Training 8/4-8/10

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

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

Distance-2.5

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

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

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

Distance-3.5

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

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

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

Distance-1.5

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

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

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

Distance-3.0

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

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

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

Distance-1.5

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

Distance-1.0

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

13 miles on the week 

Place To Live in Each State

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

Northeast:

Maine- Portland

New Hampshire- Manchester 

Vermont- Rutland 

Massachusetts- Cape Cod

Rhode Island-Newport

Connecticut- New Haven

New York- Albany 

Pennsylvania- Pittsburgh 

New Jersey- Long Beach Island 

Delaware- Wilmington 

Maryland- Salisbury 

South:

West Virginia- Charleston 

Virginia- Richmond 

Kentucky- Louisville 

Tennessee- Chattanooga 

North Carolina- Wilmington 

South Carolina- Greenville

Georgia- Savannah 

Florida- Jacksonville 

Alabama- Birmingham 

Mississippi- Tupelo 

Louisiana- Alexandria 

Arkansas- Little Rock 

Texas- Torn between San Antonio and Fort Worth 

Oklahoma- Oklahoma City 

Midwest and Heartland:

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

Ohio- Cincinnati 

Indiana- Indianapolis 

Illinois- Chicago suburbs 

Michigan- Grand Rapids 

Missouri- St. Louis

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

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

Wisconsin- Milwaukee 

Minnesota- Minneapolis 

North Dakota- Bismarck 

South Dakota- Rapid City 

Nebraska- Omaha 

Mountain West:

Montana- Missoula

Idaho- Boise

Wyoming- Cheyenne 

Colorado- Colorado Springs 

Utah- Salt Lake City 

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

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

Nevada- Carson City

West Coast:

Alaska- Anchorage 

Washington- Yakima

Oregon- Medford 

California- Orange County 

Hawaii- Kona

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

Training 7/28-8/3

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

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

Distance-3.0

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

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

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

Distance-3.0

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

Distance -3.0

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

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

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

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

Distance-3.0

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

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

Distance-6.0

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

Distance-2.0

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

Training 7/21-7/27

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

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

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

Distance-2.5

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

Distance-2.0

7/24- Sprint tests.  Roughly 0.1 miles.

Opener-64

3 ADHS- 55

6 ADHS- 52

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

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

Distance-3.0

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

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

Distance-1.5

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

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

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

Distance-7.0

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

Distance-2.0

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

Training 7/14-7/20

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

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

Distance-2.0

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

Distance-3.0

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

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

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

Distance-1.0

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

Distance-1.5

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

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

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

Distance-2.0

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

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

Distance-2.5

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

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

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

Distance-2.0

14 on the week 

Training 7/7-7/13

 7/7- Planned rest day.  Tired from the trip.  Good news at night.  Despite taking essentially no Malic Acid for 2 weeks, there is still no sign of autoimmune issues.  I may have finally beaten that part.  Unfortunately, the adrenal balance is WAY OUT OF WHACK!  Magnesium is tolerated again.  Endodren is NOT.  Thym Adren does help.  

In other words, I've experienced a flip flop flip back to overstimulation and need adrenal suppressants again.  I cannot allow this back and forth action to continue.  It must be the modulator going forward.

7/8- Opened with a 1:40 on no pills, which was not as bad as I expected.  Took 1 scoop of Malic Acid and clocked a 1:41.  Slightly more than 1 second slower but that's not significant.  Essentially, it was a non-factor.  Not sure what to do about the Malic Acid going forward but am leaning towards only occasional use.  Improved to 1:23 on 2 Modulator pills (ADHS), which is a game changer.  Unfortunately, the gain was short lived and I now have an insatiable need.  

Real workout was 1 Mile in a pitiful 12:33.  Splits were 6:24-6:09 so I suppose that can be considered good news.  Took more pills at work.

PM- Half mile at Montreat in 4:57 (9:54 pace).  Much better.  I don't think the ADHS will cause another flip flop.

Distance-2.0

7/9- 2 miles on New Lakeshore in 19:36 (9:48 pace).  I'll take it.  Quadruple distance at a pace marginally faster.  I'm sticking with this plan.  I will gradually reduce the dosage of ADHS and caffeine.  Splits were 10:01-9:35 so I finished strong 

Distance-2.0

7/10- AM-Aimed for 1 Mile at least under 9:00.  Started off decent but slowed sharply after 300 meters.  Quit after 1000 as my pace slowed to the 11:00 range.  Not a step backwards.  This is a full blown collapse!  Felt very overstimulated as if the ADHS was not enough.

