5/6- Planned rest day
5/7- 2 days after a half marathon, I expected to be a bit sore and was not expecting much. Easy 3.5 on Canterbury in 30:50 (8:48 pace) plus a half mile cool. Even pace but I could feel a fade coming if I had continued. All is still okay.
Distance=4.0
5/8- Trak Shak 3 mile loop in 23:56 (7:59 pace). Better than yesterday but I still don't feel good about this one. I was nearly all out at the end and barely made it under the Mendoza line. In a 5K race, I'd be over 24 for sure and probably closer to 25. I've got a LONG way to go.
Distance=3.0
5/9- Gold's 5 in 42:20 (8:28 pace). Not too bad. 1st half-21:17, 2nd half-21:03. Found a good rhythm early in Mile 3 and held it to the finish. Felt that I could have gone several additional miles at this pace. This is 1:50:xx half marathon pace.
Distance=5.0
5/10- Reverse Lakeshore 4 in 33:08 (8:17 pace). No complaints about this one. I was out faster (8:04) then deliberately slowed to the low 8:20s the rest of the way to save my strength for the weekend. Unsure if I will go long tomorrow. The weather looks very iffy right now and it is supposed to clear out by Sunday afternoon.
Distance=4.0
5/11- Another failed long run and once again, the detox products were the culprit. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening so often? Maybe take a day or two off them every week? At any rate, I showed no sign of any issues yesterday but today was an entirely different story. I was a little sluggish early but was able to hit the planned paces. Came through 2.5 miles right around 22 flat (8:48 pace) then collapsed. Walk/jogged the last 1.5 going back and that took me over 20 minutes.
Distance=4.0
5/12-AM- Junk intervals at Montreat.
Opener- 3:52 (11:36 pace)
After a sugared drink- 3:48 (11:24 pace) While not good for me, it is highly unlikely that is the problem. I'm afraid that I will just have to deal with occasional days like this until further notice.
After a storm- 3:26 (10:18 pace). I bet that I will continue to improve through tomorrow afternoon, then my system will once again demand the TRS.
PM- 2 miles at Montreat (6 laps) and my time was down to 17:48 (8:54 pace). This was only 6 hours after I could not do better than 10 minute pace for just 1 lap. It won't be long until I demand the TRS again. Probably it will happen by tomorrow morning.
Distance=3.0
-23 miles on the week. YTD-433
Tuesday, May 7, 2019
Off Topic: 2020 Election Prediction
I’ve seen a few YouTube videos making some early predictions so why not try my hand at it? In the spirit of full disclosure, yes, I am a Trump supporter, but I will do my best to be fair and realistic with my picks. We are far more polarized as a country than we were just 2-3 decades ago. Back then, the most conservative/liberal states only deviated about 15 points from the national average. Now, we’re talking about 30-point wins in a 50/50 election. The days of 45+ state landslides are gone. Even if everything breaks in your favor in terms of the economy and the “perfect candidate”, 350-360 EVs is probably the ceiling on both sides.
Who will get the Democratic nomination? It won’t be Bernie Sanders. His proposal to allow murderers and terrorists to vote from prison is too radical even for the Dems. I don’t think it will be Joe Biden either. He’s 78 years old and a gaffe machine. His positions are not liberal enough for the base and I just have a feeling that primary voters will gravitate toward somebody younger and more “hip.” If I had to guess, I’d go with Cory Booker or Kamala Harris with Beto O’Rourke as VP.
Reasons to believe Trump will win:
-Advantage of incumbency
-Soaring economy
-No last-minute Access Hollywood tape
-Most Never-Trump conservatives (Ben Shapiro, Glenn Beck, etc) are now on board.
-Majority of Americans believe the Russian collusion was a hoax.
Reason why he could be vulnerable:
Hillary Clinton was a terrible candidate who came within just 1-2 points in several states of winning. FL, PA, WI, MI were decided by less than 2 points each and amounted to 75 EV. If all 4 flipped, it would have been a comfortable Clinton win.
Trump still has high personal unfavorable ratings. That’s partly due to unfair media coverage but partly his own doing. I agree with him on most policy issues but I’m not a blind partisan that will defend everything he does and says. A Democrat who is likable and sensible on policy would have a good shot but most who have declared are hard left.
Now let’s look at the states:
-90-100% chance Republican:
Alaska, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia (126 EV)
-90-100% chance Democrat:
Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, California, Illinois, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, DC (182 EV)
That’s 33 states in which the outcome is basically a foregone conclusion and it would take a massive political earthquake to flip. Many of the remaining 17 won’t be all the close either but they are at least worthy of discussion.
80-90% chance Democrat (15 EV):
Colorado- Bush-43 won it twice but it has been trending strongly Democratic and I don’t see a reversal. Perhaps this is should be lowered to the 70% range but it would have to be a 4-5 point win nationwide for Trump to flip this. Not likely.
New Mexico- This state is nearly 50% Hispanic or Native American. Trump needs at least 40% of those votes to be competitive. I don’t see that happening.
Maine’s Congressional District- A Democrat should have no trouble in urban areas near Portland and along the coast. Just 1 vote here.
80-90% chance Republican (62 EV):
Texas- Someday, it will be competitive but not this time. Trump won it by nearly 10 points in 2016 so it’s safe for another cycle. Even with Beto on the ticket, I don’t think it will be enough. Watch out in 2024.
Iowa- Obama won it twice but Trump took it by 9 in 2016. I see little reason to believe it will flip back.
Ohio- Same as Iowa. When I was watching the coverage in 2016 and saw that Ohio would not be close, I knew Trump was going to win.
70-80% chance Republican: (43 EV)
Georgia- This was a little closer than I expected in 2016 (5-6 points). The Atlanta suburbs, which voted for Romney in 2012, flipped to Clinton. Much of that was due to Never-Trump voters, who have mostly come around. Trump will win comfortably here in 2020.
North Carolina- Trump won by 4 in 2016 and this state has been steadily around 5-6 points more Republican than the national average since 2008. I don’t see that changing.
Arizona- Trump won by 3.5 here or nearly 6 points more Republican than the national average. A Democrat who is reasonable on immigration would have a chance, but a wide-open border policy won’t sell here. The media reports that the crisis is manufactured but residents know otherwise.
Maine’s Congressional District- I don’t remember if it’s the 1st or 2nd district but Trump won it easily and I expect he will do it again. It’s only 1 vote but it really could be the difference.
60-70% chance Democrat:
Virginia- I may be overly optimistic to think this will be close as it was a 5 point win for Clinton and has been rapidly trending Democratic. That said, Clinton got a boost from Kaine being on the ticket and there could be a backlash against the Dems after Gov. Northam’s racism and disgusting views on late-term abortion came out. I expect a staunchly pro-abortion candidate to be nominated. Most of the land area is still predominantly Southern but the rural vote will not be enough to counteract the growth of the DC suburbs.
Nevada- Clinton won by 2 points here so that would put it right on the bubble in a 50/50 election. I still predict a narrow Dem hold here. Las Vegas is one the fastest growing cities in the country and the new residents tend to be younger and more liberal.
60-70% chance Republican-
Florida- If Trump wins here, it’s basically game over. He’d only need 1 toss up state in the rust belt. He still has a path without it but it’s a LOT more difficult. He’d have to hold either PA or MI to stay alive then must flip Minnesota and New Hampshire while holding Wisconsin. A win in both PA and MI would leave him just 1 state short. As for Florida, it’s been consistently 2-4 points more Republican than the national average in every election since 2004 so in a 50/50 election, the GOP candidate always has a narrow edge. I expect the same in 2020. Either way, it will go down to the wire.
Tossups:
Michigan (16)- This state is the most likely to be a Democratic pick up. It was decided by a razor thin margin in 2016 and supposedly, bad weather depressed turn out in African American areas of Detroit. Don’t expect that to happen again. Prediction: Democrat win.
