They say that hair test is predictive of future health but it seems to me like if I've been doing well for 2-3 months, I'll get a good report but if I'm struggling, I'll get a bad report.
The raw numbers:
-Calcium- up from 27-30 (good)
-Magnesium- up from 2-3 (good)
-Sodium- up from 30-85 (VERY BAD)
-Potassium- up from 10-31 (VERY BAD)
Other key minerals:
-Iron remains low but that's common for fast oxidizers and no cause for concern
-Zinc, copper, manganese and phosphorus are all within the normal range.
-Chromium is a bit low but not enough to be concern
-Selenium is deficient (26% of ideal).
Key ratios and comments:
Ca/Mg- 30/3= 10.00- Improvement over the 27/2 (13.50) from last time. I'm no longer trending diabetic and am just outside of the normal range. Pleased with this one.
Na/K- 85/31=2.74- Essentially the same as my 3.0 ratio from last time. A slight drop but nothing to worry about as long as it stays above 2.50. My worst fear coming in was that I had adrenal fatigue, in which case, I would never be competitive again. This test confirms otherwise. Good news.
Ca/P- 30/15= 2.00- Slight sympathetic dominance but not extreme and nothing to worry about.
Zn/Cu- 15/1.6= 9.39- Good last time and good this time as well.
Now the BAD stuff:
Ca/K= 30/31= 0.97- Severe imbalance. Thyroid is 4x faster than ideal. It was almost normal last time.
Na/Mg= 85/3= 28.33- Severe imbalance. Adrenals are 6x faster than ideal compared with only 3x faster last time.
Overall comments:
The biggest change in my treatment plan was the addition of magnesium. It was clearly not the answer and the damage would have been less severe if I had been able to recognize it sooner. I did read that it can raise Na and K levels but it was still a net gain if the ratio dropped below 15. I believed that taking Thym-Adren would counteract that rise and possibly drop Na below 25 while raising the Mg above 6. In the end, Mg came up by only 1 point while Na jumped by 55 and K lept by 21. I never thought it would be that bad. I blame this on my awful showing in St. Louis.
Why was I forced off the Thym-Adren and why did I experience slow oxidation symptoms?
Given those last 2 ratios, I should be badly over-stimulated and have crippling anxiety. Instead, I felt lethargic and depressed. Why? I believe that the answer is the selenium deficiency, which is connected to thyroid hormones. I picked up some at the health food store and as expected, the over-stimulation kicked in hard after popping a couple of selenium pills. Going back to the Thym-Adren helps, as it should according to the results. A simple mineral deficiency really can cause that much problems! IT SUCKS but at least it is an easy fix.
What did I do right?
It was a very good call to get this test done when I did even though I was not due for almost another month. Otherwise, there is no way that I could have learned about the selenium issue. Treating the symptoms included taking thyroid and adrenal glandulars and did provide a bit of a temporary boost, which allowed for a decent performance in Pensacola. However, if I had relied on it as a long-term solution, I would have gotten even further out of balance (Na over 100). Attempting to train when that far out of whack almost certainly leads to injury. This result demonstrates precisely the need to stay on top of your treatment and to re-test frequently especially after major shifts. I've been called "obsessive" about this and been accused of "trying too hard." I have no choice!
Going forward:
Does selenium have any impact on magnesium or vice-versa? I don't know the answer to that and will have to ask the doctor. I can safely continue training, which is the only good news. I am not real optimistic going forward. I just cannot plug all of the leaks. When I solve one problem, another springs up and I have little hope that anything will change at least in the short-term.
The key is the Thym-Adren. If I am able to take it, I've shown before that the Na and K will come down nicely and quickly as well. What to do if the low magnesium issue flares up again? Take it only for a few days on an as needed basis or simply take it 1-2x per week for preventative maintenance. I will continue to serve the Lord but my heart is just not into writing devotionals with a focus on healing and I hope y'all can understand why I feel this way.
THIS SUCKS!
Friday, May 17, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
NFL draft and backup quarterbacks
Pretty interesting draft overall. Several players that were certain to be top picks just a year ago fell to anywhere between Round 2 and 4. I looked up a few standout college stars from several years back and very few were good enough to stick in the NFL. Again, that underscores my point on an earlier post about how difficult it is to be a pro athlete (1 in 16K) and even if you "make it," you still have to beat the odds to stick around long enough to retire comfortably. Just a few quick comments and predictions specifically at QB:
E.J Manuel- probably a reach at mid-1st round. May be a successful starter but unlikely to be a savior for a franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs since '99
Geno Smith- Put up huge numbers at WVU but struggled to win games at times. Very questionable. The fact that he wants thug rapper Jay-Z as his agent doesn't say much for his character. I predict a flop but I've been wrong before.
