Time for Spring Training and I'm looking forward to it. This will be the third and final post on this subject. I've done quite a bit of research on past, present and future candidates and find it quite interesting. There's even a forum to debate on the subject.
First, I want to address the previous posts in which I declared that I was "on the fence" about a few candidates. I've come to a decision and here it is:
Jeff Bagwell- YES. Short of 500 HRs but looks very strong on OPS. Innocent until proven guilty on the steroid charges but suspicion remains. I cannot vote for McGriff and against Bagwell.
Mike Piazza- NO. Admitted using Andro, which I believe to be a cover for harder drugs as was the case with McGwire. Fell of sharply after testing began.
Alex Rodriguez- NO. Been implicated in another scandal after admitting to doping for 3 years. I don't care if he breaks Bonds' record, my mind is made up.
Here's a typical profile of a player who falls just short (significant support but below the 75% threshold) Also known as the Hall of Very Good:
-comes up to the bigs at 23 and is good immediately.
-7 year peak from 26-32 in which he is superstar caliber.
-drops off a bit from 33-37 but remains an above average player.
-falls off at 38 and at best is ordinary and is sometimes released because he can barely hit .200. He may hang on for another year or 2 as a platoon player but it's sad to see that from a star player. Retire before that happens.
How do you get over top? I've addressed that a bit before but I want to expand on it.
1. Longevity. In rare cases, a player does not fall off at 38 and can remain productive until age 41. By productive, I mean that a player can still hit .270ish with 15-20 HRs. He plays 3 years longer and is able to compile another 400 hits and 50 home runs, putting him over the magic milestones. They should be given credit for that. That's why Dave Winfield made it and Dave Parker did not. Same with pitchers. If you can still help your team as a #3-4 starter at 40+, stick around. I believe Tommy John belongs and possibly Jim Kaat. Jamie Moyer? NO. If you stick around for 3 extra years as a fringe 5th starter or a platoon player hitting .250 with little power, that does not impress me. Those guys need 3,000 hits or other milestones. Chipper Jones will likely get in despite falling short but he was still good even in his last year.
2. Longer peak year period. Let's say that you can have a 10 year peak (25-34) in which you are among the best in the game. Hit 360 homers in 10 years, then you only need to average 20 for the other 7 to get to 500. By contrast, if you can only sustain excellence for 6-7 years, you need 25 HRs per year to make 500, which is tough to do at 37 or 38.
3. Extreme dominance in a short career. Hit 50 homers per year for a 6 year period and do it clean. You're probably in even if you are only average for another 6-8 years. Those cases are rare and when they do drop off 33-36, they're still better than the peak of a borderline HOFer and go down as among the best to ever play.
Now, I'd like to evaluate a few others that I neglected before.
1. Jeff Kent- close YES. His power number are under par for 1B or OF but for a 2nd baseman, he's one of the best offensively and compares favorably to Ryne Sandberg. I predict that he gets in but not on the first ballot.
2. Alan Trammell- Tough NO. Trammell was a class act and I like that he only played for one team. Some people compare him to Barry Larkin, who got in on the 3rd ballot. Trammell is usually around 30%. I also would have voted for Larkin and against Trammell. Larkin has a slight edge in HR and BA and nearly a 50 point edge in OPS. Larkin is clearly superior. Trammell needed 2,500 hits and/or 200 homers. If only he had stayed healthy near the end, he's in. There's a fine line between HOF careers and close but no cigar. I agree that the bar must be kept high. Students who score 88% are short of an "A" by only 1 question per 50 point test but there must be a cut off that separates good from great.
3.Vladamir Guerrero- YES. Shorter but excellent career. Short of 500 HRs and only 2,590 hits but his .318 BA and .553 slugging is very impressive. Slightly better than Bagwell. I predict that he too will get in but not on the first ballot.
4. Icharo- YES. Late start to career so he may not get to 3,000 hits. He's 38 and needs 3 more decent years to hit 3,000. With a .322 BA, great defense and speed, he's in and will likely make it on the first ballot.
5. Omar Vizquel- Tough NO. Compiler who has played until 45 and has been a platoon player for the past 5 years. He's a career .272 hitter with no power. Ozzie Smith got in based on defense and Vizquel was very strong in that area as well but Smith was arguably the best fielder ever at any position. Vizquel is not in that class. He needed 3,000 hits and came up just short.
Underrated players:
I think all of these player fell a little bit short but deserved a longer look than they got.
1. Harold Baines- Stayed on the ballot for 4 years but never got to 10%. He finished with 2,866 hits and 389 home runs. Here's how close he was: He was robbed of about 100 hits and 20 home runs by 2 player strikes during his career. With 3,000 hits and 400 homers, you've got to put him in. I'd put him in with 2,950+ hits but as it is, he's just short. A knock on him is that he was primarily a DH. He didn't help his team with good fielding but did not hurt it by poor fielding. It is only a mild impediment in my book.
2. Al Oliver- 2,743 hits and a .303 BA yet he was one and done at less than 5%. Also hurt by the strike in '81, which prevented him from 2,800. All he needed was 2 more years as a .270 hitter and he still finishes at .300 with 3,000 hits. Again, you've got to put him then but as it is, he's just short.
3. Lou Whitaker- Comparable to HOFers Joe Morgan yet he too was one and done. Morgan made it on the first ballot with a slash line of .271/.392/.427 with 2517 hits and 268 HRs. Whitaker's line was .276/.363/.426 with 2,369 hits and 244 HRs. Morgan did have a superior career but certainly not so much that it's 1st ballot vs one and done. I'm not sure Whitaker deserves induction but I hope he gets a good look from the Veteran's Committee.
4. Julio Franco- Another one and done player with impressive and unique credentials. .298 BA, 2,586 hits and he could still hit .270 at the age of 47. With a .300 BA and 3,000 hits, you've got to put him in even as a compiler without a ton of power. He lost 1 year playing in Japan and 2 more playing in Korea and should get at least some credit for that. If he had spent those years in MLB instead, I believe he may have hit .300 and would certainly have made 3,000 hits. He's over 4,000 if you include all of his time in professional baseball. I may even go as far as a YES on this one.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Training 2/25-3/3
2/25- Overall, this was the best I've felt this month but that is faint praise. Fast finish 5 miler with an overall time of 34:58 (6:59 pace) with a 6:20 in Mile 5. There are 2 more discouraging developments. First, the ankle needs prolo and I hope Dr. Johnson is free this week. Second, 5 pills were not quite enough. I wanted to do 6-7 miles but the foot was starting to bother me. I'm afraid to do speed work. I felt good early but around Mile 3-4, I was still running a decent pace but was feeling too loose and anxious.
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=6.0
2/26- Easy 7.5 in 55:14 (7:22 pace). Actually enjoyed the workout for the first time in a long time. Foot pain has diminished a bit but it's still there. I did get an appointment with Dr. Johnson tomorrow. I am back up the full dose of Thym-Adren, which was a disaster less than 1 week ago. WHAT THE _________!!!?? I attribute it to tight restrictions on sugar and taking the Fructosin consistently. I feel good about this formula for now but am not confident about 2 months from now. I could get the medical report in as little as 2 weeks from now and predict a modest improvement.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
2/27- NIGHTMARE! I just can't plug all the leaks. I think I've got the Thym-Adren squared away but now the Vitamin C and copper has flared up again. All I had time for was a short run. I tried to run in at tempo pace and died after a 6:30 1st mile. Hung on for another one at 7:50 then quit. Drove up to Nashville for prolo and it was not bad.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/28- Last day of the month from hell. I am too sore from the prolo to run today so I'm taking my planned rest day. Perhaps the fructose malabsorption is interfering with the Vitamin C absorption. I need to take the Fructosin consistently in spite of the high cost ($45/month). As for the copper, 2 mg is the daily value and only 1 mg. can make a difference between a good day and a bad one. Again, WHAT THE ___________!!!?? Sure, I'm angry but anybody else would be as well. I still have a chance to break the losing streak with a strong weekend. Outside of the sore ankle, I feel pretty decent today and may be able to do a gentle run tomorrow.
3/1- First signs of Spring have come as the trees are beginning to get a few buds but we're in a cold snap with temps barely into the 40s with a chance of snow tomorrow. I stayed indoors for an easy 6 in a decent time of 45:24 (7:34 pace). Slight fade in the 2nd half (22:33/22:51). Ankle was too tender for a quality session but I felt otherwise okay during the run. Not good but okay! I probably would have struggled in a tempo but grading is more lenient on easy days. I need a strong weekend to break the losing streak but barring a sudden sickness, I will be over 2.0 for the first time in 3 weeks.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
3/2- Temps in the 30s with wind and yes, snow flurries. Good day to stay in and run an easy 6. It was a good one. Came through 5 in exactly 36:40 with a pace of 7:20 (+/- 2 sec) each mile then turned it up in Mile 6 with a 6:37 to finish in 43:17 (7:13 avg pace). Ankle is still just a little tender but I don't think it hurt me. I have cut the Vitamin C down to 1,000 mg and may go down to 500 because I was still just a tad loose today. At this pace, it didn't hurt me but I'm still not sure how I would do in a tempo. Added a half mile cool. Should hit 40 again. I only need a "B" tomorrow to get a win this week.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
3/3- Trak Shak 8 and 3 so it was a hilly route. I wasn't quite in tip top form but pretty strong overall. I think that I will go down to 500 mg. of Vitamin C but that means that I must avoid copper in my protein bars. Yes, even 15% DV can make a difference. Finished with a time of 78:44 for the 11 miles (7:10 pace) with my last mile in 6:45 and last 800 in 3:09. Added a half mile cool. I have broken the losing streak.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary:
Lenient grading for much of the week but it's a win nonetheless. Win #5 on the year. The official formula is 500 mg. of C, 8 Thym-Adren pills, 2 Fructosin and 1-2 Paramin. I could very well go on a hot streak for the next 6-8 weeks but what are the chances that this will work 3 months from now? Slim-none. I expect to get the medical report in 10-14 days.
