Out of the 50 most dangerous cities in the world, 4 of them are in the United States: Baltimore, New Orleans, Detroit and St. Louis. Chicago is not far behind. I've been to all 5 and survived. I did have a close call with a probable mugger in New Orleans but I was young and naive at the time. I would never allow a random local to take me on a "free tour" nowadays. I've also driven through some rough areas in Memphis, Birmingham, Montgomery, Atlanta and South Central LA. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the Mexican state that I visited (Tamaulipas) has a Level 4- DO NOT TRAVEL advisory. Pretty scary huh? Nah. I've rarely felt unsafe. If I find myself in a bad area, I'll get out of there quickly. I'll follow the GPS back to the Interstate. My time in Mexico was limited to the tourist town of Nuevo Progreso. There were plenty of American tourists there. Most of them were there for cheap meds, food, drinks and crafts. I stuck to the main road and though it did become increasingly seedy as I got further from the border, I never felt unsafe. Word on the street is that in Nuevo Laredo, also in Tamaulipas, the story is similar. The first 20 or so blocks across the border are safe for American tourists but it goes downhill fast after that.
Birmingham is consistently ranked as among the most dangerous mid-size cities but as is the case with the cities listed above, most of the crime is concentrated in just a few very bad areas. No way that I would go there alone at night. Also, what constitutes the city limits can be tricky. If you include the suburbs, the metro area as a whole is not particularly dangerous. Both Hoover and Vestavia have low crime rates but yes, violence does occur on occasion. I once witnessed a man pull a gun on somebody who backed into their car in Hoover. Fortunately, he kept his cool. So yes, even if I stay within a 5 mile radius of my home and work all the time, that doesn't fully guarantee my safety. Basic common sense goes a long way. Research the area before your book your accommodations. Don't talk to strangers if you find yourself in bad areas. Don't walk alone at night. Don't mess with or pick fights with nefarious characters. Don't get too drunk. Don't carry anything on your person that you cannot afford to lose. Follow those guidelines and mind your own business and you will probably be okay.
I'm considering a weekend trip to the West Texas town of El Paso on Memorial Day weekend (no time off work) that will include a border crossing into Ciudad Juarez. Ten years ago, this Mexican city had the distinction of being the murder capital of the world. Violence has since diminished considerably and I will not disqualify a place from a potential visit because terrible things have happened there in the past. Birmingham still gets a bad rep because of awful things done to black people 60 years ago. Things have improved a great deal in that regard. On another note, nobody can predict how the world will look in 40-50 years. Who would have thought that Vietnam would become a popular tourist destination back in the 1970s? By the same token, nobody could have imagined that Venezuela would become such a basket cases just 20 years ago. The only things that will disqualify a city or country from a potential visit are wars and severe human rights abuses. A high crime rate won't scare me away so long as I know which areas to avoid. For example, Cape Town, Rio D'Janiero and Tijuana all rank high on the list of the world's most violent cities. I plan to visit all 3. Crime is concentrated in townships and flavalas, which you would be strongly advised NOT to visit, especially not without a licensed tour guide. Tour guide or not, I'm not going.
On Facebook travel group, I expressed interest in visiting several countries that are under the radar as far as tourist destinations. The response was tremendous. Several people from those countries friended me and expressed interest in meeting up and being my tour guide. I want to finish up the USA this year but sure, I'll take them up on the offer down the road. I follow several YouTube vloggers who make a point to travel off the beaten path. I'll highlight Drew Binsky, Indigo Traveler and Eva Zu Beck. Those videos have altered my perspectives of different parts of the world that get a bad rep from the media. Here are the countries that I listed:
Nicaragua- a cheaper, more rustic and less touristy version of Costa Rica that is just as if not more beautiful than its southern neighbor. Unfortunately, there is still considerable political instability right now so Costa Rica will be my Central American pick.
Ghana- Becoming popular with African Americans who have traced their ancestry back from here. Accra looks to be a nice city with beautiful beaches. The Cape Coast slave castle would deliver an emotional wallop and I do expect to cry. An Iowa missionary loved it so much that he decided to stay permanently. It's politically stable too. My only reservations about going would be the yellow fever vaccination and the threat of malaria. The latter may only be prevalent in the summer so it could be a nice winter get away.
Slovenia- This southeastern European gem is often overshadowed by Croatia but it appears to be just as beautiful. Lake Bled and the Triglav Mountains look GREAT. It's also the home country of Melania Trump.
Taiwan- Vibrant city of Taipei and beautiful beaches without the human rights abuses of China.
Iran- Probably the most surprising pick of them all. It's still a no-go for me but if they get a new regime, YES I'll go. The dirty secret is that Iran has a young population, most of which was born well after the Iranian revolution and overwhelmingly rejects Islamic fundamentalism. I read that 79% of the population would vote to replace the Ayatollah even with uncertainly about the alternative and that number is growing every year. I pray that the current oppressive regime will fall soon and it will be a relatively peaceful transition.
According to Drew Binsky, locals will approach you on the street just to welcome you to the country. Two common questions are where are you from? and what do you think of Iran? If you tell them that you are American, they LOVE it and immediately become curious to speak further. It's common for Westerners to be invited into homes for tea or dinner. Yes, you should take them up on it. In addition to Tehran, it's got exotic mountain scenery and even pretty good surf in the southwest.
Pakistan- Another surprise pick. Here, there are most definitely areas that must be avoided, especially those near the Afghanistan border. The hospitality supposedly rivals that of Iran and Westerners often get free meals and small gifts. The Karakoram Highway through the Himalayan Mountains looks to put Colorado to shame.
Algeria- It's neighbor Morocco is becoming more popular but based on what I've seen on YouTube, Algeria looks to be the more scenic country. Mountains, beaches and the vibrant city of Algiers. Problem is that a VISA can be difficult to get.
On your own or with a guide:
There are several vacation packages that offer a guided 10 day itinerary with a tour group. I'd have mixed feelings about that. In Iran, you MUST have a guide if you are American or British. What I would prefer is a private or small group tour of top attractions over maybe 4-6 days instead of 10. It would be more expensive but you'll really get to know your guide and it's a good bet that he will become your friend. I certainly would NOT feel comfortable driving those mountain roads in Pakistan alone so yes, I'd want a guide there. Marathon Tours and Travel sells tour packages that are short and cover the top attractions. Two of those available are Cape Town and Jerusalem. I'd join them and add a day or two at either end on my own.
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Monday, February 17, 2020
Utah Road Trip Report
2/12- Flew out of Atlanta and after a quick connection in Chicago, I was on the ground in Salt Lake City just after noon. I ate a quick lunch at the airport then headed south to Moab via the Interstate then eventually US-191. The snow capped Rocky Mountains gradually gave way to more red rock scenery further south. It's been a mild but rainy winter here in Birmingham so even with the chilly 40 degree weather, the sunshine was a welcome change. Southern Utah has been described as "Mars on Earth" by tourists and it most definitely has the feel of otherworldly beautiful scenery. I stopped several times to snap some pictures on the road but had to limit my time at those pull outs if I was to make it to Arches National Park before sunset.
