Maui and Las Vegas Trip Report

 

Maui was the right fit this year.  It's my only  remaining US bucket list trip that is doable in Winter.  Escaping the cold and snow for Hawaii is certainly not a bad idea.  However, for reasons that I will explain later, I recommend visiting Hawaii sometime between April and October.  In Maui, temperatures topped out in the upper 70s with a water temperature around 75.  That's a little cooler than average.  That's fine when it's sunny and calm but it's a little chilly when it's overcast and windy.  I actually needed a light jacket when I went out in the evening.  Also, finding rideable waves can be challenging in the Winter.  There were a few passing showers but nothing to wreck the trip.

2/16- 5AM flight out of Birmingham with a connection in Dallas.  Fortunately, I had enough time for a sit down breakfast.  No complaints about the flight.  I picked up my rental car and arrived at my hotel around 3 PM local time.  The flight and hotel were reasonably priced but the car was a rip off.  If possible, get a car off-site from the airport.  

My hotel was on a beach, but not a great place for swimming as it was near the harbor.  I took a quick dip then had dinner in the hotel and it was mid.  Still adjusting to the time change, I was in bed early.  

2/17- Woke up well before the sun came up and hit the Road to Hana by 6:30.  First stop was Twin Falls followed by the Garden of Eden.  

I arrived in Hana and stopped at a park then eventually found the trail to Red Sand Beach.  I was told that the trail was dangerous.  Not so much.  I've been to others that are much more treacherous.  I was told that the land was considered sacred to the locals and was asked not to post the pics on social media.  I will respect their wishes.  These pics are from the public park.

 

Yes it is possible to do the Road to Hana and back in one day but most people recommend an overnight stay in Hana.  I understand the reasons for that.  There are many one lane bridges with sharp turns.  The 36 mile road will take you nearly 2 hours and the drive is somewhat stressful.  You need reservations for the Black Sand Beach, so I was turned away.   I'm not sure if that beach is good for swimming and surfing and if not, I only would have stayed for maybe 20 minutes.  I do know that there is another beach nearby and I missed out.  Too bad.  My time in the surf was limited anyway as I will explain later. In the end, I had time to take a dip at Baldwin Beach on the way back.  

I HATE KEY FOBS!!  If you get them wet, they are ruined and it's very costly and time consuming to replace them.  This one didn't fit in my dry fob case!  My only options were to leave it on the beach and hope nobody steals it or ask the lifeguard to hold it.  I'd only trust him if it's behind a door because it could still be unattended at times.  Honolulu is a bit suspect but I don't think Maui is a high crime island.  Still, I was NOT chancing it! 

 Normally, I am not one to shy away from big surf but if I see waves taller than me breaking directly on the shore with rip currents, I will stay away.  Nobody else was in the water so that told me enough.  Most beaches were either like that or had no surf at all.  I likely would have had better luck finding rideable surf in the summer.  Still a nice day overall.

2/18- Slept in a bit then embarked on a strenuous hike.  It was a 4.6 mile route and I cut it off at about 2.6 to get more time at the beach.  That proved to be a good call.  On the way to the beach, I stopped at a surf shop and explained my dilemma with the key fob.  They sold me a plastic case with a magnetic seal.  A ziplock sandwich bag won't work but this did keep the fob dry.  Yes!  

From there, I went to Kaanappali Beach, which has sparkling clear water but not much surf.  I still enjoyed it and was still a little gun shy about the key fob.  Next was Highway 340 going north.  I had no idea but it was MUCH MORE DANGEROUS than the Road to Hana.  There was about a 15 mile stretch that was largely one lane with blind curves and no guardrails.  A collision would not do much damage but backing up on that road to let another car get by?  Very dangerous.  Thank God I never had to do that.  It's not worth it.  Turn around and take the long way after this spot.  

2/19- Morning at Fleming Beach.  Yes, there was high surf and rip currents but it was safe enough for a cautious surf session right in front of the lifeguard.  I didn't go after the big ones further out but enjoyed the shore break.  The beaches on the south shore had no surf.  