Distance= 40.0/ GPA= 24.8/8= 3.10
YTD: 348 miles/ Record: 5-4. Cum. GPA= 25.00/9= 2.78
Grade:B/2 credit/distance=6.0
2/26- Easy 7.5 in 55:14 (7:22 pace). Actually enjoyed the workout for the first time in a long time. Foot pain has diminished a bit but it's still there. I did get an appointment with Dr. Johnson tomorrow. I am back up the full dose of Thym-Adren, which was a disaster less than 1 week ago. WHAT THE _________!!!?? I attribute it to tight restrictions on sugar and taking the Fructosin consistently. I feel good about this formula for now but am not confident about 2 months from now. I could get the medical report in as little as 2 weeks from now and predict a modest improvement.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
2/27- NIGHTMARE! I just can't plug all the leaks. I think I've got the Thym-Adren squared away but now the Vitamin C and copper has flared up again. All I had time for was a short run. I tried to run in at tempo pace and died after a 6:30 1st mile. Hung on for another one at 7:50 then quit. Drove up to Nashville for prolo and it was not bad.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=2.0
2/28- Last day of the month from hell. I am too sore from the prolo to run today so I'm taking my planned rest day. Perhaps the fructose malabsorption is interfering with the Vitamin C absorption. I need to take the Fructosin consistently in spite of the high cost ($45/month). As for the copper, 2 mg is the daily value and only 1 mg. can make a difference between a good day and a bad one. Again, WHAT THE ___________!!!?? Sure, I'm angry but anybody else would be as well. I still have a chance to break the losing streak with a strong weekend. Outside of the sore ankle, I feel pretty decent today and may be able to do a gentle run tomorrow.
3/1- First signs of Spring have come as the trees are beginning to get a few buds but we're in a cold snap with temps barely into the 40s with a chance of snow tomorrow. I stayed indoors for an easy 6 in a decent time of 45:24 (7:34 pace). Slight fade in the 2nd half (22:33/22:51). Ankle was too tender for a quality session but I felt otherwise okay during the run. Not good but okay! I probably would have struggled in a tempo but grading is more lenient on easy days. I need a strong weekend to break the losing streak but barring a sudden sickness, I will be over 2.0 for the first time in 3 weeks.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
3/2- Temps in the 30s with wind and yes, snow flurries. Good day to stay in and run an easy 6. It was a good one. Came through 5 in exactly 36:40 with a pace of 7:20 (+/- 2 sec) each mile then turned it up in Mile 6 with a 6:37 to finish in 43:17 (7:13 avg pace). Ankle is still just a little tender but I don't think it hurt me. I have cut the Vitamin C down to 1,000 mg and may go down to 500 because I was still just a tad loose today. At this pace, it didn't hurt me but I'm still not sure how I would do in a tempo. Added a half mile cool. Should hit 40 again. I only need a "B" tomorrow to get a win this week.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
3/3- Trak Shak 8 and 3 so it was a hilly route. I wasn't quite in tip top form but pretty strong overall. I think that I will go down to 500 mg. of Vitamin C but that means that I must avoid copper in my protein bars. Yes, even 15% DV can make a difference. Finished with a time of 78:44 for the 11 miles (7:10 pace) with my last mile in 6:45 and last 800 in 3:09. Added a half mile cool. I have broken the losing streak.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=11.5
Weekly summary:
Lenient grading for much of the week but it's a win nonetheless. Win #5 on the year. The official formula is 500 mg. of C, 8 Thym-Adren pills, 2 Fructosin and 1-2 Paramin. I could very well go on a hot streak for the next 6-8 weeks but what are the chances that this will work 3 months from now? Slim-none. I expect to get the medical report in 10-14 days.
Distance= 40.0/ GPA= 24.8/8= 3.10
YTD: 348 miles/ Record: 5-4. Cum. GPA= 25.00/9= 2.78
Monday, February 18, 2013
Training 2/18-2/24
2/18- HORRIBLE! 5.5 mile recovery run with Kelly. I did enjoy the company even though I felt like total crap. I did not time it but the pace was said to be near 9 minutes and my legs could barely even handle that. By contrast, I can usually handle an 8 minute pace the day after a half. Formula today was 4 Thym-Adren and 2 Thymus which will not work. It will have to be one or the other. I'm going with the Thymus because it does not contain copper, just the glandular substance. On the day after a race, I will never give myself less than a "C" that's what I get today. I'm sending in my hair sample tomorrow.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/19- AM- I sure hope that last night was the low point. I had a terrible night complete with a panic attack, injury fear (pain just below ankle) and a nightmare involving a bizzare professor and extended unemployment while living near New Orleans (not a fan of that city either). Since I switched to all Thymus (7th adjustment of 2013), I'm taking no copper and thus have no need for Vitamin C. Woke up early with no alarm and went out and ran 1 mile before work in a pathetic time of 6:26.0. Effort was 90-95%. The only good news is that the ankle pain does not appear to be an injury. I will run again this evening. No grade this morning.
PM- Dare I say that help is on the way? Easy 5 in 37:41 (7:32 pace). Not good by any stretch but certainly an improvement over 12 hours ago. Legs and ankle were sore but the body was fairly comfortable. 1st half: 18:38, 2nd half: 19:03 so it was a mild fade but too severe. It is a victory that the Thymus appears to be effective. I am off both copper and Vitamin C as of tomorrow. Back in '09, I had a problem with zinc and chromium inhibiting each other. I quit both of them and it worked. Need to get the sugar consumption back down too and need a good night sleep tonight without a bizarre dream.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/20- Forget what I said about maybe getting better. I slept 10 hours last night, which seemed to help. I felt awful when I woke up but that's not unusual after a night off without the pills. I took 1 Thymus and got a little better then took 2 more pills and got MUCH WORSE! I am ready to declare the Thymus plan to be a failure. That leaves me with no other option except the Thym-Adren and Vitamin C. So here comes my 8th adjustment in as many weeks: Switch to Ester-C, which is supposedly better for fast oxidizers than ascorbic acid. Take as much as I need and not worry about a potential copper deficiency until it comes up. Again, I can take pre-emptive action to prevent a flare up on a race day. I will probably take my planned rest day or junk workout this evening rather than try to do a real workout and probably get an "F" on the day. Either way, I'm probably looking at my 4th consecutive loss unless I can get a miracle turnaround by the weekend.
Note to my readers: Some of you may be disappointed in my attitude as of late but my response is that this blog is designed to show a day to day picture of life with chemical instability and sometimes it ain't pretty. I refuse to sugarcoat it. IT SUCKS!
Another thought on the race: I was still good enough for 24th in my age group out of nearly 200 but that doesn't make me feel any better. My pace was nearly a minute per mile slower than my capability. It would be like Usain Bolt struggling to break 11 seconds in the 100 meters. He'd still be very fast in comparison with the average person but if you were to see him lose to a high school kid, you'd know something was wrong.
PM- 1 mile Trak Shak loop in a blistering 8:30.7. I could not go much faster. At least this gives me a base to track improvement from here. I threw the Thymus in the trash and blew $57 on it. I expect to be better tomorrow. I picked up some Ester-C at the store. The ankle is still sore but it's no worse when running. May need a shot of prolo for this. Oh joy! This counts as my rest day so it won't hurt the GPA but it goes on my record as an "F"
Grade:F/0 credits/distance=1.0
2/21- AM. 2 miles hard in a time of 14:50 (7:25 pace) with a significant negative split (7:34/7:16). That's still BAAAUHD! I should be well under 12 minutes at a hard effort. 1st day on Ester-C with the Thym-Adren. I will run again in the evening.
PM- Once again, I was baaaauhd! 4 miles indoors in a lame 30:52 (7:43 pace). 1st half was 14:44, 2nd half was 16:08. The wall hit me at Mile 3 and it felt pretty much like Mile 23. Better than yesterday but that is faint praise. I'm going to lose my 4th in a row and I'm not out of the woods yet with the ankle soreness.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/22- Last chance to do a "tempo" and it was a very weak effort. Nearly all out effort yielded a time of 35:58 for 5 miles (7:12 pace). That's a good marathon pace but for a tempo, I should be 6:30 or better so this was very poor. However, it was a significant improvement over yesterday. I would have been well over 39 yesterday. Today, I broke 36. I attribute this improvement to reducing the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6. Why am I trending down again? Is it because I am getting closer to balance or do I have a another deficiency? I'll find out in about 3 weeks. I think I have ruled out neuro deficiencies and I do think that I am getting enough C. Above 7:00 pace on a tempo is normally unacceptable but I'm lenient with the grade because of the improvement. Added a mile cool.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/23- Slept in and ran solo. Many Gnomes were racing this weekend anyway. I was unsure of how I would perform. Lakeshore 10 at moderate effort in a time of 77:21 (7:44 pace). I stayed with 6 Thym-Adren pills and took extra Vitamin C and was still sluggish. May try for 5 tomorrow. I'm okay with going as low as 3 but no lower. I tried a drink that contained tyrosine and had a negative reaction so I'm 90% sure that I'm okay neurologically. Overall, this was a fair performance.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=10.0
2/24- Felt horrible in the morning because the tyrosine was still in my system. I was willing to endure another rough day to rule out neurological problems. Felt a bit better by the afternoon. 3 miles on Wisteria in a time of 23:48 (7:56 pace). Very poor.
Run #2- 2 miles in 14:24 (7:12 pace) so that takes me up to 5 on the day in an overall time of 38:12 (7:38 avg). That's still quite lame but run #2 was noticeably better.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
I managed to beat last week's GPA and managed decent mileage but was once again under 2. This is one of my worst slumps on record. To meet my training goal for the year, I need to go 34-8 the rest of the way. The next race on the calendar is the Silver Comet 10K in 2 weeks. That is looking doubtful. If the medical report is not much better, I will have no idea why I am trending down.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 15.7/8= 1.96
YTD: 308 miles. Record: 4-4, Cum. GPA = 21.90/8= 2.74
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/19- AM- I sure hope that last night was the low point. I had a terrible night complete with a panic attack, injury fear (pain just below ankle) and a nightmare involving a bizzare professor and extended unemployment while living near New Orleans (not a fan of that city either). Since I switched to all Thymus (7th adjustment of 2013), I'm taking no copper and thus have no need for Vitamin C. Woke up early with no alarm and went out and ran 1 mile before work in a pathetic time of 6:26.0. Effort was 90-95%. The only good news is that the ankle pain does not appear to be an injury. I will run again this evening. No grade this morning.
