrum all say the same thing.  Their child was healthy and developing normally but within hours of getting a vackseen, they experienced severe regression.  It's genetic and would have happened anyway?  NO!  Even with a family history of alcoholism, it will never happen unless you take the first drink.  They must be lying?  Whatever happened to the Believe All Women narrative?

Training 4/7-4/13

 4/7- It seems like with or without caffeine, my need and tolerance for Malic Acid is increasing.  I took a scoop last night and another one this morning.  Early in the day, it appeared that I had too much in my system but that quickly reversed itself.  

PM- Opened with a 1:56 (11:36 pace) then on just half a scoop, I was all the way down to a 1:10 (7:00 pace).  MINUS 4:36.  MASSIVE GAP that has got to close soon.  Today, I consumed a little caffeine but didn't break the limit.  I will try complete abstinence but don't believe it will make a difference.  

Distance- 0.5

4/8- AM- It appears that there is a synergy with Malic Acid and Vitamin C when it comes to chelation.  That's consistent with my research.  Opened with a 1:41, which is MUCH BETTER than yesterday.  Followed that up with a 1:04 on Malic Acid.  Just what I want to see.  The floor improved faster than the ceiling and the gap has narrowed.  Yesterday, it was 4:36.  Today was 3:42.  Still a long way to go.  

The moment of truth came with the Vitamin C.  I was noticeably weaker but still managed a 1:20, significantly better than the opener.  I was slower because of the detox reaction and will be better after a trip to the toilet.  I'd lean towards staying with the C.  I want the toxins out as quickly as possible while remaining functional.  If I was slower than my opener, I'd re-think it.  Sadly, I won't be surprised at all if I need Malic Acid again by early afternoon.  I've got to make it through a day without it.  

PM- 1 Mile at Lakeshore in 9:48 with splits of 4:57-4:51.  I'll take it.  Was this done on too much or too little Malic Acid?  Probably too little.  I want to see what I can do in the morning after not taking it since the night.

Distance-1.5

4/9-AM Repeated the 1 Mile distance this time at Vestavia.  Granted, this route is the fastest but my time is down to 8:50.  Interesting splits.  2:12-2:20-2:15-2:03.  Clearly could have gone faster.  This was done BEFORE taking Malic Acid this morning.

PM- Yesterday I took a scoop at lunch.  Today I did not.  I expected to struggle but managed 2 miles in 18:12 (9:06 pace).  Even splits (9:07-9:05) but I was laboring at the end.  Still, I would rate this performance as at least on par with this morning, if not a hair better.

Distance-3.0

4/10- Down to 74 for the opener.  I bet the gap has been whittled down to 2:00.  

Repeated the Mile time trial and I am down to 8:10.  Splits were 1:58-2:04-2:09-1;59.  I think I just got lazy on the 3rd lap when I knew I would come up short of the sub 8.  Added a short cool.  I am now within 40 seconds of my reset PR.  That's it for today.

Distance- 1.5

4/11- AM Impromptu trip to Florida.  I wanted to see what I could do without either Thym Adren or Malic Acid.  Clocked an 8:21, which is not significantly slower than yesterday.  This route was out and back and slightly sloped plus I didn't push as hard as the end.  I bet I could have matched yesterday on a track, give or take a few ticks.

PM- Half mile out and back on just a trace of Malic Acid and 2 Thym Adren.  Clearly stronger but not a night and day difference.  Finished in 3:43 (7:26 pace), which felt sustainable.  This is PR pace.  

Distance-1.5

Verdict:

The thinking is that it was toxic metals driving my adrenals into overdrive all along.  When the Aluminum is out, I may not even need the Thym Adren.  As of now, yes I still need it to perform at my best, but without it, I'm not THAT bad.  Excellent news.

4/12- Running with presumably a stacked deck.  It was 3 miles on North Lakeshore in 26:18 (8:46 pace).  Pleased overall.  This projects to a 27:24 5K, which is within shouting distance of my reset PR.  I was not pleased that I tied up badly at the end.  Splits were 8:37-8:32-9:09.  I felt strong at the 2 mile mark but died suddenly around 2.25 and had zero kick at the end.  I probably just need more work at longer distances.

Distance-3.0

4/13- Debated between a slow 4 and another Mile time trial.  Opted for the latter and it was probably the right call.  Thought I had a shot at the reset PR of 7:30 but came up short.  Clocked a 7:54, which is still a major stepping stone. 16 seconds better than last time.  Pattern was similar to yesterday.  Solid start but was completely spent in the last lap and had very little finishing kick.  Splits were 1:53-1:58-2:02-2:01.  I would have faded early if I tried to run long.  Something felt just a little off and I concluded that 2 Thym Adren is not quite enough at this stage.  I need at least 3, maybe 4.

Confirmed it with an interval test.  Again, they call me anti-science?  LOL.  Did a half lap in 89 at standard effort then popped 2 more pills and improved to 80.  That's a larger gap than I would like to see (MINUS 54) but after 3 days of just 2 pills, I was not THAT bad.  Maybe someday, I can make it through a long weekend without any pills and not do too bad on Monday.  That's the criteria for "under control"  Added a cool down lap.  If I had taken 4 Thym Adren this morning, I almost certainly would have PR'd.

Distance=2.0

-13 miles on the week.

RANT: Murder at a Track Meet

 Not only did I run Track in high school, I had been involved with a youth track club since fifth grade.  For this reason, I had a lot of old friends and acquaintances from other schools.  It was good to see them at Invitational meets.  Yes, sometimes I did venture over to the tent of a different school to chat with them for a few minutes and wish them luck.  Nobody seemed to be bothered by my presence but if I was asked to leave, I would have done so without incident.  There is NO reason for a petty situation like that to escalate to the point in which a life was taken.  Hell, I don't even remember any teammates getting into a fist fight at a meet. 