PM- Tested myself with just 1 extra Thym Adren.  Did 2 sprints of roughly a tenth of a mile.  Did a 59 without it and a 56 with it.  Only slightly better and bordering on insignificant but with a 5 percent improvement, yes it did do something.

Distance-1.0

I am NOT taking mega Thym Adren to quickly get in balance.  I know exactly what will happen if I do so.  I will flip flop again and need to temporarily go back to Endodren.  Yesterday, it appeared that the ADHS was working so why did this happen?  The only thing I did differently was take a Liver pill so that's likely the culprit.

If I have beaten the autoimmune issues, the only negative is that I cannot easily identify the culprit. Before, I got a reaction literally within seconds of swallowing the bad pill.  Now, I don't feel anything right away.  I once judged Magnesium to be not a serious problem because I was not significantly slower immediately after taking it.  However, within 2 hours, something was clearly wrong.  I'm betting that the same holds true now with the Liver.  Hopefully, I don't need Thym Adren and the ADHS will work if I stay off the Liver, which is indeed a mild stimulant.  Jury is still out on Malic Acid.  

7/11- Jury has returned its verdict on Malic Acid.  It's a NO.  That's okay.  I probably don't need it anyway.  I will only take it if autoimmune reactions flare up again.  Struggled through 1.5 in 17:21 (11:34 pace) with even splits.  The suckage felt different this time.  More sluggish than overstimulated.  

PM- Same sprints as yesterday.  I thought that perhaps the Malic Acid flipped me so I tried Thym Adren again.  Did a 53 without and a 51 with it.  I have NOT flipped to slow oxidation.  Good news.  I believe Liver will be okay when the adrenal balance is better but I won't mess with it until further notice.  Best news of the day is that my passport was found.  I still plan to get the Star ID but I can fly without it.

Distance-2.0

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

Distance-2.0

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

Distance-4.0

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

Miami Trip Report

 7/4- Direct flight out of Birmingham.  I had to get up super early but that was a price that I was willing to pay for more time at the beach.  The flight landed at 9:15 and I eventually found my way out of the terminal and to the bus stop.  No rental car was needed.  It was just a 30 minute bus ride to South Beach and back for just $4.50.  The bus stop was just a block away from my hotel, just 2 blocks from the beach for $150 per night.  That's a smokin' deal!  

As I posted earlier, the weather was a concern.  You can expect about a 60+ percent chance of rain every day but it's rarely a total wash out.  The air temperature remained below 90 for the entire trip.  When it's overcast, it's actually pleasant to walk around but when the sun comes out after it rains, the humidity is extremely oppressive.  The weather is also extremely unpredictable.  Even the hourly forecast is totally unreliable.  It can rain when it's expected to be dry and a predicted storm may never hit.  Fortunately, I was never caught in a storm.  

Today was overcast but mostly dry.  I arrived at my hotel just before noon and surprisingly, my room was ready.  I went straight out for pizza then spent about 4 hours on the beach and in the water.  The water was a crystal clear emerald green with minimal surf.  It wasn't dead flat but very few waves were big enough to ride.  I knew that coming in and didn't even take my board.  Winter or early Spring is your best bet for surf here.  Dinner was a good steak and I had a Spanish conversation with a nice girl from Argentina.  I headed to South Pointe Park for a decent sunset then went to bed early.  I had been up since 4 AM.  

7/5- More sun today but also more rain.  Unless there is lightning in the area, most people, myself included, won't even bother getting out of the water.  It rained 3 times today but none of them lasted more than 30 minutes.  Sometimes it was still partly to mostly sunny but pouring rain at the same time.  Crazy.  I spent the morning at South Pointe.  The only real difference between this area and near my hotel is that it is more shallow and doesn't get deep suddenly.  Ideal for small children.  Most of the day was spent at the beach but I did check out Lincoln Road shopping center after lunch.  Dinner was another steak at a South American themed restaurant.  My server was flat out beautiful and again, I did make small talk in Spanish.  A friend of mine once said that if a guy needs Viagra, just send him to Miami and that will do the job.  LOL.  

7/6- Got up for a nice sunrise then stole another 2 hours on the beach before checking out.  I took the bus back to the airport, dropped off my luggage then hit the subway train to downtown Miami.  I was there for the Marlins game just as much as the beach. 

The subway dropped me off about a Mile from the stadium.  Though the neighborhood was a bit sketchy and the fans lacked passion, LoanDepot Park itself was surprisingly decent and better than expected.  An indoor stadium really is necessary in Miami.  My seats were on the 1st base side with a view of the city behind the glass.  My losing streak continues as the Marlins went down 3-1.  