PM- Dare I say that help is on the way? Easy 5 in 37:41 (7:32 pace). Not good by any stretch but certainly an improvement over 12 hours ago. Legs and ankle were sore but the body was fairly comfortable. 1st half: 18:38, 2nd half: 19:03 so it was a mild fade but too severe. It is a victory that the Thymus appears to be effective. I am off both copper and Vitamin C as of tomorrow. Back in '09, I had a problem with zinc and chromium inhibiting each other. I quit both of them and it worked. Need to get the sugar consumption back down too and need a good night sleep tonight without a bizarre dream.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=6.5
2/20- Forget what I said about maybe getting better. I slept 10 hours last night, which seemed to help. I felt awful when I woke up but that's not unusual after a night off without the pills. I took 1 Thymus and got a little better then took 2 more pills and got MUCH WORSE! I am ready to declare the Thymus plan to be a failure. That leaves me with no other option except the Thym-Adren and Vitamin C. So here comes my 8th adjustment in as many weeks: Switch to Ester-C, which is supposedly better for fast oxidizers than ascorbic acid. Take as much as I need and not worry about a potential copper deficiency until it comes up. Again, I can take pre-emptive action to prevent a flare up on a race day. I will probably take my planned rest day or junk workout this evening rather than try to do a real workout and probably get an "F" on the day. Either way, I'm probably looking at my 4th consecutive loss unless I can get a miracle turnaround by the weekend.
Note to my readers: Some of you may be disappointed in my attitude as of late but my response is that this blog is designed to show a day to day picture of life with chemical instability and sometimes it ain't pretty. I refuse to sugarcoat it. IT SUCKS!
Another thought on the race: I was still good enough for 24th in my age group out of nearly 200 but that doesn't make me feel any better. My pace was nearly a minute per mile slower than my capability. It would be like Usain Bolt struggling to break 11 seconds in the 100 meters. He'd still be very fast in comparison with the average person but if you were to see him lose to a high school kid, you'd know something was wrong.
PM- 1 mile Trak Shak loop in a blistering 8:30.7. I could not go much faster. At least this gives me a base to track improvement from here. I threw the Thymus in the trash and blew $57 on it. I expect to be better tomorrow. I picked up some Ester-C at the store. The ankle is still sore but it's no worse when running. May need a shot of prolo for this. Oh joy! This counts as my rest day so it won't hurt the GPA but it goes on my record as an "F"
Grade:F/0 credits/distance=1.0
2/21- AM. 2 miles hard in a time of 14:50 (7:25 pace) with a significant negative split (7:34/7:16). That's still BAAAUHD! I should be well under 12 minutes at a hard effort. 1st day on Ester-C with the Thym-Adren. I will run again in the evening.
PM- Once again, I was baaaauhd! 4 miles indoors in a lame 30:52 (7:43 pace). 1st half was 14:44, 2nd half was 16:08. The wall hit me at Mile 3 and it felt pretty much like Mile 23. Better than yesterday but that is faint praise. I'm going to lose my 4th in a row and I'm not out of the woods yet with the ankle soreness.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/22- Last chance to do a "tempo" and it was a very weak effort. Nearly all out effort yielded a time of 35:58 for 5 miles (7:12 pace). That's a good marathon pace but for a tempo, I should be 6:30 or better so this was very poor. However, it was a significant improvement over yesterday. I would have been well over 39 yesterday. Today, I broke 36. I attribute this improvement to reducing the Thym-Adren from 8 pills to 6. Why am I trending down again? Is it because I am getting closer to balance or do I have a another deficiency? I'll find out in about 3 weeks. I think I have ruled out neuro deficiencies and I do think that I am getting enough C. Above 7:00 pace on a tempo is normally unacceptable but I'm lenient with the grade because of the improvement. Added a mile cool.
Grade:C-/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/23- Slept in and ran solo. Many Gnomes were racing this weekend anyway. I was unsure of how I would perform. Lakeshore 10 at moderate effort in a time of 77:21 (7:44 pace). I stayed with 6 Thym-Adren pills and took extra Vitamin C and was still sluggish. May try for 5 tomorrow. I'm okay with going as low as 3 but no lower. I tried a drink that contained tyrosine and had a negative reaction so I'm 90% sure that I'm okay neurologically. Overall, this was a fair performance.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=10.0
2/24- Felt horrible in the morning because the tyrosine was still in my system. I was willing to endure another rough day to rule out neurological problems. Felt a bit better by the afternoon. 3 miles on Wisteria in a time of 23:48 (7:56 pace). Very poor.
Run #2- 2 miles in 14:24 (7:12 pace) so that takes me up to 5 on the day in an overall time of 38:12 (7:38 avg). That's still quite lame but run #2 was noticeably better.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
I managed to beat last week's GPA and managed decent mileage but was once again under 2. This is one of my worst slumps on record. To meet my training goal for the year, I need to go 34-8 the rest of the way. The next race on the calendar is the Silver Comet 10K in 2 weeks. That is looking doubtful. If the medical report is not much better, I will have no idea why I am trending down.
Distance=40.0/ GPA= 15.7/8= 1.96
YTD: 308 miles. Record: 4-4, Cum. GPA = 21.90/8= 2.74
Monday, February 11, 2013
Copper and Vitamin C issues
EDIT (8/16/13):
I am pleased to report that this issue has been well controlled for the past several months. If I take my fully DV of copper in supplement form, I need 500 mg of Vitamin C to balance it out. If I take less copper, I need less C and vice versa.
EDIT (4/2/14):
The copper had consistently read low on my hair test (usually about 1.5 vs. ideal of 2.5) but it is obvious now that I had a hidden toxicity all along. The Hulda Clark liver detox freed the copper from my liver and now it has spilled into my tissues. Vitamin C is still a good option. Other minerals that have been helpful to others include magnesium, molybdenum and selenium.
EDIT (10/28/14)
I've learned quite a bit since my last edit. In addition to the hair test, I recommend a serum copper and ceruloplasmin test. Copper bound to ceruloplasmin is a good thing. Too much unbound copper is toxic. In order to determine your unbound copper, multiply ceruloplasmin by 3 and subtract it from total copper. Ceruloplasmin should be 25-35. Unbound copper should be between 5-15. I endorse sulfur containing amino acids to reduce unbound copper. To raise ceruloplasmin, consider Whole Food C (not ascorbic acid) and/or Liver Beef.
Another post by my alter-ego: Dr. J. Here it is.
In December of 2012, I began trending off the Thym-Adren in spite of the fact that my medical report indicated off the scale imbalances, revealing the need for mega doses. The only problem was that I could not tolerate the one pill that has been proven to effective in getting me towards balance. There had to be some reason why I could not take it without stiffening up something awful. I surmised that I had a hidden copper toxicity or bio-unavailability. Vitamin C is a powerful copper antagonist so I began taking some of it to combat the problem. Presto! I could tolerate as much Thym-Adren as I needed and despite a few hiccups, I had a good month in January (4-0/3.37).
Then all of a sudden, the Vitamin C stopped working and my body reacted to it as if it was toxic. That's right. It was working beautifully through the end of week 4. I was fine on 1/28, a little flat the next day and downright BAD on 1/30. Simply reducing the dose was not enough. I had to avoid it in any form. In week 6, I drank a bottle of orange juice with my breakfast and tightened up so badly that when I tried to touch my toes, I could barely get past my knees.
I now believe that my original diagnosis of a copper toxicity was not quite correct. More likely, it was a Vitamin C deficiency brought on in part by excess copper. The tell tale sign is usually bleeding gums, which was present in my case at times but it was not too severe. The Vitamin C supplementation proved to be effective in resolving that deficiency. However, as I stated before, Vitamin C is a powerful copper antagonist. Thus, too much of it will deplete copper to dangerously low levels if taken long-term. Odds are that I am a bit low in both copper and C. That may explain why Vitamin C was good for me then became toxic all of a sudden. The copper over-rode the C issue. Treating one will make the other worse. Ouch!
The nightmare:
I've already taken a few days worth of copper to get that value back up and should be able to stay off it long-term. There is a fear that the Vitamin C deficiency could come back even if I avoid copper as much as possible. If that happens, taking C is a quick fix but in any form (including fruits and juices), it can trigger the copper deficiency again.
The plan of attack:
-Avoid any forms of copper (including some protein bars) and Vitamin C that is not present in my supplements. I'm already getting nearly my daily value of copper from the day's dose of Thym-Adren, which also contains Vitamin C.
-Stay away from caffeine and beer which deplete Vitamin C.
-Stay away from fruit drinks high in C, which deplete copper.
-That means pretty much just drink water and Gatorade, which has worked well in the past.
-I could switch to another pill but I have my doubts about its effectiveness.
As a last resort, I am open to a break from running. I've always maintained that these imbalances would be there regardless of whether I ran or not and that I'd never be able to manage it so well if not for running but if all else fails, I will take a break.
The good news is that as the body gets closer to balance in a fast oxidizer, tissue copper levels will usually rise without supplementation, which leaves me less vulnerable to problems if I need extra Vitamin C.
Emotional state:
I was pretty angry when I was struggling with my job in 2008 but that was an external circumstance. If you ask me, this is worse. The cycle keeps repeating itself: 6-8 good weeks then I lose 3 or 4 in a row. If/when I get this straight, another issue will probably pop up. Why should I believe any differently? I am having serious doubts about whether or not I can beat this once and for all. I've accepted having to take pills and I'm okay with that. Being unstable is not something that I will tolerate and if this is how my life will go, the anger and bitterness that I feel will only get worse. When it comes to chemical imbalances, happiness is not a choice!
