12/7- The herbal supplements for mal-absorption appear to be non-factors as I predicted. That's further evidence that I do not have a mal-absorption issue after all. I'll probably finish the bottles and be done with it. I cut the Glutamine down to 150 and seemed to benefit from doing so. I have ordered Glutamate as well just to see if it's more effective. Either way, it should be only temporary. So far, so good on the Phospho-Serine. The ATP came today so I gave it a shot in a Gold's workout.
1 Mile in 6:57 without the ATP. Felt a slight improvement but not a miracle cure from the ATP. Tacked on 4 more miles in 27:58 (6:59 pace) for an overall time of 34:55 for 5 miles. This doesn't count as a sub-35 because of the stop but I most definitely would have been sub-36. Effort was tempo level with a hard push at the end to secure the sub-7 pace.
Distance=5.0
I have yet to try the TNF or molybdenum.
12/8- Unplanned rest day due to another collapse. The culprit is clearly glutamine. Not a big surprise given that I have a history of intolerance to that stuff. It appears that it does indirectly increase the sulfur burden. I can take only a very lose dose a maximum of 2 times a week. Will glutamate be any different? Yasko recommended glutamine but it was glutamate that read low on the test. I had to attend a meeting at work today and a coworker sitting next to me knew that I was hurting. Here's a list of reactions to the latest round of experiments:
Herbs for malabsorption- Neutral
ATP- Positive
TNF- Positive
Glutamine- Negative
Phospho-Serine- Positive with reservations (previous trouble). NOW NEGATIVE.
Molybdenum- NEGATIVE
Glutamate-NEGATIVE
By the end of the week, I may know quite a bit.
12/9- Expected to struggle after taking lots of glutamine last night and it has probably yet to clear. Started off pretty well with a 3:41 first half mile then collapse and finished with a 4:14 for an overall time of 7:55 then quit. Took glutamate after the workout and was MUCH WORSE.
Distance=1.0
12/10- Garbage run at Veteran's Park through the woods. Glutamate has yet to clear. I should be better tomorrow. I will try molybdenum soon at a very low dose.
Distance=2.0
12/11- All the questions have been answered now. Run was at Vestavia on a warm evening. Ran the first mile in a smooth 7:07 then popped a Phospho-Serine and COLLAPSED almost immediately. Mile 2 was over 9:00. Took low dose molybdenum when I got home and got WORSE. ATP and TNF are good for me. All the rest are BAD.
Distance=2.0
12/12- Phospho-Serine has yet to clear so I sucked as expected. Garbage run at Veteran's Park but this time, I did the whole XC course. No watch. Estimated pace was around 9. Should be better tomorrow.
PM- Wisteria 2 mile in 15:50 (7:55 pace). Much better. It's starting to clear out now.
Distance=5.0
12/13- 4 miles in 31:00 (7:45 pace) on the Trak Shak loop. Looks okay on the surface but I collapsed and the culprit was the MTRR nucleotide so I dumped it. Splits were 7:19-7:07-7:30-9:02. Even in Mile 2, I knew the collapse was coming. Good news is that I got a little better after taking just a trace of Lithium and B-12. I've been on ATP for a week now so I may want to gradually re-introduce that stuff soon but for now, not every day.
PM- Tacked on a Mile on Wisteria to finish with a round number for the week. Time was 7:33.
Distance=5.0
Distance on the week: 20 miles.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Sunday, December 6, 2015
More thoughts on Doctor Report
First, I'd like to re-visit the Mercury toxicity and the Cutler Counting Method as it relates to this lab, specifically the "zones" that I referred to last time.
White zone- VERY little deviation from the mean. I don't know the exact percentiles but I'd guess that it's around the 40th-60th percentiles. 4 out of 5 samples are outside this range.
Green zone- 16th-40th percentile and 60th-84th percentile. Slightly low or high but within 1 standard deviation of the mean and no cause for alarm. Nearly 1 in 3 are further out of balance.
Yellow zone- 2.5th-16th percentile and 84th-97.5th percentile. Significantly out of balance but still within 2 standard deviations of the mean. Lab values in this zone are clearly sub-optimal but would not be flagged in mainstream medicine. Only 5 percent are more unbalanced than this.
Red zone- Bottom 2.5 percent and Top 2.5 percent. Only 1 in 40 samples are on either side of this range. This is a severe imbalance that almost certainly requires treatment.
This lab tests 22 minerals. Cutler wants to see no more than 4 in the red zone. I passed this test. I only had 2 (Lithium and Cobalt). However, Cutler's site specifically says that low Lithium is evidence of Mercury toxicity.
The 2nd test is how many are above or below the 50th percentile. Cutler wants to see at least 5 out of the 22 above the mean but also at least 5 of the 22 below the mean. I passed this test too. I had 7 above and 15 below, which is cutting it a little close but I'm not worried. First, I had at least 3 "lows" in the white zone. Considering lab errors, they may have been on the plus side of 50 if tested again. Second, 13 out of the 15 lows were either in the white or green zone.
The 3rd test is the green zone test. Cutler wants to see at least 11 in the white or green zone. I had 19 of 22. In addition to Lithium and Cobalt, there was 1 obscure mineral called Zirconium that was in the yellow zone on the high side. Passed this test with flying colors.
Despite the good report on this test, at the end of the day, I still have EXTREME high sulfates which cause the fight or flight adrenal symptoms. NO AMOUNT OF MAG+THYM ADREN will be enough to balance it unless I can eliminate the sulfates. Yet, I cannot tolerate any of the sulfate detox treatments. Why? I thought it was due to mal-absorption but now I'm beginning to think that the Sparga and FOS may have thrown something else out of balance. My UAA test showed undetectable levels of Glutamate and Phospho-Serine. Glutamate had actually been on the high side on my last test while PS was mildly low. What caused those 2 to drop? The only other thing that I did differently was probiotic use so it's certainly possible that Sparga was responsible for the drops. If I can boost those 2, will I be able to tolerate the Sulfate detox again?
Yasko's plan and my ideas:
-I picked up a few herbs for malabsorption at the health foods store but I expect that they will be non-factors. I also ordered a TNF nucleotide product that supposedly is good for sulfates and may not cause the other issues.
- I will also order low dose Molybdenum again.
-Yasko has recommended ATP caps for the low Lithium and Cobalt then GRADUALLY re-introduce them after a couple months. I plan to be aggressive with this stuff. If I can tolerate the B12 again, it will CERTAINLY help the sulfates.
-I did pick up some Phospho-Serine as well but I'll go slow on that.
-One of my probiotics contains 150 mg of glutamine. Yasko wants me on this, NOT glutamate and supposedly, it will balance both. Again, I'll go slow on this as well.
Workout:
Today was Mile repeats at Vestavia with very generous rest periods. It was a better with or without test (ugh). I already know that taking FOS and/or Sparga would have been disastrous.
On Thym-Adren only- 6:58
After taking Phospho-Serine- 6:39 (MINUS 19)
After 300 mg Glutamine- 6:26 (MINUS 13)
Effort was comfortably hard each time with even splits. I feel a lot more comfortable with the PS than the Glutamine. I'll drop back to 150. Adding the ATP and TNF could shake things up further. I will wait another week before trying the Sparga OR FOS again.
White zone- VERY little deviation from the mean. I don't know the exact percentiles but I'd guess that it's around the 40th-60th percentiles. 4 out of 5 samples are outside this range.
Green zone- 16th-40th percentile and 60th-84th percentile. Slightly low or high but within 1 standard deviation of the mean and no cause for alarm. Nearly 1 in 3 are further out of balance.
Yellow zone- 2.5th-16th percentile and 84th-97.5th percentile. Significantly out of balance but still within 2 standard deviations of the mean. Lab values in this zone are clearly sub-optimal but would not be flagged in mainstream medicine. Only 5 percent are more unbalanced than this.
Red zone- Bottom 2.5 percent and Top 2.5 percent. Only 1 in 40 samples are on either side of this range. This is a severe imbalance that almost certainly requires treatment.
