Training 4/7-4/13

 4/7- It seems like with or without caffeine, my need and tolerance for Malic Acid is increasing.  I took a scoop last night and another one this morning.  Early in the day, it appeared that I had too much in my system but that quickly reversed itself.  

PM- Opened with a 1:56 (11:36 pace) then on just half a scoop, I was all the way down to a 1:10 (7:00 pace).  MINUS 4:36.  MASSIVE GAP that has got to close soon.  Today, I consumed a little caffeine but didn't break the limit.  I will try complete abstinence but don't believe it will make a difference.  

Distance- 0.5

4/8- AM- It appears that there is a synergy with Malic Acid and Vitamin C when it comes to chelation.  That's consistent with my research.  Opened with a 1:41, which is MUCH BETTER than yesterday.  Followed that up with a 1:04 on Malic Acid.  Just what I want to see.  The floor improved faster than the ceiling and the gap has narrowed.  Yesterday, it was 4:36.  Today was 3:42.  Still a long way to go.  

The moment of truth came with the Vitamin C.  I was noticeably weaker but still managed a 1:20, significantly better than the opener.  I was slower because of the detox reaction and will be better after a trip to the toilet.  I'd lean towards staying with the C.  I want the toxins out as quickly as possible while remaining functional.  If I was slower than my opener, I'd re-think it.  Sadly, I won't be surprised at all if I need Malic Acid again by early afternoon.  I've got to make it through a day without it.  

PM- 1 Mile at Lakeshore in 9:48 with splits of 4:57-4:51.  I'll take it.  Was this done on too much or too little Malic Acid?  Probably too little.  I want to see what I can do in the morning after not taking it since the night.

Distance-1.5

4/9-AM Repeated the 1 Mile distance this time at Vestavia.  Granted, this route is the fastest but my time is down to 8:50.  Interesting splits.  2:12-2:20-2:15-2:03.  Clearly could have gone faster.  This was done BEFORE taking Malic Acid this morning.

PM- Yesterday I took a scoop at lunch.  Today I did not.  I expected to struggle but managed 2 miles in 18:12 (9:06 pace).  Even splits (9:07-9:05) but I was laboring at the end.  Still, I would rate this performance as at least on par with this morning, if not a hair better.

Distance-3.0

4/10- Down to 74 for the opener.  I bet the gap has been whittled down to 2:00.  

Repeated the Mile time trial and I am down to 8:10.  Splits were 1:58-2:04-2:09-1;59.  I think I just got lazy on the 3rd lap when I knew I would come up short of the sub 8.  Added a short cool.  I am now within 40 seconds of my reset PR.  That's it for today.

Distance- 1.5

4/11- AM Impromptu trip to Florida.  I wanted to see what I could do without either Thym Adren or Malic Acid.  Clocked an 8:21, which is not significantly slower than yesterday.  This route was out and back and slightly sloped plus I didn't push as hard as the end.  I bet I could have matched yesterday on a track, give or take a few ticks.

PM- Half mile out and back on just a trace of Malic Acid and 2 Thym Adren.  Clearly stronger but not a night and day difference.  Finished in 3:43 (7:26 pace), which felt sustainable.  This is PR pace.  

Distance-1.5

Verdict:

The thinking is that it was toxic metals driving my adrenals into overdrive all along.  When the Aluminum is out, I may not even need the Thym Adren.  As of now, yes I still need it to perform at my best, but without it, I'm not THAT bad.  Excellent news.

4/12- Running with presumably a stacked deck.  It was 3 miles on North Lakeshore in 26:18 (8:46 pace).  Pleased overall.  This projects to a 27:24 5K, which is within shouting distance of my reset PR.  I was not pleased that I tied up badly at the end.  Splits were 8:37-8:32-9:09.  I felt strong at the 2 mile mark but died suddenly around 2.25 and had zero kick at the end.  I probably just need more work at longer distances.

Distance-3.0

4/13- Debated between a slow 4 and another Mile time trial.  Opted for the latter and it was probably the right call.  Thought I had a shot at the reset PR of 7:30 but came up short.  Clocked a 7:54, which is still a major stepping stone. 16 seconds better than last time.  Pattern was similar to yesterday.  Solid start but was completely spent in the last lap and had very little finishing kick.  Splits were 1:53-1:58-2:02-2:01.  I would have faded early if I tried to run long.  Something felt just a little off and I concluded that 2 Thym Adren is not quite enough at this stage.  I need at least 3, maybe 4.