 

Next stop was the National Park, which reached an elevation of 10,023 feet.  Temp dropped to 40 degrees F and snow has been recorded here.  I was treated to exotic scenery and an epic drive through the clouds.

2/20- A bit more of a chill day.  Went back to Baldwin Beach and found it to be safe enough for a cautious session.  By the afternoon, it was cloudy and breezy.  I was tired so I didn't mind cutting it a little short.  I needed extra sleep anyways.

2/21- 6 AM flight to Vegas with a stop in Honolulu.  With the long flight and 4 hour time change, you can't get back in one day without a red eye.  I decided to break up the jet lag.  I arrived right around sunset at Trump Hotel.  After dinner, I took a walk down the strip with a brief stop at Caesar's Palace.  I bet 2 dollars at the slots and left with nothing.  I've never liked casinos but there is plenty more to do in Vegas.  Just be prepared to spend money. Better than expected.  

2/22- Drive about 1 hour northeast to Valley of Fire State Park with a stop at Lake Mead.  Unfortunately, I had time for nothing else but this was awesome. Incredibly, there was a trace of snow on the mountain tops.

Final thought:

Maui was good but not one of my all time favorites while Vegas was better than expected.  I will go to Kauai in a couple of years to complete the Hawaiian Islands but will shoot for a late Spring trip.  I may go back to Vegas for a baseball game as a stand alone trip rather than a stop over from Hawaii.  

Training 2/9-2/15

 2/9- AM- Opened with a poor 1:46 for a half lap (10:36 pace).  Simply hoped that I wouldn't slip further on Zinc.  Surprisingly, I clocked a 1:34 (9:24 pace) for a SIGNIFICANT improvement.  ADHS brought me down to 1:11 (7:06 pace) and felt "almost pretty good" in doing so.  Next goal is to close the gap, which currently stands at 3:30 per mile.

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 23:17 (9:19 pace).  I'll take it.  Only gripe was that I faded down the stretch.  Splits were 11:23-11:54.  Felt like I needed more ADHS but I'm sticking with 6 of those pills.  Definitely under 30 for 5K but likely still over 29.

Distance-3.0

2/10- Split decision today.  Opener was MUCH BETTER at 1:32 (9:12 pace).  Floor rose by 1:24.  

Then, I had nothing in the real workout.  Turned around at 0.42 at a pace over 10 and slow jogged it home.  I suspect that I can tolerate Coke but Red Bull will trigger withdrawal that starts 24 hours after consumption.  It usually lasts 24 hours.  Yesterday, I had a Coke.  Today, I am caffeine free but not sugar free.  Let's see what happens.

Distance-1.0

2/11- AM- Another split decision.  Opener is down to 78 (7:48 pace) but it left me gassed.  Even if the ceiling is 50 (5:00 pace), the gap is shrinking.  My best guess is that the ceiling is 58-60, which is a 2:00 gap, give or take.  That's a lot better than the 3:30 just 2 days ago.  

Again, I struggled in the real workout.  Vestavia Mile in 8:48 and felt very overstimulated. Splits were 4:17-4:31 so it gets uglier as the distance increases.  A lot better than yesterday but not as good as Monday night.  Energy drinks MUST be avoided like the plague but it's still unclear if Coke is tolerated or not.

PM- New Lakeshore 1.84 miles in 18:09 (9:51 pace).  I suspect that the positive effects of the ADHS begin to fade after several hours.  I may be correct but this wasn't a disaster.  I nearly doubled the distance and lost just over 1 minute on the pace.  A step backwards but in the same ballpark.  Decent pacing (9:02-9:07) but very little power.

Distance-3.0

2/12-AM.  No opener.  I wanted to be fresh for a sprint trial with the full dosage.  Clocked a 58.5, which is just about what I expected (5:51 pace). Added a warm and cool.  The gap is definitely under 2:00, maybe closer to 1:00 as I'm sure the floor rose as well.  That said, I am a LONG way from being able to hold a respectable pace over any distance without pills.  Gradual but STEADY improvement is the goal.