It was a challenging 3 mile round trip hike and I reached Delicate Arch just after the sun went down. Good call not to stop any more on the road. It would NOT have been safe to be on that trail if it was completely dark. Fortunately, I was back to my car before that happened but not a moment too soon. Needless to say, I was wiped out from the hike and the travel so I was ready for bed and slept in as long as I wanted.
2/13- Backtracked a few miles north to Dead Horse State Park. Though often overlooked by tourists because it is so close to Arches NP, the scenery here was PHENOMENAL. Pictures don't do it justice.
Next, was a southwesterly turn to Monument Valley on the Utah/Arizona border. Fans of the movie Forrest Gump know that this is where the title character stopped running. I didn't spend much time here but I got the shots that I wanted. The final stop on the day was Horseshoe Bend Park in Page, Arizona. This was an easier hike with scenery that was just as rewarding.
2/14- Headed north back to Utah's Bryce Canyon NP. Here, it was too cold and icy to do any serious hiking as the elevation was over 8,000 feet but that was fine with me. Time was limited and unlike nearby Zion NP, the best scenery was just off the road on pull outs. Perfect. I was out of there by mid-afternoon after a mediocre lunch.
After 2 more hours on the road, I was at my destination of St. George. Though it was only about 100 miles south of Bryce Canyon as the crow flies, it looked like a different world. Instead of snow covered hoodoo rock formations, I was basking in 65 degree temps with sunshine and palm trees. Yes, that's right, PALM TREES! I got one great shot just after sunset with red rock and snow capped peaks in the background. For the record, St. George is more than 5,000 feet lower in elevation and just 2 hours from Las Vegas. I had time to tour part of the race course and found that though it was net downhill, it did have some pretty significant climbs as well. That was good to know.
2/15- Race day. No pressure and virtually no chance of a respectable showing. It really was a beautiful course with canyons, red rock mountains and palm trees. I felt reasonably well for the first 5 miles and passed the halfway point in 58:30. I knew I was in trouble though as I could not pick up the pace much despite a mile long steady decline. I managed to stay on pace through about 8.5 miles but it was a death march to finish. To my credit, I did manage a minor resurgence in Mile 13 and finished on my feet. State #45 is in the books. Maryland will be next. I did feel noticeably better after an extra dose of probiotics later in the day. I don't think it would have been a night and day difference but it probably would have allowed me to hold the pace for another few miles. My first post-race workout confirmed those feelings. Only 5 more to go and it is important to finish this challenge now while I still can.
It was 4 hours northeast on I-15 back to Salt Lake City for the night. As expected, it became much colder and cloudy as I went north and up in elevation. I captured a shot of the body of water that gave Salt Lake City its name and got some dinner at a local bar and grill. No interesting characters here and it was a rather uneventful night.
2/16- Direct flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta. This time, the flight home was delayed. Fortunately, I did not have to worry about a missed connection but I lost 2 hours then re-gained 1 hour on the drive back. It was about 8 PM local time when I got home.
Final Thoughts:
Excellent trip. Lots of driving but the scenery was worth it. I take great pride in seeing as much as I can in limited time but I had to skip Mesa Verde, Colorado, Antelope and the Grand Canyon because I didn't have time to do justice to any one. I only had to go about an hour out of my way to visit Mesa Verde and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Antelope would have required several hours and a tour reservation. The only thing I may have changed would be to wait until March or early April. The mountains in Salt Lake would likely still be snow capped but the hiking trails would be less likely to be covered with ice. The race in February fit my schedule and I want to space those out this year.
It was a challenging 3 mile round trip hike and I reached Delicate Arch just after the sun went down. Good call not to stop any more on the road. It would NOT have been safe to be on that trail if it was completely dark. Fortunately, I was back to my car before that happened but not a moment too soon. Needless to say, I was wiped out from the hike and the travel so I was ready for bed and slept in as long as I wanted.
2/13- Backtracked a few miles north to Dead Horse State Park. Though often overlooked by tourists because it is so close to Arches NP, the scenery here was PHENOMENAL. Pictures don't do it justice.
Next, was a southwesterly turn to Monument Valley on the Utah/Arizona border. Fans of the movie Forrest Gump know that this is where the title character stopped running. I didn't spend much time here but I got the shots that I wanted. The final stop on the day was Horseshoe Bend Park in Page, Arizona. This was an easier hike with scenery that was just as rewarding.
2/14- Headed north back to Utah's Bryce Canyon NP. Here, it was too cold and icy to do any serious hiking as the elevation was over 8,000 feet but that was fine with me. Time was limited and unlike nearby Zion NP, the best scenery was just off the road on pull outs. Perfect. I was out of there by mid-afternoon after a mediocre lunch.
After 2 more hours on the road, I was at my destination of St. George. Though it was only about 100 miles south of Bryce Canyon as the crow flies, it looked like a different world. Instead of snow covered hoodoo rock formations, I was basking in 65 degree temps with sunshine and palm trees. Yes, that's right, PALM TREES! I got one great shot just after sunset with red rock and snow capped peaks in the background. For the record, St. George is more than 5,000 feet lower in elevation and just 2 hours from Las Vegas. I had time to tour part of the race course and found that though it was net downhill, it did have some pretty significant climbs as well. That was good to know.
2/15- Race day. No pressure and virtually no chance of a respectable showing. It really was a beautiful course with canyons, red rock mountains and palm trees. I felt reasonably well for the first 5 miles and passed the halfway point in 58:30. I knew I was in trouble though as I could not pick up the pace much despite a mile long steady decline. I managed to stay on pace through about 8.5 miles but it was a death march to finish. To my credit, I did manage a minor resurgence in Mile 13 and finished on my feet. State #45 is in the books. Maryland will be next. I did feel noticeably better after an extra dose of probiotics later in the day. I don't think it would have been a night and day difference but it probably would have allowed me to hold the pace for another few miles. My first post-race workout confirmed those feelings. Only 5 more to go and it is important to finish this challenge now while I still can.
It was 4 hours northeast on I-15 back to Salt Lake City for the night. As expected, it became much colder and cloudy as I went north and up in elevation. I captured a shot of the body of water that gave Salt Lake City its name and got some dinner at a local bar and grill. No interesting characters here and it was a rather uneventful night.
2/16- Direct flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta. This time, the flight home was delayed. Fortunately, I did not have to worry about a missed connection but I lost 2 hours then re-gained 1 hour on the drive back. It was about 8 PM local time when I got home.
Final Thoughts:
Excellent trip. Lots of driving but the scenery was worth it. I take great pride in seeing as much as I can in limited time but I had to skip Mesa Verde, Colorado, Antelope and the Grand Canyon because I didn't have time to do justice to any one. I only had to go about an hour out of my way to visit Mesa Verde and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Antelope would have required several hours and a tour reservation. The only thing I may have changed would be to wait until March or early April. The mountains in Salt Lake would likely still be snow capped but the hiking trails would be less likely to be covered with ice. The race in February fit my schedule and I want to space those out this year.
Training 2/17-2/23
2/17- 3 mile recovery jog on Lakeshore. Glad to have the day off for President's Day. Finished in 28:28 (9:29 pace). That's fine with me. Effort was in the easy range. I can't jump back into it so soon after a race anymore. If you dig deeper, there is more good news. Did the first half in 14:29 without any probiotics then improved to 13:59 on the back half after popping 2 pills (MINUS 20). That's what I want to see. A single pill won't make a significant difference. Even a big load won't cause a night and day change BUT I am improving with treatment. Effort was even on both halves too. That's it for today.