Confirmed it with an interval test.  Again, they call me anti-science?  LOL.  Did a half lap in 89 at standard effort then popped 2 more pills and improved to 80.  That's a larger gap than I would like to see (MINUS 54) but after 3 days of just 2 pills, I was not THAT bad.  Maybe someday, I can make it through a long weekend without any pills and not do too bad on Monday.  That's the criteria for "under control"  Added a cool down lap.  If I had taken 4 Thym Adren this morning, I almost certainly would have PR'd.

Distance=2.0

-13 miles on the week.

RANT: Murder at a Track Meet

 Not only did I run Track in high school, I had been involved with a youth track club since fifth grade.  For this reason, I had a lot of old friends and acquaintances from other schools.  It was good to see them at Invitational meets.  Yes, sometimes I did venture over to the tent of a different school to chat with them for a few minutes and wish them luck.  Nobody seemed to be bothered by my presence but if I was asked to leave, I would have done so without incident.  There is NO reason for a petty situation like that to escalate to the point in which a life was taken.  Hell, I don't even remember any teammates getting into a fist fight at a meet. 

I do have several questions that need to be answered before I make a judgement:

What was the perp doing there in the first place?  Let's say that the meet was delayed by a storm. His team pitched their tent was on the other side of the stadium, so he took cover under the nearest tent.  That doesn't make a whole lot of sense especially if there was cover under the stands.  Nevertheless, if he was just sitting there minding his own business, I would leave him alone.  If he was having a friendly conversation with another team member, I would definitely leave him alone but still keep an eye on him.  I once had a warmup top stolen at an Invitational.  There was a guy on my team known to steal gear from other schools then wear it to class the next day.  

If he went to the tent of a rival school to talk smack and stir up trouble, yes I would ask him to leave.  Did the two schools know each other well?  I regularly crossed paths with kids from rival or neighboring schools at the shopping mall, the local pool and other popular teen hangouts.  If the perp attended a rival school rather than one across town, it's a good bet that they've crossed paths before.  Both were football players as well.  As a college junior when eating lunch at the cafeteria, a freshman approached me and asked if I used to run cross-country.  He recognized me even though it had been 3 years since we competed against one another.  I thought that was pretty cool.  

One person brought up a point in which I do agree.  Just because the victim was an A student and a star football player does NOT mean that he was a nice kid.  True.  As I've said, I found many AP students to be arrogant and there were a couple who were bullies as well.  I got along better with average students.  Still, did he really deserve to DIE?  I don't think it's very classy to denigrate the character of someone who just got killed.    

The fact that the perp actually brought a knife in his bag suggests that he was looking for trouble.  I heard that he posted pictures of himself with guns and knives on IG.  Not cool.  My school had a zero tolerance weapons policy.  Any student caught in possession of a deadly weapon faced a minimum 10 day suspension and probable expulsion depending on the nature of the weapon.  The fact that he stabbed the victim in the chest tells me that he did intend to kill.  

I don't care what was said or done to him, there is no reason to be mad enough to use deadly force.  I simply can't even imagine being so angry to look another person in the eye and take their life.  For what?  Being told to leave an area that you didn't belong in first place.  I've heard reports that he was pushed and his cell phone was broken.  Again, the latter definitely should not have happened but that certainly doesn't justify deadly force.  Settle it with a fist fight if worse comes to worst or better yet, walk away!  Self defense?  It seems highly unlikely that the perp had a reason to fear for his life.  If scores of people were all set to jump him and beat him senseless, he does have a case but that's not likely.  I'd lean towards a 2nd degree murder charge that could be plead down to manslaughter depending on the facts to come to light.    

Incredibly, I've heard of people actually defending the killer and there is a Facebook page with 7500 member in support of letting him go free.  Predictably, because the perp is black and the victim was white, some people think that he was fighting white supremacy.  Again, even if the victim was a racist, he didn't deserve to DIE!  When negative interactions occur between people of different races, I'd wager that in the vast majority of cases, it's a personality clash between people who don't like each other and skin color is not a factor. 

EDIT:

I just thought about the George Zimmerman vs Trayvon Martin case.  I favored a manslaughter charge for Zimmerman because he was already involved in an altercation and had visible lacerations on his head.  Prosecutors went for the murder charge and lost.  In this case, the victim did initiate the physical contact but did not cause injury.  Supposedly, he merely shoved him away.  I'd feel differently if he was being punched in the face and was defenseless in a fight.   

Training 3/31-4/6

 3/31- Unplanned rest day.

4/1- Very bad day.  Had to leave work early.  Couple of key discoveries.  I still need extra Thym Adren.  Malic Acid may have actually increased the need for it.  Second, there is no insatiable need.  I must be judicious with the Malic Acid.  Too much will definitely cause problems.  No more than 2 scoops per day in divided doses.  I may cut it down to 1.  If I take too much, I always feel better after a trip to the toilet.  Definitely detox.  Did do 1 Mile worth of intervals, which confirmed the findings.  