Pennsylvania (20)- This one depends on who is nominated. A strong economy favors Trump in a state decided by about 1 point in 2016 and trended in his favor. Biden could win, and Booker would have a good shot. Harris or O’Rourke would get shelled in the Pittsburgh suburbs and exurbs, where Trump gained the most votes in 2016. Prediction: Wait for the nominee but if I had to choose now, it's Trump.
Minnesota-(10)- Decided by just 1.5 points in 2016 and that margin was less than Evan McMullin’s vote total. That’s down from 8 points in 2012 and fractionally more Republican than the national average. Never-Trumpers have come aboard and I see a backlash against the likes of Rep. Omar and her blatant Antisemitism. Minneapolis/St. Paul will remain a Dem stronghold, but Duluth could be flipped while rural areas will go strongly for Trump. Prediction: Upset win for Trump.
Maine State-(2)- Obama won by 15 in 2012 but the gap was closed to just 3 points in 2016 or within 1 point of the national average. I may be going out on a limb here, but I predict that the trend continues and it’s another upset win for Trump.
New Hampshire-(4)- It was a razor thin margin for Clinton in 2016 and is trending Republican but the trend is not nearly as drastic as in neighboring Maine. Obama won by only 5 in 2012. It will be close again but in a state that has not gone Republican since 2000, I will give the edge to the Dems narrowly.
Wisconsin-(10)-This was one of the biggest surprises of 2016 as Trump flipped a state that went to Obama by 7 points in 2012. Given the economic strength and a supportive base, I once again give a narrow edge to Trump over a generic Democrat.
Final numbers- Trump 286-236 with PA TBD
Monday, May 6, 2019
Providence Rhode Race Report
This is not a race that would have been on my radar if not for the 50 states goal. I had initially planned to knock out Connecticut and Rhode Island on the same weekend but with my diminished fitness, that’s just not possible now. I don’t believe it is necessary to spend a night in a state to count it under the strict standards but for the record, this would be my first night in Rhode Island. I had been to Newport last year and saw a legitimate tourist attraction with the beach and cliff walk. I had not been to the capitol city of Providence and this one fit my schedule well so why not? Detox was brutal earlier in the week and I actually considered bailing but the tide turned on Thursday, so it was a go.
Traffic getting out of Birmingham was a little rough but once I cleared that, it was a smooth ride to Atlanta for a cheap and direct flight into Providence. My hotel was quite pricey, but it did offer a free shuttle to and from the airport. Since I would not be doing additional travel, I would not have to rent a car or even take Uber so that evened things out. There were plenty of restaurants and taverns within walking distance of my hotel and I opted for some good pizza. Next, I picked up my packet at the expo and toured the Capitol area, a shopping mall and the Riverwalk. The was pretty much the extent of my touring. I would be in bed early that night as my body was tired from the travel and walking.
No real complaints about the organization or the course. It began and ended in town but much of the scenery was non-descript except for a nice riverside section around Mile 10. Course difficulty was in the average range. It did have several half to ¾ mile long inclines but nothing was particularly steep and it was usually followed by an equally long downhill. The weather was likely to be the biggest pain with a forecast high of 54 degrees with a 100% percent chance of rain. In the end, it did rain most of the race but it was never much more than a drizzle so I didn’t mind. I took off about as slowly as possible to at least delay the meltdown but found that 8:45 pace was about as slow as I could go without losing form. I decided to take short walk breaks on the hills to get the overall pace closer to 9:00. Here are the early miles.
8:40 (8:40)
8:45 (17:25)
9:11 (26:36)
8:59 (35:35)
So far so good but based on the elevation chart, it looked like Mile 6 would be tough. Indeed, it was a long incline, but it was followed by a nice long decline. It seemed like there was another longer hill around Mile 8 or 9 that didn’t seem to register. Nevertheless, I remained in control and felt much more comfortable than I had at the same point of the race in Iowa. Even with a meltdown, an improvement over my 2:06 was assured and I thought I had a shot a sub-2.
8:48 (44:23)
9:00 (53:23)
8:55 (62:18)
9:02 (71:20)
9:12 (80:32)
9:16 (89:48)
At the 10-mile mark, I was still under 9 minute pace overall and 3 minutes faster than Iowa 2 weeks ago. I figured that I was around 90:45 with 3 miles to go. I needed to hold a 9:45 the rest of the way and that appeared to be a good bet. My energy had faded a bit but no meltdown was imminent. Unfortunately, Mile 11 was almost all uphill but I knew that if I could survive that, it was mine. The pace never went above 9:30. I knew that I was safe heading into the last mile and really didn’t care about being 10-15 seconds faster at the finish line. I ran hard but controlled heading to the finish and made a bit of a push when I saw that I would be under 1:59. The official chip time was 1:58:54. That’s more than 14 minutes better than Delaware just 6 weeks earlier. I believe the detox is working. Can I sustain the improvement, and can I avoid the horrible days? That remains to be seen.
9:27 (99:15)
9:25 (1:48:40)
9:21 (1:58:01)
:53
With the rain coming down harder and a later flight, I did no more touring. I took my time getting changed and checking out and had a nice seafood dinner at the airport during my long wait for my flight. No issues on the way home and I was back at work the next day. 42 race states. 40 half marathons.
Monday, April 29, 2019
Training 4/29-5/5- Race Week
4/29- Untimed Montreat Mile. Felt AWFUL. It is apparent that TRS plus other detox products is causing too much of a detox/die off reaction. Why was it tolerated 3-4 days ago? I don't have an answer for that.
Distance=1.0
4/30-AM- Timed Montreat Mile in 11:47. This was almost certainly better than yesterday. Splits were 4:10-3:55-3:42 so that's somewhat encouraging. I've reduced the dosage of TRS and cut out DIM, Maca and Selenium completely. I'll try again this evening.
PM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 19:22 (9:41 pace). Felt noticeably better in the afternoon but still a LONG way to go. It appears that I will simply have to back off on the detox products for now. By how much? For how long? That is still to be determined. The fear is that the sensitivity will kick back in with a vengeance if I have to stop the detox completely. That is an unacceptable outcome.
Distance=3.0
5/1- AM- Junk intervals at Montreat. Opener in 2:52 (8:36 pace). Took 3 sprays of TRS and knew immediately that it was a bad call. Slipped all the way to 3:52 on the next lap (11:36 pace). Took some molybdenum, which was supposed to help and improved only to a 3:51 so it was essentially a non-factor. I am going to have to go off all detox products until further notice and hope the sensitivity does not return. If it does and I still can't tolerate the TRS, it is game over and I have lost.
Why did this happen? My only explanation that makes sense is that I am peeling off layers of toxins. That is, I've gotten the surface toxins out but the more dangerous stuff had been buried deeper in my organs where it could do the least damage. Now, it will be harder to get that poison out and I'll have to go VERY slow with the detox. I'm betting that once I can finally tolerate the TRS again, my system will then demand MEGA doses but that will eventually stabilize back to 3-5 sprays. That's the best case scenario. I'm still planning to go to Rhode Island this weekend and hope that 4 days off the TRS will be enough to at least allow me to finish.
Distance=1.0
5/2- Opened with a 2:45 (8:15 pace) without pills or detox but felt significantly WORSE after lunch. Turns out I needed TRS. Flip flop flip within 7 days! Just another day in life of me.
PM- No detox- 3:47 (11:21 pace)
1 spray- 3:21 (10:03 pace) MINUS 78
3 sprays- 2:35 (7:45 pace) MINUS 2:18
Add Selenium, DIM and Maca- 2:24 (7:12 pace) MINUS 33
No comments necessary
Distance=2.0
5/3- 1 mile in Atlanta out and back on the road from the hotel. Finished in 7:10 with a strong negative split. I was only 3:45 at the half and closed with a 3:25. Should get under 7 on a track very soon. Big confidence booster for Sunday. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5
5/4- Planned rest day. Arrived in Providence for touring.
