Canada Trip Revisited

 I have 2 bucket list travel destinations on my radar this year: Newfoundland and Alaska.  The former will complete my Visit all 10 Canadian provinces goal.  What about the territories?  Unlikely to visit any of them, especially not Nunavut.  They are too cold and simply too remote.  Alaska would complete Round 2 of Visit all 50 states and wrap up some unfinished business from the first trip.  I missed out on Denali State Park and the Fjords National Park.

I cannot afford both in the same summer and Canada feels like the better fit for this year.  The fact that the Blue Jays will be home over the 4^th of July sealed the deal.  I have a few changes of plan since the first post on the subject. 

Instead of flying out of Atlanta, I will probably opt for Birmingham.  Either way, I’ll have to get up early, but the Birmingham option requires 3 flights instead of 2 and greater chance of a missed connection.  However, the big advantage is that I can get from Alabama to Newfoundland in one day.  I won’t have to take an overnight layover in Toronto or stay in an Atlanta hotel to catch an early flight.  I’ll get to Newfoundland just before 7 PM local time if everything goes off on schedule.  This will enable 2 nights and one full day.  Even if there is a SNAFU and I don’t make it until the next afternoon, I should still qualify for the strict standard.  All I need is a walking tour of downtown St. John’s and at least one meaningful conversation at a local bar.  The latter will not be a problem and I’m sure that my southern accent will create a buzz.

EDIT: The Blue Jays are home on July 3 and July 4th then they go on the road.  That means I must do Toronto before Newfoundland.  Come to think of it, I like that idea better.  I will only have one connection to Toronto, probably in Atlanta.  I will have to go to Terminal T but that's accessible via the tram.  There is no need for a rental car with the public transportation system in Toronto.  I'll get there just after noon if all goes well.  I want to see the Hockey Hall of Fame, the CN Tower, Waterfront, Nathan Philipps Square and a Blue Jays game.  A day and a half should be enough time.  I can see a night game on 7/3 or a day game on 7/4.  On 7/5, I'll take a morning flight to Newfoundland.        

I initially planned on renting a car in Newfoundland but am currently leaning against it.  Word on the street is that rentals are awfully pricey and with the one-way streets, I will NEED a navigation system.  There is no guarantee that it will be included or even available.  Instead, I’ll take a taxi to my hotel from the airport.  There are plenty of restaurants and bars within walking distance.  The only real disadvantage is that I’ll miss the sunrise at Cape Spear, which is the easternmost point in North America.  Oh well.  There are plenty of scenic spots within walking distance.  I’ll plan on walking tours and possibly a short hike the next morning.  Early July is the best chance to get decent weather but even still, it could be rainy, windy and chilly.   

It seems like the best option is a 3 hour bus tour of the city as well as Cape Spear.  I’ll try to schedule it for the afternoon in case there is a SNAFU the previous day.  I’ll have another night on the town.

Day 5 will be the trip home.  With the holiday, I will only miss 2 days of work barring a SNAFU.  It will be 3 flights.  The first will be to Toronto.  From there, my connection to Birmingham will be whatever is most convenient.  I'd much rather have a delay going home than the alternative.

Training 5/20-5/26

 5/20-AM- I am not going to do better with or without interval testing.  I already know the outcome.  Instead, I will try to stretch out the distance.  Today was a brutal 1.5 miles in 17:15 (11:30 pace).  Good news was a strong negative split (8:46-8:29), which is almost always a sign of improvement on the horizon.  Took 2 Liver pills and certainly would have done better on more.  I'll take 2 more in the afternoon and may be back out 

PM- Lakeshore 2.5 in 25:43 (10:17 pace).  Splits were 12:55-12:48 so the pace was more even.  At any rate, this was MUCH better than this morning.  I would have been over 35 for 5K just 12 hours earlier.  Now, I'm probably under 32.  I predict that I will get down to 27 by the end of the week and will be less dependent on the Liver.  BUT, I will see an intense candida dump and/or adrenal spike.  Then, the cycle repeats itself.