Distance- 1.0

4/2- Dosage must be cut to 1 scoop, which will be taken at night with Vitamin C.  Made it through the day at work but had to nap afterwards.  Only did a half mile at Montreat in 5:45 (11:30 pace).  I did show some life with a 1:45 last half lap.  

Distance-0.5

4/3 AM- Began feeling noticeably better later in the evening but went backwards immediately after the scoop before bed.  Nevertheless, after a night of clearing, it was an improvement over yesterday.  Repeated the half mile and my time is down to 5:10 (10:20 pace).  MINUS 70 per mile and I expect to be better this evening.  The dosage will remain 1 scoop per day until further notice.

PM- Attempted a full Mile but had to settle for half.  Time improved to 4:58 but I am clearly NOT on the right track.  Splits were 1:30-1:39-1:49.  Do I need more Malic Acid?  

Significantly worse after chugging a Red Bull.  Perhaps caffeine affects the detox process.  Took Malic Acid before bed and I was better.

Distance- 1.0

4/4- Unplanned rest day.  Discovered that I only have an insatiable need for Malic Acid if I consume excess caffeine.  If I limit my intake, it should be a manageable 1 scoop per night until further notice.

4/5- AM- 3x half lap intervals. (2:21-2:07-1:37)

PM- Full mile in 10:45, which is about what I expected.  I may go backwards again after the scoop but tomorrow should be better overall.

Distance- 1.5

4/6-AM Repeated the Montreat Mile in the rain.  Finished just before it started pouring.  Improved to 9:42 with splits of 4:58-4:44.  I'll try again this evening weather permitting.

PM- Tried to run but could not.  I was doing over 10 minute pace and getting worse with every stride so I won't even count this one.  I had some caffeine today but stuck to my limit.  Perhaps I need 2 scoops now even without caffeine.  

Distance= 1.0

-5 miles

Rant or Rave: Brutal Honesty

Several years ago, a former co-worker told me that he actually prefers to deal with open racism rather than closet racism.  His quote was something to this effect: I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands even if he's wrong.  I have no tolerance for hypocrites who don't practice what they preach.  I was initially taken aback by that statement but now that I think about it, I get what he was saying and part of me can relate to it.  

This post is not primarily about racism but I need to get one thing off my chest.  I've noticed that many people put on a fake southern accent when making a mockery of racists.  As someone with a real southern accent, that does bother me.  I've met northerners who have made horrible racist comments to me under the assumption that I agreed with them.  They were quite surprised when I told them that I did not.  I'd wager that the average person in the South today is less racist than the rest of the country.  Unfortunately, the ones that are tend to be in your face about it.  Indeed, I have encountered a few people who regularly use the n-word, which is disgusting in any context.  

Northern racism is more subtle but just as offensive.  I heard about a black kid from Pennsylvania who wanted to play football on a predominantly white team.  Other players talked about hazing him and excluding him from parties in hopes that he would quit the team.  If I were in his position, I think I'd rather be told to my face that I am being excluded because of my race.  

Imagine that you are an NFL hopeful who was a standout in college but projected to be a late round draft pick and on the roster bubble.  You live and breathe football for 8 months but at the end of August, you get the bad news.  When cutting a player, most coaches try to sugar coat it with statements like 'You're a great player but there's not a fit for you on this team." Cut the crap, especially if it's not a winning team. Just tell me the truth.  I'm not fast enough or I have another weakness that you believe would prevent me from being successful in the NFL.  A few of those guys might catch on with another team after a stint in the UFL but most will never play their beloved game again.  I really do feel for them.  

Back to my situation.  Suppose that I grew up with an Autism diagnosis.  How much differently would I have been treated versus being undiagnosed?  Maybe not so much.  I probably would have faced less severe bullying but just as much subtle rejection.  Surveys show that a sizeable percentage of the population won't even date anyone with a diagnosis.  Have the guts to tell me that to my face and never lead me on if you are not interested.  

A few years ago, I saw a girl that I used to run with at church.  After I told her that I had not been well recently, she actually asked me out for coffee.  Yes, I was interested but didn't make it too obvious.  I didn't expect it would lead to anything beyond friendship but she would have been HIGHLY valued if we did this with any regularity.  When I texted her to set up a time, she was always busy.  Then she posted pictures with her dog at the park.  She chose her dog over me.  Very hurtful.  

I think I'd rather be told something like this:  

I just don't like you well enough to hang out one on one.  You've got too many annoying quirks that get on my nerves a little bit.  Don't ask again.  