After the game, I went back southbound on the subway to a nice park called Brickell Key.  I probably had time to check out the area around Government Center as well but I was getting tired and hungry so it was back to the airport.  

My hotel for this night was connected to the airport itself.  Good call even if it was pricey.  No need to worry about transportation the next morning and didn't have to get up super early to catch my flight.

7/7- Flight went off without a hitch but when I got off the plane, I noticed that my passport wasn't in my pocket.  I checked inside my luggage and it wasn't there either.  Most probably, I lost it after I went through Security.  After I put my wallet and cell phone in my pockets, I got distracted and walked off without the passport.  I'm afraid that I will have to replace it but it could have been worse.  Imagine if that happened on an international layover!  I will get the Star ID for domestic flights.  There are no international trips on my radar until next January.

UPDATE: Passport was found on 7/11 by a friendly rep at American Airlines.  I never did report it lost so I am good to go.  

Not an all time great trip but still worth it.  

Training 6/30-7/6

 6/30- Repeated the 3 mile distance this time on New Lakeshore. Trail ended at 1.4 so I had to improvise to get the full distance.  Improved to 28:42 (9:34 pace), which projects a sub-30 5K.  Solid gain (MINUS 41) but I was hoping for a little better.  Splits were 14:18-14:24 so the pacing was decent but I didn't have much left at the end.  Another 3 miles at that pace still seems insurmountable.  

If I am to race in San Diego, it will have to be the 5K, not the half marathon.  I'm warming up to that idea.  If I continue to improve, I could see a respectable showing by mid-August.

Distance-3.0

7/1- AM- Opener in 1:26 without pills.  Only 3 days ago, my opener was only a 1:44.  Clearly improving but the rate of improvement is slowing.  Real workout was a 1 Mile time trial at Vestavia in 8:12.  Splits were 1:59-2:06-2:06-2:01.  That's just about what I expected.

Moment of truth came when I got home.  No discernable reaction to Yasko's B-complex.  Excellent news.  Not long ago, the reaction was immediate and strongly negative unless I took Malic Acid.  Next, I took just a trace of Malic Acid.  Again, no discernable reaction.  Good news but that stuff may not even be necessary going forward.  Unfortunately, the Magnesium must still be avoided.  Ill-effects were not severe but I was noticeably more sluggish within the hour.  

PM- Did an 83 second half lap after the Mag this morning.  Without it, I'd estimate that I would have been in the mid 60s.  Took 1 Endodren and didn't really feel much difference but was surprised to see a 73 when I finished.  It's gotta be Endodren with no Mag going forward but the dosage is still TBD.

Distance-2.0

7/2- Step backward but it was a risk that I was willing to take.  Hampered by yesterday's Magnesium and I also reduced the Endodren dose from 4 pills to 2.  I only managed a 15:41 for 1.5 miles (10:28 pace) but did have a negative split (7:56-7:45).

Got home and did an 80 at Montreat.  Popped 2 more pills and improved to 74.  Significant but not a game changer.  Popped 2 more and my time was down to 67.  I see this as both good and bad.  I'm not as dependent on Endodren but I still need big doses to see results.  I was hoping to see gains from 2 pills to 4 then no effect beyond that.  I'm going with 6 until further notice and don't feel comfortable beyond that.  Maybe someday I can reduce it but not now.

Distance-2.0

7/3- COLLAPSE!  Quit after less than 1 Mile with a pace over 12.  Got home and found that I was slightly worse on 1 extra Endodren.  88 vs 93.

Distance-1.5

It appears that mega Endodren will only work if I have Magnesium in my system.  I'm going to reduce it and stay off the Mag for now but I believe that soon, the Mag will be tolerated again.  Malic Acid appears to be okay now.  No discernable reaction to the C4 drink that was a problem last week.

PM- C4 Energy definitely did NOT hurt me as it did last week.  The Liver pills arrived today and I got a small gain but not enough to be significant.  Took a modulator later on and the gain was significant.  I hope to eventually stabilize on the modulator with Mag.  It could happen in a few weeks.

7/4- Went to Miami for the weekend and did only a few strides.

Distance-0.5

9 miles 

Sluggish Adrenals?

 Several times in the past, I have needed adrenal stimulants despite overactive adrenals.  Usually, the reason was detox.  The need for the stimulants didn't last long and soon, I was back on the suppressants.  Sometime soon, I will compare my performance on the modulator versus the stimulants.  I would feel safer on the modulator not knowing for sure where my chemistry stands.  