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 22:54 (9:10 pace).  Better than last time but the improvement was a modest 9 seconds per mile.  Again, I started strong but became tired and breathless early.  Splits were 11:09-11:45 so the pattern was similar.  Both halves were slightly faster than last time.  My sprints have improved much faster than my distance.  Not sure what to make of that.  

Distance-3.0

2/13- Vestavia Mile in 8:20.  Splits were 4:04-4:16.  After a good start, I tired quickly and settled into an 8:30 pace but held it.  From 600 to the finish, my pace stayed about the same but didn't have much kick left.  I am clearly on the right track but early progress is slower than I would like. Maybe I will try Thym Adren this weekend.  That's it for today.

Took 2 extra Zinc at work (total of 3 pills) and it was a bad call.  Yes, it did calm me down but left me very sore.  Extra Paramin did mitigate some of the damage.  Stand alone Cal may have totally reversed it but I'm not going back down that road again.  2 pills may have been okay but 3 is clearly over the limit.  

Any other ideas to speed up my progress?  Increase the ADHS or maybe switch to Thym Adren. I have been energy drink free but not caffeine free this week.

Distance-1.0

2/14- Bad day but it was a risk that I was willing to take to get answers.  Extra Zinc plus mega Thym Adren is NOT the answer.

Took only 1 Zinc and clocked a half lap in 83.0 (8:18 pace) at about 3/4 effort.  Not bad.  Took a 2nd Zinc and it was initially a non-factor as I improved marginally to 81.8 (8:11 pace) with the same effort

Went to the track for the real workout and it was obvious that I had nothing and knew it before I started.  It seems like it took about an hour or so for the Zinc to fully kick in.  

Managed just a 73 for the first 200 (9:44 pace) and was already fading.  I did a little better on 3 Thym Adren and improved to 68 (9:04 pace).  2 more Thym Adren actually made things worse than ever with a 76 and I just slow jogged the remainder.  Did feel a discernable improvement after just 1 ADHS.  Not sure what cocktail I will try next.

Distance-1.0

2/15- Junk workout in the rain but it told me enough.  Cocktail was 2 Zinc plus ADHS.  After a warmup, I did a half lap at Montreat in 89 (8:54 pace) at 3/4 effort.  Probably was sustainable for a Mile but definitely could NOT have matched the 8:20 that I did on Friday.  2 Zinc is too much.  It's gotta be either 1 or zero.  

Drank a Mountain Dew and slipped to 95 (9:30 pace) with the same effort.  Added a cool down jog.  Not a collapse but even low dose caffeine is indeed hurting me.  I bet I can go sub-8 without it and may not be as dependent on ADHS.  I also suspect that it affects tolerance for Zinc.  I will experiment again when I am off caffeine but my gut tells me to stay the course with LOW dose Zinc plus ADHS, not Thym Adren.

Distance-1.0

13 miles on the week 

Training 1/30-2/8

 1/30- 1 Mile at Vestavia in 10:25.  Ugly as expected but I think I've found a winning formula.  Stay on the Cal and increase the Zinc and adrenal support (ADHS rather than Thym Adren).  Doses will probably have to be tweaked.  Good news is that I finished relatively strong with a much less anemic 2:22 (9:28 pace) for the last go round 

Distance-1.0

1/31- Repeated the 1 Mile distance this time at Oak Mountain.  Merely hoped for a sub-10 but improved all the way to 8:45 in tough conditions.  Very cold and windy.  Last lap was a 2:04 and I wasn't all out.  Very encouraging 

Distance-1.0

There will be some tweaks ahead.  I must be judicious with the Cal.  No more than a 2:1 ratio with Mag.  In fact, it's probably better to shoot for 1:1.  The more Cal that I take, the more Zinc that I will require.  Should the adrenal support be Thym Adren or ADHS?  I hope it's ADHS.  I'm taking 6 pills now but hope it will go down.  How much Zinc is necessary?  All the questions should be answered this week.

2/1-AM 3 sprint trials at an even effort. Still below freezing so I didn't push too hard.  Estimated distance is slightly more than 200 meters out and back with a mild incline/decline.  