This lab tests 22 minerals. Cutler wants to see no more than 4 in the red zone. I passed this test. I only had 2 (Lithium and Cobalt). However, Cutler's site specifically says that low Lithium is evidence of Mercury toxicity.
The 2nd test is how many are above or below the 50th percentile. Cutler wants to see at least 5 out of the 22 above the mean but also at least 5 of the 22 below the mean. I passed this test too. I had 7 above and 15 below, which is cutting it a little close but I'm not worried. First, I had at least 3 "lows" in the white zone. Considering lab errors, they may have been on the plus side of 50 if tested again. Second, 13 out of the 15 lows were either in the white or green zone.
The 3rd test is the green zone test. Cutler wants to see at least 11 in the white or green zone. I had 19 of 22. In addition to Lithium and Cobalt, there was 1 obscure mineral called Zirconium that was in the yellow zone on the high side. Passed this test with flying colors.
Despite the good report on this test, at the end of the day, I still have EXTREME high sulfates which cause the fight or flight adrenal symptoms. NO AMOUNT OF MAG+THYM ADREN will be enough to balance it unless I can eliminate the sulfates. Yet, I cannot tolerate any of the sulfate detox treatments. Why? I thought it was due to mal-absorption but now I'm beginning to think that the Sparga and FOS may have thrown something else out of balance. My UAA test showed undetectable levels of Glutamate and Phospho-Serine. Glutamate had actually been on the high side on my last test while PS was mildly low. What caused those 2 to drop? The only other thing that I did differently was probiotic use so it's certainly possible that Sparga was responsible for the drops. If I can boost those 2, will I be able to tolerate the Sulfate detox again?
Yasko's plan and my ideas:
-I picked up a few herbs for malabsorption at the health foods store but I expect that they will be non-factors. I also ordered a TNF nucleotide product that supposedly is good for sulfates and may not cause the other issues.
- I will also order low dose Molybdenum again.
-Yasko has recommended ATP caps for the low Lithium and Cobalt then GRADUALLY re-introduce them after a couple months. I plan to be aggressive with this stuff. If I can tolerate the B12 again, it will CERTAINLY help the sulfates.
-I did pick up some Phospho-Serine as well but I'll go slow on that.
-One of my probiotics contains 150 mg of glutamine. Yasko wants me on this, NOT glutamate and supposedly, it will balance both. Again, I'll go slow on this as well.
Workout:
Today was Mile repeats at Vestavia with very generous rest periods. It was a better with or without test (ugh). I already know that taking FOS and/or Sparga would have been disastrous.
On Thym-Adren only- 6:58
After taking Phospho-Serine- 6:39 (MINUS 19)
After 300 mg Glutamine- 6:26 (MINUS 13)
Effort was comfortably hard each time with even splits. I feel a lot more comfortable with the PS than the Glutamine. I'll drop back to 150. Adding the ATP and TNF could shake things up further. I will wait another week before trying the Sparga OR FOS again.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Preliminary Thoughts on Doctor Report
Training:
It's going very poorly as of late. I have not been below the Mendoza line in 4 days. Today was pitiful. Plan was a 5 miler at Gold's but it ended up at 2 miles in 16:24 (8:12 pace) with splits of 7:41-8:33. The culprit is clearly the FOS. The first few weeks, I took a gummy with a few other ingredients that I bought in Auburn. When I ran out, I started taking the pill form that I ordered online (I can't find it locally in a store). Is it the pill form that I cannot tolerate or is it yet another treatment that worked for a while but later caused a collapse? I'll find out this weekend after another trip to Auburn this Saturday. The Sparga was so bad that I thought I had sustained an injury. If the gummy form fails, I'll be right back to no more options to treat the sulfates and I don't believe that Mag +Thym Adren will be enough to slow down my runaway adrenal function.
Test Results:
5 tests were ordered:
-Hair mineral test
-Urine mineral test
-Urine test to determine need for supplements:
-Urine Amino Acid Test (re-test)
-Stool analysis (disgusting)
Let's start from the top.
Hair mineral test:
This one looked surprisingly GOOD. Because the sample was washed, I really cannot rely on it to determine adrenal function but it did show that the 4 macro minerals (Ca.Mg,Na.K) were in relative balance. Potassium was slightly low (still within range) but that may have been due to use of B12. I suspect that an unwashed sample would have shown a VERY high Na/K ratio. Use Analytical Research Labs or Accutrace to assess mineral ratios.
I was primarily interested in this test to confirm or rule out mercury toxicity using Cutler's counting method. Lots of high and low values suggest impaired mineral transport and is thus strong evidence of mercury toxicity. If mercury reads low in the hair, you may still be toxic because it can hide in organs and is difficult to eliminate. In my case, all but 2 minerals were in the green zone (16th-84th percentile) and most were well within the range. Odds are, mercury toxicity is not the problem and I will NOT go through with amalgam removal. Personal note to Carrie: Thanks anyway for caring enough to make the suggestion and I still value your advice.
The 2 minerals that were outside the range were not a surprise; Lithium and cobalt were too low and in the red zone (critically low). Cobalt is the B12 mineral and Lithium is involved in B12 transport yet I cannot tolerate either in any form. Why? That will be explained in the Urine mineral test. The big surprise was Sulfur. I expected it to be sky high but it was actually slightly BELOW average. I am baffled by this and cannot understand why my sulfates are off the scale.
Urine mineral test:
Again, there were only 2 abnormalities and Sulfur was in the low-average range (around 30th percentile). This test showed the opposite problem. Lithium was WAY TOO HIGH wwhile Cobalt was low. I am wasting the Lithium and B12 away in the urine. That is, it's not being properly absorbed into the cells. What to do about it? I'm not entirely clear but it may have something to do with my ATP status. If I can fix that, will my sulfates go down and thus normalize my adrenal function? I can dream.
Urine Amino Acid Test:
This was a re-test that showed many alarming things the first time around. This time, the news is MUCH better. Yes, many amino acids are still on the low side but not critically so. I list the big changes one at a time:
-Ammonia had been borderline high (yellow zone) but has dropped significantly and is now well within the green zone and just a hair above the 50th percentile.
-Taurine, which had been in the red zone at 1290 has been cut nearly in half to 660 and is also in the green zone. In both cases, simply stopping the supplementation for several months was enough.
-Beta alanine, which had been sky high at 51 has plummeted all the way down to 6. Doc simply wants it under 20 and I don't think there is any downside to it being too low. I've read that high beta alanine is a sign of gut dysbiosis so I credit probiotic use in this case.
-The SHOCKER was Methionine, which I believed to be responsible for the extreme sensitivity to Cal/Mag and Zn/Cu. It rose from 2 all the way up to 13, which is well within the green zone. I really don't know what I did that caused such a drastic improvement and will have to ask about it.
-The only downer was that glutamate crashed and once again, I don't know why. It had been 34, which was a little high but was actually undetectable this time. Could it be a lab test error? Again, I will dig deeper.
The remaining 2 tests showed no critical problems, only a mild need for a couple vitamins. I expected that the stool test would show terrible mal-absorption but that was not so. Doc did suggest 2 nucleotide products called KLX and TNF.
Summary:
This is good news overall and definitely a boost in confidence in light of my recent struggles.
-I have ruled out mercury toxicity
-Nice improvements in ammonia and taurine
-HUGE improvements in beta alanine and methionine
-The Lithium and Cobalt problems were fully expected but should be treatable.
Questions:
I am still VERY concerned about the urine sulfates and don't know what to do about it. This will be the first thing that must be addressed in my follow up questions. Can it be corrected with proper absorption of Lithium and B-12?
What about the glutamate? What caused it to drop? Do I need to supplement with it? What problems are caused by low glutamate?
-Phospho-Serine was also low. I might be willing to try that stuff again but am a little gun shy because it did not work in the past.
A follow up will be posted in a few days.