5/5- Providence Rhode Race in 1:58:54.
Distance= 13.5
-22 miles on the week. YTD-410
Distance=1.0
4/30-AM- Timed Montreat Mile in 11:47. This was almost certainly better than yesterday. Splits were 4:10-3:55-3:42 so that's somewhat encouraging. I've reduced the dosage of TRS and cut out DIM, Maca and Selenium completely. I'll try again this evening.
PM- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 19:22 (9:41 pace). Felt noticeably better in the afternoon but still a LONG way to go. It appears that I will simply have to back off on the detox products for now. By how much? For how long? That is still to be determined. The fear is that the sensitivity will kick back in with a vengeance if I have to stop the detox completely. That is an unacceptable outcome.
Distance=3.0
5/1- AM- Junk intervals at Montreat. Opener in 2:52 (8:36 pace). Took 3 sprays of TRS and knew immediately that it was a bad call. Slipped all the way to 3:52 on the next lap (11:36 pace). Took some molybdenum, which was supposed to help and improved only to a 3:51 so it was essentially a non-factor. I am going to have to go off all detox products until further notice and hope the sensitivity does not return. If it does and I still can't tolerate the TRS, it is game over and I have lost.
Why did this happen? My only explanation that makes sense is that I am peeling off layers of toxins. That is, I've gotten the surface toxins out but the more dangerous stuff had been buried deeper in my organs where it could do the least damage. Now, it will be harder to get that poison out and I'll have to go VERY slow with the detox. I'm betting that once I can finally tolerate the TRS again, my system will then demand MEGA doses but that will eventually stabilize back to 3-5 sprays. That's the best case scenario. I'm still planning to go to Rhode Island this weekend and hope that 4 days off the TRS will be enough to at least allow me to finish.
Distance=1.0
5/2- Opened with a 2:45 (8:15 pace) without pills or detox but felt significantly WORSE after lunch. Turns out I needed TRS. Flip flop flip within 7 days! Just another day in life of me.
PM- No detox- 3:47 (11:21 pace)
1 spray- 3:21 (10:03 pace) MINUS 78
3 sprays- 2:35 (7:45 pace) MINUS 2:18
Add Selenium, DIM and Maca- 2:24 (7:12 pace) MINUS 33
No comments necessary
Distance=2.0
5/3- 1 mile in Atlanta out and back on the road from the hotel. Finished in 7:10 with a strong negative split. I was only 3:45 at the half and closed with a 3:25. Should get under 7 on a track very soon. Big confidence booster for Sunday. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5
5/4- Planned rest day. Arrived in Providence for touring.
5/5- Providence Rhode Race in 1:58:54.
Distance= 13.5
-22 miles on the week. YTD-410
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Chicago/St. Louis Trip Report
I left work about an hour early on Thursday then headed up 65 past Nashville then cut northwest on 24 and ended up just south of Paducah, Kentucky for the night. From there, it would be about 7 hours to my race location in the small town of Washington, Iowa. It’s pretty much just a town square about 30 minutes south of Iowa City. I broke up that trip with a stop in Springfield, Illinois for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. That was gripping, and I nearly teared up a couple of times. Lincoln’s enemies called him the devil incarnate for his opposition to slavery and it is incomprehensible to me that a practice so clearly evil could be thought of as a positive good. Evil does not surrender easily and the more righteous your fight, the more opposition you will face. Never back down!
I was just happy to get to the starting line for the race. I was only 13 days removed from a sprained ankle after landing on a pine cone and had experienced some brutal detox symptoms as Mercury and Arsenic have been dumped out of my organs into my tissues. The course looped around town for 2 miles then turned on to the Kewash Trail, which was partly paved and partly dirt. The early pace felt much too slow and I was actually holding back to hit the splits but still went out a bit faster than planned. Nearing halfway however, I was faltering. By Mile 8, it was clear that I would not make my time goal. The trail was slightly sloped but it felt like it was uphill both ways. I feared a Delaware level meltdown in which it took 40 minutes walk/jog the last 5K but it wasn’t that bad this time. My time is still too embarrassing to reveal but it was over 6 minutes faster than last time (nearly :30 per mile) despite being slightly slower at the 10-mile mark. Toxins or lack of fitness? Probably a combination of both. At any rate, I made a quick exit, so I could get to Chicago. 41 race states. 39 half marathons.
The drive in was smooth until the last 10 miles, which took about 30 minutes because of the congestion. Thankfully, it was a weekend and not rush hour. I checked into the Trump Hotel and was treated to amazing city views both from my room and the 16thfloor terrace bar. From there, I took a stroll down Rush Street and Michigan Avenue, an area known as the Magnificent Mile, known for its high-priced shops. I ended up on another Lakeshore Dr. on the shores of Lake Michigan with a sandy beach and running trail with skyscrapers in the background.
As twilight descended, I went up on the 360 Tower for a cocktail on the 94th floor where I enjoyed a nice conversation with 2 young men from India and got some amazing shots of the skyline. I stopped for some deep dish pizza on my way back. I prefer the New York style but it was still quite good and filling. I capped the night with a drink on the aforementioned 16th floor at night.
I caught the sunrise over Lake Michigan on Easter Sunday then attended church just 3 blocks from my hotel. From there, it was a walking tour of the Riverwalk then on to the Sears Tower, which I wanted to see in the daylight. I made a quick stop at Millennium Park before lunch and check out time.
Off to St. Louis. I’m normally a believer in the getting there is half the fun but this drive through the Illinois plains was not very exciting. It is more scenic across the river in Missouri. I slept in on Monday then got on a 9:30 tour of Busch Stadium, home of the Cardinals. I’ve got lots of respect for that organization. They are always competitive and have a passionate fan base that usually doesn’t get as crazy as New York or Boston.
Last but not least was my visit to the Gateway Arch. Everybody knows about the views from the top but it also has an interesting historical museum underground and a pretty nice restaurant for lunch. Epic trip? I think so.
Training 4/22-4/28
4/22- Elective rest day. It would have been nice to do a junk run around the Arch in St. Louis but I opted for extra sleep, which was probably a good call.
4/23- 2 mile junk run at Montreat. Body is very tired from the travel so I didn't expect much. No watch. Hopefully, back to the routine by tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
4/24- Trak Shak 3.5 mile route. Finished in 27:42 (7:55 pace) with a strong closing kick. Last half mile was 7:15 pace. Below the Mendoza line today but had to stop for traffic a bit more often so it carries an asterisk. Added a half mile cool. I expect to plateau from here. I won't see dramatic improvements from day to day or even week to week but month to month? I think so.
Distance=4.0
4/25- AM. Montreat Mile in 7:13. 13 seconds faster than when I sprained my ankle 18 days ago. That's basically healed now. Next goal is to get under 7 minutes.
PM- Easy 5 at Gold's on a rainy night. Finished in 42:51 (8:34 pace). Even pace for the first 4 then a mild pick up in the last mile. This is 1:52 half marathon pace. Felt quite comfortable but as I learned the hard way in Iowa, 13 miles is TOTALLY different than 5.
Distance=6.0
4/26- Canterbury 3.5 miler in 30:40 (8:46 pace) plus a cool down. Slower pace but a hilly route and easier effort. No real complaints.
Distance=4.0
4/27- ANGRY AGAIN! Another failed long run. Came through the first mile in 9:30-something and was getting slower with every step. Turned around and called it a day. The culprit was Maca. That's right. The same stuff that was absolutely necessary just 2 months ago is now no longer tolerated! If you've read this blog for a while, you know that's nothing new for me but I REALLY THOUGHT THE DETOX WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT FROM NOW ON!!!