Matt Barkley- fell to Round 4 and I am really pulling for him to unseat Vick in Philly. Also a devout Christian who has done missionary work.
Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib- both going to teams with entrenched starters. Should be quality backups for now and may get a shot to start down the road.
If you are a former starter that had moderate success for a few years, you may have to settle for backup duty by the time you are about 30 years old. 2 options exist. You could try to get a job with a losing team and hope to get another chance to start but the catch is that with diminishing skills and a lack of talent surrounding you, success is not likely and you could be out of the league soon. On a side note, I believe that Tim Couch and David Carr could have been decent QBs with a better supporting cast. A second option is to join a perennial contender and concede a chance to start. With talent surrounding you on the OL and at the skill positions, you could play well in the few chances that you do get to play and extend your career by another 5-7 years. Charlie Batch is one case that was not good enough to win for Detroit but was more than capable as a backup in Pittsburgh. These guys can make $1.5-2 million per year. Not a bad gig.
Now I must address the Tim Tebow situation:
Even those who don't like him as a football player will say that it is a disgrace that he was mishandled so badly in New York. As of now, the New York Jets are my least favorite team in all of professional sports. I am a huge fan of Tebow both as a person and football player but am not so blind that I ignore his shortcomings. I will concede that most NFL teams would be ill-advised to bench their current starter in favor of Tebow. However, his critics make it out like he's the worst quarterback ever to play the game. Sure, he needs to improve his accuracy but those who point to his low completion rate (48%) ignore that he was among the leaders in yards per completion and lowest interceptions thrown. I for one would rather have a 50% completion guy with a 2/1 TD/INT ratio and a dual threat than a "traditional" QB with a 60% comp. with more INTs than TDs. Lots of quarterbacks struggle early in their careers (Eli Manning, Steve Young, etc) and there are several QBs with worse overall numbers (Gabbert, Tannehill, Weeden, Sanchez) that are getting another chance to start.
You don't want Tebow as a starter? I understand that but do you mean to tell me that he's not better than veteran retreads like Gradkowski, Brady Quinn, Skelton and Ryan Lindley? All of these guys have QB ratings south of 65.0 compared to Tebow's 75.3. The most telling stat is that Denver went 4-14 with Kyle Orton in 2010-11 and 8-5 with Tebow. Several posters have said that he "throws like a girl" and others have called him phony and even arrogant because of his prayers on the field. Some don't want to deal with the media "circus." Tebow always goes out of his way to thank his coaches, teammates and fans. The media needs to quit following his every move. Can someone please explain how saying "God bless" is offensive and giving glory to God shows arrogance? I always thought it was just the opposite. Tebow has beaten the odds since his birth and he can do it again if an entire organization believes in him and allows him to shine.
E.J Manuel- probably a reach at mid-1st round. May be a successful starter but unlikely to be a savior for a franchise that hasn't been to the playoffs since '99
Geno Smith- Put up huge numbers at WVU but struggled to win games at times. Very questionable. The fact that he wants thug rapper Jay-Z as his agent doesn't say much for his character. I predict a flop but I've been wrong before.
Matt Barkley- fell to Round 4 and I am really pulling for him to unseat Vick in Philly. Also a devout Christian who has done missionary work.
Landry Jones and Ryan Nassib- both going to teams with entrenched starters. Should be quality backups for now and may get a shot to start down the road.
If you are a former starter that had moderate success for a few years, you may have to settle for backup duty by the time you are about 30 years old. 2 options exist. You could try to get a job with a losing team and hope to get another chance to start but the catch is that with diminishing skills and a lack of talent surrounding you, success is not likely and you could be out of the league soon. On a side note, I believe that Tim Couch and David Carr could have been decent QBs with a better supporting cast. A second option is to join a perennial contender and concede a chance to start. With talent surrounding you on the OL and at the skill positions, you could play well in the few chances that you do get to play and extend your career by another 5-7 years. Charlie Batch is one case that was not good enough to win for Detroit but was more than capable as a backup in Pittsburgh. These guys can make $1.5-2 million per year. Not a bad gig.