Distance-4.0

5/21- Split decision.  2 miles in 21:12 (10:36 pace) with even splits despite the back half being slightly uphill.  A lot better than yesterday morning but a step backwards from the evening.  I know why too.  I only took 2 Liver.  Mega doses will result in quick gains but I'm leaning towards a more gradual approach this time.  Perhaps the adrenal spike will be less severe.  That's it for today.

PM- Impromptu intervals because I felt a shift this afternoon.  Opened with a 1:54.  Improved to 1:45 on the Liver, which is significant.  Popped a Thym Adren and was down to 1:31.  Added a cool.  These were done at Montreat so even the last one was only a 9:06 pace.  I am faced with a double whammy.  I still need the Liver pills and my adrenals have spiked again.  I predict that I will soon be less dependent on the Liver but the adrenal spike could be stubborn.  

Distance-3.0

5/22- Facing the double whammy, test intervals were the only choice.  Opened with a pitiful 4:16 at Montreat (12:48 pace) but improved to 3:31 (10:33 pace) on 6 Thym Adren.  This was not a surprise.  What I wanted to know was how dependent I still am on the Liver.  I fared no better (3:32) but that was because I took NAC with it.  I was worse on the confirmation dose.  

I figured that I get the Ceruloplasmin from the Liver without the unbound Copper thanks to the NAC.  BAD CALL.  NAC simply depleted Copper too much and a doctor won't help.  I had no apparent trouble with the Curcumin.  I finished that bottle and won't re-order.  I'll have to do this again tomorrow.  Argh!

Distance-1.0

5/23- Opened with 6 Thym-Adren in 3:23 (10:09 pace).  Only slightly better than yesterday.  On 3 Liver pills, I improved to a 3:08 (9:24 pace).  On 6 Liver pills, I improved to a 3:03 (9:09 pace).  Not a significant gain.  Yes, I still need the Liver but that need is beginning to diminish.  The adrenal spike is another matter.  This one is a MONSTER and I don't see it going down any time soon.

PM- Lakeshore 1 mile in 10:25.  Splits were 5:19-5:06 so that's a good sign.  Had to take 3 more Thym Adren this afternoon.  This spike is MURDER 

Distance-2.0

5/24- Step backwards probably because I "only took 6 Thym Adren".  1 mile in 11:10 but did manage another negative split (5:44-5:26).  If I had taken the full 9, I bet I am slightly better than yesterday.

PM- More than slightly better than yesterday.  Improved to 9:08 with splits of 4:38-4:30.  I still say it's RIDICULOUS that 3 pills make THIS MUCH difference.  Perhaps the adrenal spike will die down in a few days.  From now on, I will take the full dose in the morning.  I will try to cut it to 8 then gradually reduce.  However, in the past, it flips overnight.  One day I need at least 6 to function then the next day, I can only tolerate 2-3.

Distance-2.0

Ceruloplasmin and Candida

 Ceruloplasmin is a liver protein responsible for binding and carrying copper throughout the body.  In short, bound copper is good.  Unbound copper is bad.  I believe the Taurine and Glycine were effective in reducing the unbound copper and I now have a Zinc excess.  Zinc and copper must be in a proper ratio.  It's better to be mildly deficient in both than have one normal and one low.  A rheumatologist CANNOT help with this!  

 The new supplement is Liver Beef.  I took in regularly in 2014-15.  Yes, it did raise my low ceruloplasmin level but after just a few months on it, I developed a SUDDEN and SEVERE intolerance.  Just a few specks of it was enough to trigger severe fatigue and sore muscles.  I know now that this was an autoimmune reaction.  That should not happen now with the Cytokine and Lactoferrin.  The new pills will arrive in 2 days.  

It's possible but unconfirmed that the TRS depleted my Ceruloplasmin.  I needed to get those toxins out but the unforeseen consequences have been disastrous.  I believe that the candida was bound to the heavy metals.  Once I detoxed, the candida was free to wreak havoc like never before.  A normal ceruloplasmin level may have prevented this from happening.  ARGH!  

According to Analytical Research Labs, copper is a natural fungicide but it must be bound by Ceruloplasmin to be effective.  Perhaps, this is the final piece of the puzzle to kill off the candida. I predict the usual pattern.  After an initial shock reaction, I will develop an insatiable need.  When that calms down, I could see a candida dump but definitely an adrenal spike.  When that calms down, something else will likely pop up.     