My exception to this rule is willful ignorance.  Someone else rejected my friendship because I was too negative and judged me for being single.  Maybe I would be more positive if I had encouraging friends.  Nevermind that this person had been through a bitter divorce and posted death threats against her ex.  She told me that I just need to love myself.  That's one of the most ignorant and hurtful things to say to people with chemical imbalances.  I was flabbergasted that someone who used to read my blog would say that.  Good riddance.

Getting back to the racism angle, I know what it's like to be mistreated for being different from others and I share your outrage.

Malic Acid Part 2

 Two pieces of good news:

As long as I take all my Methylation supps, especially NAC and TMG, I won't have any problem tolerating Thym Adren.  I can get away with an occasional missed dose.  Just don't make a habit of it.  Second, the sensitivity to NAC and B12 appears to be gone thanks to the Malic Acid.  That's YUGE.

BAD NEWS:

It appears to have triggered an adrenal spike, which is not a surprise and is common after a major problem is solved.  

Also, the tolerance to Malic Acid itself is very limited.  I had a slight negative reaction the first day, then it became positive for a couple days.  One day this week, it appeared to be a non-factor as I repeated my interval time to within a fraction of a second after taking a scoop.  

I should have known that was too good to be true.  If toxic Aluminum really is the source of the sensitivity, it has been there for 20 years.  If I was unable to detox from vackseens, it's been there for 40 years.  I can't expect that a week of Malic Acid will clear it up.  It will go out kicking and screaming.  If I had to guess, I only scraped the surface of the detox process.  There are multiple layers that will be exposed and it will get worse before it gets better.  Despite countless false hopes, I'm actually somewhat optimistic about this long-term.

I planned to go to the FLA Gulf this weekend for my first surf session of the year.  Forecast high was close to 80 degrees with a water temperature of 67.  Chilly but tolerable.  As I headed south, I began feeling weaker and weaker and my stomach was jacked up as well.  Halfway there, I knew I couldn't make it safely.  Fortunately, there was a town 15 miles away with a cheap hotel.  I stayed there overnight and came home Friday morning.  2 hours of driving was all that I could handle and I crashed out again after I got home.  

Malic Acid was clearly the culprit.  A confirmation scoop this morning made things much worse.  Again, I can tell that it is detox.  I always feel better after a trip to the toilet especially if it's a number 2.  It does feel like my kidneys are stressed, which makes sense because that's the organ involved with Aluminum detox.  

The only thing I can do right now is just rest and let the detox run its course.  I will force myself to drink extra fluids.  Caffeine may speed up the detox but I prefer not to take that route.  Still, I need to stay functional at work.  I will sharply reduce the Malic Acid but will not eliminate it.  I won't be at all surprised to see an INSATIABLE NEED FOR IT in the near-future.

UPDATE: 

Insatiable need has kicked in just 1 day after I wrote this.  I believe there will be other layers that will be peeled off.  I only hope it is a little more gentle in the next round.

Training 3/24-3/30

 3/24- AM- The adrenal spike has been confirmed. Opened with a 1:58 on just B12 and NAC.  Fared no better after a scoop of Malic Acid and repeated the 1:58.  2 Thym Adren proved to be a game changer at 1:36 but that's not even close to enough to be considered respectable.  Took 3 more Thym Adren before work and will try to gradually reduce the dosage.  That's probably all for today.

PM- Didn't want to waste a beautiful day.  Forced a non-stop half mile at Montreat in 5:50 (11:40 pace) with relatively even splits.  Took no more Thym Adren and I plan to keep the dose at 5 until further notice.  It will be better tomorrow.

Distance-1.0

3/25-AM.  Got about what I expected.  Montreat Mile in 10:44 with splits of 5:28-5:16.  I doubled the distance and increased the pace by 56 seconds.  I'll take that any day.  Unfortunately if I am to run this evening, I expect to fare no better unless I take more pills.  In fact, I might be worse.  Tomorrow's dose will make it better.

PM- I was wrong.  Surprisingly, I was significantly better.  Repeated the Montreat Mile and my time is down to 9:15.  Even pace with a little something left at the end (4:40-4:35).  Is the adrenal spike beginning to die down?  Tomorrow I will cut the dosage to 4 and attempt to run 2 miles.

Distance-2.0

3/26-AM- Began to feel different yesterday evening.  By bed time, I had a strong feeling that the Thym Adren needed to be eliminated altogether.  Unfortunately, I had to confirm it.

Opened with an 85 then improved to 81 on NAC and B12.  Clearly able to tolerate higher doses thanks to Malic Acid.  I may not even need Melatonin going forward.  This pace felt sustainable and am confident that I would have been well below 9:15 over a full Mile.  

Took just 2 Thym Adren instead of the planned 4 and got an immediate negative reaction.  Slipped to 1:50 on the next interval.  If I am to run this evening, it will be ugly.

