Training 5/4-5/10

5/4- Junk run was all that I could do.  I've found that being off caffeine for just 24 hours will allow me to tolerate CoQ10 again.  Additional doses helped but not as much as the first dose.  I will probably settle on 100 or 200 CoQ10 and don't expect much benefit.  Eventually, if I do everything right, I'll get by without it for a few days just like the others.
Distance=1.0

5/5-AM Improved my Montreat laps from a 3:57 to a 3:28 (MINUS 87) with CoQ10

PM- 3 miles on Lakeshore in 28:31 (9:30 pace).  Not a great showing but I am improving and expect the pattern to be similar to last week.  This time, let's hope it is permanent.
Distance=4.0

5/6-AM-Lakeshore 3 with a slightly different route this time.  Improved to 26:15 (8:45 pace).  Relatively even pace.  Struggled but it was a significant improvement over yesterday.

PM- Jemison 2 mile in 19:06 (9:33 pace)  OUCH!  The need for CoQ10 has increased.  I was considerably BETTER after 2 more pills.  Improved from 84 to 62 on a Montreat sprint.
Distance=5.0

5/7-AM.  Without CoQ10, I was just about as bad as you can possibly imagine.  Opener was a 4:24 (13:12 pace) and I honestly could not go any faster.  On 200, I was down to 3:37 (10:51 pace) then all the way down to 2:34 (7:42 pace) on 400.  The gap between the floor and ceiling is a MASSIVE 5:30 per mile.  Once again, I know the drill.  Both the floor and ceiling will increase but the floor will rise much faster, resulting in a lower gap.  That's it for today.
Distance=1.0

5/8- AM.  As expected, the floor improved to 3:32 (10:36 pace) and the ceiling was 2:18 (6:54 pace) then added a 1 lap cool down.  The gap has been reduced from 5:30 to 3:42.  It should be in the low-mid 2s by tomorrow.

PM- Not surprisingly, if I can barely hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 mile in the morning and am weakened by going several hours without CoQ10, I will struggle.  Called it quits after a 9:17 effort in the Montreat Mile but each lap was faster than the previous one.  Lap 3 was a 2:53 (8:39 pace) so yes, I am improving.  Tempted to get caffeine at lunch but held strong.  Now 5 days clean.
Distance=2.0

5/9- AM- Opener in 2:53 (8:39 pace).  Closer in 2:08 (6:24 pace).  Gap has narrowed to 2:15 just as predicted.  It will probably be 75-90 tomorrow.  1 lap cool.  The closer needs to be 1:55 or below in order to get anywhere close to respectability in longer distance.  I often get stuck around 2:10, which is not good.  A floor at 6:50 pace and ceiling at 6:20 is not acceptable even though the gap would be okay.

PM- 3 miles at Oak Mountain.  Tough but fair route.  Finished 3 miles in 25:14 (8:25 pace).  Strong negative split in which I dipped under 8 on the last mile but it was mostly downhill at the end.  Another very positive step.  Can I keep it going?
Distance=4.0

5/10- Yesterday was my cheat day and I found that one forbidden drink was tolerated but not 2.  That's okay.  Just don't do it again and I should be okay.  As for the workout, I was very pleased with my opener in 2:27 (7:21 pace) but could only muster a 2:20 for the closer (7:00 pace).  Gap is barely enough to be significant but the ceiling is MUCH too low.  Additional CoQ10 was tolerated, which is good but if I did this every day, it would not be long until I'm right back to where I was last weekend.

PM- Expected to have nothing in a real workout if I could not hold a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile.  Turns out, it wasn't as bad as expected.  3 miles at Lake Lurleen outside of Tuscaloosa in a time of 25:42 (8:34 pace).  Only 9 ticks slower than yesterday though this route was a bit less hilly.  Tomorrow might be a little rough but as long as I don't cheat again, I should be back on track by Tuesday.
Distance=4.0

-21 miles on the week.