Training 5/13-5/19

 5/13- AM Vestavia Mile in the rain and got about what I expected.  Improved by 51 seconds to a 10:59.  It took a late rally to get under 11 but I will take it.  Splits were 5:31-5:28.

PM- Began feeling better as the day progressed.  Repeated the time trial and did better than expected.  I was banking on a sub-10:30 but improved all the way to a 9:48.  This was done without extra pills.  Well paced again.  Both halves were 4:54 with only a 5-6 second spread.

Distance-2.0

5/14- Repeated it a 3rd time and my time is down to 8:38.  Splits were 2:07-2:12-2:14-2:05.  Still feel awfully overstimulated from the adrenal spike.  Room for much improvement and I am within 68 seconds of a PR

PM- Predicted bad weather so that's it for today.  Again, in a curious finding, I don't feel much immediate effects from the pills but do get better in the afternoon.  Evenings are a little rough and I'm ready for bed early.

Distance-1.0

5/15- Adrenal spike is over and I now must face the ill-effects of the overshot.  It will take a few days to reach equilibrium.  2 miles in 20:48 (10:24 pace) and it was ugly 

Distance-2.0

5/16- DISASTER.  1 MILE in 12:10.  Awful first half, marginally better on Taurine.  Significantly WORSE on Zinc.  WORSER on Curcumin, which I took just to finish the bottle.  I suspect that I am low in Copper and especially Ceruloplasmin.  I suspect that Curcumin depleted Copper.  If that's true, it's not an autoimmune reaction.  A Rheumatologist won't help.

PM- A little better.  Half mile in 5:15 plus a half mile cool.  Colostrum is no longer effective.

Distance-2.0

5/17- Not a big surprise.  I discontinued the Curcumin and the adrenal spike kicked back in.  Only did 1 mile on Lakeshore.  First half in 5:28 with 2 Thym Adren pills but improved to 4:56 on the back half after popping 2 more.  MINUS 64 per mile.  That is definitely enough to be considered significant.  The Liver Beef should arrive tomorrow

PM- Much better as the day progressed.  Improved to 8:21 at Vestavia.  Best time since the adrenal spike by 17 seconds.  Decent splits.  2;02-2:09-2:10-2:00.  Were the Curcumin issues related to the autoimmune condition or the mineral imbalance?  I am about 80 percent sure that it's the latter.  That will be confirmed shortly after the Liver pills arrive.

Distance-2.0

5/18- Hoped to run 4 this morning but settled for 2.5 in a time of 23-flat (9:12 pace).  Power cut off at 1.75 miles and the last half mile was a pitiful 5:02.

PM- Initial reaction to the Liver was sharply negative.  Slipped from 1:37 to 1:53 at Montreat.  PLUS 96.  However, that often means that come tomorrow, I will NEED IT!

UPDATE:  It's still evening and just 6 hours later.  The script has already flipped.  I NEED the Liver.  Good news is that the Curcumin is tolerated again.  The bad reaction to it was NOT an autoimmune issue and a doctor WON'T HELP!  I only have 8 of those pills left.  I'll finish the bottle and be done with it.  The big question is whether or not the bound copper will kill off the candida once and for all?

Distance-3.0

5/19- 4x400 at Vestavia.  Opened with 2 Thym Adren in 3:21 (13:24 pace).  Popped 2 more and was only slightly better at 3:17 (13:08 pace).  The need for Liver cut off the adrenal spike for the time being.

On 2 Liver pills, I was all the way down to 2:35 (10:20 pace) then another pill got it down to 2:13 (8:52 pace).  That's a MASSIVE gap.  It will close starting tomorrow.

Distance-1.0

Training 5/6-5/12

 5/6- AM Thinking about a 5K race on Mother's Day but I am too unstable.  Vestavia Mile in 7:53.  Not a collapse but certainly a disappointment.  If I had gone longer, it would have been a disaster.  Started tying up around 600 but still passed halfway right on schedule at 3:43.  Died in lap 3 then was no better on the final go round.  Added a cool.  Probably caffeine withdrawal and I just have to deal with it for a few days.  Most likely, that's it for today.