It's going very poorly as of late. I have not been below the Mendoza line in 4 days. Today was pitiful. Plan was a 5 miler at Gold's but it ended up at 2 miles in 16:24 (8:12 pace) with splits of 7:41-8:33. The culprit is clearly the FOS. The first few weeks, I took a gummy with a few other ingredients that I bought in Auburn. When I ran out, I started taking the pill form that I ordered online (I can't find it locally in a store). Is it the pill form that I cannot tolerate or is it yet another treatment that worked for a while but later caused a collapse? I'll find out this weekend after another trip to Auburn this Saturday. The Sparga was so bad that I thought I had sustained an injury. If the gummy form fails, I'll be right back to no more options to treat the sulfates and I don't believe that Mag +Thym Adren will be enough to slow down my runaway adrenal function.
Test Results:
5 tests were ordered:
-Hair mineral test
-Urine mineral test
-Urine test to determine need for supplements:
-Urine Amino Acid Test (re-test)
-Stool analysis (disgusting)
Let's start from the top.
Hair mineral test:
This one looked surprisingly GOOD. Because the sample was washed, I really cannot rely on it to determine adrenal function but it did show that the 4 macro minerals (Ca.Mg,Na.K) were in relative balance. Potassium was slightly low (still within range) but that may have been due to use of B12. I suspect that an unwashed sample would have shown a VERY high Na/K ratio. Use Analytical Research Labs or Accutrace to assess mineral ratios.
I was primarily interested in this test to confirm or rule out mercury toxicity using Cutler's counting method. Lots of high and low values suggest impaired mineral transport and is thus strong evidence of mercury toxicity. If mercury reads low in the hair, you may still be toxic because it can hide in organs and is difficult to eliminate. In my case, all but 2 minerals were in the green zone (16th-84th percentile) and most were well within the range. Odds are, mercury toxicity is not the problem and I will NOT go through with amalgam removal. Personal note to Carrie: Thanks anyway for caring enough to make the suggestion and I still value your advice.
The 2 minerals that were outside the range were not a surprise; Lithium and cobalt were too low and in the red zone (critically low). Cobalt is the B12 mineral and Lithium is involved in B12 transport yet I cannot tolerate either in any form. Why? That will be explained in the Urine mineral test. The big surprise was Sulfur. I expected it to be sky high but it was actually slightly BELOW average. I am baffled by this and cannot understand why my sulfates are off the scale.
Urine mineral test:
Again, there were only 2 abnormalities and Sulfur was in the low-average range (around 30th percentile). This test showed the opposite problem. Lithium was WAY TOO HIGH wwhile Cobalt was low. I am wasting the Lithium and B12 away in the urine. That is, it's not being properly absorbed into the cells. What to do about it? I'm not entirely clear but it may have something to do with my ATP status. If I can fix that, will my sulfates go down and thus normalize my adrenal function? I can dream.
Urine Amino Acid Test:
This was a re-test that showed many alarming things the first time around. This time, the news is MUCH better. Yes, many amino acids are still on the low side but not critically so. I list the big changes one at a time:
-Ammonia had been borderline high (yellow zone) but has dropped significantly and is now well within the green zone and just a hair above the 50th percentile.
-Taurine, which had been in the red zone at 1290 has been cut nearly in half to 660 and is also in the green zone. In both cases, simply stopping the supplementation for several months was enough.
-Beta alanine, which had been sky high at 51 has plummeted all the way down to 6. Doc simply wants it under 20 and I don't think there is any downside to it being too low. I've read that high beta alanine is a sign of gut dysbiosis so I credit probiotic use in this case.
-The SHOCKER was Methionine, which I believed to be responsible for the extreme sensitivity to Cal/Mag and Zn/Cu. It rose from 2 all the way up to 13, which is well within the green zone. I really don't know what I did that caused such a drastic improvement and will have to ask about it.
-The only downer was that glutamate crashed and once again, I don't know why. It had been 34, which was a little high but was actually undetectable this time. Could it be a lab test error? Again, I will dig deeper.
The remaining 2 tests showed no critical problems, only a mild need for a couple vitamins. I expected that the stool test would show terrible mal-absorption but that was not so. Doc did suggest 2 nucleotide products called KLX and TNF.
Summary:
This is good news overall and definitely a boost in confidence in light of my recent struggles.
-I have ruled out mercury toxicity
-Nice improvements in ammonia and taurine
-HUGE improvements in beta alanine and methionine
-The Lithium and Cobalt problems were fully expected but should be treatable.
Questions:
I am still VERY concerned about the urine sulfates and don't know what to do about it. This will be the first thing that must be addressed in my follow up questions. Can it be corrected with proper absorption of Lithium and B-12?
What about the glutamate? What caused it to drop? Do I need to supplement with it? What problems are caused by low glutamate?
-Phospho-Serine was also low. I might be willing to try that stuff again but am a little gun shy because it did not work in the past.
A follow up will be posted in a few days.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Training 11/23-11/29
11/23- Gold's 3 in 23:54 (7:58 pace). Just barely finished below the Mendoza line and had to rally in the last 3 laps to do it. I won't call this a collapse but I really feel like I've slipped in the last 5 days. Fortunately, there is an explanation. I tried Lithium and B12 again yesterday evening. I thought maybe it was the orotate form of Lithium that I could not tolerate. It turns out that any form is bad. B12 still won't work either. It simply hadn't cleared yet so no big deal. I should be better tomorrow.
Distance=3.5
11/24- Repeat of yesterday and my time was down to 23:08 (7:43 pace). Splits were more even and this was significantly better than the previous day but not even close to the "new normal." I did take ill-advised zinc and methionine last night. It appears that the MTRR nucleotide product is a non-factor at best so I will likely have to be content with gradual improvement with Sparga. Concern, panic or doom? I'm at concern now. If I'm still struggling around Christmas, it upgrades to panic.
Distance=3.5
11/25- It may be time to panic now. Collapsed after just 1 mile on Lakeshore and turned around. My heart wasn't into it because I was about to leave to visit my parents and too much FOS and caffeine are hurting me. Hopefully, I can take a mulligan on this one.
Distance=2.0
11/26- Surprisingly good Thanksgiving Run on Peter's Trail. Finished a 5 mile out and back route in a time of 36:30 (7:18 pace). Loose and overstimulated. Did not want to slow down. Too much FOS was the culprit yesterday. Back to concern now. No longer in panic. Splits were 17:58-18:32 and I was working pretty hard to hold the pace at the end but the route was slightly sloped with a lot more incline on the back half. Pace was more even than the splits suggest.
Distance=5.0
11/27- 4 mile out and back route on the same trail and it was a struggle today. Finished in 30:42 (7:40 pace), which is still respectable but I really did not feel well. Splits were 14:58-15:44 and I had to work hard to keep the pace under 8. Worse yet, my foot ankle area is killing me and I'm actually walking with a limp. Possible injury but the rest of me is also very stiff and sore.
Distance=4.0
11/28- Planned rest day and I was in no condition to run. Trip back went without a hitch. I'll know tomorrow whether or not this is an injury or simply more abnormal soreness due to chemical issues. I suspect Sparga to be the culprit.
11/29- NOT injured. I've dodged a bullet. I was actually walking with a limp yesterday and could not run a step. Similar things have happened before. This once again underscores just how much difference it makes to have the pills in line but what worked as recently as 3 days ago does not work today. The workout was awful. 2 miles at Vestavia in 17:51 (8:55 pace) but more importantly, there was ZERO pain in the foot.
Distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
I am still cautiously optimistic but changes definitely need to be made going forward.
Distance=20.0
Distance=3.5
11/24- Repeat of yesterday and my time was down to 23:08 (7:43 pace). Splits were more even and this was significantly better than the previous day but not even close to the "new normal." I did take ill-advised zinc and methionine last night. It appears that the MTRR nucleotide product is a non-factor at best so I will likely have to be content with gradual improvement with Sparga. Concern, panic or doom? I'm at concern now. If I'm still struggling around Christmas, it upgrades to panic.