Training 2/11-2/17
2/11- Another modest improvement. 5 miles nearly all out in 35:21 (7:04 pace). Considering that I have been under 32 minutes 3 times at this distance, this sucks. Yesterday, I was done after 3 in 20:48. Today, I came through 3 in 20:37 then hung on for a 7:24 and a 7:20 (easy pace @ hard effort). Adjustment #5 on the year will come tomorrow when I cut out the copper completely. Today, I took the equivalent of 1/2 pill with a protein bar. 1st half: 17:01, 2nd half: 18:20. That sucked too.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.0
2/12- Interesting day. I felt flat out AWFUL all day at work. I knew the problem. Simply cutting out the copper was not enough. I had to go back to Vitamin C. I am low in both. Symptoms of the more severe imbalance will predominate. Both are required to synthesize dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin so that explains the depression. First attempt to run was only 200 meters almost all out in 52 seconds. I drank some OJ and was down to 47.5 seconds so I went home and popped some Vitamin C. Finished another 5 mile test and my time was down to 34:12 (6:50 pace). That's just under 1:30 pace for a half and if I had gone out conservatively, I may have held it for 6.5. Ugly splits again. 1st half: 16:39, 2nd half: 17:33. No cause for celebration. I am still a distressing :30/mile shy of PR form. At least I know what to do if I have problems with Vitamin C. From now on, I will take pre-emptive action on race week to prevent a sudden shift on the weekend. As for the copper, if I get into balance, my risk of copper deficiency will diminish.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/13- I need to tweak a few things but I am on the right track. 4 days out from the race and I think I can expect a "decent" showing. I'll consider this one my tempo on the week. 5 mile test run again and my time is down to 33:23 (6:41 pace). Cut off another 49 seconds. Splits are evening up as well. 1st half: 16:25, 2nd half: 16:58. 35 of the 49 came in the 2nd half. Copper must be kept to a minimum. Instead of increasing C if I feel a little off, I will cut the Thym-Adren. Copper is nearly as toxic this week as C was last week. When the thymus substance comes next week, I may be able to reduce the Thym-Adren significantly. The remainder of the week will be 2 days off then just a few strides on Saturday. Sunday's weather looks to be clear and cold. Passed 250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
2/14- Planned rest day #1. I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY! There I said it. This year is especially painful because I don't feel like I'm any closer to fixing this than I was 3 years ago. I don't want to hurt anyone with my mood swings or get hurt myself by someone who doesn't understand.
2/15- Planned rest day #2. I have no choice but to increase the Vitamin C. I fear that my excitatory neurotransmitters may be low again (adrenaline, dopamine) and I sure hope that C is all I need for that. I REALLY don't want to have to go back to tyrosine because that would neutralize the Thym-Adren. Not real confident 2 days out from race day. Dreamed that I took a wrong turn on my home course, cut through a smokey bar, ran over 2 extra miles and finished in 1:55.
Update: Not a good day. Stiffness in my knees again and I attribute that to the protein bar. Will it clear in time? I'm having to do everything that I did last time that caused the copper deficiency to flare up. Thymus substance has arrived but I'm afraid to make any real changes so close to race day.
2/16- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria. Did not feel well. It's hard to predict anything but it sure is not looking good for tomorrow. I can still get a win this week with an "A-" tomorrow.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=1.0
2/17- Sucked as expected. Barely finished the Mercedes half in a time of 1:38:31 (7:32 pace). I was doing okay through Mile 6 then the wheels came off. I would have dropped out if I had fallen off 2 miles earlier. I looked so bad at Mile 10 that a volunteer asked me if I was okay. I said "No, but I can finish safely." I made no effort at all in the last 5K. I just wanted it to be over. I won't even bother with writing a full report but I will list my splits here:
6:42-6:42-6:56-6:49-7:07-6:58/ (41:14 @ Mile 6) just a hair off 1:30 pace.
7:20-7:34-7:34-8:02 (71:44 @ Mile 10) still on pace for a 1:34
8:15-8:49-8:57-52. Wanted to walk but did not. Last 5K was a pitiful 26:53.
Grade:D+/4 credits/distance=14.0
Weekly summary:
The only good that I can think of about this week is that since it's my 3rd straight loss, based on my history, I am due for a win next week. The thymus substance appears to be effective but the formula will have to be tweaked. With less copper, the need for Vitamin C should decrease, which is good.
I have dropped under 3.0 on the year.
Distance=31.0/GPA= 14.6/8= 1.83(lowest of the year)
YTD: 268 miles. Record: 4-3. Cum GPA= 2.85
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=5.0
2/12- Interesting day. I felt flat out AWFUL all day at work. I knew the problem. Simply cutting out the copper was not enough. I had to go back to Vitamin C. I am low in both. Symptoms of the more severe imbalance will predominate. Both are required to synthesize dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin so that explains the depression. First attempt to run was only 200 meters almost all out in 52 seconds. I drank some OJ and was down to 47.5 seconds so I went home and popped some Vitamin C. Finished another 5 mile test and my time was down to 34:12 (6:50 pace). That's just under 1:30 pace for a half and if I had gone out conservatively, I may have held it for 6.5. Ugly splits again. 1st half: 16:39, 2nd half: 17:33. No cause for celebration. I am still a distressing :30/mile shy of PR form. At least I know what to do if I have problems with Vitamin C. From now on, I will take pre-emptive action on race week to prevent a sudden shift on the weekend. As for the copper, if I get into balance, my risk of copper deficiency will diminish.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/13- I need to tweak a few things but I am on the right track. 4 days out from the race and I think I can expect a "decent" showing. I'll consider this one my tempo on the week. 5 mile test run again and my time is down to 33:23 (6:41 pace). Cut off another 49 seconds. Splits are evening up as well. 1st half: 16:25, 2nd half: 16:58. 35 of the 49 came in the 2nd half. Copper must be kept to a minimum. Instead of increasing C if I feel a little off, I will cut the Thym-Adren. Copper is nearly as toxic this week as C was last week. When the thymus substance comes next week, I may be able to reduce the Thym-Adren significantly. The remainder of the week will be 2 days off then just a few strides on Saturday. Sunday's weather looks to be clear and cold. Passed 250 miles on the year.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=5.5
2/14- Planned rest day #1. I HATE VALENTINE'S DAY! There I said it. This year is especially painful because I don't feel like I'm any closer to fixing this than I was 3 years ago. I don't want to hurt anyone with my mood swings or get hurt myself by someone who doesn't understand.
2/15- Planned rest day #2. I have no choice but to increase the Vitamin C. I fear that my excitatory neurotransmitters may be low again (adrenaline, dopamine) and I sure hope that C is all I need for that. I REALLY don't want to have to go back to tyrosine because that would neutralize the Thym-Adren. Not real confident 2 days out from race day. Dreamed that I took a wrong turn on my home course, cut through a smokey bar, ran over 2 extra miles and finished in 1:55.
Update: Not a good day. Stiffness in my knees again and I attribute that to the protein bar. Will it clear in time? I'm having to do everything that I did last time that caused the copper deficiency to flare up. Thymus substance has arrived but I'm afraid to make any real changes so close to race day.
2/16- 1 mile junk run on Wisteria. Did not feel well. It's hard to predict anything but it sure is not looking good for tomorrow. I can still get a win this week with an "A-" tomorrow.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=1.0
2/17- Sucked as expected. Barely finished the Mercedes half in a time of 1:38:31 (7:32 pace). I was doing okay through Mile 6 then the wheels came off. I would have dropped out if I had fallen off 2 miles earlier. I looked so bad at Mile 10 that a volunteer asked me if I was okay. I said "No, but I can finish safely." I made no effort at all in the last 5K. I just wanted it to be over. I won't even bother with writing a full report but I will list my splits here:
6:42-6:42-6:56-6:49-7:07-6:58/ (41:14 @ Mile 6) just a hair off 1:30 pace.
7:20-7:34-7:34-8:02 (71:44 @ Mile 10) still on pace for a 1:34
8:15-8:49-8:57-52. Wanted to walk but did not. Last 5K was a pitiful 26:53.
Grade:D+/4 credits/distance=14.0
Weekly summary:
The only good that I can think of about this week is that since it's my 3rd straight loss, based on my history, I am due for a win next week. The thymus substance appears to be effective but the formula will have to be tweaked. With less copper, the need for Vitamin C should decrease, which is good.
I have dropped under 3.0 on the year.
Distance=31.0/GPA= 14.6/8= 1.83(lowest of the year)
YTD: 268 miles. Record: 4-3. Cum GPA= 2.85
Monday, February 4, 2013
Training 2/4-2/10
2/4- Easy 6 indoors in a solid 44:48 (7:28 pace). Nearly dead even splits. All were between 7:26-7:30. Good looking run on the surface but an easy day is judged somewhat subjectively based on how I felt. This should have been effortless but I was still too loose. The excess Vitamin C still has not cleared my system. Should be better tomorrow.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/5- Checked out Will's speed group at Oak Mountain HS. It worked out well. I wanted to combine a bit of tempo and harder speed and he gave me what I wanted. 2 miles in 12:30 (6:13-6:17) followed by a 5 minute rest then 4x200 @ 33.5 avg (4:30 pace). 200s were 32-35-34-33. I think that I could have run a 19:45 for 5K in a time trial, which is not bad for being untapered. This was day #2 off the Vitamin C. It feels like I am improving gradually which may be good for the long haul but I may not be at my peak for Mercedes. Solid but unspectacular. 12 days out from race day.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.5
2/6- Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort in a time of 35:56 (7:11 pace). It was nice to have daylight for almost 3 miles. Kind of "not smart" to push it today but I wanted a bit of a test. Third day off Vitamin C and I felt different today. If I remain on this course, I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of several weeks, improvement will be noticeable. I'm a little down on my chances of a fast time at Mercedes and I have a premonition that I'll be forced back on the C soon.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/7- AM- Easy 3 miles indoors in 22:53 (7:38 pace). Not expecting much and was not surprised that I did not feel good. I did tinker with the dosage last night. Just a trace of C will trigger a negative reaction. Is it C in pill form that is bad or do I have a problem with all forms? I'll find out after a bottle of orange juice. If the latter holds true, I will try to go back to the protein bars with copper.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
Update: After drinking a bottle of OJ with my breakfast, I stiffened up badly. Clearly, I have an issue with C in all forms. I have no choice but to add more copper but if I do that for too long, I'll be right back to copper toxicity and Vitamin C deficiency. I've also learned that protein increases copper, which depletes C. Plan #7,000 is to find another breakfast choice that gives me moderate protein and contains a little copper. Plan # 7,001 is to avoid both copper and C and take Thymus glandular alone but I have doubts about the effectiveness of that plan. THIS SUCKS!