I do have several questions that need to be answered before I make a judgement:

What was the perp doing there in the first place?  Let's say that the meet was delayed by a storm. His team pitched their tent was on the other side of the stadium, so he took cover under the nearest tent.  That doesn't make a whole lot of sense especially if there was cover under the stands.  Nevertheless, if he was just sitting there minding his own business, I would leave him alone.  If he was having a friendly conversation with another team member, I would definitely leave him alone but still keep an eye on him.  I once had a warmup top stolen at an Invitational.  There was a guy on my team known to steal gear from other schools then wear it to class the next day.  

If he went to the tent of a rival school to talk smack and stir up trouble, yes I would ask him to leave.  Did the two schools know each other well?  I regularly crossed paths with kids from rival or neighboring schools at the shopping mall, the local pool and other popular teen hangouts.  If the perp attended a rival school rather than one across town, it's a good bet that they've crossed paths before.  Both were football players as well.  As a college junior when eating lunch at the cafeteria, a freshman approached me and asked if I used to run cross-country.  He recognized me even though it had been 3 years since we competed against one another.  I thought that was pretty cool.  

One person brought up a point in which I do agree.  Just because the victim was an A student and a star football player does NOT mean that he was a nice kid.  True.  As I've said, I found many AP students to be arrogant and there were a couple who were bullies as well.  I got along better with average students.  Still, did he really deserve to DIE?  I don't think it's very classy to denigrate the character of someone who just got killed.    

The fact that the perp actually brought a knife in his bag suggests that he was looking for trouble.  I heard that he posted pictures of himself with guns and knives on IG.  Not cool.  My school had a zero tolerance weapons policy.  Any student caught in possession of a deadly weapon faced a minimum 10 day suspension and probable expulsion depending on the nature of the weapon.  The fact that he stabbed the victim in the chest tells me that he did intend to kill.  

I don't care what was said or done to him, there is no reason to be mad enough to use deadly force.  I simply can't even imagine being so angry to look another person in the eye and take their life.  For what?  Being told to leave an area that you didn't belong in first place.  I've heard reports that he was pushed and his cell phone was broken.  Again, the latter definitely should not have happened but that certainly doesn't justify deadly force.  Settle it with a fist fight if worse comes to worst or better yet, walk away!  Self defense?  It seems highly unlikely that the perp had a reason to fear for his life.  If scores of people were all set to jump him and beat him senseless, he does have a case but that's not likely.  I'd lean towards a 2nd degree murder charge that could be plead down to manslaughter depending on the facts to come to light.    

Incredibly, I've heard of people actually defending the killer and there is a Facebook page with 7500 member in support of letting him go free.  Predictably, because the perp is black and the victim was white, some people think that he was fighting white supremacy.  Again, even if the victim was a racist, he didn't deserve to DIE!  When negative interactions occur between people of different races, I'd wager that in the vast majority of cases, it's a personality clash between people who don't like each other and skin color is not a factor. 

EDIT:

I just thought about the George Zimmerman vs Trayvon Martin case.  I favored a manslaughter charge for Zimmerman because he was already involved in an altercation and had visible lacerations on his head.  Prosecutors went for the murder charge and lost.  In this case, the victim did initiate the physical contact but did not cause injury.  Supposedly, he merely shoved him away.  I'd feel differently if he was being punched in the face and was defenseless in a fight.   

Training 3/31-4/6

 3/31- Unplanned rest day.

4/1- Very bad day.  Had to leave work early.  Couple of key discoveries.  I still need extra Thym Adren.  Malic Acid may have actually increased the need for it.  Second, there is no insatiable need.  I must be judicious with the Malic Acid.  Too much will definitely cause problems.  No more than 2 scoops per day in divided doses.  I may cut it down to 1.  If I take too much, I always feel better after a trip to the toilet.  Definitely detox.  Did do 1 Mile worth of intervals, which confirmed the findings.  

Distance- 1.0

4/2- Dosage must be cut to 1 scoop, which will be taken at night with Vitamin C.  Made it through the day at work but had to nap afterwards.  Only did a half mile at Montreat in 5:45 (11:30 pace).  I did show some life with a 1:45 last half lap.  

Distance-0.5

4/3 AM- Began feeling noticeably better later in the evening but went backwards immediately after the scoop before bed.  Nevertheless, after a night of clearing, it was an improvement over yesterday.  Repeated the half mile and my time is down to 5:10 (10:20 pace).  MINUS 70 per mile and I expect to be better this evening.  The dosage will remain 1 scoop per day until further notice.

PM- Attempted a full Mile but had to settle for half.  Time improved to 4:58 but I am clearly NOT on the right track.  Splits were 1:30-1:39-1:49.  Do I need more Malic Acid?  

Significantly worse after chugging a Red Bull.  Perhaps caffeine affects the detox process.  Took Malic Acid before bed and I was better.

Distance- 1.0

4/4- Unplanned rest day.  Discovered that I only have an insatiable need for Malic Acid if I consume excess caffeine.  If I limit my intake, it should be a manageable 1 scoop per night until further notice.

4/5- AM- 3x half lap intervals. (2:21-2:07-1:37)

PM- Full mile in 10:45, which is about what I expected.  I may go backwards again after the scoop but tomorrow should be better overall.

Distance- 1.5

4/6-AM Repeated the Montreat Mile in the rain.  Finished just before it started pouring.  Improved to 9:42 with splits of 4:58-4:44.  I'll try again this evening weather permitting.

PM- Tried to run but could not.  I was doing over 10 minute pace and getting worse with every stride so I won't even count this one.  I had some caffeine today but stuck to my limit.  Perhaps I need 2 scoops now even without caffeine.  

Distance= 1.0

-5 miles