Distance=3.5
11/25- It may be time to panic now. Collapsed after just 1 mile on Lakeshore and turned around. My heart wasn't into it because I was about to leave to visit my parents and too much FOS and caffeine are hurting me. Hopefully, I can take a mulligan on this one.
Distance=2.0
11/26- Surprisingly good Thanksgiving Run on Peter's Trail. Finished a 5 mile out and back route in a time of 36:30 (7:18 pace). Loose and overstimulated. Did not want to slow down. Too much FOS was the culprit yesterday. Back to concern now. No longer in panic. Splits were 17:58-18:32 and I was working pretty hard to hold the pace at the end but the route was slightly sloped with a lot more incline on the back half. Pace was more even than the splits suggest.
Distance=5.0
11/27- 4 mile out and back route on the same trail and it was a struggle today. Finished in 30:42 (7:40 pace), which is still respectable but I really did not feel well. Splits were 14:58-15:44 and I had to work hard to keep the pace under 8. Worse yet, my foot ankle area is killing me and I'm actually walking with a limp. Possible injury but the rest of me is also very stiff and sore.
Distance=4.0
11/28- Planned rest day and I was in no condition to run. Trip back went without a hitch. I'll know tomorrow whether or not this is an injury or simply more abnormal soreness due to chemical issues. I suspect Sparga to be the culprit.
11/29- NOT injured. I've dodged a bullet. I was actually walking with a limp yesterday and could not run a step. Similar things have happened before. This once again underscores just how much difference it makes to have the pills in line but what worked as recently as 3 days ago does not work today. The workout was awful. 2 miles at Vestavia in 17:51 (8:55 pace) but more importantly, there was ZERO pain in the foot.
Distance=2.0
Weekly summary:
I am still cautiously optimistic but changes definitely need to be made going forward.
Distance=20.0
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Turkey Burner 5K RR
Training:
I am in the midst of my 4th week without a major collapse, which is a very good sign. Still, I was a little sluggish at times during this week. I thought the culprit was Histidine but it turns out that it's Yucca (for ammonia detox). I can tolerate a small amount (half a pill) but if I take a whole pill every day, I will be a little stiff and sore but able to handle a standard issue run (5@ sub-8 pace). That's still a huge improvement over where I was before starting the FOS. Back then, just a trace of that stuff caused me to tighten up something awful and could not break 9:00 for just 1 Mile. Could I clear my system after just 1 day off it? I woke up on race day feeling less sluggish and more overstimulated, which was a good sign.
Race morning:
I've stayed in a hotel for a goal half mary in Monty but for just a local 5K, I'm driving in the morning. Yes, it was early but no different from my long group runs. I was up at 5:00 and on the road just after 5:30. With a stop in Prattville for gas, I got the the race site around 7:00. This race was located about 10 miles east of downtown and the site of the race made it special. I had been there 4 weeks earlier on what was supposed to be a farewell tour of my old running routes but I've shown enough improvement to keep going. We had near perfect weather conditions with sunny skies and temps in the low 50s. The only gripe was a moderate headwind at times.
Background:
The race was held just outside Metro Fitness gym. I was a member there when I lived in the area from 2006-2009 and the race course would cover part of a group run that I did in November 2006. It was then that I realized that I just might be able to come back from Stage 3 adrenal fatigue. Could this be the start of a 2nd "impossible comeback"? I had wanted to do this race several times in the past but it never fit my schedule. I could not think of a better time than now to do it. I was hoping to see my old friend Susi but unfortunately, she could not make it. I was a little sluggish warming up but did not feel any pressure to deliver a good time. A post-35 PR was all but guaranteed.
Race:
I was really planning to go out slower and try for a negative split but it didn't happen and this wasn't the course to do it. My GPS signal was a little funky early but I hit the quarter mile at 1:36 (20:00 pace). Too fast but it was slightly downhill. The course was a bit more difficult than expect but was quite scenic. It covered upscale residential areas and a few views of a small lake. The course did not lend itself to negative splits. I could be wrong but it seemed like the first half was about 75% downhill but that would make for a tough finish. I'd describe the course as gently rolling. Nothing was severe or even moderate but a small climb with a half-quarter mile to go would be rough. I hit the Mile marker in 6:43 but the instant pace had already slipped to the 7:00 range. I was clearly licked shortly after the Mile marker but my pride and strength held and there would be no collapse. I believe that I was passed by only 3 runners in the back half. I got to Mile 2 in a solid 13:47 so even with a slight elevation gain, I should be pretty safe for a sub-22 and with a decent chance to finish under 7:00 pace. Unfortunately, I lost it on the last climb. My breathing was loud from early Mile 2 on and my legs didn't have much power. I was happy to get across the line. Sub-22 was pretty safe all the way so my kick was rather weak. My finish time was 21:54 officially. It was good enough for 18th overall and 3rd in my age group and I got a nice medal out of it.
Splits:
6:43
7:04 (13:47)
7:15 (21:02)
:52- last .13 (6:40 pace)
21:54 (7:03 pace)
Final thought:
Not bad. Probably a fair assessment of my fitness. I am capable of a 21:30ish with better pacing and a pancake flat route. To put this in perspective, I have done 3 half marathons with an average pace below 7:00 plus 2 more in the 7:05 range. Still, back in 2007, I raced a Retro Run in 22:17 and by the next summer, I had edged under 20. I will not be racing again until Mercedes and I am unsure if I will do the 5K or half mary. I do hope to be in sub-21 or sub-1:40 shape by then.
I was allowed to run a few laps inside Metro Fitness as a cool down for old times sake. Pretty cool.
Road trip:
I left the race just after 9:00 for a trip to Meridian, Miss' Sippy to visit Trent, my old Bible study leader. He lives on the north side of Jackson now so this was a good halfway point. It was important for me to see him because when he moved, I was at or near my lowest point. He had prayed for me countless times and I really wanted him to see me feeling better. The route from Monty was US-80 almost all the way. It was nice countryside most of the way but the area is among the most economically depressed in the county. I did stop in Selma, which does have a pretty nice downtown and crossed the historic Edmund Pettus bridge. It was a very enjoyable lunch at Western Sizzlin' and he prayed for me aloud for several minutes after we finished. Man, I wish I had recorded it. This was my favorite part of the trip. I took I-20/59 back to the Ham and it went without a hitch. My only stop was in Cuba, where I was glad to see lots of American flags. This was Cuba, Alabama.
Next up:
For the billionth time, I'm fine with gradual improvement and some days may be slightly worse than the previous one but I do expect to be sub-21 within a couple of months. I did a 19:09 time trial just before turning 34. No reason why I cannot come close to that at 35. I have lost a step in terms of fitness but I believe I am being hurt more by unbalanced chemistry. The Sparga works as does SMALL amounts of Yucca. I want to give B12+Lithium another try as well as low dose molybdenum. I'm not ready for methyl donors yet but I may benefit from the MTRR nucleotide. No pressure to perform next week with the travel involved.
I am in the midst of my 4th week without a major collapse, which is a very good sign. Still, I was a little sluggish at times during this week. I thought the culprit was Histidine but it turns out that it's Yucca (for ammonia detox). I can tolerate a small amount (half a pill) but if I take a whole pill every day, I will be a little stiff and sore but able to handle a standard issue run (5@ sub-8 pace). That's still a huge improvement over where I was before starting the FOS. Back then, just a trace of that stuff caused me to tighten up something awful and could not break 9:00 for just 1 Mile. Could I clear my system after just 1 day off it? I woke up on race day feeling less sluggish and more overstimulated, which was a good sign.
Race morning:
I've stayed in a hotel for a goal half mary in Monty but for just a local 5K, I'm driving in the morning. Yes, it was early but no different from my long group runs. I was up at 5:00 and on the road just after 5:30. With a stop in Prattville for gas, I got the the race site around 7:00. This race was located about 10 miles east of downtown and the site of the race made it special. I had been there 4 weeks earlier on what was supposed to be a farewell tour of my old running routes but I've shown enough improvement to keep going. We had near perfect weather conditions with sunny skies and temps in the low 50s. The only gripe was a moderate headwind at times.