PM- It was indeed caffeine withdrawal.  The morning at work was brutal but it did get better by afternoon.  Adrenal spike hit by the evening but extra Thym-Adren improved things.  Did a half mile worth of intervals with the expected results.  Significantly better with each pill.  If I do the same thing tomorrow, it won't work.

Distance-2.0

5/7- Unplanned rest day.  Intolerant to Glycine.

5/8- AM- 1 mile in 10:15 at Montreat with a slight negative split.  By the afternoon, it was apparent that I NEED Glycine.  Flip flop flip.

PM- Vestavia Mile in 11:35 with splits of 5:24-6:11.  OUCH!  

Began feeling better after dinner so I tried an impromptu Mile at Montreat.  Improved to 9:43 with splits of 5:01-4:42.  I know the pattern.  Extreme need for Glycine will fade but I could see an adrenal spike or candida dump 

Distance-3.0

5/9- Adrenal spike did hit last night but it was over by noon today.  2 miles on Lakeshore in 19:03 (9:31 pace).  Sub-60 pace for 10K with a negative split (9:38-9:25).  In THEORY, I am in the clear.

Distance-2.0

5/10- Repeated the 2 mile distance on Lakeshore and my time is down to 18:10 (9:05 pace) with splits of 9:08-9:02.  Solid improvement over yesterday.  I might try for the sub-60 tomorrow.  Today's pace was over 30 seconds faster than the target and felt sustainable.  

Distance-2.0

5/11- FAIL.  I knew before I started.  Didn't even last a half mile and the pace was over 10 just 200 meters in.  This feels like an adrenal spike and a pill confirmed it.

PM- Opened with a 3:53 lap at Montreat (11;39 pace) and 2 Thym Adren pills got it down to 3:26 (10:18 pace). MINUS 81.  This spike will not go down easily.  I don't think it will last 20 days but it could last 10-14.

Distance-1.0

5/12- Full mile at Vestavia in 11:50.  Splits were 5:48-6:02.  Did more intervals in the afternoon.  This adrenal spike won't go down so easily but I will see steady improvement next week.

Distance-2.0

RANT: Autoimmune Treatment Options

Let’s start out with discussing what episodes an autoimmune prescription would NOT help.  Chief among them are candida dumps, adrenal spikes and subsequent overshots.  As stated earlier, I had debilitating abdominal pain with zero energy or appetite on my 2^nd full day in New York City.  An autoimmune prescription would do absolutely nothing for that.  I still would have been laid up for half a day and would not recover my strength for at least 3 days.  Symptoms were due to a candida dump, not an inflammatory autoimmune reaction. 

Shortly after solving a major problem, my adrenals tend to spike, which necessitates a temporary increase in my Thym-Adren dosage.  Lately, these episodes only last a day or so.  I will experience symptoms if I don’t take enough pills during the spike and autoimmune treatments won’t help.  By the same token, if I continue to take mega doses after the spike goes down, I will be stiff and sluggish.  Again, autoimmune treatment won’t help.  It’s an adrenal imbalance.  In the same way, heart medication won’t help a cancer patient.  It’s just common sense.

Now, here’s where I could have benefited from autoimmune treatment:

-1. Inexplicable reactions to Candida treatments such as Probiotics or Apple Cider Vinegar and having to take Probiotics and Taurine together.  Either one without the other is a NO. 

-2. Inexplicable reactions to a B-Vitamin complex in which stand alone testing revealed just 2 specific vitamins that were the culprit. 

-3 . Intolerance to Magnesium Malate or even foods such as strawberries that contain Malic acid when taking Glycine products.

-4. Intolerance to Thym-Adren or other adrenal support because the ratio of Zinc/Copper is less than ideal for me. 

-5. Intolerance to Magnesium when consuming dairy products. 

-6. Intolerance to Taurine, which is necessary to resolve other issues that will be discussed later.   