Distance=3.0
2/18- 4 miles at Gold's (sick of all this rain) in a time of 34:32 (8:38 pace). Rather mediocre effort but at least I'm not collapsing. Still, the energy is not coming around like I hoped it would. There may yet be another missing piece. On the bright side, the pace was pretty even (17:12-17:20) with a decent pick up at the end.
Distance=4.0
2/19- Trak Shak 3. Just enough daylight to do it. Finished in 23:24 (7:48 pace). Below the Mendoza line and felt noticeably better too.
Distance=3.0
2/20- Gold's 4 in 31:19 (7:50 pace). The rain has finally stopped but it will turn cold. That's okay. Spring is just around the corner now. Much better than the same workout 2 days ago but not significantly better than yesterday. Struggled a bit once again in the back half. Splits were 15:28-15:51 and I was working to keep the pace below 8. No collapse. If I make it through the weekend, it will be 2 weeks.
Distance=4.0
2/21- Interesting. Did a few sprints of roughly 200 meters in the morning.
Without Caffeine- 50
With Caffeine- 44
Probiotics- 42
It's possible that caffeine gives me a temporary boost so going off may produce some negative effects but I know I won't crash. It's possible that the first interval was slow because I wasn't warmed up. Probiotics did help but it wasn't significant. That's good. Looks like I can get by without probiotics at least for a few days just like the other treatments.
Distance=0.5
2/22- AM- CRASH. 2 miles in 20:46 (10:23 pace) with a 2nd mile over 11 minutes. I need Methyl Folate AND TMG after all. Tacked on a half mile with the MF but no TMG and wasn't much better. Time was 5:33.
PM- Took the TMG and managed to get through the long run. 10 miles on Lakeshore in 95:32 (9:33 pace). Not pretty but I got through it and held the pace well too. First half- 47:15, 2nd half- 48:17. Showed life with a last mile in 8:32. I believe I had a sub-2:05 half in me today. It usually take 2-3 days before getting back to equilibrium after getting back on a needed pill. This does NOT count as a crash because I bounced back the same day.
Distance=12.5
Reaction:
I can get by without a key pill for at least 5, maybe 6 days but NOT 7. I'm okay with that. It's still "under control" right now but the energy still hasn't come around like I hoped it would.
2/23- AM- 3 mile recovery jog at Montreat in 26:49 (8:56 pace). I'm okay with this. I can't expect to bounce back from a double digit run the next day. Pace stayed around 9 give or take most of the way but it took a last lap rally to get under overall.
PM- Interesting. Limited myself to 1 mile also at Montreat to avoid too much mileage too soon. Came through free and easy at 7:40 and it felt sustainable for 2 more miles, which would have been my best effort of the week. Again, this was done just 1 day after a 10 miler. The difference was a shot of caffeine. So there you have it. I won't collapse after quitting caffeine but I will feel a bit sluggish for the first couple of days off it. I believe it will be worth it in the end. More importantly, cheating will NOT trigger a relapse thanks to the probiotics.
Distance=4.0
-31 miles on the week. I'll look to stay in the 30 range in March then boost it to 35 in April.
Distance=3.0
2/18- 4 miles at Gold's (sick of all this rain) in a time of 34:32 (8:38 pace). Rather mediocre effort but at least I'm not collapsing. Still, the energy is not coming around like I hoped it would. There may yet be another missing piece. On the bright side, the pace was pretty even (17:12-17:20) with a decent pick up at the end.
Distance=4.0
2/19- Trak Shak 3. Just enough daylight to do it. Finished in 23:24 (7:48 pace). Below the Mendoza line and felt noticeably better too.
Distance=3.0
2/20- Gold's 4 in 31:19 (7:50 pace). The rain has finally stopped but it will turn cold. That's okay. Spring is just around the corner now. Much better than the same workout 2 days ago but not significantly better than yesterday. Struggled a bit once again in the back half. Splits were 15:28-15:51 and I was working to keep the pace below 8. No collapse. If I make it through the weekend, it will be 2 weeks.
Distance=4.0
2/21- Interesting. Did a few sprints of roughly 200 meters in the morning.
Without Caffeine- 50
With Caffeine- 44
Probiotics- 42
It's possible that caffeine gives me a temporary boost so going off may produce some negative effects but I know I won't crash. It's possible that the first interval was slow because I wasn't warmed up. Probiotics did help but it wasn't significant. That's good. Looks like I can get by without probiotics at least for a few days just like the other treatments.
Distance=0.5
2/22- AM- CRASH. 2 miles in 20:46 (10:23 pace) with a 2nd mile over 11 minutes. I need Methyl Folate AND TMG after all. Tacked on a half mile with the MF but no TMG and wasn't much better. Time was 5:33.
PM- Took the TMG and managed to get through the long run. 10 miles on Lakeshore in 95:32 (9:33 pace). Not pretty but I got through it and held the pace well too. First half- 47:15, 2nd half- 48:17. Showed life with a last mile in 8:32. I believe I had a sub-2:05 half in me today. It usually take 2-3 days before getting back to equilibrium after getting back on a needed pill. This does NOT count as a crash because I bounced back the same day.
Distance=12.5
Reaction:
I can get by without a key pill for at least 5, maybe 6 days but NOT 7. I'm okay with that. It's still "under control" right now but the energy still hasn't come around like I hoped it would.
2/23- AM- 3 mile recovery jog at Montreat in 26:49 (8:56 pace). I'm okay with this. I can't expect to bounce back from a double digit run the next day. Pace stayed around 9 give or take most of the way but it took a last lap rally to get under overall.
PM- Interesting. Limited myself to 1 mile also at Montreat to avoid too much mileage too soon. Came through free and easy at 7:40 and it felt sustainable for 2 more miles, which would have been my best effort of the week. Again, this was done just 1 day after a 10 miler. The difference was a shot of caffeine. So there you have it. I won't collapse after quitting caffeine but I will feel a bit sluggish for the first couple of days off it. I believe it will be worth it in the end. More importantly, cheating will NOT trigger a relapse thanks to the probiotics.
Distance=4.0
-31 miles on the week. I'll look to stay in the 30 range in March then boost it to 35 in April.
Monday, February 10, 2020
Training 2/10-2/16- Race week
2/10- Intervals at Gold's 3x4 laps. Same distance as Montreat but with turns and no hills. The CBS/NOS DID come in the afternoon as expected. That's a relief. Without it, I can't finish a half mary. I was awful all day but felt better immediately after taking it.
Opener on 1 CBS/NOS- 2:37.1 (7:51 pace)
Add Taurine- 2:29.8 (7:29 pace). MINUS 22
I expected to fall off considerably after Taurine but no, I was actually better and it was enough to be considered significant.