Background:
The race was held just outside Metro Fitness gym. I was a member there when I lived in the area from 2006-2009 and the race course would cover part of a group run that I did in November 2006. It was then that I realized that I just might be able to come back from Stage 3 adrenal fatigue. Could this be the start of a 2nd "impossible comeback"? I had wanted to do this race several times in the past but it never fit my schedule. I could not think of a better time than now to do it. I was hoping to see my old friend Susi but unfortunately, she could not make it. I was a little sluggish warming up but did not feel any pressure to deliver a good time. A post-35 PR was all but guaranteed.
Race:
I was really planning to go out slower and try for a negative split but it didn't happen and this wasn't the course to do it. My GPS signal was a little funky early but I hit the quarter mile at 1:36 (20:00 pace). Too fast but it was slightly downhill. The course was a bit more difficult than expect but was quite scenic. It covered upscale residential areas and a few views of a small lake. The course did not lend itself to negative splits. I could be wrong but it seemed like the first half was about 75% downhill but that would make for a tough finish. I'd describe the course as gently rolling. Nothing was severe or even moderate but a small climb with a half-quarter mile to go would be rough. I hit the Mile marker in 6:43 but the instant pace had already slipped to the 7:00 range. I was clearly licked shortly after the Mile marker but my pride and strength held and there would be no collapse. I believe that I was passed by only 3 runners in the back half. I got to Mile 2 in a solid 13:47 so even with a slight elevation gain, I should be pretty safe for a sub-22 and with a decent chance to finish under 7:00 pace. Unfortunately, I lost it on the last climb. My breathing was loud from early Mile 2 on and my legs didn't have much power. I was happy to get across the line. Sub-22 was pretty safe all the way so my kick was rather weak. My finish time was 21:54 officially. It was good enough for 18th overall and 3rd in my age group and I got a nice medal out of it.
Splits:
6:43
7:04 (13:47)
7:15 (21:02)
:52- last .13 (6:40 pace)
21:54 (7:03 pace)
Final thought:
Not bad. Probably a fair assessment of my fitness. I am capable of a 21:30ish with better pacing and a pancake flat route. To put this in perspective, I have done 3 half marathons with an average pace below 7:00 plus 2 more in the 7:05 range. Still, back in 2007, I raced a Retro Run in 22:17 and by the next summer, I had edged under 20. I will not be racing again until Mercedes and I am unsure if I will do the 5K or half mary. I do hope to be in sub-21 or sub-1:40 shape by then.
I was allowed to run a few laps inside Metro Fitness as a cool down for old times sake. Pretty cool.
Road trip:
I left the race just after 9:00 for a trip to Meridian, Miss' Sippy to visit Trent, my old Bible study leader. He lives on the north side of Jackson now so this was a good halfway point. It was important for me to see him because when he moved, I was at or near my lowest point. He had prayed for me countless times and I really wanted him to see me feeling better. The route from Monty was US-80 almost all the way. It was nice countryside most of the way but the area is among the most economically depressed in the county. I did stop in Selma, which does have a pretty nice downtown and crossed the historic Edmund Pettus bridge. It was a very enjoyable lunch at Western Sizzlin' and he prayed for me aloud for several minutes after we finished. Man, I wish I had recorded it. This was my favorite part of the trip. I took I-20/59 back to the Ham and it went without a hitch. My only stop was in Cuba, where I was glad to see lots of American flags. This was Cuba, Alabama.
Next up:
For the billionth time, I'm fine with gradual improvement and some days may be slightly worse than the previous one but I do expect to be sub-21 within a couple of months. I did a 19:09 time trial just before turning 34. No reason why I cannot come close to that at 35. I have lost a step in terms of fitness but I believe I am being hurt more by unbalanced chemistry. The Sparga works as does SMALL amounts of Yucca. I want to give B12+Lithium another try as well as low dose molybdenum. I'm not ready for methyl donors yet but I may benefit from the MTRR nucleotide. No pressure to perform next week with the travel involved.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Remaining States Part 2
I was thinking last week about each state that I have yet to do and researched potential targets. Here it is. Enjoy.
Alaska- Anchorage for sure. There's a race in June and another in August. Neither is a PR course. I think I'd prefer June because it would be cool to experience 20+ hours of daylight.
Hawaii- Really can't go wrong here. It will be beautiful no matter where I go but also warm and humid regardless of the time of year. This could also be a stopping point to break up a trip to Australia. Something in Honolulu would probably be the easiest logistically.
Washington- RnR Seattle in June. Cool summer getaway and I could see a Mariners game.
Montana and Wyoming- There are 2 races a week apart in Yellowstone National Park in June. The Yellowstone half is in Montana and the Grand Teton is just a few miles south but it's in Wyoming. Both are trail races at 6,500 feet elevation. Time means nothing on a course like that. I'd have to spend a week in Yellowstone but I'm sure I can find stuff to do nearby such as Glacier National Park.
Nevada- RnR Las Vegas. This is an evening race in November and would be interesting. I don't gamble but I'm sure there are some shows worth seeing. The race itself starts and finishes in the Strip but is largely residential. Edit: I'm beginning to think a Lake Tahoe race would be more fun. The scenery is awesome and Reno is also close.
Utah- Cottonwood. There are 2 races that are basically the same course in the Spring and early Fall. The course drops nearly 2,500 feet in elevation (nearly a 5% average grade). Even at high altitude, that's not PR-legal but it could be tons of fun. It is located just outside Salt Lake City.
New Mexico- Santa Fe. There's another high altitude downhill race here but it's only about 1,000 feet net drop and might be PR-legal. I'd road trip into Amarillo or Lubbock, Texas. I've never been to West Texas but I hear it is very different from East Texas.
South Dakota- Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills near Rapid City in July. Rural and off the beaten path but I'm sure the scenery will be awesome. I will also re-visit Mount Rushmore.
Nebraska and Iowa- I'd like to double up here with just one trip. I've done some research and found one in Des Moines on a Saturday in late April/early May and one on a Sunday in Lincoln, Nebraska which is only a little over 3 hours away. I won't race either but if I'm in decent shape, I should come away with a pair of sub-1:45s.
Kansas- This is the only remaining state that could possibly be a drive. I would likely opt for one on the Kansas side of the KC metro area. I do have a childhood friend in the area and would like to see a Royals game and the Truman library.
Minnesota and Wisconsin- Definitely a chance to double here, possibly this year. There are several races in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that would be nice in late Spring/early summer. That's just across the border from Wisconsin, which has lots of races. Ideally, I'd go with Minneapolis and Eau Claire but Madison and even Milwaukee could be do-able. I could see a Twins or Brewers game.
Michigan- Detroit Free Press in October for sure. This one has been on my radar for several years but it never fit my schedule. You cross the Ambassador bridge for a few miles in Windsor, Ontario, Canada before a mile long tunnel back to the USA for a finish in downtown Detroit. Tourist options include the MoTown and Henry Ford museums.
Maine/New Hampshire- Should be able to double here if I can find a Saturday/Sunday combo. As of now, there are a pair that I could do in Concord and Portland, which are less than 3 hours apart. Both races are in the first week of October.
Vermont- Race options are fairly limited here and I'd turn it into a trip to Montreal and possibly Ottawa. As of now, no such Saturday/Sunday combo is scheduled but that could change down the road. Montreal is less than 2 hours from Burlington, VT. It would have to be late Spring or early Fall for the temps to be comfortable.
Connecticut/Rhode Island- Lots of runners double here. The 2 races are ING Hartford and Newport, RI. It's a Saturday/Sunday combo in the 2nd week of October. Leaves will be changing this time of year.
Maryland- Island 2 Island in Ocean City in late April. I spent a summer in this area back in 2000 and have not been back since '02. I'd probably fly into Philly and would like to drive the DelMarVa peninsula.