Now I must address the Tim Tebow situation:
Even those who don't like him as a football player will say that it is a disgrace that he was mishandled so badly in New York. As of now, the New York Jets are my least favorite team in all of professional sports. I am a huge fan of Tebow both as a person and football player but am not so blind that I ignore his shortcomings. I will concede that most NFL teams would be ill-advised to bench their current starter in favor of Tebow. However, his critics make it out like he's the worst quarterback ever to play the game. Sure, he needs to improve his accuracy but those who point to his low completion rate (48%) ignore that he was among the leaders in yards per completion and lowest interceptions thrown. I for one would rather have a 50% completion guy with a 2/1 TD/INT ratio and a dual threat than a "traditional" QB with a 60% comp. with more INTs than TDs. Lots of quarterbacks struggle early in their careers (Eli Manning, Steve Young, etc) and there are several QBs with worse overall numbers (Gabbert, Tannehill, Weeden, Sanchez) that are getting another chance to start.
You don't want Tebow as a starter? I understand that but do you mean to tell me that he's not better than veteran retreads like Gradkowski, Brady Quinn, Skelton and Ryan Lindley? All of these guys have QB ratings south of 65.0 compared to Tebow's 75.3. The most telling stat is that Denver went 4-14 with Kyle Orton in 2010-11 and 8-5 with Tebow. Several posters have said that he "throws like a girl" and others have called him phony and even arrogant because of his prayers on the field. Some don't want to deal with the media "circus." Tebow always goes out of his way to thank his coaches, teammates and fans. The media needs to quit following his every move. Can someone please explain how saying "God bless" is offensive and giving glory to God shows arrogance? I always thought it was just the opposite. Tebow has beaten the odds since his birth and he can do it again if an entire organization believes in him and allows him to shine.
Training 5/13-5/19
5/13- MUCH better. Lakeshore 5 on a picture perfect day. Moderate effort and finished with a time of 36:16 (7:15 pace). That's GMP but I still had to put forth far too much effort to run this. Still no Endodren. Tomorrow for sure. In the meantime, my best option is clearly the Thyroid caps.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/14- ANGRY! No Endodren yet again. I'm calling them tomorrow. No improvement over yesterday. Lakeshore 5 again in 36-flat (7:12 pace) running almost all out. This was a planned tempo so it's judged harshly. The medical report is on the way and could arrive as soon as Thursday. If it's a full scale relapse, I'm done as a serious runner.
Grade:B-/1 credits/distance=5.5
5/15- Go figure. I took no Thyroid caps this morning and felt the same as usual. Workout was a carbon copy of the last 2 days. Trak Shak 5 in 36:10 (7:14 pace). Pretty even splits too. This one was not intended to be hard so the grading is easier. The Endodren has arrived this evening. What I want to see is a gradual but steady improvement, not a 1 day cure. Medical report could arrive tomorrow but most likely I am looking at a Friday arrival. I'm hoping for slow oxidation with no adrenal fatigue.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
Update: Took the Endodren and there is no immediate negative reaction. Can't say if it's positive yet.
5/16- Endodren worked just like it should have. Jittery in the morning but increased energy for the workout. 5 mile tempo indoors in a solid 33:50 (6:46 pace). 1st half: 16:47, 2nd half: 17:03.
Got home to find bad news. The medical report is not good. My worst fear was adrenal fatigue, which has NOT happened. Blood sugar also improved. Thyroid and adrenals are VERY overactive again. Why do I have slow oxidation symptoms? I have one idea but I'm calling the doctor tomorrow. Endodren did work well today but it's not the answer long-term. More details to come tomorrow.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=5.0
5/17- AM- Planned rest day but I will likely do a junk run in the evening as a test. The only idea that I have is a selenium deficiency that was revealed on the hair test. My value was 26% of ideal and selenium is connected with thyroid function. I'm going to the health food store at lunch to pick up a bottle in hopes that the over-stimulation will kick in hard and I'll be back to the Thym-Adren. If it does not, I must take a break from running but will probably train through to Peachtree.
PM- Good news, the over-stimulation did kick in hard shortly after taking the Selenium pills. I took 5 Thym-Adren pills after that and it helped. Workout was a 2 mile junk run indoors in a time of 15:44 (7:52 pace) with a slight negative split (7:56-7:48). I will do continued research on selenium deficiency.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=2.0
5/18- AM Over-stimulation was significant this morning. I believe that I have a copper induced Vitamin E deficiency. E is needed to produce selenium and I hope that going forward, it will be all that I need. Tried a half of magnesium and felt the return of the blahs. I have no idea what to make of that. The workout was a lame 4 miler indoors in a time of 31:55 (7:59 pace). Pace was steady at 8 give or take for the first 3 miles then faded and really had to increase the effort to get a sub-8 overall.