PM- Not as ugly as I expected.  Half mile at Montreat in 4:38 (9:16 pace).  Figure 9:30ish for a full Mile.  The 3rd interval this morning was 11:00 pace.  Less than 12 hours later and I am better already.  Sadly, I won't be the least bit surprised if I need Thym Adren again next week.  Switching back to the modulator is an option.

Distance-1.0

3/27- Well, I know why my system rejected Thym Adren this time.  It was the lack of TMG, which I thought I no longer needed.  Wrong!  As soon as I took it again, the adrenal spike kicked in with a VENGEANCE.  Good thing I have an extra bottle in my cabinet.   

1 Mile on Lakeshore in 11:58 with splits of 5:50-6:08.  This spike won't be going down anytime soon.  I may have to raise the dosage.  This was done on 5 pills.  That's it for today.  Probably going to FLA tomorrow.  Need to clear my head.

Distance-1.0

3/28- Unplanned rest day.  Didn't make it to FLA

3/29- Unplanned rest day.

3/30- Insatiable need for Malic Acid has hit far sooner than I expected.

Opened with a 1:33 then slipped to 1:53 just 1 hour later but another trace of it brought me all the way down to 1:15.  It was short-lived.  Just a few hours later, I was barely moving for a half mile cool 

Distance-1.0

-6 miles 

Rave: Public Transportation

 Every year, I take a trip from Birmingham to Pittsburgh to visit family.  There is no easy way to get there.  I've driven it before and it can be scenic if I take the Eastern route through Appalachia.  The Western route offers a chance to visit Louisville, Nashville or Cincinnati for a night.  Problem is that it's just too long to do in one day.  Either way is about 11 hours driving time plus at least 2 stops for food.  You're looking at north of 12 hours even without traffic jams.  You really need to get 3 hours in on the first day to make it.  I can hit the road after work then it's manageable on the 2nd day.

What I usually do fly out of Birmingham.  I leave home 2 hours before the flight departs then it's about an hour and a half to Charlotte for a connecting flight, which is also about an hour and a half.  Factor in the layover and the trip into town and it's about 8 hours total by plane.  Not much time savings but at least I can make it in one day.  Of course, I run the risk of a delay and missed connection.  

A third option is to drive 2.5 hours each way to Atlanta for a direct flight.  I need to leave at least 5 hours before my flight.  If it's in the morning, I almost have to stay in a hotel the night before.  Not fun.  Nashville also has a direct flight but it's an even worse drive and I've never opted for that.  

If there was a bullet train similar to the ones in Japan, I could get there in about 4 hours.  I would do that in a heartbeat.  That sounds much easier than driving or flying.  In Japan, many people take the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka or Kyoto in just over 2 hours.  The cost is about $90 US for a one way ticket.  Western Europe also has a good rail system.  It's affordable and the speed appears to be comparable to car travel but I still plan to use it.  It certainly seems both safer and cheaper than renting a car and driving in a strange country or countries.  

If I am going to California, I would probably still opt for a plane ticket.  A trip to a city like Memphis, Atlanta, Nashville or Gulf Shores that can easily be done in a single day?  I'd probably stick to old fashioned car travel with the possible exception of Atlanta.  What about a trip to cities like Dallas, Chicago, Tampa, Daytona or Miami?  In that case, high speed rail has appeal especially if there is no direct flight as is the case for Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Kansas City.  Also, it would be nice if I don't have to wait in a long line at security and a car is unnecessary.  If I am staying on the beach with a boardwalk full of restaurants and convenience stores or going to a city with a good subway system, I don't need to rent a car.  

There has been talk about a nationwide high speed rail network in the United States but it has never gained any serious traction.  I did take a train from Connecticut to NYC and there's talk about a line from Los Angeles to San Francisco.  LA to Phoenix or Vegas?  I haven't heard anything about that.  Sure, it would cost quite a bit to build but if we could cut back on military spending and continue to eliminate waste, it could be done.

My Autistic Traits

 I've read that the MMR vackseen in particular has been implicated as a cause of Autism.  A new shot came out in 1983 so figure that I got it right around the time I turned 3 years old, give or take a couple of months.  By the time I was 4, I had numerous autistic traits.  I think it's perfectly reasonable to question whether or not there is a connection especially if I am correct about the Aluminum toxicity being responsible for the autoimmune reactions.  

I do not remember getting the shot so I have no idea if there was an immediate negative reaction though I've heard that 15 percent get a fever.  My mother might remember but I don't want to ask her and make her feel bad.  Even if it's proven that I was harmed, I certainly do NOT blame my parents.  They had no way of knowing that it could be dangerous nor did they know that I have the MTHFR mutation.  I believe it was required to attend public school, so what choice did they have?