2nd CBS NOS- 1:59.1 (5:57 pace). That was YUGE! After just 2 doses, I'm right back to where I was last Friday. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5
Reaction:
If only the pills came on Saturday, I would have been able to finish the long run. This blip was my fault for not re-ordering until I was out. I still believe that I've got this under control. Again, what is the definition of "under control"? Nothing that I eat or drink will cause a relapse AND if I forget to pack a key pill for a long weekend (3-4 days), I won't feel significant ill-effects. A full week without it is another matter. Lastly, if I do experiment with a pill that turns out to be not good for my chemistry, I'll get nicked a little bit but a SINGLE dose will not trigger a reaction.
2/11- 2 miles at Gold's in morning. Finished in 15:04 (7:32 pace). Splits were 7:31-7:33 so that's a lot better in holding the pace. Can I hold a respectable pace for 13 miles? I doubt it. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=2.5
2/12- Flew to Salt Lake City and drove to Moab. 3 mile hike in Arches NP with a few spurts of running. I'm counting it. The hike was just as hard as a run.
Distance=3.0
2/13- Planned rest day. Kinda wish I did a junk run in Moab. There is a nice paved trail with beautiful scenery.
2/14- Junk run in the parking lot at Page, Arizona just to keep the legs moving. Don't know the exact distance but I figure about 1 mile give or take a tenth or so. No complaints.
Distance=1.0
2/15- Sun Half Marathon in 2:10:xx. I was on pace for a sub-2 through 8.1 miles then it was a death march. Managed a minor resurgence in the last mile.
Distance=14.0
2/16- Planned rest day. Back to Birmingham.
-22 miles on the week
Opener on 1 CBS/NOS- 2:37.1 (7:51 pace)
Add Taurine- 2:29.8 (7:29 pace). MINUS 22
I expected to fall off considerably after Taurine but no, I was actually better and it was enough to be considered significant.
2nd CBS NOS- 1:59.1 (5:57 pace). That was YUGE! After just 2 doses, I'm right back to where I was last Friday. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=1.5
Reaction:
If only the pills came on Saturday, I would have been able to finish the long run. This blip was my fault for not re-ordering until I was out. I still believe that I've got this under control. Again, what is the definition of "under control"? Nothing that I eat or drink will cause a relapse AND if I forget to pack a key pill for a long weekend (3-4 days), I won't feel significant ill-effects. A full week without it is another matter. Lastly, if I do experiment with a pill that turns out to be not good for my chemistry, I'll get nicked a little bit but a SINGLE dose will not trigger a reaction.
2/11- 2 miles at Gold's in morning. Finished in 15:04 (7:32 pace). Splits were 7:31-7:33 so that's a lot better in holding the pace. Can I hold a respectable pace for 13 miles? I doubt it. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=2.5
2/12- Flew to Salt Lake City and drove to Moab. 3 mile hike in Arches NP with a few spurts of running. I'm counting it. The hike was just as hard as a run.
Distance=3.0
2/13- Planned rest day. Kinda wish I did a junk run in Moab. There is a nice paved trail with beautiful scenery.
2/14- Junk run in the parking lot at Page, Arizona just to keep the legs moving. Don't know the exact distance but I figure about 1 mile give or take a tenth or so. No complaints.
Distance=1.0
2/15- Sun Half Marathon in 2:10:xx. I was on pace for a sub-2 through 8.1 miles then it was a death march. Managed a minor resurgence in the last mile.
Distance=14.0
2/16- Planned rest day. Back to Birmingham.
-22 miles on the week
Monday, February 3, 2020
Training 2/3-2/9
2/3- AM Intervals
I expected to open with a pace in the 9s, get better on half a probiotic then lose it on a full pill but hopefully at least do better than the opener.
Opened with a surprising 2:50 (8:30 pace) then improved all the way to a 2:14 (6:42 pace) on half a pill. Pleased with how well I held it on a full pill too. Managed a 2:28 (7:24 pace). PLUS 42. That is a significant decline and yes, I could feel it but it was NOT a night and day difference.
PM- Struggled in a Lakeshore 3. Finished in 28:29 (9:30 pace) but did show some life at the end and could have gone longer. There is a BIG difference between a 1/3 mile sprint and a 3 mile run. The goal going forward is to get to a point in which there is not a significant difference between my opener and 1 pill, which is not a significant difference from 3 pills. To simplify, I want to reach a point in which my dosage does not matter for a least 1 day. I think I can get there sooner rather than later. I will attempt 3 pills tomorrow morning so yes, I expect to struggle again.
Distance=4.0
2/4- Another very positive step.
Opener in 2:22 (7:06 pace). MASSIVE improvement
1 pill- 2:07 (6:21 pace). MINUS 45
Just as I'd hoped, the ceiling did rise but not as quickly as the floor. The gap was reduced from 1:48 to 45. 3 pills, I knew I'd falter.
3 pills- 2:19.9 (6:59 pace). PLUS 38. Significant but NOT night and day and that was on 2 extra pills, not just 1.
The goal is to stay within 15 on both the plus side and the minus side. I think I'll get there by the end of the week.
PM- I barely held a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile this morning so that doesn't bode well for a 3 mile. Nevertheless, it was an improvement of yesterday. Finished in 25:51 (8:37 pace). MINUS 53 compared to yesterday and it was done after 3 pills versus just 1 yesterday. No more overloading on pills until Friday.
Distance=4.0
2/5- Very sore and stiff legs today. Didn't expect to see much improvement but my time is down to a 24:14 (8:05 pace). MINUS 32. I was under Mendoza pace for the first half and still had a shot with a mile to go but faded in Mile 3. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
2/6- Repeated the Gold's 3 mile and my time is down to 23:30 (7:50 pace) plus a half mile cool. MINUS 15. Probably the last day that I will see significant improvement but that's okay. As I've said a thousand times, all I have to do is avoid the relapse and the improvements will come with steady training. Once again, I faded bigly in the 3rd mile. That does NOT bode well for a 13 mile race. I MUST finish a long run this weekend.
Distance=3.5
2/7- Opener in 2:04 (6:12 pace). That is LIGHT YEARS ahead of where I was just 4 days ago.
1 pill- 1:58 (5:54 pace). MINUS 18.
3 pills- 2:06 (6:18 pace). PLUS 24
I was hoping to be plus or minus
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">Distance=1.0
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">2/8- FAILED again.
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">-24 miles on the week.
I expected to open with a pace in the 9s, get better on half a probiotic then lose it on a full pill but hopefully at least do better than the opener.
Opened with a surprising 2:50 (8:30 pace) then improved all the way to a 2:14 (6:42 pace) on half a pill. Pleased with how well I held it on a full pill too. Managed a 2:28 (7:24 pace). PLUS 42. That is a significant decline and yes, I could feel it but it was NOT a night and day difference.
PM- Struggled in a Lakeshore 3. Finished in 28:29 (9:30 pace) but did show some life at the end and could have gone longer. There is a BIG difference between a 1/3 mile sprint and a 3 mile run. The goal going forward is to get to a point in which there is not a significant difference between my opener and 1 pill, which is not a significant difference from 3 pills. To simplify, I want to reach a point in which my dosage does not matter for a least 1 day. I think I can get there sooner rather than later. I will attempt 3 pills tomorrow morning so yes, I expect to struggle again.
Distance=4.0
2/4- Another very positive step.