Any idea why? The detox can cause increased adrenal activity and Maca will further stimulate the adrenals. I did feel somewhat better after taking extra adrenal modulators so that makes me feel a little better about this. Still, the fact that it came on so suddenly is extremely maddening. I never saw it coming and there was no way I could have predicted this. I got SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE AFTER JUST ONE ADDITIONAL PILL TOO!!! Getting nicked a little bit is understandable but a healthy person should NEVER get this type of reaction from ONE FREAKING PILL!! How many times have I posted that? On the bright side, at least this didn't happen last weekend or else it would have been a DNF in Iowa and I'm not sure I would have gone back down the road.
Distance=2.0
4/28- AM-With the excess Maca still in my system, it was junk intervals at Montreat.
Opened with a 3:35 (10:45 pace)
With Dim (which contains a small amount of Maca)- 3:43 (11:09 pace) PLUS 24
I got nicked a little bit but nothing severe. I'll hold on to the DIM in case I need it again but I will stop taking it.
Waited about an hour and was down to 3:19 (9:57 pace), which I attribute to clearance after a trip to the toilet. Took just a trace of stand alone Maca and was significantly worse. Slipped all the way to a 3:38 (10:54 pace). PLUS 57. Maca will be tossed. I'll finish the bottle of Selenium but will not re-order. Something tells me that I may have trouble with that stuff down the road. TRS will take care of the Arsenic toxicity so Selenium should no longer be needed. At least I am saving money and cabinet space by tossing some pills.
PM- Full Mile at Montreat. Time is down to 8:38 with splits of 3:01-2:52-2:45. Much better and should be back to the new normal by tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
-20 miles on the week.
-YTD- 388
4/23- 2 mile junk run at Montreat. Body is very tired from the travel so I didn't expect much. No watch. Hopefully, back to the routine by tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
4/24- Trak Shak 3.5 mile route. Finished in 27:42 (7:55 pace) with a strong closing kick. Last half mile was 7:15 pace. Below the Mendoza line today but had to stop for traffic a bit more often so it carries an asterisk. Added a half mile cool. I expect to plateau from here. I won't see dramatic improvements from day to day or even week to week but month to month? I think so.
Distance=4.0
4/25- AM. Montreat Mile in 7:13. 13 seconds faster than when I sprained my ankle 18 days ago. That's basically healed now. Next goal is to get under 7 minutes.
PM- Easy 5 at Gold's on a rainy night. Finished in 42:51 (8:34 pace). Even pace for the first 4 then a mild pick up in the last mile. This is 1:52 half marathon pace. Felt quite comfortable but as I learned the hard way in Iowa, 13 miles is TOTALLY different than 5.
Distance=6.0
4/26- Canterbury 3.5 miler in 30:40 (8:46 pace) plus a cool down. Slower pace but a hilly route and easier effort. No real complaints.
Distance=4.0
4/27- ANGRY AGAIN! Another failed long run. Came through the first mile in 9:30-something and was getting slower with every step. Turned around and called it a day. The culprit was Maca. That's right. The same stuff that was absolutely necessary just 2 months ago is now no longer tolerated! If you've read this blog for a while, you know that's nothing new for me but I REALLY THOUGHT THE DETOX WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT FROM NOW ON!!!
Any idea why? The detox can cause increased adrenal activity and Maca will further stimulate the adrenals. I did feel somewhat better after taking extra adrenal modulators so that makes me feel a little better about this. Still, the fact that it came on so suddenly is extremely maddening. I never saw it coming and there was no way I could have predicted this. I got SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE AFTER JUST ONE ADDITIONAL PILL TOO!!! Getting nicked a little bit is understandable but a healthy person should NEVER get this type of reaction from ONE FREAKING PILL!! How many times have I posted that? On the bright side, at least this didn't happen last weekend or else it would have been a DNF in Iowa and I'm not sure I would have gone back down the road.
Distance=2.0
4/28- AM-With the excess Maca still in my system, it was junk intervals at Montreat.
Opened with a 3:35 (10:45 pace)
With Dim (which contains a small amount of Maca)- 3:43 (11:09 pace) PLUS 24
I got nicked a little bit but nothing severe. I'll hold on to the DIM in case I need it again but I will stop taking it.
Waited about an hour and was down to 3:19 (9:57 pace), which I attribute to clearance after a trip to the toilet. Took just a trace of stand alone Maca and was significantly worse. Slipped all the way to a 3:38 (10:54 pace). PLUS 57. Maca will be tossed. I'll finish the bottle of Selenium but will not re-order. Something tells me that I may have trouble with that stuff down the road. TRS will take care of the Arsenic toxicity so Selenium should no longer be needed. At least I am saving money and cabinet space by tossing some pills.
PM- Full Mile at Montreat. Time is down to 8:38 with splits of 3:01-2:52-2:45. Much better and should be back to the new normal by tomorrow.
Distance=2.0
-20 miles on the week.
-YTD- 388
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Detox and Prognosis
I am now 7 days removed from the sprained ankle that I got from tripping over a pine cone and 6 days out from race day. I expect the ankle to be at slightly less than full strength on race day but good enough to run the half marathon without risking further damage. That's good news and I never had any doubt that I would heal eventually. My plan calls for finishing Hawaii for state #50 in November 2021. It's an aggressive target with 12 states still to go but I've got to finish this goal sooner rather than later. If the detox plan fails, I estimate that I've got about 3-5 years left as a runner capable of finishing half marathons. Tomorrow is never guaranteed even for healthy people so if you want to do something, my advice is to do it now.
I read one of my random posts from 2016 on methylation and it is evident that I REALLY have come a long way in regards to the sensitivity. On one of my recent Montreat lap intervals, I was only 55 seconds faster per mile with the full doses of ALL the pills than I was with no treatment whatsoever. I bet that gap has since diminished further. That's YUGE! Yes, I want to know that the treatments are working but a healthy person should NEVER see WILD swings in performance and mood after taking just 1 freaking pill! If you've read this blog for more than just a couple of months, you know that it was not uncommon for the following to happen:
-Open with a pace over 10:00 per mile from simply skipping ONE of my many pills
-See improvements of more than 60 seconds/mile after taking just ONE DOSE!
-Continue to improve with each pill until I hit the sweet spot.
-Go backwards again after overshooting the sweet spot with extra pills.
-Find that the magic formula that worked the previous week turns to poison.
-Go through the whole thing again and again and again.
Let's hope that I am done with the above forever. The only treatment that is still a must take is Sarcosine. I'll do okay without in a sprint but the longer the distance, the uglier it gets. It took me over 40 minutes to run 4 miles without it and had slipped to 11 minute pace on the back half. By comparison, I had done 5@8:27 pace just a couple days earlier with it. Perhaps in time, my critical need for this stuff will diminish as well. If it goes off the market, I would be screwed otherwise. Again, with all the other pills, I can skip them all and barely even notice on the first day. However, I'm pretty sure that it would get uglier with each additional day off the pills. Still, being able to get by without so many of those pills would have been unthinkable just 1 year ago.
The trade off is significantly decreased speed. My average is about 2:10 for a third of a mile (6:30 pace). By comparison, I recently dipped under 5:00 pace for a 400 when I had all the pills working. On the day that I sprained my ankle, I was pretty much all out in the Montreat Mile and could only muster a 7:26. I figure that's probably the equivalent of a 7:15 on a track. I haven't done it since 2015 but I believe I was capable of a sub-6:00 on my best days with the pills. If I can run sub-5 for a quarter mile, I should go sub-6 in a full mile.