New York- There's the Manhattan half in January and the NYC half in March. Both courses go through Central Park. Obviously, I'd prefer March because the weather will likely be better but it's a lottery and could be tough to get in. There is the option to wing it and make a last minute trip in January based on the forecast a few days out. The weather up there is unpredictable. It could be snowing or bitter cold but there are a lot of fairly mild days in the 40s-50s. Times Square and the Empire State building are within walking distance of the start/finish. Both should be on any American's bucket list. It will be an expensive weekend trip but so what?
New Jersey/Delaware- I found a Saturday/Sunday combo in Dover and Atlantic City. They are only a little more than 2 hours apart and I can use Philly as my hub and do some touring there.
Massachusetts- Boston. If I never qualify for the marathon that everyone wants to do, my choice would be the Boston Memorial half in late May. Unfortunately, Red Sox tickets are almost impossible to get.
I think that covers them all. It could take me a decade to do all this but I'm beginning to think it may be worth it.
Alaska- Anchorage for sure. There's a race in June and another in August. Neither is a PR course. I think I'd prefer June because it would be cool to experience 20+ hours of daylight.
Hawaii- Really can't go wrong here. It will be beautiful no matter where I go but also warm and humid regardless of the time of year. This could also be a stopping point to break up a trip to Australia. Something in Honolulu would probably be the easiest logistically.
Washington- RnR Seattle in June. Cool summer getaway and I could see a Mariners game.
Montana and Wyoming- There are 2 races a week apart in Yellowstone National Park in June. The Yellowstone half is in Montana and the Grand Teton is just a few miles south but it's in Wyoming. Both are trail races at 6,500 feet elevation. Time means nothing on a course like that. I'd have to spend a week in Yellowstone but I'm sure I can find stuff to do nearby such as Glacier National Park.
Nevada- RnR Las Vegas. This is an evening race in November and would be interesting. I don't gamble but I'm sure there are some shows worth seeing. The race itself starts and finishes in the Strip but is largely residential. Edit: I'm beginning to think a Lake Tahoe race would be more fun. The scenery is awesome and Reno is also close.
Utah- Cottonwood. There are 2 races that are basically the same course in the Spring and early Fall. The course drops nearly 2,500 feet in elevation (nearly a 5% average grade). Even at high altitude, that's not PR-legal but it could be tons of fun. It is located just outside Salt Lake City.
New Mexico- Santa Fe. There's another high altitude downhill race here but it's only about 1,000 feet net drop and might be PR-legal. I'd road trip into Amarillo or Lubbock, Texas. I've never been to West Texas but I hear it is very different from East Texas.
South Dakota- Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills near Rapid City in July. Rural and off the beaten path but I'm sure the scenery will be awesome. I will also re-visit Mount Rushmore.
Nebraska and Iowa- I'd like to double up here with just one trip. I've done some research and found one in Des Moines on a Saturday in late April/early May and one on a Sunday in Lincoln, Nebraska which is only a little over 3 hours away. I won't race either but if I'm in decent shape, I should come away with a pair of sub-1:45s.
Kansas- This is the only remaining state that could possibly be a drive. I would likely opt for one on the Kansas side of the KC metro area. I do have a childhood friend in the area and would like to see a Royals game and the Truman library.
Minnesota and Wisconsin- Definitely a chance to double here, possibly this year. There are several races in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area that would be nice in late Spring/early summer. That's just across the border from Wisconsin, which has lots of races. Ideally, I'd go with Minneapolis and Eau Claire but Madison and even Milwaukee could be do-able. I could see a Twins or Brewers game.
Michigan- Detroit Free Press in October for sure. This one has been on my radar for several years but it never fit my schedule. You cross the Ambassador bridge for a few miles in Windsor, Ontario, Canada before a mile long tunnel back to the USA for a finish in downtown Detroit. Tourist options include the MoTown and Henry Ford museums.
Maine/New Hampshire- Should be able to double here if I can find a Saturday/Sunday combo. As of now, there are a pair that I could do in Concord and Portland, which are less than 3 hours apart. Both races are in the first week of October.
Vermont- Race options are fairly limited here and I'd turn it into a trip to Montreal and possibly Ottawa. As of now, no such Saturday/Sunday combo is scheduled but that could change down the road. Montreal is less than 2 hours from Burlington, VT. It would have to be late Spring or early Fall for the temps to be comfortable.
Connecticut/Rhode Island- Lots of runners double here. The 2 races are ING Hartford and Newport, RI. It's a Saturday/Sunday combo in the 2nd week of October. Leaves will be changing this time of year.
Maryland- Island 2 Island in Ocean City in late April. I spent a summer in this area back in 2000 and have not been back since '02. I'd probably fly into Philly and would like to drive the DelMarVa peninsula.
New York- There's the Manhattan half in January and the NYC half in March. Both courses go through Central Park. Obviously, I'd prefer March because the weather will likely be better but it's a lottery and could be tough to get in. There is the option to wing it and make a last minute trip in January based on the forecast a few days out. The weather up there is unpredictable. It could be snowing or bitter cold but there are a lot of fairly mild days in the 40s-50s. Times Square and the Empire State building are within walking distance of the start/finish. Both should be on any American's bucket list. It will be an expensive weekend trip but so what?
New Jersey/Delaware- I found a Saturday/Sunday combo in Dover and Atlantic City. They are only a little more than 2 hours apart and I can use Philly as my hub and do some touring there.
Massachusetts- Boston. If I never qualify for the marathon that everyone wants to do, my choice would be the Boston Memorial half in late May. Unfortunately, Red Sox tickets are almost impossible to get.
I think that covers them all. It could take me a decade to do all this but I'm beginning to think it may be worth it.
Training 11/16-11/22 (race week)
The plan this week is to drop the mileage back down to the 30-35 range with a mini-taper. The planned race is the Turkey Burner and I am doing it more to see an old friend from Monty than to race for a fast time. I predict a time in the high 21s with a goal of a sub-7 pace (21:45).
11/16- 6 miles on Lakeshore in 45:44 (7:37 pace). I have felt about the same for the past few days. My legs were fine. Relatively loose and limber with decent power but still significantly over-stimulated and easily winded. I'll take it but changes need to be made going forward. The Sparga will be upped and so will the Thym-Adren. As for the TMG (methyl), I had a slight negative reaction and became a bit more over-stimulated. Not quite ready for it yet. Tempo tomorrow in lieu of Johnny's workout.
Distance=6.0
11/17- 3 mile time trial at Gold's nearly all out. Finished in 20:42 (6:54 pace). Upped the Sparga and Thym-Adren and was somewhat less over-stimulated today but it was not a significant difference. This equates to roughly a 21:30 for a full 5K. Can I beat it on race day? It will probably depend on my pacing. Splits today were 6:44-7:00-6:58. If I had gone out slower, say 6:52, I could have repeated the 6:52 then maybe come home in 6:46. That would add up to a 20:30. Restraining myself on race day may be difficult. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
11/18- Gold's 5 in 39:17 (7:51 pace). A little sluggish today but most likely no cause for alarm. Never really pushed the pace and allowed a mild fade (19:25-19:52) so I did manage a sub-8 on the back half. No collapse. Added a cool.
Distance=5.5
11/19- In taper mode now. 2 miles naked on Wisteria just before sunset. Felt about the same as yesterday which was a little sluggish but not horrible. Even with a rest tomorrow, I'll hit 30 if the weekend goes according to plan.
Distance=2.0
Update:
I had been taking Histidine sporadically for a few weeks because it was low on my UAA test and it is intended to "improve sulfur metabolism." It's a non-factor at 1 pill/day but if I increase it to 2-3 as directed, I will feel a bit heavy and sluggish. It feels like it increases the sulfur burden. I pitched the bottle and should be better by tomorrow. I do NOT count this as a collapse.
11/20- 1 mile comfortably hard at Gold's. I was looking at about 7:04 before sprinting the last lap to finish in 6:56. I felt that I could have kept the 7:04 pace another 2 miles, which would bring me home just under 22. I'd be a little disappointed in that but I've got another day to clear the Histidine.