PM- Naked 2 mile on Wisteria and felt HORRIBLE after taking magnesium. I'm going off the Paramin at least for a while. Mg is poison to me and I have no idea why.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0
5/14- ANGRY! No Endodren yet again. I'm calling them tomorrow. No improvement over yesterday. Lakeshore 5 again in 36-flat (7:12 pace) running almost all out. This was a planned tempo so it's judged harshly. The medical report is on the way and could arrive as soon as Thursday. If it's a full scale relapse, I'm done as a serious runner.
Grade:B-/1 credits/distance=5.5
5/15- Go figure. I took no Thyroid caps this morning and felt the same as usual. Workout was a carbon copy of the last 2 days. Trak Shak 5 in 36:10 (7:14 pace). Pretty even splits too. This one was not intended to be hard so the grading is easier. The Endodren has arrived this evening. What I want to see is a gradual but steady improvement, not a 1 day cure. Medical report could arrive tomorrow but most likely I am looking at a Friday arrival. I'm hoping for slow oxidation with no adrenal fatigue.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.5
Update: Took the Endodren and there is no immediate negative reaction. Can't say if it's positive yet.
5/16- Endodren worked just like it should have. Jittery in the morning but increased energy for the workout. 5 mile tempo indoors in a solid 33:50 (6:46 pace). 1st half: 16:47, 2nd half: 17:03.
Got home to find bad news. The medical report is not good. My worst fear was adrenal fatigue, which has NOT happened. Blood sugar also improved. Thyroid and adrenals are VERY overactive again. Why do I have slow oxidation symptoms? I have one idea but I'm calling the doctor tomorrow. Endodren did work well today but it's not the answer long-term. More details to come tomorrow.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=5.0
5/17- AM- Planned rest day but I will likely do a junk run in the evening as a test. The only idea that I have is a selenium deficiency that was revealed on the hair test. My value was 26% of ideal and selenium is connected with thyroid function. I'm going to the health food store at lunch to pick up a bottle in hopes that the over-stimulation will kick in hard and I'll be back to the Thym-Adren. If it does not, I must take a break from running but will probably train through to Peachtree.
PM- Good news, the over-stimulation did kick in hard shortly after taking the Selenium pills. I took 5 Thym-Adren pills after that and it helped. Workout was a 2 mile junk run indoors in a time of 15:44 (7:52 pace) with a slight negative split (7:56-7:48). I will do continued research on selenium deficiency.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=2.0
5/18- AM Over-stimulation was significant this morning. I believe that I have a copper induced Vitamin E deficiency. E is needed to produce selenium and I hope that going forward, it will be all that I need. Tried a half of magnesium and felt the return of the blahs. I have no idea what to make of that. The workout was a lame 4 miler indoors in a time of 31:55 (7:59 pace). Pace was steady at 8 give or take for the first 3 miles then faded and really had to increase the effort to get a sub-8 overall.
PM- Naked 2 mile on Wisteria and felt HORRIBLE after taking magnesium. I'm going off the Paramin at least for a while. Mg is poison to me and I have no idea why.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=6.0
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Expectations for the next medical report
I have been attacked personally because I openly disagree with the prevailing wisdom that more mileage is always better but nobody has questioned my determination.
A common question is as follows: How can you pick yourself up time and time again?
Answer: When I am symptom free after I've been hurting for so long, it's about as close to pure bliss as I've felt in this life. Just one day in which I am neither anxious and short of breath nor lethargic/depressed and have pure natural energy flowing through my body feels so good that it's hard to put into words. I've been there before and I am willing to try just about anything to get back there and maybe by some miracle sustain it long-term. Those of you that are blessed with "general good health," DON'T EVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. Oh yeah, as a bonus, it allows me to fully access my running talent. I can breeze through 8 miles @ sub-7:30 pace and it feels as effortless as a stroll in the park. See my 3M Half report for an example of one of those days.
After I got the bad report in December in which my adrenal ratio (Na/Mg) was 122/2 (ideal is 25/6), I expected to gradually come in line by taking mega doses of Thym-Adren. I thought that in March, I'd be down around 60/3 then 45/4 by Summer and hope to stabilize near 30/5 long-term. I will not declare myself in the clear until I get 2 consecutive good reports.