Why has this happened? Pretty simple. The toxins that had been stuck in my organs are being dumped out and thus have been released into my cells and tissues. It should not be a surprise that it gets worse before it gets better. In theory, once the toxins come out, I will feel a LOT better and should run faster BUT I said it too many times and still stand firm. Even if I never regain my lost speed, the stability and consistency that I have gained is a trade that I am happy to make. If I have to settle for being consistently around 2 hours for a half marathon, so be it. That's still preferable to one sub-1:40 followed by several consecutive weekends in which I could not finish a long run.
Am I absolutely sure that toxic metals were the culprit all along? Yes, I am. I fit all of Dr. Wilson's criteria for a "very poor eliminator" of toxic metals. Since we are all exposed to the toxins, a fair amount should show up in the hair test. That only happened to me after the liver flush when I dumped out lots of copper and cadmium. Unfortunately, I only cleaned out one of MANY organs and it was not enough in the end. The rest of my hair tests showed almost zero toxic metal elimination. This evidence combined with my response to detox products is all the confirmation that I need.
Here's a history of false hopes before the TRS:
Fructosin
Magnesium
Copper and Ceruloplasmin
Sulfur Detox
Methylation
Reducing Iron Overload
Glycine Conjugation and Sarcosine
DIM plus Maca
Selenium
Finally TRS
What if the TRS fails or loses its effectiveness and I end up back with the ultra-sensitivity? I'm done. I can't hold on any longer. The ankle injury was especially frustrating because it's preventing me from seeing the detox progress. Could I run the Montreat Mile close to 7:00 now if I had a good ankle? I don't know. We shall see in a few weeks.
I read one of my random posts from 2016 on methylation and it is evident that I REALLY have come a long way in regards to the sensitivity. On one of my recent Montreat lap intervals, I was only 55 seconds faster per mile with the full doses of ALL the pills than I was with no treatment whatsoever. I bet that gap has since diminished further. That's YUGE! Yes, I want to know that the treatments are working but a healthy person should NEVER see WILD swings in performance and mood after taking just 1 freaking pill! If you've read this blog for more than just a couple of months, you know that it was not uncommon for the following to happen:
-Open with a pace over 10:00 per mile from simply skipping ONE of my many pills
-See improvements of more than 60 seconds/mile after taking just ONE DOSE!
-Continue to improve with each pill until I hit the sweet spot.
-Go backwards again after overshooting the sweet spot with extra pills.
-Find that the magic formula that worked the previous week turns to poison.
-Go through the whole thing again and again and again.
Let's hope that I am done with the above forever. The only treatment that is still a must take is Sarcosine. I'll do okay without in a sprint but the longer the distance, the uglier it gets. It took me over 40 minutes to run 4 miles without it and had slipped to 11 minute pace on the back half. By comparison, I had done 5@8:27 pace just a couple days earlier with it. Perhaps in time, my critical need for this stuff will diminish as well. If it goes off the market, I would be screwed otherwise. Again, with all the other pills, I can skip them all and barely even notice on the first day. However, I'm pretty sure that it would get uglier with each additional day off the pills. Still, being able to get by without so many of those pills would have been unthinkable just 1 year ago.
The trade off is significantly decreased speed. My average is about 2:10 for a third of a mile (6:30 pace). By comparison, I recently dipped under 5:00 pace for a 400 when I had all the pills working. On the day that I sprained my ankle, I was pretty much all out in the Montreat Mile and could only muster a 7:26. I figure that's probably the equivalent of a 7:15 on a track. I haven't done it since 2015 but I believe I was capable of a sub-6:00 on my best days with the pills. If I can run sub-5 for a quarter mile, I should go sub-6 in a full mile.
Why has this happened? Pretty simple. The toxins that had been stuck in my organs are being dumped out and thus have been released into my cells and tissues. It should not be a surprise that it gets worse before it gets better. In theory, once the toxins come out, I will feel a LOT better and should run faster BUT I said it too many times and still stand firm. Even if I never regain my lost speed, the stability and consistency that I have gained is a trade that I am happy to make. If I have to settle for being consistently around 2 hours for a half marathon, so be it. That's still preferable to one sub-1:40 followed by several consecutive weekends in which I could not finish a long run.
Am I absolutely sure that toxic metals were the culprit all along? Yes, I am. I fit all of Dr. Wilson's criteria for a "very poor eliminator" of toxic metals. Since we are all exposed to the toxins, a fair amount should show up in the hair test. That only happened to me after the liver flush when I dumped out lots of copper and cadmium. Unfortunately, I only cleaned out one of MANY organs and it was not enough in the end. The rest of my hair tests showed almost zero toxic metal elimination. This evidence combined with my response to detox products is all the confirmation that I need.
Here's a history of false hopes before the TRS:
Fructosin
Magnesium
Copper and Ceruloplasmin
Sulfur Detox
Methylation
Reducing Iron Overload
Glycine Conjugation and Sarcosine
DIM plus Maca
Selenium
Finally TRS
What if the TRS fails or loses its effectiveness and I end up back with the ultra-sensitivity? I'm done. I can't hold on any longer. The ankle injury was especially frustrating because it's preventing me from seeing the detox progress. Could I run the Montreat Mile close to 7:00 now if I had a good ankle? I don't know. We shall see in a few weeks.
Training 4/15-4/21 (race week)
4/15- Planned rest day. Perhaps a day of complete rest will allow the ankle to heal a little more.
PM- Could not pass up the chance to run in picture perfect weather conditions. 70 degree temps with low humidity and crystal clear skies. We won't see many more like that until Fall. Repeated the 3 mile distance this time on Montreat. Time is down to 25:57 (8:39 pace). MINUS 39. I figure that's probably the equivalent of a sub-25:30 on Lakeshore or a track. Splits were 8:55-8:38-8:24. My pre-injury/post-detox time for this distance was probably in the low-mid 24s so I'm getting there.
Distance=3.0
4/16- AM- 1 lap at Montreat with no pills. No Sarcosine either. Hoped for a sub-8 pace and came up just short. Finished in 2:42.5 (8:07 pace). I already knew this but there is no way that I could have come anywhere near 7-pace even with the pills so I am within 60 seconds. Whether or not I can hold a semi-respectable pace over several miles is another question.
PM- Full deck. 3 miles on Lakeshore in 24:40 (8:13 pace) MINUS 26. Added a warm and cool. That's about on par with where I was before the ankle injury right after starting TRS. Splits were 8:24-8:13-8:03 so the negative split trend continues. Hopefully, I get back under the Mendoza line next time. Race is in 4 days.
Distance=4.0
4/17-AM- Lakeshore 3 with NO treatments. Simply hoped for a sub-27 but finished with a surprising 25:42 (8:34 pace) PLUS 21. Only 62 seconds slower over 3 miles WITHOUT ANY PILL! Unthinkable just 1 month ago! The PLUS 21 is actually a little CLOSER than I wanted to see because I want to feel a noticeable boost with the pills but NOT a radical difference. I do figure that after a night of healing, I probably would have been close to 24-flat with the pills so the difference is really more like 30 per mile, which is just about EXACTLY what I want to see.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 43:29 (8:42 pace). I downshifted the effort considerably on this session. I actually aimed for a 9-9:10 pace to get a feel for 2 hour half marathon pace. It felt much TOO EASY. Can I hold a pace of 9:09 of under for 8.1 additional miles. Got a shot at it. At the very least, I will be better than I was in Delaware.
Distance=8.0
4/18- Planned rest day. All packed up and ready to roll after I get off work. Hopefully, the bad weather holds off until night. I hope to get to Kentucky or at least past Nashville.
4/19- Planned rest day. Arrived in Iowa
4/20- Finished the Kewash half marathon. Improved my Delaware time by more than 6 minutes,
Distance=13.5
4/21- 1.5 mile junk run on the 'mill at Trump hotel.