Cases 1 and 2:

Cured with Cytokine suppressants and Lactoferrin.  I’ll have to look back but there was one B-Vitamin that I can’t tolerate without the Cytokine suppressants and one that I could not tolerate without Lactoferrin.  However, as long as I take both products at least semi-regularly, PROBLEM SOLVED!  If I had relied on a prescription drug, I may get relief from the symptoms, but my Cytokines would have remained elevated.  Who knows what problems that can cause?

Case 3:

Cured with Intrinsic Factor and B-12.  It should be obvious that something is badly wrong with my immune system if simply eating a couple of strawberries triggers an inflammatory response.  Again, if I had used a prescription, that reaction would likely have been reduced or eliminated but I would have remained deficient in B-12 and Intrinsic Factor, which is referred to as Pernicious Anemia.  I did test myself for that out of pocket and my results came back borderline.  Without treatment, it surely would have been flagged. 

 

Cases 4 and 5:

Manageable with Taurine, which helps with mineral transport into the cells.  Like case 3, case 5 was scary but such reactions can probably be avoided by eliminating dairy from my diet or possibly reducing the Magnesium.  With Case 4, I NEED adrenal support!  Without it, I am screwed.  No other way to put it.  Being unable to tolerate a treatment that I need because of autoimmune issues is the ultimate in cruelty.  The jury is still out as whether or not Taurine will be completely effective.  I would certainly prefer that to the alternative, in which mineral transport issues remain unresolved. 

Case 6:

Intolerance to Taurine would be double cruelty.  Fortunately, Colostrum has prevented any reactions to Taurine.  I’m still not entirely sure how it works but it does.  Since it also contains Lactoferrin, I may no longer need that pill.  Time will tell.  It would be nice to take fewer pills but it’s not a big deal.

 

Now, if I do have to see the Rheumatologist, what treatments would they prescribe?

A conservative treatment would be an NSAID such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen.  I recently popped 2 Tylenol pills during one of my worst flare ups.  My pace improved by 36 seconds per mile.  I’d classify that as enough to be considered significant but not enough to be a game changer.  Prescription Ibuprofen would likely be more effective but probably not enough.

 My “BARE minimum standard for racing is a 60:00 10K (6.2 miles @ 9:39 pace).  If relatively healthy, I have no doubt that I can achieve that standard on a volume as low as 15 MPW.  On my worst days, I cannot even run 1 mile in 12 minutes.  Can Ibuprofen really take me all the way to the standard?  I doubt it.  If I do go this route, the autoimmune reactions will still happen, and the underlying causes will be unresolved but at least the symptoms will be less severe.  If this is not effective enough, corticosteroid treatment such as Prednisone could be considered.  I’d REALLY PREFER TO AVOID THAT ROUTE!  It can mess with adrenal balance and cause emotional outbursts as well.  In my line of work, that will not be tolerated. 

Immunosuppressants:

Needless to say, I’d prefer not to go down this road either.  Though my symptoms may be reduced, it will cause problems that others say are “worse than the disease itself.”  During the worst of COVID, I went more than 2 years without getting so much as a common cold.  For the record, I am proudly unvacksinated.  For obvious reasons, if I react badly to a strawberry or a glass of milk, what could an mRNA jab do to me?  I don’t want to know.  On this treatment, I can expect to be down with serious infections multiple times every year, which will be more difficult to treat.  A simple course of antibiotics may not be enough.  There may be other side effects too.  It could alter the adrenal balance and worsen the candida infection.  I’ve heard these drugs can also cause severe dental issues and even tooth loss.  Obviously, I want to do everything in my power to avoid that.  If you’ve seen my smile, you know why.   

DMARDS:

Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs are probably my best bet to be effective.  Again, they work by weakening your immune system, so the side effects will be similar to what was described above.  If I go this route without addressing the underlying causes, my symptoms will likely be reduced but I will still have the following issues:

Elevated cytokines, Pernicious Anemia and Mineral imbalances.  Now, throw in reduced ability to fight off infections and possibly more.  If at all possible, I want to avoid this scenario. 

Training 4/29-5/5

 4/29- AM- Aimed for 2 miles on Lakeshore but had to settle for 1 in 11:22.  Culprit was an adrenal spike and I did expect it to happen.  I think I made the right call not messing with the NAC.  I think the Candida dump has run its course.  