No pills- 71.6

Thym Adren- 67.7 (6-7) MINUS 3.9

ADHS- 63.1. MINUS 4.6

With everything equal, I would have preferred to go with ADHS instead of Thym Adren and this confirms that it's the right call.  In both cases, the improvement was enough to be considered significant but more than 1 pill is needed for it to be a game changer.  The rate of improvement was slightly higher with the ADHS so that's what I am going to take.  Moreover, with a modulator, at least in theory, it won't hurt to take too much.  Too much of a suppressant does hurt.  The only remaining question is how much Zinc do I need?

PM- 1.5 on New Lakeshore in 13:12 (8:48 pace).  A little disappointed but I'll take it.  Expanded the distance by 50 percent without a significant slow down. Even pace but not much left at the end. Perhaps I would have done a little better in a morning session because it's right after I took the pills.

Distance-2.0

2/2- FAILURE!  Horrible without the Zinc (5:34 half mile).  Not much better on the normal dose (5:19) and the overdose made things WORSE.  It seems that the order is important.  Zinc must be taken BEFORE the ADHS, not after 

Paramin should arrive tonight.  That contains less Calcium.  Thus, the Zinc may be less important going forward.  NUTS!

Distance-1.5

Paramin did arrive.  There's a decent chance that it will be a difference maker.  It will allow me to reduce the Calcium, which may allow me to reduce the Zinc.  Is the extreme need for ADHS really an adrenal spike or an unbalanced Zinc/Copper ratio.  Could very well be the latter.  That would explain why the ADHS is more effective than the Thym Adren 

2/3- Cut the Cal from 500 to 300 mg and may reduce it further.  Hopefully, that means Zinc will be less crucial.  It went from bad to worse on the Zinc this morning.  Got the idea to try Liver (loaded with Copper) and was only slightly better.  Only the ADHS is the game changer.  I will cut the Zinc dose in half starting tomorrow.  Afternoon session will likely be rained out.  I want to see if I feel a discernable difference on Vitamin C.  

Distance-0.5

2/4- Horrible again.  I'm definitely less dependent on Zinc thanks to the Paramin but may now be intolerant.  Good news is no discernable reaction to sugar at lowered Calcium dose 

PM- Confirmed.  The Paramin will be enough to prevent bad reactions to sugar.  I was actually marginally faster after a forbidden drink.  Good news.  Felt a discernable improvement after just a small amount of Cal then a discernable step backwards after more Zinc.

Sensitivity to Zinc and Copper may be Autism related.  I MUST lay off the Zinc for at least a few days then hope to gradually re-introduce it at a lower dose.

Distance-1.0

2/5- 1 Mile on Lakeshore in 11:06 with splits of 5:41-5:25.  Just hope for modest improvement tomorrow.  No Zinc this morning.

Distance-1.0

2/6- Only slightly better.  Improved to 10:43 this time at Vestavia with splits of 5:17-5:26.  This isn't working and changed must be made.  

Increasing the Paramin seemed to help but stand alone Cal immediately triggered a need for Zinc.  

I must either increase the Paramin or go with Cal plus Zinc and tweak the doses.

Distance-1.0

2/7- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 18:46 (9:23 pace).  Solid improvement.  Splits were 9:26-9:20 and I probably had another Mile in me.  I'm going with the increased Paramin and will try to add back Zinc early next week.  I will not mess with stand alone Cal.  This could be the winning formula.

Distance-2.0

2/8- 1 Mile in 10:44.  Started off pretty well and was ahead of yesterday for the first quarter but the power cut off after that.  In fact, I knew that I was in trouble before the 0.2 mark.  Splits were 4:59-5:45.  Ill- effects of Zinc are less severe but still there.  Added a half mile cool.

PM- Interesting.  Took extra Zinc and expected to be much worse.  Nope.  I was actually marginally better (76 vs 73).  Took extra ADHS and improved to 69.  Extra Paramin got me down to 64.  That is a significant gain.  I'm sticking with this formula.  High dose Paramin and ADHS and sticking with low dose Zinc.  The problem this morning was likely caffeine withdrawal but even that was less severe than in the past.