Distance=1.5
-30 miles on the week. YTD-368
PM- Could not pass up the chance to run in picture perfect weather conditions. 70 degree temps with low humidity and crystal clear skies. We won't see many more like that until Fall. Repeated the 3 mile distance this time on Montreat. Time is down to 25:57 (8:39 pace). MINUS 39. I figure that's probably the equivalent of a sub-25:30 on Lakeshore or a track. Splits were 8:55-8:38-8:24. My pre-injury/post-detox time for this distance was probably in the low-mid 24s so I'm getting there.
Distance=3.0
4/16- AM- 1 lap at Montreat with no pills. No Sarcosine either. Hoped for a sub-8 pace and came up just short. Finished in 2:42.5 (8:07 pace). I already knew this but there is no way that I could have come anywhere near 7-pace even with the pills so I am within 60 seconds. Whether or not I can hold a semi-respectable pace over several miles is another question.
PM- Full deck. 3 miles on Lakeshore in 24:40 (8:13 pace) MINUS 26. Added a warm and cool. That's about on par with where I was before the ankle injury right after starting TRS. Splits were 8:24-8:13-8:03 so the negative split trend continues. Hopefully, I get back under the Mendoza line next time. Race is in 4 days.
Distance=4.0
4/17-AM- Lakeshore 3 with NO treatments. Simply hoped for a sub-27 but finished with a surprising 25:42 (8:34 pace) PLUS 21. Only 62 seconds slower over 3 miles WITHOUT ANY PILL! Unthinkable just 1 month ago! The PLUS 21 is actually a little CLOSER than I wanted to see because I want to feel a noticeable boost with the pills but NOT a radical difference. I do figure that after a night of healing, I probably would have been close to 24-flat with the pills so the difference is really more like 30 per mile, which is just about EXACTLY what I want to see.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 43:29 (8:42 pace). I downshifted the effort considerably on this session. I actually aimed for a 9-9:10 pace to get a feel for 2 hour half marathon pace. It felt much TOO EASY. Can I hold a pace of 9:09 of under for 8.1 additional miles. Got a shot at it. At the very least, I will be better than I was in Delaware.
Distance=8.0
4/18- Planned rest day. All packed up and ready to roll after I get off work. Hopefully, the bad weather holds off until night. I hope to get to Kentucky or at least past Nashville.
4/19- Planned rest day. Arrived in Iowa
4/20- Finished the Kewash half marathon. Improved my Delaware time by more than 6 minutes,
Distance=13.5
4/21- 1.5 mile junk run on the 'mill at Trump hotel.
Distance=1.5
-30 miles on the week. YTD-368
Monday, April 8, 2019
Training 4/8-4/14
4/8- Unplanned rest day. I figure the ankle is as bad as it will get upon rising this morning. It's sore and swollen and I'm limping pretty badly but thankfully, it is not bruised and I can put weight on it. Very unlikely that it is broken. If it's a Grade 1, I still have a chance to be recovered by race day. If it's Grade 2, I'm out for a month. No chance that it's Grade 3 or I could not walk at all. I'll know by the middle-end of this week.
4/9- Swelling has gone down and I am walking "almost normal" but I am still in no condition to run and am unlikely to be able to do so for the next few days at least. I do believe it is only a Grade 1 sprain but I remain very iffy for Iowa in just 11 days.
4/10- Clearly improving and may be only a few days away from being able to do light jogging. Today, I walked around the parking lot in the morning and did a few steps of "jogging." It didn't hurt that much but I could not pick up any speed at all. Swelling is almost gone and am walking normally but it's still too sore.
PM- Very gingerly jogged 1 lap around Montreat in 4:30 (13:30 pace). Don't think I made it any worse. I'll try to beat it tomorrow. Walked a lap for a cool
Distance=1.0
4/11- AM- 1 lap at Montreat. A bit less pain though the first few steps were rough. Once I got in rhythm, it wasn't too painful but I could not get any kind of stride going. Time improved to 3:47 (11:21 pace) MINUS 2:09. Here's how bad the detox reaction is: My time was MUCH WORSE after the first spray of TRS than it was just 4 days after a sprained ankle.
I may have to downgrade the distance but I do expect to be able to run in 9 days so the trip is a GO. I fully expected to be almost recovered within 2-3 weeks. How the detox will play out is another matter. That could take 2 years and even then, long-term success is not guaranteed.
PM- 2 laps at Montreat in 6:55 (10:22 pace). MINUS 59. I was hoping for a sub-10 pace and I fell short. I was still nearly 1 minute faster per mile over double the distance. Splits were 3:32-3:23 so I did pick up the pace at the end and I really don't think I am hurting myself by being out here so soon after the injury.
Distance=1.0
4/12- Got through 2 miles at Gold's in 19:52 (9:56 pace). MINUS 26 over triple the distance. Goal was to get under 20 and I made it but I felt a little down about this one. That's probably because I've got such a LOOONG way to go to get back to respectability.
Distance=2.0
4/13- Repeated the 2 mile distance this time out and back on Lakeshore. Improved to 18:12 (9:06 pace) MINUS 50. Ankle remains sore but the pain is manageable. Encouraged by my splits of 9:22-8:50. Even with the ankle at 100%, I don't think I am much better than 16 minutes over this distance. Can I do anything more to reduce the detox symptoms? Maybe temporary use of an adrenal glandular will help. With 7 days to go until race day, I expect to be able to run the half in Iowa but just like Delaware, there will be no time goal. All I have to do is average a 13:45 pace to finish within the time limit and I certainly should be able to do that.
Distance=2.0
4/14- AM- 2x1 lap on Montreat. Opened with a 2:56 (8:48 pace) then actually slipped to a 3:04 (9:12 pace) PLUS 24 after taking 2 adrenal glandulars. Added a 1 lap cool. Well, I know it's not the answer but I had to take 2 pills to trigger a reaction strong enough to be considered significant. That's good. I want to know quickly if a pill is not good for me but do NOT want the massive reactions.
PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore so I could hit double digits this week. Finished in 27:53 (9:18 pace) with another negative split. Comparable pace to yesterday over an extra mile in spite of the glandulars. I accept this result. Tried Niacin in a final effort to increase the detox speed. I got the expected flush but it was a non-factor in the workout so it will not be taken again. I've done all that I can and have to accept the final outcome, which is likely to be decreased speed but more consistency. I've said many times that it's a deal that I was willing to make and stand by it today.
Distance=4.0
-10 miles on the week. YTD= 338
4/9- Swelling has gone down and I am walking "almost normal" but I am still in no condition to run and am unlikely to be able to do so for the next few days at least. I do believe it is only a Grade 1 sprain but I remain very iffy for Iowa in just 11 days.
4/10- Clearly improving and may be only a few days away from being able to do light jogging. Today, I walked around the parking lot in the morning and did a few steps of "jogging." It didn't hurt that much but I could not pick up any speed at all. Swelling is almost gone and am walking normally but it's still too sore.
PM- Very gingerly jogged 1 lap around Montreat in 4:30 (13:30 pace). Don't think I made it any worse. I'll try to beat it tomorrow. Walked a lap for a cool
Distance=1.0
4/11- AM- 1 lap at Montreat. A bit less pain though the first few steps were rough. Once I got in rhythm, it wasn't too painful but I could not get any kind of stride going. Time improved to 3:47 (11:21 pace) MINUS 2:09. Here's how bad the detox reaction is: My time was MUCH WORSE after the first spray of TRS than it was just 4 days after a sprained ankle.
I may have to downgrade the distance but I do expect to be able to run in 9 days so the trip is a GO. I fully expected to be almost recovered within 2-3 weeks. How the detox will play out is another matter. That could take 2 years and even then, long-term success is not guaranteed.
PM- 2 laps at Montreat in 6:55 (10:22 pace). MINUS 59. I was hoping for a sub-10 pace and I fell short. I was still nearly 1 minute faster per mile over double the distance. Splits were 3:32-3:23 so I did pick up the pace at the end and I really don't think I am hurting myself by being out here so soon after the injury.