The result:
In a shocking development, I got my Na all the way down to the target within 3 months (122-30) but the Mg remained frozen at 2. For the record, I needed the mega doses of Thym-Adren. Cutting back from 8 pills to 6 always produced a significant negative reaction. My first issue in March had to do with my excess Ca/Mg so I corrected that by adding more magnesium along with synergistic nutrients such as B-6. Shortly thereafter, the magic Thym-Adren dosage began to fall. I eventually reached a point in which I could not tolerate it at all. Then, the "magic" magnesium became like poison to me, which left me on only Paramin, Fructosin and Vitamin C.
Possible explanation:
A hair test represents an average of the previous 2-3 months. Therefore, if my Na level fell from an average of 122 to 30 in 3 months, it means that at the time of the test, the current value was almost certainly under 30 and continued doses of Thym-Adren brought it down further. I would not be surprised if it's all the way down to the 10-15 range this time around. As for the magnesium, with high doses combined with B-6, I may have over-reached. Let's say that I raised it from 2-7, which is not unrealistic given that I decreased the Na so quickly, I might be looking at a ratio under 2, which would be moderate SLOW oxidation. That would certainly explain the blahs. I tried some Thyroid caps until the modulator arrived and saw a mild improvement as a result, which is a good sign.
What have I done differently that produced such a rapid change after being stuck in moderate-severe fast oxidation for so long? The only thing that I can think of is Fructosin, which is an enzyme in the intestines responsible for processing fructose. Perhaps this deficiency hindered my body's ability to process all the other pills, making it impossible to get in balance without it. My previous biggest drop in Na was from 80-57 in early 2011 and yes, I took mega doses back then too. So, instead of dropping by 23, I drop by 92 this time. Something is up with that
Future:
I've started on the ADHS modulator and so far, so good thus far. Could this be the path to balance? I've been let down so many times that it's hard to keep my hopes up. As for my relationship with the Lord, I will continue serving Him no matter what and maybe I can be okay with Him in spite of what's going on but I will NEVER EVER EVER be okay with being chemically unstable and all the broken dreams that go along with it. My devotionals will remain on hiatus until further notice.
Running:
From a personal standpoint, even if I never PR again, I can still be proud of what I have accomplished since I started my comeback in 2006. I stand by my pledge not to let it become #1 or even #2 in my life and will not sustain more than 55 MPW even if I have a marathon in the near-future. However, there are many people that do not believe in my cause and if I take my running to a new level, my claims will certainly bear more weight. It will produce more interest in my story and thus more book sales and more people will be exposed to the Gospel.
Mistakes on my part:
I've written extensively about how mainstream medicine has badly mishandled my case as well as others and I stand by every word of it. However, the process did not have to be this hard and I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others avoid the mistakes that I made:
1. Strive for steady, gradual improvement
If the plan is working, you should not feel a difference from 1 day to the next or even from week to week but over the course of a month or so, improvement will be evident.
2. Strictly limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol
I cheated too often in the first 2 categories, which contributed to instability. If you reach a point in which you cannot drink fruit drinks with no sugar added, you need Fructosin.
3.Too much copper in SBF and Thym-Adren can cause a Vitamin C deficiency
When that happens, you can't produce key neurotransmitters and the inevitable result is depression.
4.Your daily Cal/Mag intake should not exceed 2/1
Mega doses of Thym-Adren can cause excess Cal over Mag. Add some Mg. and/or B-6 to balance that key ratio.
5. Do not ignore mainstream tests just because they did not diagnose you.
Use them in combination with hair and neurotransmitter screenings and always consult your doctor or health coach before any big decisions
6.DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU ARE HEALED just because you no longer need the pills.
You need a hair test to confirm that and then another after you have been off the pills for several months. I was heartbroken twice when I was not healed despite not taking pills and still have not recovered from the last one.
A common question is as follows: How can you pick yourself up time and time again?
Answer: When I am symptom free after I've been hurting for so long, it's about as close to pure bliss as I've felt in this life. Just one day in which I am neither anxious and short of breath nor lethargic/depressed and have pure natural energy flowing through my body feels so good that it's hard to put into words. I've been there before and I am willing to try just about anything to get back there and maybe by some miracle sustain it long-term. Those of you that are blessed with "general good health," DON'T EVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. Oh yeah, as a bonus, it allows me to fully access my running talent. I can breeze through 8 miles @ sub-7:30 pace and it feels as effortless as a stroll in the park. See my 3M Half report for an example of one of those days.