Opener in 2:22 (7:06 pace). MASSIVE improvement
1 pill- 2:07 (6:21 pace). MINUS 45
Just as I'd hoped, the ceiling did rise but not as quickly as the floor. The gap was reduced from 1:48 to 45. 3 pills, I knew I'd falter.
3 pills- 2:19.9 (6:59 pace). PLUS 38. Significant but NOT night and day and that was on 2 extra pills, not just 1.
The goal is to stay within 15 on both the plus side and the minus side. I think I'll get there by the end of the week.
PM- I barely held a sub-7 pace for 1/3 of a mile this morning so that doesn't bode well for a 3 mile. Nevertheless, it was an improvement of yesterday. Finished in 25:51 (8:37 pace). MINUS 53 compared to yesterday and it was done after 3 pills versus just 1 yesterday. No more overloading on pills until Friday.
Distance=4.0
2/5- Very sore and stiff legs today. Didn't expect to see much improvement but my time is down to a 24:14 (8:05 pace). MINUS 32. I was under Mendoza pace for the first half and still had a shot with a mile to go but faded in Mile 3. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
2/6- Repeated the Gold's 3 mile and my time is down to 23:30 (7:50 pace) plus a half mile cool. MINUS 15. Probably the last day that I will see significant improvement but that's okay. As I've said a thousand times, all I have to do is avoid the relapse and the improvements will come with steady training. Once again, I faded bigly in the 3rd mile. That does NOT bode well for a 13 mile race. I MUST finish a long run this weekend.
Distance=3.5
2/7- Opener in 2:04 (6:12 pace). That is LIGHT YEARS ahead of where I was just 4 days ago.
1 pill- 1:58 (5:54 pace). MINUS 18.
3 pills- 2:06 (6:18 pace). PLUS 24
I was hoping to be plus or minus
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">Distance=1.0
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">2/8- FAILED again.
<15 .="" 10="" 15="" 1="" 2:00="" 3rd="" a="" again="" and="" at="" bad.="" be="" broken="" but="" did="" distances="" due="" each="" easy="" fatigue="" few="" finish="" first="" for="" gotta="" have="" hope="" i="" interval="" is="" it="" less="" loop.="" manage="" may="" mile="" miles="" minutes="" more="" must="" nbsp="" not="" on="" over="" p="" pace="" pills.="" pleased="" quite="" rather="" recover.="" s="" shorter="" side.="" slowish="" still="" sub-6="" take="" than="" that.="" that="" the="" think="" this="" time="" to="" today.="" tomorrow.="" try="" was="" will="" with="">-24 miles on the week.
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Training 1/27-22
1/27- Lakeshore 5 in 49:21 (9:52 pace). Good news is that I completed the planned distance. Bad news is that it sure was ugly. I have upped the mileage recently so I might just be adjusting. Slowed badly on the back half. Legs tightened up after 1 Mile.
Distance=5.0
1/28- Woke up feeling much worse. Clearly need a new treatment. I got it with Probiotics and Taurine to control the candida. Only did 3x1/6 miles at Montreat in the hated interval fashion.
Opener- 82.5 (8:15 pace)
Taurine- 70.9- (7:05 pace) MINUS 70
Probiotics- 63.2 (6:19 pace) MINUS 46
More sensitivity? I don't think so. Once my system gets used to it, the gaps will diminish. More to come in a separate post.
Distance=0.5
1/29- Gold's 3 in 23:48 (7:56 pace). Managed to sneak under the Mendoza line but it wasn't pretty. Splits were 15:32-16:16 so I faded again on the back half and really didn't feel strong after the first half mile. This was done after cheating again on purpose. Can't say this is anything to celebrate but it was a LOT better than it would have been without the new pills. Often, I feel okay on the cheat day but it hits me hard about 24-48 hours later. Come Friday, I'll have a good idea how this is going to play out. Let's hope the probiotics stop the withdrawal symptoms. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
1/30-AM- Intervals at Montreat:
Opener: 66.5 (6:39 pace)
Closer- 56.0 (5:36 pace)
The gap was 1:56 just 36 hours ago. It's down to 1:03 now.
PM- 3.5 on Lakeshore in 31:05 (8:53 pace). Not a good showing but I believe it would have been far worse without the probiotics. Took some more after the run and felt noticeably better. So far, everything is going as planned.
Distance=4.0
1/31- 3x8 laps at Gold's with added probiotics.
Opener- 5:42 (8:33 pace). Fading at the end. Likely would have been on par with yesterday if not slightly worse.
1 Probiotic plus Taurine- 5:18 (7:57 pace). Significant improvement but not a night and day difference. The gaps appear to be diminishing.
5 Probiotics- Even after loading, I improved only to a 5:08 (7:42 pace). Barely enough to cross the threshold of significance and it took 4 additional pills to do it.
Added a Taurine and managed a 3:45 half mile (7:30 pace). Again, slightly better but 1 pill will NOT make a yuge difference. Looking good. It will take time for the probiotics to do the job but I should NOT be sensitive to them.
Distance=3.0
2/1- Tried to run long today and FAILED! 1 mile in 11:37 at Lakeshore and I knew it would be a failure before I started. Guess what? The probiotics are the culprit and caused an adrenal spike. Not a surprise after solving a major problem. Took Thym-Adren and improved to 9:24 in the afternoon.
Distance=2.0
2/2- Intervals.
Opener- 3:49 (11:27 pace)
Trace of Probiotics- 3:17 (9:51 pace)
Full Pill- 4:12 (12:36 pace).
It appears that it will play out similarly to the last battle with the TRS. Tolerance will be very limited early but the sensitivity will soon diminish. I'll head to Utah TOTALLY unprepared.
Distance=1.0
-19 miles on the week.
Distance=5.0
1/28- Woke up feeling much worse. Clearly need a new treatment. I got it with Probiotics and Taurine to control the candida. Only did 3x1/6 miles at Montreat in the hated interval fashion.
Opener- 82.5 (8:15 pace)
Taurine- 70.9- (7:05 pace) MINUS 70
Probiotics- 63.2 (6:19 pace) MINUS 46
More sensitivity? I don't think so. Once my system gets used to it, the gaps will diminish. More to come in a separate post.
Distance=0.5
1/29- Gold's 3 in 23:48 (7:56 pace). Managed to sneak under the Mendoza line but it wasn't pretty. Splits were 15:32-16:16 so I faded again on the back half and really didn't feel strong after the first half mile. This was done after cheating again on purpose. Can't say this is anything to celebrate but it was a LOT better than it would have been without the new pills. Often, I feel okay on the cheat day but it hits me hard about 24-48 hours later. Come Friday, I'll have a good idea how this is going to play out. Let's hope the probiotics stop the withdrawal symptoms. Added a half mile cool.
Distance=3.5
1/30-AM- Intervals at Montreat:
Opener: 66.5 (6:39 pace)
Closer- 56.0 (5:36 pace)
The gap was 1:56 just 36 hours ago. It's down to 1:03 now.
PM- 3.5 on Lakeshore in 31:05 (8:53 pace). Not a good showing but I believe it would have been far worse without the probiotics. Took some more after the run and felt noticeably better. So far, everything is going as planned.
Distance=4.0
1/31- 3x8 laps at Gold's with added probiotics.