PM- The adrenal spike was quick and I may not have even noticed if not for the run.  In any event, I did overshoot but the recovery has already begun.  Did 1 mile at Montreat this time and improved bigly.  Finished in 8:50 with a solid finish (4:31-4:19).  I expect to be not horrible tomorrow.

Distance-2.0

4/30- Step backwards but not overly concerned.  1.5 miles in 15:35 (10:23 pace).  Even splits but no power.  Probably caffeine withdrawal and nothing more than that.

Distance-1.5

5/1- Experiment with fewer pills is over.  I know that I need the Lactoferrin.  The amount in the Colostrum is not enough.  I probably need the Magnesium but I may be able to reduce it if I limit sugar and don't take Cal.  The Probiotics are probably NOT needed.  

Distance-1.0

5/2- More experiments.  Even with the Taurine, the Zinc/Copper ratio is off.  That's okay.  I should be a little off when my pills are out of whack.  A complete collapse should not happen.  I was weakened by a Mountain Dew but bounced back thanks to Magnesium.  I was also weakened by extra Zinc but bounced back thanks to extra Thym-Adren.

Distance-2.0

5/3-AM- Lakeshore 1 mile in 10:07.  Passed half in 5:21 but improved to 4:46 on extra Thym-Adren.  Still feel off.  Tried extra Colostrum when I got home and improved bigly.  Popped 2 of those and improved from a 1:37 to a 1:16.  (MINUS 2:06 per mile).

PM- Weakened again by caffeine even though it was sugar free.  This time, Colostrum did little good.  Splits were 3:18-3:14, just a hair faster than 10:00 pace and not significantly better than the morning.

Distance-2.0

5/4- Realized that the problem was lack of Glycine and was MUCH better today.  Vestavia Mile in 7:50, within shouting distance of my PR of 7:30.  This one was very well paced.  Splits were 1:57-1:59-2:00-1:54.  Caffeine did not hurt me this time.

Distance-1.5

5/5- North Lakeshore 5K in 27:03 (PR). Pace per mile of 8:41.  Splits were 13:20-13:43.  Tied up pretty badly in the last half mile but I am still very pleased with this.  Added a long cool down.

Distance-4.0

14 miles on the week.  Best time of the year in 2024 is better than last year at 3 out of 4 distances.

Candida Dump and Taurine

 Well, as luck would have it, right in the middle of my NYC trip, I got SLAMMED by a Candida dump.  I was rudely awakened at 2 AM by crippling abdominal pain and weakness.  I could not go to the bathroom or fall back asleep.  Fortunately, the duration and severity were less than the 2 previous dumps.  I was only laid up a half a day and had no fever.  By the evening, I wasn’t feeling good by any stretch, but I was well enough to go out and do some sightseeing.  The next day, I was slightly better but still in no condition to run.  I did do a full day of touring in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Jersey City and covered significant distance on my walks.   In the past, the quick fix solution was large doses of NAC to assist the Liver with Candida detox.  I’m going to try a different approach this time around.  I’ll let the detox run its course without the NAC. 

The last two times, too much NAC did result in quick gains but a sudden reversal because of excess Sulfur in the NAC.  That forced me on an anti-Sulfur product called CBS/NOS.  Molybdenum was also effective.  Again, it proved to be only temporary as the pendulum swung too far in the opposite direction.  Eventually, I reached an equilibrium in which neither was very effective but at least both were tolerated.  That was followed by an adrenal spike. 

Perhaps if I don’t mess with the NAC, I won’t see the wild swings and reversals.  I did do an interval test yesterday and it was UGLY.  Good news was that the Taurine was a non-factor.  I was faster by a fraction of a second with it versus without it.  I will try to go without it and hope the amount in Colostrum is sufficient.  The Colostrum remains both necessary and effective even after the Candida dump so that’s what I am going to use.  Unfortunately, I do see another adrenal spike in my future, but I should not have issues with the Thym-Adren.  If I overshoot, I’ll only have one or two rough days. 