2/8- Planned rest day. I went to GNC to get some new protein bars. I went with PowerCrunch (15 g protein, 0 sugar alcohol, 0% copper) but should have gone with Supreme. I had been taking METRX, which contains 32g of protein and 60% DV of copper. Copper and Vitamin C are direct antagonists of each other and protein increases copper absorption. Here's what I know: If I take the METRX regularly, it will lead to too much copper and a Vitamin C deficiency. If I do not take any protein and avoid copper altogether, I will become deficient in copper and so sensitive to Vitamin C that I will not be able to drink a bottle of OJ without stiffening up. Ideally, I'm looking to go halfway (15 g protein, 25% DV copper) preferably with no sugar alcohols. I would prefer to stay off the C but if I can't drink some juice, that will not be tolerated.
2/9- TERRIBLE! 2 attempts to run. Both times, I faded early after a decent start and was doing over 8:00 pace early in Mile 2 so I quit. If the race had been today, it would have been a DNF.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/10- Not much better. Short tempo indoors. 3 miles in 20:48 (6:56 pace) with splits of 6:38-7:02-7:08. Woke up feeling awful then took a copper pill and overshot the balance point. Took another half when I got back and got worse.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Angry again. This is my history. I often have 6-8 weeks in which it really looks like things are coming together then I lose 3 out of 4. 1 week out from race day and it's a long shot that I'll be in decent form by then. The overall record still looks decent and would have been acceptable in the early years of treatment but not in 2013. What's worse is that I've needed 4 adjustments in 6 weeks and that number will be 5 by next week when I cut out the copper.
Distance= 25.0/ GPA= 17.0/8= 2.13
YTD: 237 miles. Record- 4-2. Cum. GPA= 3.02
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=6.0
2/5- Checked out Will's speed group at Oak Mountain HS. It worked out well. I wanted to combine a bit of tempo and harder speed and he gave me what I wanted. 2 miles in 12:30 (6:13-6:17) followed by a 5 minute rest then 4x200 @ 33.5 avg (4:30 pace). 200s were 32-35-34-33. I think that I could have run a 19:45 for 5K in a time trial, which is not bad for being untapered. This was day #2 off the Vitamin C. It feels like I am improving gradually which may be good for the long haul but I may not be at my peak for Mercedes. Solid but unspectacular. 12 days out from race day.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.5
2/6- Trak Shak 5 at moderate effort in a time of 35:56 (7:11 pace). It was nice to have daylight for almost 3 miles. Kind of "not smart" to push it today but I wanted a bit of a test. Third day off Vitamin C and I felt different today. If I remain on this course, I may not feel much different from day to day but over the course of several weeks, improvement will be noticeable. I'm a little down on my chances of a fast time at Mercedes and I have a premonition that I'll be forced back on the C soon.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.5
2/7- AM- Easy 3 miles indoors in 22:53 (7:38 pace). Not expecting much and was not surprised that I did not feel good. I did tinker with the dosage last night. Just a trace of C will trigger a negative reaction. Is it C in pill form that is bad or do I have a problem with all forms? I'll find out after a bottle of orange juice. If the latter holds true, I will try to go back to the protein bars with copper.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=3.0
Update: After drinking a bottle of OJ with my breakfast, I stiffened up badly. Clearly, I have an issue with C in all forms. I have no choice but to add more copper but if I do that for too long, I'll be right back to copper toxicity and Vitamin C deficiency. I've also learned that protein increases copper, which depletes C. Plan #7,000 is to find another breakfast choice that gives me moderate protein and contains a little copper. Plan # 7,001 is to avoid both copper and C and take Thymus glandular alone but I have doubts about the effectiveness of that plan. THIS SUCKS!
2/8- Planned rest day. I went to GNC to get some new protein bars. I went with PowerCrunch (15 g protein, 0 sugar alcohol, 0% copper) but should have gone with Supreme. I had been taking METRX, which contains 32g of protein and 60% DV of copper. Copper and Vitamin C are direct antagonists of each other and protein increases copper absorption. Here's what I know: If I take the METRX regularly, it will lead to too much copper and a Vitamin C deficiency. If I do not take any protein and avoid copper altogether, I will become deficient in copper and so sensitive to Vitamin C that I will not be able to drink a bottle of OJ without stiffening up. Ideally, I'm looking to go halfway (15 g protein, 25% DV copper) preferably with no sugar alcohols. I would prefer to stay off the C but if I can't drink some juice, that will not be tolerated.
2/9- TERRIBLE! 2 attempts to run. Both times, I faded early after a decent start and was doing over 8:00 pace early in Mile 2 so I quit. If the race had been today, it would have been a DNF.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/10- Not much better. Short tempo indoors. 3 miles in 20:48 (6:56 pace) with splits of 6:38-7:02-7:08. Woke up feeling awful then took a copper pill and overshot the balance point. Took another half when I got back and got worse.
Grade:D-/2 credits/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
Angry again. This is my history. I often have 6-8 weeks in which it really looks like things are coming together then I lose 3 out of 4. 1 week out from race day and it's a long shot that I'll be in decent form by then. The overall record still looks decent and would have been acceptable in the early years of treatment but not in 2013. What's worse is that I've needed 4 adjustments in 6 weeks and that number will be 5 by next week when I cut out the copper.
Distance= 25.0/ GPA= 17.0/8= 2.13
YTD: 237 miles. Record- 4-2. Cum. GPA= 3.02
Monday, January 28, 2013
Training 1/28-2/3
1/28- Lakeshore 7 in 51:12 (7:19 pace). Feeling better thanks to more Vitamin C and no caffeine. Caffeine depletes C so that partially explains why I've been needing more and more of that stuff. Started too fast but calmed down after seeing a 7:04 split for Mile 2. Pleasant 60 degree weather. The only reason this was not a solid A was a trace of lingering IT band pain.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/29- Johnny's workout. Felt a little flat. 3x1200 with 3 minute R followed by a hard 400. I made the "B" target of 4:30/75. Strength was good but the speed and power in my legs was missing. Each lap, I came through the 400 in 88ish and doubted that I could hold the pace but managed to do so. 1200s were 4:27/4:28/4:28 (5:57 pace), which was no faster than my 800s last week despite fewer reps and longer R. The 400 was a 74.5 (4:58 pace). Not a bad workout overall but not among my best. The 17 year-old Crazy J "used to could" run 3x1 Mile in 5:55 with a 400 in 65 after a full R.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.0
1/30- BAD! 5 miles indoors in a weak time of 39:51 (7:58 pace). I had to fight pretty hard just to get a sub-8. I thought about quitting after 3 miles but managed to slog through. 1st half: 19:37, 2nd half: 20:14. Clearly the Vitamin C is trending down, which could be good news in the long run. Today, I was sore and listless because of the pills. When I am overtrained, I feel zonked and dazed but still have decent flexibility. It feels very different! My winning streak is in jeopardy.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/31- Cut the Vitamin C down to 500 mg (original dosage). I was much improved over yesterday but the grading is much stricter on a planned tempo day. I like to do 6 miles at 6:40 or below on a good day. Today, I managed only 5 in a time of 35:44 (7:09 pace), 40 seconds/mile slower than last week. That's barely ahead of GMP and I had to put out tempo effort to do it. Ugly splits as well! 1st half: 17:16, 2nd half: 18:28. Added a mile cool on the 'mill. This guarantees a loss on the week but it's a loss with an explanation. I'm willing to sacrifice this week for long-term gains from no caffeine and less Vitamin C.
Grade:D+/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/1- This was a planned rest day but I wanted a small test to see if I got the continuous improvement from sticking to 500 mg. I felt near normal by the evening after a rough start to the day. 3 miles at easy effort and finished in a more typical time of 21:39 (7:13 pace). Little more than a junk run and it should not hurt me tomorrow. I still can't win this week but hopefully, it won't be too ugly.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/2- AWFUL! 7 miles in 57:02 (8:09 pace) with the Gnomes. The last 4 miles went like this: 7:26-7:32-9:22-9:50. 'Nuff said. I'll consider this my easy weekend day but if I don't finish 13 tomorrow, it's an automatic F and 2 credits. My only theory is that Vitamin C must be either cut out or taken in the evening. If I have to go back on it again, that is the breaking point.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=7.0
2/3- NO vitamin C this morning and guess what? I've improved. How long will I be forced off this stuff is another question. I was still far from my peak. 13 miles on the Mercedes course in a time of 1:34:07 (7:14 pace), not including another emergency stop. In a race setting, I'd estimate a time in the mid-high 1:32s, which is acceptable but not good by any stretch. No way in hell that I could have run another 13 at that pace today.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=13.0
Weekly summary:
First loss of the year and the end of a 7 week winning streak, one shy of my record. Again, it is a loss with an explanation. If I can stay off the Vitamin C and the caffeine, it's a long-run gain. If not, I will have reached the breaking point. I really struggled this week with anger about this whole situation. IT SUCKS! YTD: 212. Record is 4-1 with a 3.20 GPA.
Distance=45.0/GPA= 24.9/10= 2.49
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/29- Johnny's workout. Felt a little flat. 3x1200 with 3 minute R followed by a hard 400. I made the "B" target of 4:30/75. Strength was good but the speed and power in my legs was missing. Each lap, I came through the 400 in 88ish and doubted that I could hold the pace but managed to do so. 1200s were 4:27/4:28/4:28 (5:57 pace), which was no faster than my 800s last week despite fewer reps and longer R. The 400 was a 74.5 (4:58 pace). Not a bad workout overall but not among my best. The 17 year-old Crazy J "used to could" run 3x1 Mile in 5:55 with a 400 in 65 after a full R.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.0
1/30- BAD! 5 miles indoors in a weak time of 39:51 (7:58 pace). I had to fight pretty hard just to get a sub-8. I thought about quitting after 3 miles but managed to slog through. 1st half: 19:37, 2nd half: 20:14. Clearly the Vitamin C is trending down, which could be good news in the long run. Today, I was sore and listless because of the pills. When I am overtrained, I feel zonked and dazed but still have decent flexibility. It feels very different! My winning streak is in jeopardy.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
1/31- Cut the Vitamin C down to 500 mg (original dosage). I was much improved over yesterday but the grading is much stricter on a planned tempo day. I like to do 6 miles at 6:40 or below on a good day. Today, I managed only 5 in a time of 35:44 (7:09 pace), 40 seconds/mile slower than last week. That's barely ahead of GMP and I had to put out tempo effort to do it. Ugly splits as well! 1st half: 17:16, 2nd half: 18:28. Added a mile cool on the 'mill. This guarantees a loss on the week but it's a loss with an explanation. I'm willing to sacrifice this week for long-term gains from no caffeine and less Vitamin C.