Opener- 5:42 (8:33 pace). Fading at the end. Likely would have been on par with yesterday if not slightly worse.
1 Probiotic plus Taurine- 5:18 (7:57 pace). Significant improvement but not a night and day difference. The gaps appear to be diminishing.
5 Probiotics- Even after loading, I improved only to a 5:08 (7:42 pace). Barely enough to cross the threshold of significance and it took 4 additional pills to do it.
Added a Taurine and managed a 3:45 half mile (7:30 pace). Again, slightly better but 1 pill will NOT make a yuge difference. Looking good. It will take time for the probiotics to do the job but I should NOT be sensitive to them.
Distance=3.0
2/1- Tried to run long today and FAILED! 1 mile in 11:37 at Lakeshore and I knew it would be a failure before I started. Guess what? The probiotics are the culprit and caused an adrenal spike. Not a surprise after solving a major problem. Took Thym-Adren and improved to 9:24 in the afternoon.
Distance=2.0
2/2- Intervals.
Opener- 3:49 (11:27 pace)
Trace of Probiotics- 3:17 (9:51 pace)
Full Pill- 4:12 (12:36 pace).
It appears that it will play out similarly to the last battle with the TRS. Tolerance will be very limited early but the sensitivity will soon diminish. I'll head to Utah TOTALLY unprepared.
Distance=1.0
-19 miles on the week.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Puerto Rico Trip Report
1/17- Caught a 7:30 flight out of Atlanta and landed in San Juan around noon (lost 1 hour en route). No rental car this time. I simply took a taxi to my condo, right on the beach at Isla Verde. I found that there were several sit down and fast food restaurants within walking distance plus a CVS and convenience store, so no car is needed if you plan to stick to Isla Verde.
I got a quick burger at a nearby restaurant then put on my suit and hit the water. The water was a clear emerald green with light brown sand that almost bordered on golden with plenty of tall tropical palm trees. Very nice as expected. This was my first time below the Tropic of Cancer (latitude 18.5 here). Temps were in the low-mid 80s and quite humid away from the coast but the water temps were just about 80 degrees, which is just about perfect. Cool enough to be refreshing but not nearly cold enough to be uncomfortable. There were a few passing rain showers but none lasted for more than a few minutes and often, it was dry just a few hundred yards further down the beach. Days often dawned overcast, so I never got very good sunrise pictures, but it usually turned sunny by the afternoon.
As for the language barrier, Spanish is not necessary in tourist areas. Almost everyone can speak English well. When I did speak Spanish to locals, they could understand me but usually answered in English. However, I have heard that if you travel off the beaten path in Puerto Rico, you will be expected to speak Spanish and comprehension of English may be limited. The island was hit by several recent earthquakes around 6.0 on the Richter scale but there was no apparent damage in the San Juan area. Areas further south may have been a problem.
In terms of wave action, it was interesting. Isla Verde, where I stayed, is separated from Pine Grove by a rocky corner. On each side, the farther away that you got from the rocks, the bigger the waves became. That’s good for everyone. Families with small children could stay near the rocks while more adventurous folks caught the big waves. I experienced 1 knock down, several head shots and plenty of good long rides to the shore.
Unfortunately, on my last day, my inflatable boogie board deflated after just 1 hour. I figure that I must have punctured on a rock of hard sand. Too bad. I still managed to have fun that day though.
This was the weekend of the San Sebastian Festival in Old San Juan. I had planned to take a bus to check it out briefly but after waiting for about an hour at a stop no bus came by. Oh well, it was probably better. This festival is rumored to be on par with Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It would have been a total zoo scene with little chance of meeting a friend. I ended up stopping for beers at a Mexican restaurant where I enjoyed a conversation with a younger guy from NYC who also shares my passion for travel.
Final thought:
All in all, it was a good trip but given the short amount of time, I would have opted for Cancun or the Dominican Republic if I had it to do again. Puerto Rico has so much more to offer and you just can’t do it justice in a long weekend. Word is that Rincon in the west has epic surf conditions and there is a really nice rainforest (El Yunque) with mountain hiking trails plus the obvious tourist spots in San Juan. I’ll be back.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Training 1/20-1/26
Best news is that the TRS sensitivity has greatly diminished. In fact, I'm close to declaring it gone. The only thing that is bothering me now is forbidden drinks and I am betting that candida is the culprit. I recently read that candida "hides behind toxic metals to ensure its survival." Now that the toxic metals are out, the candida die off could be rough.
1/20- 1 mile sunrise run on the beach in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. Time was slow at 8:28 but I didn't care. Sand was soft in some spots so it's not the best beach for a run. Daytona wins that category.
Distance=1.0
1/21- I drank a Rum and Coke at the end of a long day yesterday (flight delay) and paid the price. 2 miles at Gold's in 19:56 (9:58 pace) with splits of 10:04-9:52. I actually feared even worse than this.
Distance=2.0
1/22- 3 miles at Gold's in 28:46 (9:35 pace). Improvement. The 2nd day off sugar is often the worst and today was significantly better. MINUS 23 and 50% longer distance. I'll take it. I'm doing all of this without pills or TRS. I expect to be significantly better tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
1/23- 3 miles at Gold's again (rainy day) but my time is down to 25:45 (8:35 pace). MINUS 60. A significant improvement as expected. If you look closer, the news is even better. I ran the opening mile in 8:34, took 3 sprays of TRS and hit 2 miles at 17:10 for an 8:36 split. Finally, I took the methylation pills and incredibly clocked an 8:35 split.
So, after 3 days off ALL pills, I go back on them and it's THE DEFINITION OF A NON-FACTOR! Just like I wanted! Effort was very even too. With the exception of mild pick up in the last 100 yards, I made no extra push to hit the splits nor did I hold back. In theory, the sensitivity is GONE and all I have to do is avoid sugared drinks and I should be in the clear. Again, this is IN THEORY! I would like to add that avoiding sugar is easier said than done. Because of the candida infection, I will crave it and 1 small slip up could lead to a full relapse. Maybe I can finish a long or longish run this weekend.
Distance=3.0
1/24- 2 miles in 15:43 (7:51 pace). Not a disaster but I was hoping for a little better than this. Hoped to get close to 15. Found that an 8 minute pace was difficult to hold with the exception of a fast start and fast finish. Still an improvement over yesterday and likely near the Mendoza for 3 miles.
Distance=2.0
1/25- 8 miles in 75:52 (9:29 pace). Good news is that I completed the planned distance for my longest run since October. Bad news is that I just wasn't feeling it at all out there. Early pace was around 9:15 but slowed considerably on the back half. I figure that in a 13.1 mile race, I would have had to Gallo-walk and probably finish around 2:10ish. 3 weeks out from race day. I've got a long way to go. Got back home and felt considerably better after taking an ADHS pill. That's okay. I've REALLY not been diligent about taking that stuff lately. I can most definitely get by off it for a few days and even several days off will not be a disaster.
Distance=8.0
1/26- Canterbury loop. 3.5 miles in 29:20 (8:23 pace). Hilly route and despite the slowish pace, I still felt considerably better than yesterday. I credit the ADHS. No real complaints. Held the pace well on the climbs but didn't gain much on the downhills. Added a half mile cool on Jemison.