Distance-2.0

13 miles

Calcium Tolerated Again

 I have done minimal training this month.  Good news is that I have found the solution to the Calcium issue.

I have not done a hair test in almost a decade but I am nearly certain that I have a low Ca/Mg ratio AND a high Na/K.  That's a common pattern after solving a major problem such as heavy metal toxicity.  

My sudden intolerance to Calcium was NOT an autoimmune reaction.  Excellent news.  Too much Cal depletes K and worsens the Na/K ratio.  Sugar worsens the Ca/Mg ratio.  

Fortunately extra Zinc is the ticket.  Zinc raises Potassium and thus, allows tolerance to the Cal that I need.  It has spiked my adrenals but hopefully, that's a temporary reaction.  

New Orleans Trip Report

 My first overnight trip with a woman in a long time.  I prefer not to discuss relationship details on this blog.  I will say that it's going well and I will leave it at that.  If in the unlikely event that it ends badly, I will NOT trash her on this blog either.

I've been to New Orleans 3 times with some good and some bad experiences.  Aside from the parking, this was a pretty good trip.  I'd rate other cities higher, but it was the right call for this weekend.  I'm not ready for more than a weekend or a fly away so that left us with several options within a day's drive.  Nashville and Memphis were freezing cold so going south was the only option.  Even New Orleans was colder than normal.  Temps were in the low 50s on the first day with wind and didn't get out of the 40s the next day.  We took the short route going down with a quick stop in Hattiesburg then had lunch in Slidell.  We arrived about 1:30.

Day 1:

Our first stop was St. Louis cemetery.  I got a nice compliment about my teeth from the woman who sold us tickets.  Our tour guide was interesting but long winded so we put off the hotel check in and went straight to Vue Orleans, a 34 story tower with views of the skyline and the Mississippi River.  After dinner, we chilled at the hotel then went out to Bourbon Street.  Questionable call there.  It was a zoo scene.  Should have gone to a different bar and saved Bourbon for Sunday.

Day 2:

Got up for a river sunrise.  I showed the pics to a bartender that night, who thought it was Florida.  LOL.  After breakfast at the hotel, we made it to church at the cathedral.  From there, it was just a few blocks to Louis Armstrong Park.  We made a quick stop at the Voodoo museum then found to our horror that the car was booted.  The machine was broken and the payment never went through.  I'm fighting it and expect to win.  

After lunch, I went to the Jazz museum and the French Market.  Interesting even though I never heard of most of the artists.  I took Bourbon Street on the way back and found it much more enjoyable than last night.  After a good seafood dinner, I went out for a quiet drink then called it a night.

Day 3:

Took the long way back.  Got a quick taste of City Park then headed east on the interstate.  We got off at Gulfport and took a scenic 13 mile ride along the MS Coast to Biloxi.  We got some delicious fried chicken in Mobile before picking up 65 back to Birmingham.

Final thought:

Overall, a successful trip.  In the future, New Orleans is not a destination city but I do expect to be back someday.  If I go to Houston or Grand Isle, it's a good overnight stop to break up the trip home

Calcium Intolerance

 This really pisses me off because Malic Acid was supposed to stop this from happening.  

The problem started over Christmas with sugar intolerance.  Though I did not use energy drinks, I did indulge in Coke several times and got a strong negative reaction.  Was it the caffeine or the sugar?  A bad reaction to caffeine free Ginger Ale confirmed that it was the latter.  Probiotics did help for a while but it wasn't enough.  Sugars certainly are not good for me but I should not react THAT badly to it.  

On a hunch, I tried Calcium in order to correct a suspected low Cal/Mag ratio.  I developed an insatiable need (6 pills) that lasted about a week. Also, I had no more issues with sugar.  YES!  On January 9th, when swimming in Panama City, I accidentally missed my dose and didn't feel that bad.  I figured that I could reduce the dose.  WRONG.  I flipped from an insatiable need to complete intolerance.  Nothing new for me!