Grade:D+/2 credits/distance=6.0
2/1- This was a planned rest day but I wanted a small test to see if I got the continuous improvement from sticking to 500 mg. I felt near normal by the evening after a rough start to the day. 3 miles at easy effort and finished in a more typical time of 21:39 (7:13 pace). Little more than a junk run and it should not hurt me tomorrow. I still can't win this week but hopefully, it won't be too ugly.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=3.0
2/2- AWFUL! 7 miles in 57:02 (8:09 pace) with the Gnomes. The last 4 miles went like this: 7:26-7:32-9:22-9:50. 'Nuff said. I'll consider this my easy weekend day but if I don't finish 13 tomorrow, it's an automatic F and 2 credits. My only theory is that Vitamin C must be either cut out or taken in the evening. If I have to go back on it again, that is the breaking point.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=7.0
2/3- NO vitamin C this morning and guess what? I've improved. How long will I be forced off this stuff is another question. I was still far from my peak. 13 miles on the Mercedes course in a time of 1:34:07 (7:14 pace), not including another emergency stop. In a race setting, I'd estimate a time in the mid-high 1:32s, which is acceptable but not good by any stretch. No way in hell that I could have run another 13 at that pace today.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=13.0
Weekly summary:
First loss of the year and the end of a 7 week winning streak, one shy of my record. Again, it is a loss with an explanation. If I can stay off the Vitamin C and the caffeine, it's a long-run gain. If not, I will have reached the breaking point. I really struggled this week with anger about this whole situation. IT SUCKS! YTD: 212. Record is 4-1 with a 3.20 GPA.
Distance=45.0/GPA= 24.9/10= 2.49
Monday, January 21, 2013
Training 1/21-1/27
1/21- MLR in the daylight thanks to the MLK holiday. Some Gnomes ran at 6:30 this morning. Why anyone would want to run in the cold and dark when they could run in sunny 50 degree temps is beyond me. Took 7 pills today and felt a lot better than I did on 6 yesterday. Again, it is RIDICULOUS that a single dose makes this much difference! Trak Shak 9+ part of Lakeshore extension for a total of 10 miles in 71:40 (7:10 pace). Sub-3:10 marathon pace is a solid day but this was not a stellar performance. How much longer could I have sustained this pace? Maybe another 4-5 miles but not 10, which I have done recently. Feeling increasing uneasy about the Thym-Adren. I fear that I could end up below 3 pills and have cut to them in half. If that happens, I've got to do something different. Again, it will be at least 6 more weeks until I get my next medical report.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=10.0
Update:
Good news today. Previously, I could NOT take choline/inositol but when taken with B-3 and L-methionine as suggested, I did NOT have a negative reaction. If the Thym-Adren does fail, I know it's the copper that is the problem and it is NOT hopeless after all. I can take the ICMN and/or thymus substance alone (glandular in Thym-Adren w/o other ingredients). Quality tomorrow.
1/22- Good tempo. 5 miles in 32:24 (6:29 pace) with a hard but measured effort just like a tempo should feel. Added a short cool at the end. Felt just a touch loose and faded a bit in Miles 3-4 but finished pretty strong. 1st half: 16:07, 2nd half: 16:17. I would have broken 41 for 10K today not going all out.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.5
1/23-Another quality session. Body is holding up okay but I expect to be sore tomorrow. I tried out Alex's speed session at Mountain Brook. His philosophy is different than Johnny's. Alex wants a lot more reps at slower paces with minimal recovery. He initially wanted me to run 8x800 at 3:10-3:15 pace with only a 30 second rest. That's pretty much a tempo run. I modified it to run 6x800 with a 1 minute rest. My normal rest for 800 intervals is 2:30 or even 3 minutes but I can run them in 2:45-2:50. Tonight, I was fighting for sub-3:00 on the shorter rest. I managed to average a 2:58.5 or 17:50 for 3 miles (5:57 pace). That's 10 seconds faster than my current 5K race pace, which is good but not great. Like Johnny's group, nobody could run my pace. I'm stuck in the middle. Too slow to run with the best in the area (2:50 marathoners) but too fast for most everyone else.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=4.0
Update:
I had hoped that because I took some ICMN last night, I would not feel so awful in the morning. Not so. I was obviously too loose on 7 pills so I popped #8 at lunch time. When I get too tight, cutting the Thym-Adren is not as effective as adding more Vitamin C. However, I must be judicious about doing that because too much can cause diarrhea as I learned the hard way in LA. It also stimulates the adrenals. I'm currently taking 1500 mg of C and am willing to go up to 3000 if need be.
1/24- Easy 6 on Lakeshore in 44:54 (7:29 pace). Relaxed even pace. Felt good and never struggled despite back to back quality days. It was a comfortable 50 degrees outside while the North and Midwest are close to single digits. Added a half mile cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
1/25- Planned rest day and I need one. Pretty much all I have to do is finish my workouts this weekend and I pick up another win.
1/26- Gnome run with the big boys. I did not plan to run more than 14-15 but the pace was slower than usual (7:40ish) so I opted for the full monty (19 miles) in a time of 2:33:30 (7:34 pace) or approx. 3:17ish for a full mary. Mile 19 was a strong 6:40 but it did include a steep quarter mile downhill on a route that was not easy (16-18 were tough). I definitely think I could have held it for another 7 miles. I have won another one.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=19.0
1/27- Went to Veteran's Park for a change for a low-key easy run with Kirk and Will. Finished 4.5 miles in 35:44 (7:57 pace) then added a half mile cool. Pace is always slower here because of the gravel trail, which is soft in some spots and the wooded section is hilly. Sore knee and stiff legs.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
7th consecutive victory with no major hiccups this time but it seems like I am needing more and more Vitamin C. I fear that eventually, the gains that I make from the Thym-Adren will be wiped out. The verdict on the ICMN is that although it will not hurt me, it is unlikely to be very effective. The only other viable option is thymus glandular and I am unsure if that will be effective.
YTD: 167 miles. 4-0/3.37. Good start but not as good as last year.
Distance=50.0/GPA= 34.8/10= 3.48
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=10.0
Update:
Good news today. Previously, I could NOT take choline/inositol but when taken with B-3 and L-methionine as suggested, I did NOT have a negative reaction. If the Thym-Adren does fail, I know it's the copper that is the problem and it is NOT hopeless after all. I can take the ICMN and/or thymus substance alone (glandular in Thym-Adren w/o other ingredients). Quality tomorrow.
1/22- Good tempo. 5 miles in 32:24 (6:29 pace) with a hard but measured effort just like a tempo should feel. Added a short cool at the end. Felt just a touch loose and faded a bit in Miles 3-4 but finished pretty strong. 1st half: 16:07, 2nd half: 16:17. I would have broken 41 for 10K today not going all out.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=5.5
1/23-Another quality session. Body is holding up okay but I expect to be sore tomorrow. I tried out Alex's speed session at Mountain Brook. His philosophy is different than Johnny's. Alex wants a lot more reps at slower paces with minimal recovery. He initially wanted me to run 8x800 at 3:10-3:15 pace with only a 30 second rest. That's pretty much a tempo run. I modified it to run 6x800 with a 1 minute rest. My normal rest for 800 intervals is 2:30 or even 3 minutes but I can run them in 2:45-2:50. Tonight, I was fighting for sub-3:00 on the shorter rest. I managed to average a 2:58.5 or 17:50 for 3 miles (5:57 pace). That's 10 seconds faster than my current 5K race pace, which is good but not great. Like Johnny's group, nobody could run my pace. I'm stuck in the middle. Too slow to run with the best in the area (2:50 marathoners) but too fast for most everyone else.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=4.0
Update:
I had hoped that because I took some ICMN last night, I would not feel so awful in the morning. Not so. I was obviously too loose on 7 pills so I popped #8 at lunch time. When I get too tight, cutting the Thym-Adren is not as effective as adding more Vitamin C. However, I must be judicious about doing that because too much can cause diarrhea as I learned the hard way in LA. It also stimulates the adrenals. I'm currently taking 1500 mg of C and am willing to go up to 3000 if need be.
1/24- Easy 6 on Lakeshore in 44:54 (7:29 pace). Relaxed even pace. Felt good and never struggled despite back to back quality days. It was a comfortable 50 degrees outside while the North and Midwest are close to single digits. Added a half mile cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5
1/25- Planned rest day and I need one. Pretty much all I have to do is finish my workouts this weekend and I pick up another win.
1/26- Gnome run with the big boys. I did not plan to run more than 14-15 but the pace was slower than usual (7:40ish) so I opted for the full monty (19 miles) in a time of 2:33:30 (7:34 pace) or approx. 3:17ish for a full mary. Mile 19 was a strong 6:40 but it did include a steep quarter mile downhill on a route that was not easy (16-18 were tough). I definitely think I could have held it for another 7 miles. I have won another one.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=19.0
1/27- Went to Veteran's Park for a change for a low-key easy run with Kirk and Will. Finished 4.5 miles in 35:44 (7:57 pace) then added a half mile cool. Pace is always slower here because of the gravel trail, which is soft in some spots and the wooded section is hilly. Sore knee and stiff legs.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
7th consecutive victory with no major hiccups this time but it seems like I am needing more and more Vitamin C. I fear that eventually, the gains that I make from the Thym-Adren will be wiped out. The verdict on the ICMN is that although it will not hurt me, it is unlikely to be very effective. The only other viable option is thymus glandular and I am unsure if that will be effective.
YTD: 167 miles. 4-0/3.37. Good start but not as good as last year.