Distance=4.0
-23 miles on the week.
1/20- 1 mile sunrise run on the beach in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. Time was slow at 8:28 but I didn't care. Sand was soft in some spots so it's not the best beach for a run. Daytona wins that category.
Distance=1.0
1/21- I drank a Rum and Coke at the end of a long day yesterday (flight delay) and paid the price. 2 miles at Gold's in 19:56 (9:58 pace) with splits of 10:04-9:52. I actually feared even worse than this.
Distance=2.0
1/22- 3 miles at Gold's in 28:46 (9:35 pace). Improvement. The 2nd day off sugar is often the worst and today was significantly better. MINUS 23 and 50% longer distance. I'll take it. I'm doing all of this without pills or TRS. I expect to be significantly better tomorrow.
Distance=3.0
1/23- 3 miles at Gold's again (rainy day) but my time is down to 25:45 (8:35 pace). MINUS 60. A significant improvement as expected. If you look closer, the news is even better. I ran the opening mile in 8:34, took 3 sprays of TRS and hit 2 miles at 17:10 for an 8:36 split. Finally, I took the methylation pills and incredibly clocked an 8:35 split.
So, after 3 days off ALL pills, I go back on them and it's THE DEFINITION OF A NON-FACTOR! Just like I wanted! Effort was very even too. With the exception of mild pick up in the last 100 yards, I made no extra push to hit the splits nor did I hold back. In theory, the sensitivity is GONE and all I have to do is avoid sugared drinks and I should be in the clear. Again, this is IN THEORY! I would like to add that avoiding sugar is easier said than done. Because of the candida infection, I will crave it and 1 small slip up could lead to a full relapse. Maybe I can finish a long or longish run this weekend.
Distance=3.0
1/24- 2 miles in 15:43 (7:51 pace). Not a disaster but I was hoping for a little better than this. Hoped to get close to 15. Found that an 8 minute pace was difficult to hold with the exception of a fast start and fast finish. Still an improvement over yesterday and likely near the Mendoza for 3 miles.
Distance=2.0
1/25- 8 miles in 75:52 (9:29 pace). Good news is that I completed the planned distance for my longest run since October. Bad news is that I just wasn't feeling it at all out there. Early pace was around 9:15 but slowed considerably on the back half. I figure that in a 13.1 mile race, I would have had to Gallo-walk and probably finish around 2:10ish. 3 weeks out from race day. I've got a long way to go. Got back home and felt considerably better after taking an ADHS pill. That's okay. I've REALLY not been diligent about taking that stuff lately. I can most definitely get by off it for a few days and even several days off will not be a disaster.
Distance=8.0
1/26- Canterbury loop. 3.5 miles in 29:20 (8:23 pace). Hilly route and despite the slowish pace, I still felt considerably better than yesterday. I credit the ADHS. No real complaints. Held the pace well on the climbs but didn't gain much on the downhills. Added a half mile cool on Jemison.
Distance=4.0
-23 miles on the week.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Hopefully the Final TRS Update
On January 1 of this year, I successfully tried 3 sprays after having not taken it the previous 2-3 days. I was slightly faster on 3 sprays but it was not enough to be considered significant then was not horrible in an afternoon 4 miler. I took 2 sprays that night then repeated the 3 sprays the next morning. The results were NOT good.
I started off pretty well but faded after just a half mile. I came through the Mile marker in 8:15 but was doing close to 9:00 pace by the end of the mile. I strongly suspected that too much TRS was the culprit and 2 more sprays confirmed it. I slipped all the way to 11:00 pace after the next 2 sprays. OUCH! Next, in not a big surprise, I went back to caffeine and though it helped get through the day, I faced withdrawal symptoms as usual.
Yesterday, I did something interesting. I took just 1 spray and felt considerably BETTER! However, a 2nd spray not surprisingly made things worse again. It was not a night and day difference but I could still feel it.
Today:
Intervals at Montreat:
Opener in 2:27 (7:21 pace)- a little better than I expected. Probably because I had taken it the previous day.
1 spray- 2:01 (6:03 pace). MINUS 78. Fastest time for this loop.
2 sprays- 2:17 (6:51 pace). PLUS 48.
Just like yesterday, I was much better after 1 spray but a 2nd spray made it noticeably worse but not a night and day difference. A 3rd spray was not attempted but I figure, I would have been slightly worse than the opener. Probably in the low 2:30s.
Reaction:
On the first of the year, 3 sprays felt about the same as zero. Today, 3 sprays ALSO would have felt about the same as zero. So, essentially nothing has changed but I do have more clarity. Maybe, I'd be slightly worse but that was because I did not have any missed doses. Figure, the break even point where my performance is the same as the opener is 2.5 sprays. It is quite UPSETTING that a single spray makes this much difference and I MUST take EXACTLY 1 spray to feel anything close to normal. Still, as long as the dose is stable, this is an acceptable outcome.
Goals for the Future:
I'm not concerned about my top-end speed. That will come with steady training. What I want to see is improvements in my opener, less of a gap in performance between zero and 1 spray and less negative reactions to extra doses. If need for more TRS arises, it must be gradual. Absolutely no wild swings in dosage!
Let's say that my top end speed never gets under 2:00. That's okay with me but I do expect to get faster. What would be great is if I can get under 2:10 in my opener AND stay under 2:10 on 5 sprays. A better way to put it is stay within a range of 10 seconds (30/mile) regardless of whether I take 0 sprays or 5 sprays.
Postscript:
Did a 3 mile this evening at 8:30 pace. Not horrible by today's standards but didn't feel very good doing it. It became clear a couple hours later that another spray was needed. AGAIN, just ONE!
I'm going with 1 spray in the morning and 1 in the afternoon and sticking with it. Soon, there will be another dreaded interval workout.
Update next day:
Fresh legs in the evening after taking 1 spray in the morning.
Opened with an IDENTICAL 2:27, which made it clear that the morning dose will not be enough. Because of darkness and pine cones (sprained ankle last year), I opted for a half lap to assess the tolerance while keeping the legs fresh. A full lap all out would have tired me out a bit. On 1 spray, I clocked a 57.0 (5:42 pace). Figure, I would have matched yesterday's 2:01 over a full lap give or take 1-2 ticks.
Then, it was a moment of truth. On the second spray, I felt only a SLIGHT difference and the watch confirmed it. I managed a 60.5 (6:03 pace). PLUS 21. Yes, this is enough to be considered significant but just barely. That's a WHOLE LOT BETTER than the PLUS 48 yesterday. There will be more to come tomorrow.
I started off pretty well but faded after just a half mile. I came through the Mile marker in 8:15 but was doing close to 9:00 pace by the end of the mile. I strongly suspected that too much TRS was the culprit and 2 more sprays confirmed it. I slipped all the way to 11:00 pace after the next 2 sprays. OUCH! Next, in not a big surprise, I went back to caffeine and though it helped get through the day, I faced withdrawal symptoms as usual.
Yesterday, I did something interesting. I took just 1 spray and felt considerably BETTER! However, a 2nd spray not surprisingly made things worse again. It was not a night and day difference but I could still feel it.
Today:
Intervals at Montreat:
Opener in 2:27 (7:21 pace)- a little better than I expected. Probably because I had taken it the previous day.