Why might it be real this time?

I have read that toxic metals, specifically Aluminum could have been the driver of both the sensitivity and the excess adrenal activity all along.  In other words, if not for the toxic Aluminum, which has likely been there since childhood, NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!   If true, words cannot express my anger.  If I beat this now, it's too late.  Even if I wasn't healed until early adulthood, my life would have turned out very differently.  

There is a different feel to it.  In the past, the shift to stimulants came suddenly and seemingly inexplicably.  This time was different.  I initially needed MORE Thym Adren as the adrenals spiked after solving a major problem.  The slow down was gradual.   I didn't develop an intolerance to all pills that lower tissue Na overnight.  For example, I found that I was marginally slower on 6 pills versus 4 so I reduced the dosage.  However, if I cut those pills too quickly, I had problems.  Another time, I was significantly faster on 3 pills versus just 1.  

Eventually, I was slightly better without the Thym Adren and switched to the modulator.  That said, I still needed Mag to get the Malic Acid to work.  It wasn't until just about two weeks ago that I began to see intolerance to Magnesium and then Malic Acid last week.  

I haven't even tried Thym Adren recently but I am nearly certain that it would trigger a relapse.  It's not just Magnesium and Malic Acid that cause problems.  I had the same reaction to Zinc.  What do all these pills have in common?  They all lower tissue Na!  Pretty strong evidence of sluggish Adrenals.  My only explanation is that my system overshot the balance point.  I was overactive for decades and now apparently I am not.  That's a bit of a shock.  In THEORY I should eventually reach equilibrium but it takes time.  

I want to try Liver and the modulator but most likely, it will be stimulants for the near-future.  It's highly unlikely that I will be able to run 13 miles by mid-August but I'm open to the 5K in San Diego.  

Training 6/23-6/29

 6/23- Planned rest day.  Still feeling ill-effects from yesterday's Magnesium.  Got some good news in the evening.  After 3 days off Malic Acid, NO autoimmune reaction to Yasko's B-complex.  

6/24- AM- Very recently, herbal adrenal stimulants were too strong when taken without Magnesium.  I took no Mag last night and the Endodren was still needed.  Opened with a 93.  Improved to 84 on 1 Endodren then did a 74 on a 2nd dose.  That's a game changer.  Unfortunately, I drank a drink that contains Malic Acid later in the day and may be out for the afternoon.

PM- Forced another half mile.  Came through the half lap in 1:53 (11:18 pace) then fared no better on extra Endodren.  Came through 1 lap complete in 3:46 so it was faster by a fraction of a second.  Did the last half lap naked as a cool down.  Clearly, C4 Energy was the culprit and according to the label, it contains Malic Acid.  IDK how much nor did I know that it was an ingredient until I drank it.

Distance-1.0

6/25- Expected result for the day after a relapse.  2 miles on Lakeshore in 20:52 (10:26 pace) with a slight negative split (10:33-10:19).  No Mag last night and no Malic Acid.  3 Endodren this morning. Took Cal last night but it appeared to be a non-factor and I don't believe it will help me tolerate Mag.

Distance-2.0. 

6/26- Much worse on the opener.  The modulator did help but it wasn't a game changer.  Same with Tyrosine.  Endodren was YUGE.  Improved from 87 to 74 on just 1 pill.  Unfortunately, the gains didn't last.  This appears to be an insatiable need that will soon diminish.  Good news is that there is still no autoimmune reactions to Yasko's B-complex despite just 1 dose of Malic Acid in the last 7 days.

Distance-1.0

6/27- Insatiable need for Endodren as I predicted.  My opener was well over 2:00 and 2 Endodren barely made a dent.  I am optimistic that when this fades, Mag and Malic Acid will be tolerated again and the latter may not be necessary.

Distance-1.0

6/28- Opener improved to 1:44, which is a YUGE improvement.  In yesterday's real workout, I didn't even make 1 Mile and the pace was over 12.  Today was a bit better.  Did 1.5 on New Lakeshore in 16:44 (11:09 pace).  Certainly not pretty but clearly a big step forward.  Splits were 8:28-8:16, which suggests that better days are ahead.  Added a short cool.

Distance-2.0

6/29- North Lakeshore 3 in 30:45 (10:15 pace).  Doubled the distance and improved the pace by nearly a minute.  I'll take that any day.  Splits were 15:19-15:26 but considering the slope of this route, let's call it even.  Only downer was that I was pretty much spent at the end.  Even an 8K would not be possible today.  I am not even close to equilibrium so there's room for much improvement.

Distance-3.0

-10 miles