Distance=50.0/GPA= 34.8/10= 3.48
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Training 1/14-1/20
1/14- Junk run on Washington Blvd before the flight back to the Ham. Legs felt remarkably fresh because I left some time on the course. Entering week #3, I am 2-0 with a 3.31 GPA.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.0
1/15- Easy 7 in 52:08 (7:27 pace). Even pace. Felt quite comfortable. A bit of soreness in the quads but felt good overall. Very little jet lag. Long cool down. Weather will be dreary and chilly for the next few days. It will clear out on Friday. Unsure about my quality session this week. I may do a tempo tomorrow.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
1/16- I think the jet lag has caught up with me today. Legs felt pretty good but the body is awfully tired. I have some pain on the side on my left foot. Let's hope it's not serious. I was not up for a tempo but did quite well in a basic workout. 6.5 miles in 47:58 (7:23 pace) plus a cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/17- Snow day. Probably one of the two that we will get here this year. I got to the gym just 30 minutes before it closed so all I had time for was a short tempo. Hasty warm up followed by 3 miles at a fast and controlled pace. Finished in 18:35 (6:12 pace) with splits of 6:11-6:15-6:09. That projects to a 5K in 19:21 (8 ticks from a PR) and I felt that I had another gear too. Sometime soon, I'm going for that PR and I don't care if it's on a track or the road. I wanted to run another easy 3 on the 'mill at my apartment complex but the door was locked.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=3.0
1/18- Lakeshore 5 in 36:45 (7:21 pace). Clear skies and temps in the 40s. Good to get back outside. Strong performance. Pretty even pace and was holding back at times. Added a warm and cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/19- Run with the Gnomes. 13 miles in 1:35:50 (7:22 pace). Mile 3-11 averaged just a hair under GMP but I was really strugg-a-ling late. Mile 12 was 7:40, 13 was 7:55 then I quit. Decent performance but something was off. The Thym-Adren may have to be cut, which may not be good news. I did pick up some new supplements that are supposedly good for detox.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=13.0
PM- Went to a college indoor track invitational. It was upper level D-1 with schools like Auburn, Bama, GA Tech, Clemson, Miami, etc. I was somewhat surprised by how many slower runners were allowed to run. The top guys are nearly world class. I believe that winner in the Mile ran a 4:08. However, if you can run a 4:30, you're competitive. In the 800, the winning time was 1:51. Mid-pack was 1:55ish and you need to be near 2:00 to be competitive. Granted, it was indoors but I was still surprised. I was running 2:13-2:15 in high school and was already showing signs of adrenal fatigue. Could I have been competitive at D-1? Probably not. In D-2, mid-pack is about 2:05 and the back end guys are 2:15-2:20. No doubt that I could have made it there.
1/20- Cut the dosage from 9 pills down to 6 and it was too aggressive. I think that 8 was too many yesterday and the 9th made it much worse. Again, it really makes me feel uneasy that just one pill can make this much difference. I'm fighting a 2 front war with copper toxicity and extreme fast oxidation. Workout was quite lame. 5 miles on Lakeshore in a time of 39:46 (7:57 pace). The sub-8 pace was the only reason that this was not a "D" performance.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Won my 6th straight decision but endured yet another hiccup. Great tempo on Thursday but outside of that, it wasn't really anything special. My personal record is 8 wins in a row. The hair sample will be sent in about 3.5 more weeks and I'll get the medical report in about 6-7 more weeks. If I cannot handle more than 3 Thym-Adren pills because of the copper issue, I must do something different. I can't stop taking pills long-term but there is a chance that I will arrive at a place in which a single missed day will not make a difference. Next week, I will start with tempos and intervals in the same week as I shift to Mile-5K mode. YTD= 117 miles. 3-0 with a 3.34 GPA.
Distance=43.0/ GPA= 26.8/8= 3.40
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=1.0
1/15- Easy 7 in 52:08 (7:27 pace). Even pace. Felt quite comfortable. A bit of soreness in the quads but felt good overall. Very little jet lag. Long cool down. Weather will be dreary and chilly for the next few days. It will clear out on Friday. Unsure about my quality session this week. I may do a tempo tomorrow.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=8.0
1/16- I think the jet lag has caught up with me today. Legs felt pretty good but the body is awfully tired. I have some pain on the side on my left foot. Let's hope it's not serious. I was not up for a tempo but did quite well in a basic workout. 6.5 miles in 47:58 (7:23 pace) plus a cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
1/17- Snow day. Probably one of the two that we will get here this year. I got to the gym just 30 minutes before it closed so all I had time for was a short tempo. Hasty warm up followed by 3 miles at a fast and controlled pace. Finished in 18:35 (6:12 pace) with splits of 6:11-6:15-6:09. That projects to a 5K in 19:21 (8 ticks from a PR) and I felt that I had another gear too. Sometime soon, I'm going for that PR and I don't care if it's on a track or the road. I wanted to run another easy 3 on the 'mill at my apartment complex but the door was locked.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=3.0
1/18- Lakeshore 5 in 36:45 (7:21 pace). Clear skies and temps in the 40s. Good to get back outside. Strong performance. Pretty even pace and was holding back at times. Added a warm and cool.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.0
1/19- Run with the Gnomes. 13 miles in 1:35:50 (7:22 pace). Mile 3-11 averaged just a hair under GMP but I was really strugg-a-ling late. Mile 12 was 7:40, 13 was 7:55 then I quit. Decent performance but something was off. The Thym-Adren may have to be cut, which may not be good news. I did pick up some new supplements that are supposedly good for detox.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=13.0
PM- Went to a college indoor track invitational. It was upper level D-1 with schools like Auburn, Bama, GA Tech, Clemson, Miami, etc. I was somewhat surprised by how many slower runners were allowed to run. The top guys are nearly world class. I believe that winner in the Mile ran a 4:08. However, if you can run a 4:30, you're competitive. In the 800, the winning time was 1:51. Mid-pack was 1:55ish and you need to be near 2:00 to be competitive. Granted, it was indoors but I was still surprised. I was running 2:13-2:15 in high school and was already showing signs of adrenal fatigue. Could I have been competitive at D-1? Probably not. In D-2, mid-pack is about 2:05 and the back end guys are 2:15-2:20. No doubt that I could have made it there.
1/20- Cut the dosage from 9 pills down to 6 and it was too aggressive. I think that 8 was too many yesterday and the 9th made it much worse. Again, it really makes me feel uneasy that just one pill can make this much difference. I'm fighting a 2 front war with copper toxicity and extreme fast oxidation. Workout was quite lame. 5 miles on Lakeshore in a time of 39:46 (7:57 pace). The sub-8 pace was the only reason that this was not a "D" performance.
Grade:C-/1 credit/distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
Won my 6th straight decision but endured yet another hiccup. Great tempo on Thursday but outside of that, it wasn't really anything special. My personal record is 8 wins in a row. The hair sample will be sent in about 3.5 more weeks and I'll get the medical report in about 6-7 more weeks. If I cannot handle more than 3 Thym-Adren pills because of the copper issue, I must do something different. I can't stop taking pills long-term but there is a chance that I will arrive at a place in which a single missed day will not make a difference. Next week, I will start with tempos and intervals in the same week as I shift to Mile-5K mode. YTD= 117 miles. 3-0 with a 3.34 GPA.
Distance=43.0/ GPA= 26.8/8= 3.40
13.1 Los Angeles RR
State #16 in my drive for 25 and first trip to California in nearly 20 years.
Why this race?
-First off, there is plenty to see in and around LA. This one offered me the chance to race on the Pacific Coast as the location was actually in Venice Beach rather than the city of Los Angeles. The course proved to be even more beautiful than I expected. Secondly, I wanted to see the Reagan presidential library as well as to get a quick tour of Malibu and Beverly Hills. Last but not least, it gave me the opportunity to catch up with a childhood friend named Sarah, who was very good to me during a rough season of my life.
Training:
Although I came into the race with 4 straight "winning" weeks, each one contained a hiccup and the last of which was quite scary. At my best, I had 2 long runs that indicated that my condition was comparable to last year when I scored the 1:28 in Texas. On the morning of my flight 2 days before the race, I was awful. A single mile in 7:30 actually required effort and my IT band was abnormally sore. It turned out that I was getting more and more sensitive to copper and would have to cut out my normal morning protein bar because it contained too much of it. I suppose that makes sense. As I get closer to balance, I will not be able to tolerate as much copper because the toxicity over-rides the fast oxidation. Vitamin C is effective in combating the excess but too much of that stuff can cause diarrhea. I began feeling better as I approached LA and by the next morning, I believed that I could do well the following day.
Trip:
Left Birmingham by mid-afternoon and after a layover in cold Denver, I arrived only a few minutes behind schedule. I called Sarah to confirm lunch after the race and headed to my hotel in Marina del Rey. The next morning, I had to go to the expo which was located about 20 minutes south of town. I feared the Freeway so I would have drive through a bit of South Central. Fortunately, I got off Rosecrans via Crenshaw Blvd before I got to Compton, which is notorious for gangs and crime. Still, I saw plenty of businesses and homes with bars on the windows. The expo was in LA's version of the Trak Shak in Torrance (near Long Beach). From there, I took the Freeway up to Santa Monica where I picked up some pizza for lunch. It turned out that the Freeway wasn't so bad after all. Next, I picked up the Pacific Coast Hwy up to Malibu, where I was treated to ocean views on the west and mountains to the east. From there, it was US-101 up to Simi Valley for the Reagan library. Again, the scenery was amazing. That is worth seeing for anyone interested in history regardless of political ideology. I've already seen Carter's and Bush 41's and plan on seeing Clinton's and W's within the next few years.
After the race, it was an enjoyable lunch with Sarah and her husband followed by a drive on Santa Monica Blvd to Hollywood and back through Beverly Hills via Sunset Blvd. I got in a quick junk run the next morning and the flight back was also relatively smooth.
Race:
Course was a 3 out of 10 in terms of difficulty and 10 in terms of scenery. It began on Venice Beach's boardwalk for about a mile then turned downhill into a residential area. It was a little congested at the start but I lined up close enough to the front that it did not slow me down significantly though I lost a few precious seconds. At the end of Mile 3, we turned onto a bike trail overlooking the marina, which eventually led us back to the beach. I set out to maintain a steady 6:45-6:50 pace, which felt comfortable. My legs were fine but I was beginning to get some cramps in my stomach. Please no mess! Please let me hold it to the finish!