One change in me that I do recall was new food aversions.  I liked eating peas as a toddler but when I was about 4-5, I could not stand the sight of them.  To this day, I still won't eat them.  This is just one of several examples and is a common autistic trait.  

When I was 4, I was sent to a special pre-school which judged me as "very delayed" and predicted that I would never keep up with my grade level.  Autism was often mistaken for mental retardation especially when it was poorly understood in the mid 1980s.  What happened next was inexcusable.  After I had a meltdown over a food aversion, I got tied up with a rope and locked in a room alone.  My parents were horrified and my sister was quite disturbed as well even though she was only 9.  Fortunately, my parents sent me to a 3rd pre-school, where I had no significant problems.  

Childhood traits that I have outgrown:

Stacking soup cans in the kitchen 

Making strange sounds repeatedly 

Needing to touch or hold something when I entered a room.

Poor eye contact and appearance of dishonesty even when telling the truth.

Difficulty with transition such as getting out of the shower, going to bed and especially getting out of bed.  That's mostly gone now.  Occasionally I do sit idle in my car for a couple minutes after I get home.  

Stimming action such as rocking back and forth in a chair and shaking my legs without realizing it

Traits that have evolved:

I used to watch the same videos over and over and often repeated the same statements over and over.  I suppose that falls under the umbrella of intense interest in several topics.  I knew everything that there was to know about baseball and football stats in the late 80s and early 90s.  I still remember much of it today.  

Intense interest later shifted to Back to the Future, Seinfeld and the Rocky and Star Wars franchises.  Now, it's travel and foreign languages.  If I ever get healthy again, the interest in running and alternative medicine will return but maybe not to its former intensity.

"Spikey skill sets"

It's common for autistic people to excel in a certain discipline but struggle mightily in others that most people can easily handle.  I taught myself how to multiply and divide in kindergarten.  My mother was playing a Math game with my sister in the living room and I easily recognized the pattern. I bet I would have figured it out even earlier if given the opportunity.  I scored in the 99th percentile in a few standardized Math tests.  I was strong in History as well.  Sometimes, I struggled with Science lab reports but usually did okay if I had a good lab partner.  My English and Reading skills were average at best.  That gap did close in high school.  I could get an A in Regular English but scored in the mid 80s in AP.  My Math remained strong but was no longer in the top percentile.  I had terrible hand writing and still do today.  My Art and Mechanical skills were and still are probably among the worst that my teachers have ever seen. 

I've taken a few IQ tests over the years and usually scored between 120-130.  That's probably about right.  Though I was a very good student, it didn't always come easy and I had to work for an A in most subjects.  My crystalized intelligence is much higher than my fluid intelligence, which makes perfect sense.  I may struggle with new or unfamiliar tasks that I don't do regularly but once I do learn, it sticks long-term.

Social cues:

I simply could not read social cues.  I truly couldn't tell if I was being subjected to harmless teasing or real bullying.  I went through a phase in which I would make a fool of myself to make people laugh.  I thought kids found me funny but didn't realize until years later that they were laughing because they thought I was stupid.  One poster said that they followed the written rules but didn't understand the unwritten rules of conduct.  I can identify with that.

I often didn't get sarcasm and took everything literally.  Knock em dead.  You can say that again.  Don't cry over spilled milk.  I took all of that literally.  All common autistic traits right there.

A quack psychologist immediately told me that I think in absolutes and my thinking is "too black and white.". I don't even remember what I said that made her think that but supposedly it's another autistic trait.  My Dad agreed but said it's all right.  As a Conservative, I tend to believe in moral absolutes rather than cultural relativism.  I joked about joining the dark side because in the words of Obi Wan Kenobi: Only a Sith deals in absolutes.

Growing up, I usually did have a couple of close friends but never fit in with any group.  Most of my childhood friends were social misfits as well.  High school was different.  I was friends with the group (cross-country) but didn't really have a best friend.  I had shaky coordination.  I could hold my own in a pickup game of soccer or basketball but was terrible in baseball and football.  My only chance to make a sports team was Track.  I took it and it turned out to be an intense interest and provided a refuge from severe bullying.  However, it was also very frustrating to work my ass off only to be beaten by slackers with more natural talent.  

I wasn't great but was good enough to enjoy the team camaraderie.  However, whenever I asked to hang out with a couple of guys that I really looked up to, they always politely declined.  One time, I had 2 free tickets to an amusement park but couldn't find anyone to go with me.  That was really hurtful.  Perhaps if I was a little faster or neuro typical without annoying quirks, things would have been different.  Still by my Senior year, most of my classmates respected me for my academic and athletic achievements.  I got along better with average students than my AP circle.  