Distance=1.0
4/12- Got through 2 miles at Gold's in 19:52 (9:56 pace). MINUS 26 over triple the distance. Goal was to get under 20 and I made it but I felt a little down about this one. That's probably because I've got such a LOOONG way to go to get back to respectability.
Distance=2.0
4/13- Repeated the 2 mile distance this time out and back on Lakeshore. Improved to 18:12 (9:06 pace) MINUS 50. Ankle remains sore but the pain is manageable. Encouraged by my splits of 9:22-8:50. Even with the ankle at 100%, I don't think I am much better than 16 minutes over this distance. Can I do anything more to reduce the detox symptoms? Maybe temporary use of an adrenal glandular will help. With 7 days to go until race day, I expect to be able to run the half in Iowa but just like Delaware, there will be no time goal. All I have to do is average a 13:45 pace to finish within the time limit and I certainly should be able to do that.
Distance=2.0
4/14- AM- 2x1 lap on Montreat. Opened with a 2:56 (8:48 pace) then actually slipped to a 3:04 (9:12 pace) PLUS 24 after taking 2 adrenal glandulars. Added a 1 lap cool. Well, I know it's not the answer but I had to take 2 pills to trigger a reaction strong enough to be considered significant. That's good. I want to know quickly if a pill is not good for me but do NOT want the massive reactions.
PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore so I could hit double digits this week. Finished in 27:53 (9:18 pace) with another negative split. Comparable pace to yesterday over an extra mile in spite of the glandulars. I accept this result. Tried Niacin in a final effort to increase the detox speed. I got the expected flush but it was a non-factor in the workout so it will not be taken again. I've done all that I can and have to accept the final outcome, which is likely to be decreased speed but more consistency. I've said many times that it's a deal that I was willing to make and stand by it today.
Distance=4.0
-10 miles on the week. YTD= 338
Monday, April 1, 2019
Training 4/1-4/7
4/1- AM- Yesterday, my floor without Selenium was a 9:45 pace while the ceiling was a 6:57 pace. Today, my floor was a less horrible 8:36 pace with a ceiling of 6:30. The gap has decreased from 2:48 to 2:06 and the ceiling went higher. That is exactly what I want to see. Total distance was 1.5 this session.
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 on the bottom leg. Finished in 20:30 (8:12 pace). I was at 10:30 at the turnaround then rallied for a 10-flat on the back half for an even 8 pace. The trend of negative splits is back. In other news, the TRS has arrived. I've seen miraculous testimonials about this stuff. Unfortunately, the detox reactions can be brutal the first couple of days.
Distance=4.0
4/2- AM-Could not resist giving TRS a try. In no big surprise, the body tightened up immediately after just 1 spray but I was noticeably better after urinating. That's exactly what is supposed to happen. The TRS binds with the toxins, which are then released in the urine. As for the workout, it was brutally ugly even after peeing some of it out.
Opener with TRS but no pills- 4:20.7. That's right FOUR TWENTY. (13:02 pace)
With all pills except Selenium- 4:10 (12:30 pace) MINUS 32
Full dose of Selenium- 3:46 (11:18 pace). MINUS 72.
Anything positive that I can take from this? Yes. The gap between the floor and the ceiling has diminished again. From 2:06 down to 1:44. As a percentage, the gap is even smaller. It will be under 60 seconds by the end of the week if the current trends continue. I wasn't sure if the Selenium would be effective on the TRS but yes, it still is. Though both the DIM and the Selenium are effective, I don't think they will be enough to get ALL the toxins out. TRS might.
I predict that once the initial shock reaction wears off, I will just as dependent on TRS as I was on the DIM and Selenium. I'll be awful without the TRS and better with it. I will require 5+ sprays but do no worse on more. Eventually, the demand for it will diminish and it will be preventative maintenance.
PM- Expected to see some improvement after 9 hours but I didn't expect this much.
Opened with a 2:59.7 (8:59 pace) MINUS 2:19 (MASSIVE!) Decided to try another spray knowing that the next interval would not be anywhere near 3:00 but I didn't know if it would be better or worse. Finished the next one in 2:30.0 (7:30 pace). MINUS 89. Added a 1 lap cool. Tomorrow, I am going aggressive with the full 5 sprays. Total gap between the first and last interval on the day was a MIND BOGGLING 5:32! I repeat FIVE THIRTY TWO!!!
Distance=2.0
4/3- AM-Opener with no treatments- 3:34 (10:42 pace). About as expected. Pretty awful but not nearly as bad as yesterday morning. Went aggressive with 5 sprays of TRS and in what is not a surprise, it was too much. Nevertheless, I did improve to a 2:56 (8:48 pace). On the last interval, I took all my usual pills and managed to nip yesterday's best with a 2:28 (7:24 pace). After the workout, I confirmed that I was too aggressive with the TRS as I was noticeably worse after another 2 sprays.
Analysis:
The TRS gap is a MASSIVE 1:54 and it is actually even higher than that. I would have done better on 3-4 sprays than 5 today. Still, I'm sticking with 5. The more aggressive I am, the faster the toxins are expelled. I predict that soon, 5 sprays will work best and I won't be hurt by taking extra. The pills gap has been reduced to 84 seconds so I'm in the double digits now. When that drops below 60, I can reduce the Selenium. The overall gap is at least 3:18.
PM- Trak Shak 3 in 28:39 (9:33 pace). Brutal detox symptoms. Did manage a slight negative split.
Distance=4.0
4/4-AM- Opener with no treatment- 2:50.6 (8:31 pace).
All treatments including TRS (5 sprays)- 2:20.1 (7:00 pace) MINUS 91
Extra TRS- 2:18.8 (6:56 pace) MINUS 4
Reaction:
Very pleased overall. The floor has really shot up. Much faster than I anticipated but I would like to see more improvement in the ceiling. If I can't go much below 7:00 pace for a third of a mile, I won't be much below 8:00 in a full mile. Still, I believe that I am not far away from being able to run 6.5 @ sub-9 without treatment. If I can do that, I should get a sub-2 in Iowa. The gap has been reduced to double digits and I believe it will be under 60 by the end of the week.
PM- Montreat 3 in 25:27 (8:29 pace). Much improved from yesterday. Splits were 8:35-8:34-8:18. At least for the short term, I may be in a pattern with a higher floor but a lower ceiling. It's a trade that I am willing to make. This was still a struggle every step of the way and never did feel good by any stretch. I've committed to the detox and must see it through. 2 weeks until I leave on my trip. There will be no further adjustments to the formula.
Distance=4.0
4/5- Planned rest day. I deserve one. Saturday's weather looks rough. May try to run long on Sunday.
4/6- AM- Weather is good after all but no long run today. Maybe tomorrow. More intervals.
Opener- 2:30.0 (7:30 pace)
Full deck- 2:11.8 (6:35 pace)
Untimed cool down lap
The gap is down to 55 seconds and though I did feel a difference with the treatment, it was not like night vs day. I predict that the gap will continue to diminish but settle somewhere between 15-30. That's what I want to see. I want to know that the pills are working but be able to get by without them if need be. Again and Again I say, a single dose should NEVER cause such strong reactions whether they are positive or negative unless something else is in play. While the floor rose by 61 seconds, the ceiling only came up by 21 and a 6:35 pace for a third of a mile is a pretty weak effort. Still, as I've said many times, stability at the expense of speed is a price that I am willing to pay.
PM- Lakeshore 5 in 42:15 (8:27 pace). Marginally faster than last time but it was 2 miles longer. 1st half- 21:17, 2nd half- 20:58. Negative splits continue but with smaller margins. If I can hold this pace for another 8.1 miles, I'll come in just under 1:51. I was 41 seconds per mile under a 2 hour pace. With 2 weeks to go, barring a relapse, I like my chances. Again and again I say, I don't want to see big improvements from one day to the next. If the treatment is working, you should not feel much different from one day to the next but improvement becomes evident over several weeks.