I will also explore other options. Added a mile cool.
Distance=2.0
11/21- Turkey Burner 5K in 21:54 (7:03 pace) plus a warm and cool.
Distance=4.0
11/22- Easy 7 from the Trak Shak. Ran it naked and did not care about the pace. I'm sure it was well over 8 on a hilly route. It's been confirmed that the cause of the mild sluggish feeling is indeed Yucca and it has yet to fully clear. Still, as recently as 4 weeks ago, I never could have finished a 7 miler if the pills were out of whack. I hit the quota for the week.
Distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Did pretty much what I planned this week. No real complaints. 3rd straight week with 30+ miles.
Distance=30.0
11/16- 6 miles on Lakeshore in 45:44 (7:37 pace). I have felt about the same for the past few days. My legs were fine. Relatively loose and limber with decent power but still significantly over-stimulated and easily winded. I'll take it but changes need to be made going forward. The Sparga will be upped and so will the Thym-Adren. As for the TMG (methyl), I had a slight negative reaction and became a bit more over-stimulated. Not quite ready for it yet. Tempo tomorrow in lieu of Johnny's workout.
Distance=6.0
11/17- 3 mile time trial at Gold's nearly all out. Finished in 20:42 (6:54 pace). Upped the Sparga and Thym-Adren and was somewhat less over-stimulated today but it was not a significant difference. This equates to roughly a 21:30 for a full 5K. Can I beat it on race day? It will probably depend on my pacing. Splits today were 6:44-7:00-6:58. If I had gone out slower, say 6:52, I could have repeated the 6:52 then maybe come home in 6:46. That would add up to a 20:30. Restraining myself on race day may be difficult. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
11/18- Gold's 5 in 39:17 (7:51 pace). A little sluggish today but most likely no cause for alarm. Never really pushed the pace and allowed a mild fade (19:25-19:52) so I did manage a sub-8 on the back half. No collapse. Added a cool.
Distance=5.5
11/19- In taper mode now. 2 miles naked on Wisteria just before sunset. Felt about the same as yesterday which was a little sluggish but not horrible. Even with a rest tomorrow, I'll hit 30 if the weekend goes according to plan.
Distance=2.0
Update:
I had been taking Histidine sporadically for a few weeks because it was low on my UAA test and it is intended to "improve sulfur metabolism." It's a non-factor at 1 pill/day but if I increase it to 2-3 as directed, I will feel a bit heavy and sluggish. It feels like it increases the sulfur burden. I pitched the bottle and should be better by tomorrow. I do NOT count this as a collapse.
11/20- 1 mile comfortably hard at Gold's. I was looking at about 7:04 before sprinting the last lap to finish in 6:56. I felt that I could have kept the 7:04 pace another 2 miles, which would bring me home just under 22. I'd be a little disappointed in that but I've got another day to clear the Histidine.
I will also explore other options. Added a mile cool.
Distance=2.0
11/21- Turkey Burner 5K in 21:54 (7:03 pace) plus a warm and cool.
Distance=4.0
11/22- Easy 7 from the Trak Shak. Ran it naked and did not care about the pace. I'm sure it was well over 8 on a hilly route. It's been confirmed that the cause of the mild sluggish feeling is indeed Yucca and it has yet to fully clear. Still, as recently as 4 weeks ago, I never could have finished a 7 miler if the pills were out of whack. I hit the quota for the week.
Distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Did pretty much what I planned this week. No real complaints. 3rd straight week with 30+ miles.
Distance=30.0
Monday, November 9, 2015
Remaining states
MOST definitely:
Alaska and Hawaii-
. These are the only 2 U.S states that I have yet to visit and I will surely go regardless of my running status. If I can’t run a half, I bet I can find a companion race at a shorter distance.
Probable:
Maryland-
I spent a summer in Salisbury (near Ocean City) and would very much like to return to the area for a race as well as to drive the full Delmarva Peninsula.
Michigan-
The Detroit Free Press race course actually goes into Windsor, Ontario, Canada for a few miles. I think that’s really cool. I also have a couple of buddies that live in the area.
Connecticut and Rhode Island-
I rode through here when I was maybe 4 years old and part of me does not feel right about counting these 2 among the states that I have visited. The best/worst part of it is that the races are on the same weekend so I’d have to be in very good shape to manage that. Of course, I won’t “race” either of them but would have to at least finish respectably to enjoy it.
South Dakota-
I visited here when I was 7 years old and yes, I do vaguely remember it. There is a downhill race at altitude in the Black Hills near Mt. Rushmore. I’d have to go a bit off the beaten path but I’m sure that the scenery would be amazing.
Maybe:
Washington:
The one to do here is RnR Seattle, which could be a nice getaway in early June. I’ll leave 90 degree weather for temps in the 70s and yes, this is the dry season there.
Utah:
There are several high altitude but almost all downhill races here. It would be difficult to assess the exact value of my time but that becomes less important as I get older. The scenery would be awesome.
New York:
It would have to be in Manhattan, nowhere else and yes, there are a couple half marathons there. It would be really cool to race through Central Park and Times Square but I dare not drive and a hotel within a few blocks of the starting line would awfully pricey.
Massachusetts:
Boston is the only one to do here. It would take a miracle for me to qualify and I do not have any interest in running for charity.
If I am to do all of these, it would take me to up to 36 states. Maybe I could be talked into a couple others. I suppose that if I get up to 40 states, I’ve got to go all the way. There may be other opportunities to do 2 races in the same weekend in nearby states. NJ&DE, VT&NH, MN&WI. Yes, there is a chance that I will end up doing all 50.
Training 11/9-11/15
11/9- Gold's 5 in 38:20 (7:40 pace). Even pace and felt good most of the way. Had a lot left at the end too. It feels so good to have a stable dosage and not have to do all those better with or without tests. I've said it a billion times but I'd rather be a little slow but stable than fast and unstable. Now that it's a reality, I feel even more strongly about it. Most of my workouts this year have been little more than a chore but I actually enjoyed this one. Another change in my health is that I am sweating a lot more. That's also characteristic of excess adrenal activity.
Distance=5.0
11/10- Johnny's workout. 8x400 at Vestavia in sets of 4 with a 2 min R. Finished with an average of :84 or roughly 5:38 pace. (86-84-83-84) (85-84-85-80). I believe that I can break 6:00 in a Mile time trial and Johnny agrees. Solid workout. Calves are very sore. Not used to getting on my toes and sprinting.
Distance=3.5
11/11- Trak Shak 8 in the daylight on Veteran's Day. Finished in 66-flat (8:15 pace). I'm fine with this one. Pace was slow but this was a hilly route done the day after a hard speed session. I don't think I've done this route all year and I've forgotten how nice and scenic it is. Cool down tribute to Ochocinco.
Distance=8.5
11/12- Saulter-Trak Shak 5 route in 37:58 (7:35 pace). Felt good. Strong even pace. No complaints. Beautiful day with temps in the upper 60s. Added a mile cool.
Distance=6.0
11/13- Planned rest day. Felt good most of the day but overstimulated in the evening. Long cold run tomorrow.
11/14- 13 mile BTC group run. GPS died in Mile 11 so I'm unsure of the exact distance but it was around 13. Pace was sub-8 up until the "hill that sucks" so I estimate about 8:05 on a pretty hilly route. Given a flat course and a race setting, I believe I could go sub-1:45 for a half now. 5 minutes away from "respectability." At a low-8 pace, I found a group that matched my pace. If you get into the 7:40 range, you're too fast for the BTC but not good enough to stick with the sub-3. Need only 4 tomorrow to hit 40 for the first time since January.
Distance=13.0
11/5- BTC recovery run. 5 miles from Highland Park to downtown and back. I chose to run it naked (no watch). Pace was probably similar to yesterday. Legs were fine but felt quite a bit over-stimulated. I may need to up the Thym-Adren and/or Sparga. I did try TMG (methyl) yesterday and did tolerate it okay but am not sure if I can run on it.
Distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
If I kept track of grades and won/loss record, this would have been a winner. 21 days since my last collapse. That's a very good sign. It's too late to salvage 2015 but I am going to surprise a lot of people next year. 41 miles on the week is my highest total since January.
Distance=5.0
11/10- Johnny's workout. 8x400 at Vestavia in sets of 4 with a 2 min R. Finished with an average of :84 or roughly 5:38 pace. (86-84-83-84) (85-84-85-80). I believe that I can break 6:00 in a Mile time trial and Johnny agrees. Solid workout. Calves are very sore. Not used to getting on my toes and sprinting.
Distance=3.5
11/11- Trak Shak 8 in the daylight on Veteran's Day. Finished in 66-flat (8:15 pace). I'm fine with this one. Pace was slow but this was a hilly route done the day after a hard speed session. I don't think I've done this route all year and I've forgotten how nice and scenic it is. Cool down tribute to Ochocinco.
Distance=8.5
11/12- Saulter-Trak Shak 5 route in 37:58 (7:35 pace). Felt good. Strong even pace. No complaints. Beautiful day with temps in the upper 60s. Added a mile cool.
Distance=6.0
11/13- Planned rest day. Felt good most of the day but overstimulated in the evening. Long cold run tomorrow.
11/14- 13 mile BTC group run. GPS died in Mile 11 so I'm unsure of the exact distance but it was around 13. Pace was sub-8 up until the "hill that sucks" so I estimate about 8:05 on a pretty hilly route. Given a flat course and a race setting, I believe I could go sub-1:45 for a half now. 5 minutes away from "respectability." At a low-8 pace, I found a group that matched my pace. If you get into the 7:40 range, you're too fast for the BTC but not good enough to stick with the sub-3. Need only 4 tomorrow to hit 40 for the first time since January.
Distance=13.0
11/5- BTC recovery run. 5 miles from Highland Park to downtown and back. I chose to run it naked (no watch). Pace was probably similar to yesterday. Legs were fine but felt quite a bit over-stimulated. I may need to up the Thym-Adren and/or Sparga. I did try TMG (methyl) yesterday and did tolerate it okay but am not sure if I can run on it.
Distance=5.0
Weekly summary:
If I kept track of grades and won/loss record, this would have been a winner. 21 days since my last collapse. That's a very good sign. It's too late to salvage 2015 but I am going to surprise a lot of people next year. 41 miles on the week is my highest total since January.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
NOT Retiring
Still no results from Yasko but I expect to get word any day now. No panic no matter how bad the results. I am primarily hoping to rule out Mercury toxicity and amalgam removal. If the results show probable mercury issues, I will do a re-test to confirm before I pull the trigger. I am about 90 percent sure that I know what it's going to say. Here it is:
My number 1 problem is sulfur toxicity, which is likely the source of the runaway adrenal function. Mineral support (Cal/Mag) plus Thym-Adren (adrenal suppressant) will help but it's not nearly enough. Think about a runaway truck going down a steep mountain. Simply tapping the brakes every few seconds is not going to be enough.
I need to do something to reduce the sulfates and the Sparga is likely the best choice. B-12 and Lithium still cannot be tolerated. Low dose molybdenum might be worth another try down the road. Yucca can be tolerated at low doses. In the past, just a few drops of Sparga caused overwhelming fatigue and depression. Sparga could not be tolerated probably because of mal-absorption issues but since I have been taking the FOS supplement, I have had no such reaction in the last 2 weeks. Yes, that's right. I have NOT had a collapse in 2 weeks. Though I am far from being in the clear, I have seen enough improvement to keep going at least until the end of the year.
Changes in health:
As I said in my last post, the biggest change is that the flu-like malaise has been replaced by over-stimulation and mild anxiety. That's how I should feel as a fast oxidizer. My resting pulse rate is way too high (close to 90 BPM). The average person's is 72 and for an athlete, it should be more like 60 or lower. No reason to panic about this. I have been told and have personal experience that suggest that my adrenals have sped up in response to solving a major problem (sulfur toxicity and malabsorption) and it is only a temporary reaction.
Training:
30 miles on the week, all at sub-8:00 pace with the exception of the recovery jog intervals. My longest run was an 8 miler in 63:21 (7:55 pace). Even if I slipped to the 9:00 range over the next 5.1, I still would have come in around 1:49:30 for a half mary. I've found that I can hold a pace around 7:50-8:00 in relative comfort on a standard issue 5 miler but if I speed up to the 7:30s, it's as if there's a noose around my legs that really begins to tighten. If I am to bump it back up to the 40 MPW range, I am going to have to be okay with paces in the 8:00-8:15 range for the time being. For the millionth time, I want to see a GRADUAL climb out of this hole. I may not feel any different from one day to the next but progress should be evident over the course of several weeks. If I can avoid collapses, I may be in half decent racing shape by Mercedes.
Future:
I am listed as probable for the Turkey Burner 5K in Monty 2 weeks from now and it will likely be my last race of the year. Realistically, I have probably set my last PR which means that I was 3 for 6 in my lifetime goals. I can live with that. In order to enjoy these races, I've got to get back under 21/45/1:40 in the big 3 distances. If relatively healthy, there is no reason why I cannot do that in my mid-late 30s. A 1:45 half will become acceptable sometime in my 40s but not now. The 2016 race schedule remains a big question mark.
My number 1 problem is sulfur toxicity, which is likely the source of the runaway adrenal function. Mineral support (Cal/Mag) plus Thym-Adren (adrenal suppressant) will help but it's not nearly enough. Think about a runaway truck going down a steep mountain. Simply tapping the brakes every few seconds is not going to be enough.
I need to do something to reduce the sulfates and the Sparga is likely the best choice. B-12 and Lithium still cannot be tolerated. Low dose molybdenum might be worth another try down the road. Yucca can be tolerated at low doses. In the past, just a few drops of Sparga caused overwhelming fatigue and depression. Sparga could not be tolerated probably because of mal-absorption issues but since I have been taking the FOS supplement, I have had no such reaction in the last 2 weeks. Yes, that's right. I have NOT had a collapse in 2 weeks. Though I am far from being in the clear, I have seen enough improvement to keep going at least until the end of the year.
Changes in health:
As I said in my last post, the biggest change is that the flu-like malaise has been replaced by over-stimulation and mild anxiety. That's how I should feel as a fast oxidizer. My resting pulse rate is way too high (close to 90 BPM). The average person's is 72 and for an athlete, it should be more like 60 or lower. No reason to panic about this. I have been told and have personal experience that suggest that my adrenals have sped up in response to solving a major problem (sulfur toxicity and malabsorption) and it is only a temporary reaction.
Training:
30 miles on the week, all at sub-8:00 pace with the exception of the recovery jog intervals. My longest run was an 8 miler in 63:21 (7:55 pace). Even if I slipped to the 9:00 range over the next 5.1, I still would have come in around 1:49:30 for a half mary. I've found that I can hold a pace around 7:50-8:00 in relative comfort on a standard issue 5 miler but if I speed up to the 7:30s, it's as if there's a noose around my legs that really begins to tighten. If I am to bump it back up to the 40 MPW range, I am going to have to be okay with paces in the 8:00-8:15 range for the time being. For the millionth time, I want to see a GRADUAL climb out of this hole. I may not feel any different from one day to the next but progress should be evident over the course of several weeks. If I can avoid collapses, I may be in half decent racing shape by Mercedes.
Future:
I am listed as probable for the Turkey Burner 5K in Monty 2 weeks from now and it will likely be my last race of the year. Realistically, I have probably set my last PR which means that I was 3 for 6 in my lifetime goals. I can live with that. In order to enjoy these races, I've got to get back under 21/45/1:40 in the big 3 distances. If relatively healthy, there is no reason why I cannot do that in my mid-late 30s. A 1:45 half will become acceptable sometime in my 40s but not now. The 2016 race schedule remains a big question mark.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