I don't care about fashion in the least.  I have a rotation of roughly 10-15 outfits that I wear all the time.  I've gotten better about this but I often went out unshaven with wrinkled clothes and messy hair.  I eat at the same restaurants often on the same days of the week and order the same item from the menu.  

Speech:

In recent years, my southern accent has been described as "beautiful" "lovely" and "adorable" but that wasn't always the case.  It used to be slower, flatter and monotone.  Even though it was no secret that I was an A student, I still got called a retard.  It was not uncommon for me to get laughed at for answering a question correctly in class or told to STFU after joining a conversation with an inoffensive remark.  When I asked what was so offensive, they admitted that they weren't even listening to me.  WTF!   

It's rare but I've heard about autistic kids with an accent that doesn't match where they grew up.  I can see how that could happen.  Suppose that you are bullied over your speech but with a couple subtle vowel shifts, you can pass for "normal" in another region.  I don't see any problem with that.  

Long-term Memory:

Autism is not all bad.  One of my fun little quirks is the ability to remember vivid details from events that took place 30+ years ago.  I've chatted with people that remember exact dates.  I'm usually not that precise but can always remember the year and usually the month.  I can also remember the exact location and if it happened at home, I remember the room.  

I remember childhood phone numbers and addresses of people that I never called.  I remember my locker combination and my neighbor's as well.  I could tell you my schedule, room numbers and my grades every year from 6th grade on.  I often remember who sat next to me as well.  I'm an entertaining story teller.  Some people are amazed by it but others find it a little creepy.

 Again, I was never diagnosed but few people would argue that I am not autistic after reading this post.  If I was growing up today, I almost certainly would have been diagnosed and treated differently.  That said if I was harmed by childhood vackseens, I can't even imagine how badly off I would be if I had to take today's schedule.  

Having one or two of these traits is fairly common and I don't agree that "everyone is a little autistic.". One or two traits doesn't meet the criteria but having all or most is a different story.

Two traits that I thankfully do NOT have:

Aversion to unfamiliar surroundings and inability to smile.  Not every case looks the same but certain traits are common.

Final edit:

I am part of a few Facebook groups for autistic adults and I am disturbed by the defeatist attitudes.  I agree that the negatives far outweigh any positives for most people and I do understand the discouragement.  That said, you must not stop trying to better your circumstances.  Perhaps you could benefit from therapy, prescription drugs, a holistic approach or some combination.  It's okay to be disappointed and discouraged but not okay to be defeated.  Can Autism be cured?  Probably not.  Can it be treated to an extent that it's not a significant disadvantage in your life?  I think so 

Aluminum Toxicity and Malic Acid

 For more than a decade, I have been searching for the source of my extreme sensitivity to pills.  I may have finally found it.  I thought perhaps it was defective enzymes then Liver congestion then impaired methylation then Iron Overload, high oxalates, Cytokines and Candida.  Though it's good that I tacked those issues, none of them were the answer.

  I've pretty much known for years that it is toxic metals.  Just a day or two after starting Advanced TRS, a zeolite, I was able to tolerate pills that I could not take before but it was not the answer either.  In fact, I am worse off today than before I started it.  It appears that there is one toxic metal in particular that is especially problematic and difficult to eliminate.  It's not Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Iron, Copper or even Mercury but rather Aluminum.

Call me a conspiracy theorist if you want but I am feeling that it is more and more likely that I was harmed by childhood vackseens, particularly the MMR.  They've admitted that those vackseens contain Aluminum as an adjuvant but argue that it's a good thing because Aluminum stimulates the immune system.  What if the Aluminum caused the immune system to be overstimulated and thus it reacts to substances that should be harmless or even beneficial?  I think it's pretty clear that's what happened to me.  I didn't develop this sensitivity until my early 20s, but until then, I never took supplements regularly.

Environmental exposure certainly doesn't help either.  I regularly drink out of Aluminum cans and sometimes use underarm deodorant.  Those 2 sources need to go.  If my body odor is a problem, I can use cologne or an Aluminum free deodorant.  That said, I've read that Aluminum absorption is far greater when it is injected.  Perhaps, I was unable to eliminate the toxic Aluminum from the vackseens and it continues to accumulate, which explains why the sensitivity got worse over time.  Before you call me a nut job, do you have a better explanation?  I don't think so.  

Melatonin has definitely helped the sensitivity and indeed I read yesterday that it can be used as an effective detox method against Aluminum.  Unfortunately, it probably will not be enough.  I am very disturbed by my recent reactions to NAC.  Excess B12 seems to increase the demand for it and without it, I can't tolerate the adrenal support that I need.  However, my tolerance for NAC appears to be limited to just 1 pill per day when I take 5 mg Melatonin.  Without the Melatonin, I would not tolerate it AT ALL!  