UPDATE:

New episode this weekend.  I got the idea to add a little more milk to my diet, which had been lacking in recent years.  I had a McDonald's milkshake for dinner on Friday and felt no discernable issues.  However, after taking my usual Magnesium before bed, my legs felt like they'd been hit by a truck.  I tried to run on Saturday morning and could not hold a 12-minute pace.  

I drank a bottle of chocolate milk shortly thereafter and felt MUCH WORSE!  Additional Magnesium made it WORSER!  The only thing that I had in my cabinet that mitigated some of the damage was Taurine.  That answers all the questions.  Do I need the Taurine even though it is an ingredient in Colostrum?  DEFINITELY YES!  I need to lay off the Probiotics and I will even take a break from the Magnesium for a few weeks to see what happens.  I actually ran my best WITH a Magnesium deficiency!  That said, being deficient did cause other issues such as allergies and numbness.  

NYC Trip Report

 I had to get away and go somewhere this weekend.  I would have preferred Arizona but the D'Backs were on the road and I had already been to Colorado this year.  How about a different part of the country?  I considered Chicago but felt that would work best as a summer destination and my last visit there was the same time of year back in 2019.  All things considered, I opted for New York and it was probably the best choice. This was my second full NYC trip though I did make a couple of one day stops from New Jersey and Connecticut so I know my way around pretty well.

Airport and Lodging:

LaGuardia, JFK or Newark?  Since I was flying out of Birmingham, LaGuardia is clearly the best choice.  It's the only one that offers a direct flight and it's surprisingly affordable too.  The best place to stay depends on your plans but in a way, it's not terribly important.  In almost any location, you will have access to a subway station within a half mile of your hotel.  The price may be high but that is offset by the lack of a rental car expense.  I opted to stay in a section of Queens called Long Island City near the Queensboro Bridge just across the river from Manhattan.  Not a bad call.  It offered a more authentic experience away from the touristy areas but I wouldn't recommend it in the summer if you want to go to the beaches as it is a long way from Coney Island and Rockaway.    

4/19- No issues on the flight.  Landed on schedule around 5:20 local time.  I planned on a taxi to my hotel but found a bus that took me directly to a subway station and it was a short walk from there.  I had a steak dinner at my hotel's rooftop bar then returned for a after dinner drink.  In between, I took a ride to Gantry Plaza park and caught some good night skyline shots despite a bit of fog.  

4/20- Slept in a bit then hit the subway to Manhattan and the southern part of Central Park.  I was hoping to see some cherry blossoms but feared that they would be past their peak.  Not so.  It was probably the perfect time for that.  I imagine it would be beautiful in the Fall as well with the foliage. 

 By late morning, I headed north to Yankee Stadium to see a game against the Rays.  Yankees lost 2-0 and it wasn't a real exciting game but I still enjoyed being there.  It was back south to see the northern part of Central Park, which offered more cherry trees and a view of the reservoir.

  My final stop of the day was Edge Tower in Hudson Yards, which I timed perfectly.  My ticket was just before sunset, so I got to see both day and night views of the city from high above.  

4/21- NOT a good day!  I woke up at 2 AM with TERRIBLE stomach pains.  I could not go to the bathroom or get back to sleep.  I was reduced to laying in bed until 10:30 but did drag myself to Flushing for the Mets stadium tour, which counts as ballpark #16.  I got to see a lot of suites along with batting cages, dining areas and the clubhouse.  The real highlight was being allowed to sit in the dugout.  Cool. 

 I was exhausted when the tour was over and crashed in bed.  I was out cold for the next 2 hours then just rested until about 5:30 PM.  The plan was to take a sunset walk on the beach at Coney Island but that was foiled by subway maintenance issues.  I had to make repeated transfers, which took me in the wrong direction and it was already dark by the time I arrived.  Rats!  Good news was that I was starting to feel better and expected to be able to handle a full day of sightseeing tomorrow. 

4/22- Started off at Wall Street and Lower Manhattan then took a PATH train to Jersey City for perhaps the best views of Manhattan and definitely the best shot of the Statue of Liberty.  I considered Connecticut but I think New Jersey was the right call.  For the 50 staters, though I was only in New Jersey for about an hour, it counts as an official visit under the strict standard because I saw a legitimate tourist attraction.  