I tried giving it rest for a few days and going back to it at a lower dose.  I didn't have an immediate reaction but it got ugly within the hour.  Tried to run and had to quit after a half mile in 5:37.  Today was incrementally better with a 10:24 Mile.  Most probably, I have to stop it until further notice.  There is a chance that another form of Cal will be tolerated and I am willing to try it.

Update: I am now intolerant to sugar and Calcium doesn't help.  Paramin may be beneficial but my best hope is complete abstinence from sugar.

WILL THIS EVER END?

Rave: Sprinters Who Try Long Distance

 Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas can routinely break 22 seconds in the 200 meters and her 400 meter PR is 49.x.  Every January, she does a 1 Mile time trial.  I would have guessed that she would be able to run it in close to 5:00 if not slightly under.  Nope, her best time is only a 5:43.  This is not a knock on Thomas and I applaud her for trying.  My point is that there are specific physical attributes necessary to be successful in long distance running and most sprinters don't have it.  If she actually trained specifically for the distance, yes she would improve but would never even sniff world class.  

Though I've done many 200 intervals in training, only once did I race the distance in competition.  I clocked a 28.6 as a high school Sophomore on a dirt track with tired legs.  Figure that as a Senior, I was good for a 27-flat, maybe a high 26 at best.  I would be a full 5 seconds behind Gabby Thomas and in a 200, that might as well be light years away.  However, if we raced a Mile, my 9th grade self could take her.  An 800 meter race in my prime would probably be a coin flip. 

 Edit: Thomas may have a slight edge in the 800 but I would have won the 1,000 meter for sure.

At the age of 17, I entered a local youth Invitational meet in the off-season.  There was no gender separation so I got to run in the same heat as a top female sprinter in the 800 because our predicted times were similar.  Her 400 PR was about 5 seconds faster than mine but was untested over 2 laps.  I trailed most of the way but she faded down the stretch.  I unleashed a monster kick and nipped her at the line by about a tenth of a second.  My Dad said it looked like I ran the last 100 in 12 seconds.  He was exaggerating but yes, it was fast.  I didn't exchange words with her because we were both doubled over in pain but gained mutual respect.  A couple guys teased me about never allowing myself to be beaten by a girl.  LOL.  Losing to a champion would be no disgrace.  

I knew several 400/800 runners who ran cross-country to stay in shape for track season.  Most were not very good.  There was one guy at a rival school who placed at States with a low-48 in the 400.  He was competitive from the 100 all the way up the Mile, with a 4:54 PR in the latter.  However, only once did he even break 22 minutes in the 5K and didn't even make Varsity for his team.  He told me that he did make a legitimate effort in cross-country but not the same passion as Track.  It was pretty cool to beat him in a race even when he was out of his element.  

A distance runner can never be a world class sprinter either but I wager that they'd be a lot more competitive in the 100 than a sprinter in a Marathon.  Even with superior endurance, some degree of slow down is inevitable with longer distance.  You've got to have pretty decent sprint speed to run a sub-5 pace for 26 miles.  My guess is that world class marathoners can run the 100 in less than 11.5 seconds (about 83 percent of world record).  Some of those sprint finishes in the 5,000 are awfully fast.  I'm talking 52 seconds for 400 after nearly 3 miles.  By comparison, 83 percent of a world record Marathon would be a sub-2:30.  Even an 800/Miler would be hard pressed to do that.  Quenton Cassidy is fictional.  

Advice for sprinters who want to extend their distance:

Do it gradually.  Don't make the jump from the 400 all the way up to 10K.  Don't go by the book in terms of training paces either.  It's okay to be a little faster than prescribed for your Mile time in interval sessions if your 400 PR is much stronger than your Mile.  Also, it's okay to run your long runs a little slower than suggested if your 5K is weaker.  It's all about the effort.  Eventually, long runs will get faster when your times begin to even up.  That said, once again, although there is room for improvement, your ceiling is likely lower at the longer distances.