Distance=6.0
4/7- FAILED again. 4 miles in 40:45 (10:11 pace). Struggled out of the gate and completely collapsed after 2 miles. 1st half- 18:45, 2nd half- 22:00. I forgot to take the Sarcosine and yes, I did notice an improvement after I did take it. Not a surprise but it was disappointing. I might do okay in a sprint without a key pill but the longer the distance, the uglier it gets. Perhaps extra pills could have saved me in Delaware.
PM- 1 mile at Montreat. Time was acceptable at 7:26 but the bad news came at the finish line. I tripped over a pine cone and sprained my ankle. How bad? Fortunately, I expect to be able to run in Iowa. It's a little sore and swollen but it's not bruised so it's likely a Grade 1. THIS SUCKS! It's often been my history that every time I am on the verge of a breakthrough, I get a freak injury or illness.
Distance=5.0
-25 miles on the week. YTD- 328
PM- Lakeshore 2.5 on the bottom leg. Finished in 20:30 (8:12 pace). I was at 10:30 at the turnaround then rallied for a 10-flat on the back half for an even 8 pace. The trend of negative splits is back. In other news, the TRS has arrived. I've seen miraculous testimonials about this stuff. Unfortunately, the detox reactions can be brutal the first couple of days.
Distance=4.0
4/2- AM-Could not resist giving TRS a try. In no big surprise, the body tightened up immediately after just 1 spray but I was noticeably better after urinating. That's exactly what is supposed to happen. The TRS binds with the toxins, which are then released in the urine. As for the workout, it was brutally ugly even after peeing some of it out.
Opener with TRS but no pills- 4:20.7. That's right FOUR TWENTY. (13:02 pace)
With all pills except Selenium- 4:10 (12:30 pace) MINUS 32
Full dose of Selenium- 3:46 (11:18 pace). MINUS 72.
Anything positive that I can take from this? Yes. The gap between the floor and the ceiling has diminished again. From 2:06 down to 1:44. As a percentage, the gap is even smaller. It will be under 60 seconds by the end of the week if the current trends continue. I wasn't sure if the Selenium would be effective on the TRS but yes, it still is. Though both the DIM and the Selenium are effective, I don't think they will be enough to get ALL the toxins out. TRS might.
I predict that once the initial shock reaction wears off, I will just as dependent on TRS as I was on the DIM and Selenium. I'll be awful without the TRS and better with it. I will require 5+ sprays but do no worse on more. Eventually, the demand for it will diminish and it will be preventative maintenance.
PM- Expected to see some improvement after 9 hours but I didn't expect this much.
Opened with a 2:59.7 (8:59 pace) MINUS 2:19 (MASSIVE!) Decided to try another spray knowing that the next interval would not be anywhere near 3:00 but I didn't know if it would be better or worse. Finished the next one in 2:30.0 (7:30 pace). MINUS 89. Added a 1 lap cool. Tomorrow, I am going aggressive with the full 5 sprays. Total gap between the first and last interval on the day was a MIND BOGGLING 5:32! I repeat FIVE THIRTY TWO!!!
Distance=2.0
4/3- AM-Opener with no treatments- 3:34 (10:42 pace). About as expected. Pretty awful but not nearly as bad as yesterday morning. Went aggressive with 5 sprays of TRS and in what is not a surprise, it was too much. Nevertheless, I did improve to a 2:56 (8:48 pace). On the last interval, I took all my usual pills and managed to nip yesterday's best with a 2:28 (7:24 pace). After the workout, I confirmed that I was too aggressive with the TRS as I was noticeably worse after another 2 sprays.
Analysis:
The TRS gap is a MASSIVE 1:54 and it is actually even higher than that. I would have done better on 3-4 sprays than 5 today. Still, I'm sticking with 5. The more aggressive I am, the faster the toxins are expelled. I predict that soon, 5 sprays will work best and I won't be hurt by taking extra. The pills gap has been reduced to 84 seconds so I'm in the double digits now. When that drops below 60, I can reduce the Selenium. The overall gap is at least 3:18.
PM- Trak Shak 3 in 28:39 (9:33 pace). Brutal detox symptoms. Did manage a slight negative split.
Distance=4.0
4/4-AM- Opener with no treatment- 2:50.6 (8:31 pace).
All treatments including TRS (5 sprays)- 2:20.1 (7:00 pace) MINUS 91
Extra TRS- 2:18.8 (6:56 pace) MINUS 4
Reaction:
Very pleased overall. The floor has really shot up. Much faster than I anticipated but I would like to see more improvement in the ceiling. If I can't go much below 7:00 pace for a third of a mile, I won't be much below 8:00 in a full mile. Still, I believe that I am not far away from being able to run 6.5 @ sub-9 without treatment. If I can do that, I should get a sub-2 in Iowa. The gap has been reduced to double digits and I believe it will be under 60 by the end of the week.
PM- Montreat 3 in 25:27 (8:29 pace). Much improved from yesterday. Splits were 8:35-8:34-8:18. At least for the short term, I may be in a pattern with a higher floor but a lower ceiling. It's a trade that I am willing to make. This was still a struggle every step of the way and never did feel good by any stretch. I've committed to the detox and must see it through. 2 weeks until I leave on my trip. There will be no further adjustments to the formula.
Distance=4.0
4/5- Planned rest day. I deserve one. Saturday's weather looks rough. May try to run long on Sunday.
4/6- AM- Weather is good after all but no long run today. Maybe tomorrow. More intervals.
Opener- 2:30.0 (7:30 pace)
Full deck- 2:11.8 (6:35 pace)
Untimed cool down lap
The gap is down to 55 seconds and though I did feel a difference with the treatment, it was not like night vs day. I predict that the gap will continue to diminish but settle somewhere between 15-30. That's what I want to see. I want to know that the pills are working but be able to get by without them if need be. Again and Again I say, a single dose should NEVER cause such strong reactions whether they are positive or negative unless something else is in play. While the floor rose by 61 seconds, the ceiling only came up by 21 and a 6:35 pace for a third of a mile is a pretty weak effort. Still, as I've said many times, stability at the expense of speed is a price that I am willing to pay.
PM- Lakeshore 5 in 42:15 (8:27 pace). Marginally faster than last time but it was 2 miles longer. 1st half- 21:17, 2nd half- 20:58. Negative splits continue but with smaller margins. If I can hold this pace for another 8.1 miles, I'll come in just under 1:51. I was 41 seconds per mile under a 2 hour pace. With 2 weeks to go, barring a relapse, I like my chances. Again and again I say, I don't want to see big improvements from one day to the next. If the treatment is working, you should not feel much different from one day to the next but improvement becomes evident over several weeks.
Distance=6.0
4/7- FAILED again. 4 miles in 40:45 (10:11 pace). Struggled out of the gate and completely collapsed after 2 miles. 1st half- 18:45, 2nd half- 22:00. I forgot to take the Sarcosine and yes, I did notice an improvement after I did take it. Not a surprise but it was disappointing. I might do okay in a sprint without a key pill but the longer the distance, the uglier it gets. Perhaps extra pills could have saved me in Delaware.
PM- 1 mile at Montreat. Time was acceptable at 7:26 but the bad news came at the finish line. I tripped over a pine cone and sprained my ankle. How bad? Fortunately, I expect to be able to run in Iowa. It's a little sore and swollen but it's not bruised so it's likely a Grade 1. THIS SUCKS! It's often been my history that every time I am on the verge of a breakthrough, I get a freak injury or illness.
Distance=5.0
-25 miles on the week. YTD- 328
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