Next, it was the One World Observatory at the top of the World Trade Center.  I had been here 7 years ago but my pictures didn't turn out great and it was worth seeing again.  It was almost lunch time now and I traveled to Brooklyn for pizza in DUMBO (Downtown Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass).

  I took a walk down Flatbush then turned around and walked back halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge towards Manhattan.  I relaxed in my room for a bit then went back out to explore Manhattan.  I enjoyed a walking tour of Chinatown and Little Italy then hit the rooftop bar at 230 5th for some cool night shots of the Empire State Building.  Stomach was still a bit jacked up so I settled for bar food for dinner.  An excellent day.    

4/23- Nothing major to report today.  This time I opted for a cab to the airport because I didn't want to risk a SNAFU with a bus transfer.  No issues on the flight back.  

Final thought:

A good but not an all-time great trip.  There are a number of factors beyond your control that can shape your experience.  In this case, the weather wasn't great until 4/22 and the stomach issues were no fun, but I still enjoyed it overall.  I probably won't be back for a while, but I could see myself visiting in the Fall in maybe 5-10 years.    

Training 4/15-4/21

 4/15-  Good news and bad news and it is exactly what I expected.  Taurine is tolerated once again thanks to Colostrum.  I was actually slightly better with than without.  I now have an insatiable need for Colostrum.  1 pill brought me from a 1:39 to a 1:25 but a few hours later, I needed more just to function.  No evening workout.

Distance-0.5

4/16- Coaxed 1.5 at Lakeshore in 17:41 (11:47 pace).  This is what I expected.  I should be a lot better by the weekend but I expect new problems after that.  Candida dump and/or adrenal spike.  Pace was pretty even.  Do I still need the Probiotics or the CBS/NOS?  I'll find out soon.

PM- Probiotics did arrive today.  Maybe they can stop the Taurine sensitivity but they are not as effective as the Colostrum.  Probiotics did little to relieve the need for Colostrum.  Did 1 mile worth of intervals using Colostrum.  Overall time was 10:26 with splits of 3:53-3:27-3:06.  Taking extra Probiotics afterwards did nothing.  I'm going with Colostrum.  I predict that the CBS/NOS will be ineffective.

Distance-2.5

4/17- 2 miles on Lakeshore in 20:52 (10:26 pace).  Big improvement over yesterday.  I'll take it.  Part of me was hoping to see a 9:xx pace but it's probably better that I am improving more gradually.  Feels more stable.  Strong negative split (10:40-10:12) without really trying to pick it up.  

Distance-2.0

4/18- COLLAPSE!  I knew it before I started but coaxed 1 mile in 12:45.  The culprit was Taurine. Colostrum helped but it wasn't enough.  This raises more questions.  

Is it just Taurine that I can't tolerate or is it all Sulfur containing amino acids?

Can I handle occasional Taurine to prevent mineral sensitivity?   Did this happen because I drank an energy drink yesterday?

Do I still need the Taurine after starting the Colostrum?

PM- interesting findings.  Opened with a 3:23 lap at Montreat after taking Colostrum during the day.  Some of the damage was mitigated but not nearly enough.  Half lap intervals after that.  

1:39 on NAC- That stuff is loaded with Sulfur and it was tolerated.  I was actually slightly better.  That tells me that Taurine is the problem, NOT Sulfur.  

1:37 on Curcumin- Not enough to be considered significant.  I'll probably finish the bottle and be done with it.  It was once effective against Candida but it's now a non-factor.

1:37 on CBS NOS- As expected, a non-factor.  I knew it when the NAC was tolerated.

1:26 on Colostrum- that IS SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER.  

Distance-2.0

Colostrum is my best chance.  I can only hope that I won't have to mess with Taurine.  I've read that Colostrum contains both Taurine and Lactoferrin so that may be my best option for autoimmune issues.

4/19- Only 1 mile this time at Montreat.  Improved to 10:20, which is a LOT better than yesterday's 12:45 but I can't say that I am pleased.  Even pace but very sluggish.

Distance-1.0

4/20- Junk run in NYC

Distance-1.0

4/21- Unplanned rest day.  Candida dump

-9 miles