Winter Trip Plan

 I considered Puerto Rico, Mexico and Hawaii for February.  Given the current political situation, it's probably best to steer clear of Latin America at the present time.  It's going to be Maui, Hawaii!  It will be my 3rd visit to this state and my 3rd different island.  Only Kauai to go after this.  

I'm off for President's Day on February 16th but probably won't leave until that day.  I want to be home for Valentine's Day and the flights are much better during the week versus Friday and Saturday.  Logistically, it will be a challenge.  I will take a connecting flight from Birmingham instead of a direct flight from Atlanta.  I can connect in either Dallas or Denver.  I'd lean towards the former because there's less risk of a snow delay.  Either way, I'll land about 4:45 local time and get settled in by sunset.  The 2nd leg will be about 8 hours flight time.  Ouch, but it's worth it.  

I don't expect to be up for doing anything that evening.  It will be an early night followed by an early rise.  Perfect setup for the Road to Hana.  I'll stop at a couple of waterfalls and see a Black Sand and Red Sand Beach.  If I get back before sunset, I'll take a dip at Baldwin Beach.  

The next 3 days will be primarily beach sampling.  Baldwin and Fleming are the 2 best spots for boogie boarding but there are several others that look beautiful as well.  There will be mountain views in the distance.  There is also the summit of a volcano, which rises to 10,000 feet elevation.

Getting back is always painful.  It's impossible to avoid a red eye and severe jet lag if you want to get back the next day.  Last time, I broke up the trip with a 24 hour stop in San Francisco.  This time, I'm stopping in Las Vegas.  I can work it out so that I get in around 7 PM.  Jet lag will be a little rough but not severe.  I'll go out for a drink and that's probably it.

  I should feel better the next day.  I won't be spending much time in Las Vegas itself.  Instead, I will be seeing Mt. Charleston and Valley of Fire.  Both are about 45 minutes from the city but in opposite directions.  Figure that's a full day.  I won't leave until the next day.  I may have a little dead time before the flight but I'm sure that I can find something to do even if it's just a walk down the strip.  Barring a delay, I should get back at a decent hour.  

Rant or Rave: Strike on Venezuela

 There are 5 countries that I would strongly consider visiting if and ONLY IF they got a new regime that respects basic human rights.  They are China, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.  I have nothing against the people of these countries.  My only beef is with their government.

One of the reasons that I support Trump is his America First and non-interventionist foreign policy.  As I've posted before, I do sympathize with people living under oppressive regimes but America cannot be the world's police force and topple leaders that we don't like.  History has proven that US intervention often makes things worse in the long run.  For this reason, I was initially skeptical about this operation.  However after seeing the reactions from Venezuelans, including 3 that I follow on social media, I lean towards the supportive position with reservations. Reactions range from a cautious optimism and relief to sheer ecstasy.  The Republican nominee in 2028 ought to do pretty well among Latinos, especially if it is Vance or Rubio.  

Did Trump do it out of the goodness of his heart to liberate the Venezuelan people?  Probably not. That said, I am pleased to see them finally get a taste of freedom after a quarter century of Communism that caused a third of its people to flee.  Was access to the oil a factor in his decision?  Possibly. However, I believe the primary reason was that Maduro is the leader of a major drug cartel that is largely responsible for the scourge of Fentanyl in the US.  Therefore, you could say that Maduro was a threat to America even if his military was not.  He was not a duly elected leader.  He lost his last election by more than 50 points but would not give up his power AND though I don't know the specifics, there was a warrant for his arrest.  Therefore, I do not consider this an act of unprovoked regime change 

This must NOT turn into another Iraq or Afghanistan.  If it does, Trump could lose my support.  I don't see that happening.  Other countries fear that they could be next.  If their leader was lawfully elected and is not wanted by law enforcement, it's not going to happen.  I am rooting for the people of Cuba and Iran.  In the latter, Trump has warned that there will be consequences if the regime turns violent against the protesters.  I have a good feeling that Iran's regime will collapse on its own.  