1 spray- 2:01 (6:03 pace). MINUS 78. Fastest time for this loop.
2 sprays- 2:17 (6:51 pace). PLUS 48.
Just like yesterday, I was much better after 1 spray but a 2nd spray made it noticeably worse but not a night and day difference. A 3rd spray was not attempted but I figure, I would have been slightly worse than the opener. Probably in the low 2:30s.
Reaction:
On the first of the year, 3 sprays felt about the same as zero. Today, 3 sprays ALSO would have felt about the same as zero. So, essentially nothing has changed but I do have more clarity. Maybe, I'd be slightly worse but that was because I did not have any missed doses. Figure, the break even point where my performance is the same as the opener is 2.5 sprays. It is quite UPSETTING that a single spray makes this much difference and I MUST take EXACTLY 1 spray to feel anything close to normal. Still, as long as the dose is stable, this is an acceptable outcome.
Goals for the Future:
I'm not concerned about my top-end speed. That will come with steady training. What I want to see is improvements in my opener, less of a gap in performance between zero and 1 spray and less negative reactions to extra doses. If need for more TRS arises, it must be gradual. Absolutely no wild swings in dosage!
Let's say that my top end speed never gets under 2:00. That's okay with me but I do expect to get faster. What would be great is if I can get under 2:10 in my opener AND stay under 2:10 on 5 sprays. A better way to put it is stay within a range of 10 seconds (30/mile) regardless of whether I take 0 sprays or 5 sprays.
Postscript:
Did a 3 mile this evening at 8:30 pace. Not horrible by today's standards but didn't feel very good doing it. It became clear a couple hours later that another spray was needed. AGAIN, just ONE!
I'm going with 1 spray in the morning and 1 in the afternoon and sticking with it. Soon, there will be another dreaded interval workout.
Update next day:
Fresh legs in the evening after taking 1 spray in the morning.
Opened with an IDENTICAL 2:27, which made it clear that the morning dose will not be enough. Because of darkness and pine cones (sprained ankle last year), I opted for a half lap to assess the tolerance while keeping the legs fresh. A full lap all out would have tired me out a bit. On 1 spray, I clocked a 57.0 (5:42 pace). Figure, I would have matched yesterday's 2:01 over a full lap give or take 1-2 ticks.
Then, it was a moment of truth. On the second spray, I felt only a SLIGHT difference and the watch confirmed it. I managed a 60.5 (6:03 pace). PLUS 21. Yes, this is enough to be considered significant but just barely. That's a WHOLE LOT BETTER than the PLUS 48 yesterday. There will be more to come tomorrow.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
More TRS News
In short, there is still reason for optimism but it's still too early to declare myself in the clear.
After Christmas, I foolishly decided to test my tolerance for forbidden drinks. Day 1 was okay. I was noticeably weakened on Day 2 then Day 3 was flat out AWFUL!
On the evening of Day 3, I took 3 sprays of TRS and improved my pace from the 10:00 range to the low 7s over 1 lap at Montreat. That's right, 1 minute per mile improvement PER SPRAY! That is NUTS! The next morning (Day 4), I woke up with an insatiable need for TRS. 3 sprays provided only temporary relief and even that wasn't much. On Day 5, it was the opposite of Day 4. A single spray of TRS made things MUCH WORSE! Again, this is NUTS!
After this clearly failed experiment, I went back to abstinence and faced brutal withdrawal symptoms. Today (New Years Day) was the first day since 12/26 that I felt less horrible. After a very slow warm up lap, I clocked a 2:40 at Montreat (8:00 pace). Then, the moment of truth came. How would I react to TRS after being free of sugared drinks for 3 days? Once again, I took 3 sprays but this time, the results were NOT so dramatic. I improved only to a 2:37 (7:51 pace). MINUS 9.
This is EXACTLY what I had hoped to see. I was slightly better with the TRS but it was not enough to be considered significant. Hell, if I didn't wear a watch, I would not have judged the TRS lap as any better than the non-TRS lap. I followed this up with a noontime 4 miler on Lakeshore. I finished this one in 34:50 (8:43 pace). Not good by any stretch but I held the pace well and had a bit of juice left at the end.
Reaction:
Could it be true? If I simply abstain from sugared drinks, the sensitivity to TRS will be gone! I'm sure that if I skipped the TRS for week, I'd run into trouble. Also, a single mega dose will be tolerated but several days of 5+ sprays will also be a problem. As for the drinks, an occasional treat will be tolerated but I know my limits. I still don't understand why I can eat a whole bag of candy without a problem but the drinks trigger the reactions. Sensitivity to the other stuff faded last year after a BRUTAL fight. If the TRS reactions remain similar to today, this means VICTORY! All I have to do from here is train myself to handle longer distances consistently. If I am stable, there is no reason to believe that I can't do it. It's a bit of a surreal feeling after so many years but once again, it is TOO EARLY TO DECLARE VICTORY! If I am still stable at the end of January, then I might have something.
After Christmas, I foolishly decided to test my tolerance for forbidden drinks. Day 1 was okay. I was noticeably weakened on Day 2 then Day 3 was flat out AWFUL!
On the evening of Day 3, I took 3 sprays of TRS and improved my pace from the 10:00 range to the low 7s over 1 lap at Montreat. That's right, 1 minute per mile improvement PER SPRAY! That is NUTS! The next morning (Day 4), I woke up with an insatiable need for TRS. 3 sprays provided only temporary relief and even that wasn't much. On Day 5, it was the opposite of Day 4. A single spray of TRS made things MUCH WORSE! Again, this is NUTS!
After this clearly failed experiment, I went back to abstinence and faced brutal withdrawal symptoms. Today (New Years Day) was the first day since 12/26 that I felt less horrible. After a very slow warm up lap, I clocked a 2:40 at Montreat (8:00 pace). Then, the moment of truth came. How would I react to TRS after being free of sugared drinks for 3 days? Once again, I took 3 sprays but this time, the results were NOT so dramatic. I improved only to a 2:37 (7:51 pace). MINUS 9.
This is EXACTLY what I had hoped to see. I was slightly better with the TRS but it was not enough to be considered significant. Hell, if I didn't wear a watch, I would not have judged the TRS lap as any better than the non-TRS lap. I followed this up with a noontime 4 miler on Lakeshore. I finished this one in 34:50 (8:43 pace). Not good by any stretch but I held the pace well and had a bit of juice left at the end.
Reaction:
Could it be true? If I simply abstain from sugared drinks, the sensitivity to TRS will be gone! I'm sure that if I skipped the TRS for week, I'd run into trouble. Also, a single mega dose will be tolerated but several days of 5+ sprays will also be a problem. As for the drinks, an occasional treat will be tolerated but I know my limits. I still don't understand why I can eat a whole bag of candy without a problem but the drinks trigger the reactions. Sensitivity to the other stuff faded last year after a BRUTAL fight. If the TRS reactions remain similar to today, this means VICTORY! All I have to do from here is train myself to handle longer distances consistently. If I am stable, there is no reason to believe that I can't do it. It's a bit of a surreal feeling after so many years but once again, it is TOO EARLY TO DECLARE VICTORY! If I am still stable at the end of January, then I might have something.
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