6:40 (6:40) little fast
6:37 (13:17) mostly downhill but need to slow down
6:50 (20:07) better
6:46 (26:53) solid
From Mile 5-8, we were running on a paved path in the middle of the sand right next to the Pacific Ocean. As you can imagine, it was beautiful but the stomach cramps were gradually getting worse. By the end of Mile 5, it was becoming clear that there was no way that I could hold it to line and it was already beginning to slow me down. Fortunately, there were 3 portajohns just after Mile 6 and I jumped in without hesitation. At this point, I was more concerned about that issue than my finish time but I tried to make it as quick as possible. I stopped my watch because I wanted to know what I would have done without the stop. I estimate that I lost about a minute and that turned out to be almost exactly right. I had been near PR pace and still felt good except for my stomach. A PR chance was gone but I still believed that I had a chance of a sub-90. When I got going again, I managed to pick up the pace a bit. Near the end of Mile 8, I stopped for some Gatorade, which proved to be a bad call because it jacked my stomach up again.
6:44 (33:37) strong, slightly down
6:52 (40:29) cramps, had to stop.
6:46 (47:15) feeling good again
6:56 (54:11) drink stop
I figured that the official time was around 56 minutes for 8.1 miles though my watch read just under 55. I needed only a 7 minute pace to get an unofficial sub-90 and 6:48ish to make it officially. At this point, the GPS cut off and the mile markers were inconsistent so I'll just estimate the splits. The only significant hill was a Mile long climb of about 70-80 ft. in Mile 9 in which we came off the beach and back onto the road. I was warned of it and I seemed to hold the pace pretty well. I passed 2 immediately and did not get passed myself. Survive that and you're in pretty good shape. The last 5K is mostly a gradual decline with a steeper section in the last half mile. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. The ocean was right below us and there were some mountains in the distance. Unfortunately, the stomach cramps were starting again by Mile 11 and would get gradually worse as I approached the finish. Such a shame. I can't say that I felt great at this point of the race. Nobody does. When you're trying to hold in a #2, you really cannot dig deep and push the pace. While I can't say that I would have accelerated in the last 5K, my legs had enough juice to at least hold the 6:50ish pace especially going slightly downhill. As I came down the final hill toward the finish, I knew that I could not hold it more than another mile or 2 but fortunately, I would not have to. With the finish line in view, I managed to pick it up again to secure the unofficial sub-90. Clock time was 1:31 flat and the chip time was 1:30:53 (6:56 pace). I was only mildly sore and clearly left time on the course.
7:10 (61:21) uphill
6:45 (68:06) back down
6:50 (74:56) still fairly comfy
7:00 (81:56) cramps
7:16 (89:12) steeper downhill, more cramps
40- (1:29:52)
Because of my sprint to the line, I had to sit down to wait for the cramps to pass before I could walk to the portajohns near the finish. I really could not enjoy the post-race party because I was not sure if I could hold any food so I just took the bus back to the hotel without further incident.
Final thought:
Despite the stomach cramps, this was a very enjoyable trip overall and an excellent destination race. Could I have PR'd? Probably not but I was good for a low-1:29 on a course that was slightly more difficult than Texas. I may only have one official sub-90 but in my mind, I have 2 unofficially. As for the medical issues, I do not require too much vitamin C and as long as I can take the Thym-Adren, I believe that this will work out. If I hit another roadblock, this is about as good as it will get minus the cramps. I'm plenty satisfied with my 1:28 PR but I honestly believe that I am capable of 1:25 even with similar training. If I can do that, it will generate more interest in my story and silence all the critics.
At least I did not end up like this guy!
Why this race?
-First off, there is plenty to see in and around LA. This one offered me the chance to race on the Pacific Coast as the location was actually in Venice Beach rather than the city of Los Angeles. The course proved to be even more beautiful than I expected. Secondly, I wanted to see the Reagan presidential library as well as to get a quick tour of Malibu and Beverly Hills. Last but not least, it gave me the opportunity to catch up with a childhood friend named Sarah, who was very good to me during a rough season of my life.
Training:
Although I came into the race with 4 straight "winning" weeks, each one contained a hiccup and the last of which was quite scary. At my best, I had 2 long runs that indicated that my condition was comparable to last year when I scored the 1:28 in Texas. On the morning of my flight 2 days before the race, I was awful. A single mile in 7:30 actually required effort and my IT band was abnormally sore. It turned out that I was getting more and more sensitive to copper and would have to cut out my normal morning protein bar because it contained too much of it. I suppose that makes sense. As I get closer to balance, I will not be able to tolerate as much copper because the toxicity over-rides the fast oxidation. Vitamin C is effective in combating the excess but too much of that stuff can cause diarrhea. I began feeling better as I approached LA and by the next morning, I believed that I could do well the following day.
Trip:
Left Birmingham by mid-afternoon and after a layover in cold Denver, I arrived only a few minutes behind schedule. I called Sarah to confirm lunch after the race and headed to my hotel in Marina del Rey. The next morning, I had to go to the expo which was located about 20 minutes south of town. I feared the Freeway so I would have drive through a bit of South Central. Fortunately, I got off Rosecrans via Crenshaw Blvd before I got to Compton, which is notorious for gangs and crime. Still, I saw plenty of businesses and homes with bars on the windows. The expo was in LA's version of the Trak Shak in Torrance (near Long Beach). From there, I took the Freeway up to Santa Monica where I picked up some pizza for lunch. It turned out that the Freeway wasn't so bad after all. Next, I picked up the Pacific Coast Hwy up to Malibu, where I was treated to ocean views on the west and mountains to the east. From there, it was US-101 up to Simi Valley for the Reagan library. Again, the scenery was amazing. That is worth seeing for anyone interested in history regardless of political ideology. I've already seen Carter's and Bush 41's and plan on seeing Clinton's and W's within the next few years.
After the race, it was an enjoyable lunch with Sarah and her husband followed by a drive on Santa Monica Blvd to Hollywood and back through Beverly Hills via Sunset Blvd. I got in a quick junk run the next morning and the flight back was also relatively smooth.
Race:
Course was a 3 out of 10 in terms of difficulty and 10 in terms of scenery. It began on Venice Beach's boardwalk for about a mile then turned downhill into a residential area. It was a little congested at the start but I lined up close enough to the front that it did not slow me down significantly though I lost a few precious seconds. At the end of Mile 3, we turned onto a bike trail overlooking the marina, which eventually led us back to the beach. I set out to maintain a steady 6:45-6:50 pace, which felt comfortable. My legs were fine but I was beginning to get some cramps in my stomach. Please no mess! Please let me hold it to the finish!
6:40 (6:40) little fast
6:37 (13:17) mostly downhill but need to slow down
6:50 (20:07) better
6:46 (26:53) solid
From Mile 5-8, we were running on a paved path in the middle of the sand right next to the Pacific Ocean. As you can imagine, it was beautiful but the stomach cramps were gradually getting worse. By the end of Mile 5, it was becoming clear that there was no way that I could hold it to line and it was already beginning to slow me down. Fortunately, there were 3 portajohns just after Mile 6 and I jumped in without hesitation. At this point, I was more concerned about that issue than my finish time but I tried to make it as quick as possible. I stopped my watch because I wanted to know what I would have done without the stop. I estimate that I lost about a minute and that turned out to be almost exactly right. I had been near PR pace and still felt good except for my stomach. A PR chance was gone but I still believed that I had a chance of a sub-90. When I got going again, I managed to pick up the pace a bit. Near the end of Mile 8, I stopped for some Gatorade, which proved to be a bad call because it jacked my stomach up again.
6:44 (33:37) strong, slightly down
6:52 (40:29) cramps, had to stop.
6:46 (47:15) feeling good again
6:56 (54:11) drink stop
I figured that the official time was around 56 minutes for 8.1 miles though my watch read just under 55. I needed only a 7 minute pace to get an unofficial sub-90 and 6:48ish to make it officially. At this point, the GPS cut off and the mile markers were inconsistent so I'll just estimate the splits. The only significant hill was a Mile long climb of about 70-80 ft. in Mile 9 in which we came off the beach and back onto the road. I was warned of it and I seemed to hold the pace pretty well. I passed 2 immediately and did not get passed myself. Survive that and you're in pretty good shape. The last 5K is mostly a gradual decline with a steeper section in the last half mile. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. The ocean was right below us and there were some mountains in the distance. Unfortunately, the stomach cramps were starting again by Mile 11 and would get gradually worse as I approached the finish. Such a shame. I can't say that I felt great at this point of the race. Nobody does. When you're trying to hold in a #2, you really cannot dig deep and push the pace. While I can't say that I would have accelerated in the last 5K, my legs had enough juice to at least hold the 6:50ish pace especially going slightly downhill. As I came down the final hill toward the finish, I knew that I could not hold it more than another mile or 2 but fortunately, I would not have to. With the finish line in view, I managed to pick it up again to secure the unofficial sub-90. Clock time was 1:31 flat and the chip time was 1:30:53 (6:56 pace). I was only mildly sore and clearly left time on the course.
7:10 (61:21) uphill
6:45 (68:06) back down
6:50 (74:56) still fairly comfy
7:00 (81:56) cramps
7:16 (89:12) steeper downhill, more cramps
40- (1:29:52)
Because of my sprint to the line, I had to sit down to wait for the cramps to pass before I could walk to the portajohns near the finish. I really could not enjoy the post-race party because I was not sure if I could hold any food so I just took the bus back to the hotel without further incident.
Final thought:
Despite the stomach cramps, this was a very enjoyable trip overall and an excellent destination race. Could I have PR'd? Probably not but I was good for a low-1:29 on a course that was slightly more difficult than Texas. I may only have one official sub-90 but in my mind, I have 2 unofficially. As for the medical issues, I do not require too much vitamin C and as long as I can take the Thym-Adren, I believe that this will work out. If I hit another roadblock, this is about as good as it will get minus the cramps. I'm plenty satisfied with my 1:28 PR but I honestly believe that I am capable of 1:25 even with similar training. If I can do that, it will generate more interest in my story and silence all the critics.
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