I don't think excess Sulfur is the problem because Moly wasn't a game changer. It is possible but unlikely that Yucca could help.  Extra Melatonin was a game changer.  I improved my half lap time from 98 to 77, which is a gap of more than 2 minutes per mile just because I took an extra 5 mg.

Unfortunately, a Melatonin dosage greater than 5 mg caused me to feel drowsy and lethargic, which is to be expected.  At a dose higher than 10 mg, I'd go as far as to say that the cure is worse than the disease itself.  Without any other options, my only chance is to limit the B12 and the NAC dose to 1 pill per day and hope it's enough.

Malic Acid is supposedly very effective against Aluminum.  I take Magnesium Malate but that's obviously not enough.  It's got to be straight Malic Acid in powder form.  I've used it occasionally for tooth whitening but usually spit it out after I rinse.  Yesterday, I swallowed it.  I got a slight negative reaction shortly thereafter.  I got a bit of a headache and was a little more stiff than usual but saw a noticeable improvement after I went to the toilet.  That's clearly detox.  Perhaps more importantly, extra NAC seemed to be tolerated.  Was that because of the extra Melatonin still in my system or the Malic Acid?  I'll find out soon.

Training 3/17-3/23

 3/17-AM.  1 Mile in 12:18 but the splits were 6:24-5:54, a full minute per mile faster on the back half.  That suggests that improvement is on the way.  

PM- MUCH BETTER.  2 miles in 19:27 (9:43 pace).  Splits were 9:46-9:41.  Probably around 30:15 for a 5K so I have a long way to go.

Distance-3.0

3/18- 1.5 miles in 17:11 (11:27 pace).  Culprit was NAC.  MAYBE if I limit it to 1 pill per day, I'll be okay.  B12 did help but it wasn't nearly enough to get me back to respectable times.  Took a B12 twice at the half mile and the Mile mark.  Splits were 6:12-5:36-5:23 so the 2nd dose was less effective.  Again, I thought that the Melatonin was going to stop this from happening.  Is it an autoimmune reaction or something else such as excess Sulfur?  

Had time for testing when I got home.

Opener-1:44

Moly-1:38

Melatonin-1:17

Moly helped but it wasn't a game changer and I know what happens if I take extra.  That's not the answer.  Extra Melatonin is a game changer but too much of that will make me drowsy.  

The only solution is to limit the NAC to just 1 pill per day and hope it's enough.

Distance-2.0

3/19- Very interesting.  After the overdose of Melatonin yesterday, I expected the morning to be rough but I would get better in the afternoon.  It didn't happen.  I was awful when I got home but the hated intervals gave me hope.  

Opener-1:49

NAC- 1:41

B12-1:33

Malic Acid-1:12

1 LAP COOL.

NAC and B12 need to be taken together.  I still don't know if I tolerated extra because of excess Melatonin or Malic Acid but taken together, that's enough to be considered a game changer.  The improvement after taking the Malic Acid was YUGE.   I'm not too surprised.  I often get an insatiable need shortly after a new treatment.  Sadly, I won't be at all surprised to wake up feeling awful tomorrow morning but get better after taking Malic Acid.

Distance-1.0

3/20- Unplanned rest day.  The insatiable need kicked in even sooner than I expected.  In fact, I could feel it before I went to bed yesterday.  Took 2 full scoops of Malic Acid at work and got much better after each of them but it was short lived.  Good news is no apparent ill-effects from extra B12 and NAC even on reduced Melatonin.

3/21- Took one scoop in the morning and one scoop at lunch but didn't take any before the run.  Just wanted to see what would happen.  It was worse than expected.  Started off decent but I knew a massive fade was coming.  Finished 1 Mile in 11:29 at Montreat with splits of 3:10-3:58-4:21.  Ouch!

Distance-1.0

3/22-AM- One scoop in the middle of the night but nothing before the run in order to be consistent.  Improved to 10:36 with a negative split (3:38-3:33-3:25).  I'll take it and may try again later.

PM- Continued improvement.  Repeated the Mile and my time is down to 9:24.  Splits were 3:10-3:12-3:02.  Again, I waited over 3 hours after I took my last scoop.  It seems like I am not seeing the big gains immediately but the positive effects last longer.  That's good news.

Distance-2.0

3/23- Heardmont.  Hoped for at least 2 but maybe 3 miles.  Settled for 1.  Decent start but the power cut off at 400.  Cut off the watch after passing the half in 4:52 and treated the last 2 laps as a cool down. 

 Culprit is most probably an adrenal spike.  Not a surprise but I didn't expect it to hit so quickly.  I expected a few more days of improvement with the detox.

Distance-1.0

-10 miles on the week.