The reaction among the Left was predictable.  Suppose you said that though you don't deny Maduro is a bad guy, this action was not appropriate.  Fair enough.  That's a reasonable viewpoint.  Marching in support of a narco dictator is another matter.  Several protesters said that they would rather live under Maduro than Trump.  No words can express how I feel about that level of stupidity.  Obama took out Gaddafi in Libya and it was crickets.  Something tells me that if Obama had done the same thing, Democrats would be cheering while Republicans would be worried about another Iraq.  I'm not such a blind partisan that I automatically oppose everything that Democrats do while supporting Trump without question.  When the Obama administration took out Osama bin Laden, you bet I praised him.  

Training 1/1-1/11

 1/1- Little change on New Year's Day.  1 Mile on South Lakeshore in 10:40.  Did manage a slight negative split (5:22-5:18).  Collapsed later in the day and was out cold for almost 2 hours.  Would have been worse if I attempted an afternoon run.

Distance-1.0

1/2- Repeated yesterday's workout.  Same distance and same location this time in light rain.  Improved to 9:04 with splits of 4:36-4:28.  No cause for celebration but this is a big improvement.  Sneaked a Coke in the morning and don't think it hurt me.  Again, I should be able to get away with that on occasion.  Energy drinks are another matter.  I must never touch that stuff again!

Distance-1.0

1/3- Aimed for 2 miles but quit after just a half mile with a time over 6.  I believe that I overshot with the Zinc.  Just yesterday, I needed it and now I can't tolerate it.  Do I need to reduce it or eliminate it?  I am disgusted with that and disgusted with myself after another caffeine binge.  Did feel better after ADHS, which confirms that Zinc is the culprit.

PM- 2x half lap at Montreat plus a cool.  Opened with a 1:52 (11:12 pace).  Popped a 2nd ADHS pill and improved to 1:38 (9:48 pace).  MINUS 84.  That's a game changer!  Here's hoping that I find a consistent formula with low dose Zinc and ADHS.

Distance-1.0

1/4- 3x1 lap at Montreat.  Opened with a pathetic 3:54 (11:42 pace).  Popped 2 ADHS and improved to 3:18 (9:54 pace).  MINUS 1:48.  Game changer as expected but the effects were actually not as strong as yesterday.  The moment of truth came after 2 Zinc pills.  Could I hold it or at least not fall off too badly?  Yes.  Lap 3 was 3:23 (10:09 pace).  PLUS 15 or roughly 2.5 percent.  Not enough to be considered significant.  The new formula will be 3 ADHS and 1 Zinc with hopes that it will hold.

Distance-1.0

1/5- Very poor.  1.5 miles in 16:15 (10:50 pace).  Hit the midpoint at 8:06.  Popped an ADHS pill and it made no difference today.  Back half was marginally slower at 8:09.  Not sure what to make of this.  On little more than a hunch, I took some Calcium and now have an insatiable need for it.

Distance-1.5

1/6- Opened the year with Zinc as the must take pill then it was ADHS and now Calcium.  Opened with a 1:46 at Montreat (10:36 pace).  Took Magnesium and it was a non-factor.  Next half lap was 1:48.  Took a Cal and was all the way down to 1:30 (9:00 pace).  I have a feeling that this one won't last long.

Distance-0.5

1/7- AM.  VERY POOR.  1 Mile in 11:24.  First half in 6:02 but did improve to 5:22 on the back half because I took a Cal 

PM- Took 4 more Cal during the day and showed improvement.  2 miles in 20:36 (10:18 pace) with pretty even splits 10:15-10:21.

Distance-3.0

1/8- 2 miles in 20:10 (10:05 pace) after an opener in 1:39 at Montreat.  I am improving but it looks like I need to keep my dosage high.

Distance-2.5

1/9- Planned rest day.  Swim in Panama City in January!

1/10- Elective rest day.  Didn't take Cal and don't feel too bad.  Maybe I am trending down.

1/11- Opener in 3:05 (9:15 pace) without pills.  1 Mile in 10:33 with splits of 5:10-5:23.  Cal must be cut.  I'll go down to 1 pill.

Distance-1.5

13 miles