After I got the bad report in December in which my adrenal ratio (Na/Mg) was 122/2 (ideal is 25/6), I expected to gradually come in line by taking mega doses of Thym-Adren. I thought that in March, I'd be down around 60/3 then 45/4 by Summer and hope to stabilize near 30/5 long-term. I will not declare myself in the clear until I get 2 consecutive good reports.
The result:
In a shocking development, I got my Na all the way down to the target within 3 months (122-30) but the Mg remained frozen at 2. For the record, I needed the mega doses of Thym-Adren. Cutting back from 8 pills to 6 always produced a significant negative reaction. My first issue in March had to do with my excess Ca/Mg so I corrected that by adding more magnesium along with synergistic nutrients such as B-6. Shortly thereafter, the magic Thym-Adren dosage began to fall. I eventually reached a point in which I could not tolerate it at all. Then, the "magic" magnesium became like poison to me, which left me on only Paramin, Fructosin and Vitamin C.
Possible explanation:
A hair test represents an average of the previous 2-3 months. Therefore, if my Na level fell from an average of 122 to 30 in 3 months, it means that at the time of the test, the current value was almost certainly under 30 and continued doses of Thym-Adren brought it down further. I would not be surprised if it's all the way down to the 10-15 range this time around. As for the magnesium, with high doses combined with B-6, I may have over-reached. Let's say that I raised it from 2-7, which is not unrealistic given that I decreased the Na so quickly, I might be looking at a ratio under 2, which would be moderate SLOW oxidation. That would certainly explain the blahs. I tried some Thyroid caps until the modulator arrived and saw a mild improvement as a result, which is a good sign.
What have I done differently that produced such a rapid change after being stuck in moderate-severe fast oxidation for so long? The only thing that I can think of is Fructosin, which is an enzyme in the intestines responsible for processing fructose. Perhaps this deficiency hindered my body's ability to process all the other pills, making it impossible to get in balance without it. My previous biggest drop in Na was from 80-57 in early 2011 and yes, I took mega doses back then too. So, instead of dropping by 23, I drop by 92 this time. Something is up with that
Future:
I've started on the ADHS modulator and so far, so good thus far. Could this be the path to balance? I've been let down so many times that it's hard to keep my hopes up. As for my relationship with the Lord, I will continue serving Him no matter what and maybe I can be okay with Him in spite of what's going on but I will NEVER EVER EVER be okay with being chemically unstable and all the broken dreams that go along with it. My devotionals will remain on hiatus until further notice.
Running:
From a personal standpoint, even if I never PR again, I can still be proud of what I have accomplished since I started my comeback in 2006. I stand by my pledge not to let it become #1 or even #2 in my life and will not sustain more than 55 MPW even if I have a marathon in the near-future. However, there are many people that do not believe in my cause and if I take my running to a new level, my claims will certainly bear more weight. It will produce more interest in my story and thus more book sales and more people will be exposed to the Gospel.
Mistakes on my part:
I've written extensively about how mainstream medicine has badly mishandled my case as well as others and I stand by every word of it. However, the process did not have to be this hard and I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others avoid the mistakes that I made:
1. Strive for steady, gradual improvement
If the plan is working, you should not feel a difference from 1 day to the next or even from week to week but over the course of a month or so, improvement will be evident.
2. Strictly limit sugar, caffeine and alcohol
I cheated too often in the first 2 categories, which contributed to instability. If you reach a point in which you cannot drink fruit drinks with no sugar added, you need Fructosin.
3.Too much copper in SBF and Thym-Adren can cause a Vitamin C deficiency
When that happens, you can't produce key neurotransmitters and the inevitable result is depression.
4.Your daily Cal/Mag intake should not exceed 2/1
Mega doses of Thym-Adren can cause excess Cal over Mag. Add some Mg. and/or B-6 to balance that key ratio.
5. Do not ignore mainstream tests just because they did not diagnose you.
Use them in combination with hair and neurotransmitter screenings and always consult your doctor or health coach before any big decisions
6.DO NOT ASSUME THAT YOU ARE HEALED just because you no longer need the pills.
You need a hair test to confirm that and then another after you have been off the pills for several months. I was heartbroken twice when I was not healed despite not taking pills and still have not recovered from the last one.
Training 5/6-5/12
5/6- Easy 6 indoors in 45:00 (7:30 pace). Slight fade at the end and was working a bit in the last 2 miles but a solid performance overall. Good call to stay inside because it started pouring rain as soon as I started. 2nd day on the ADHS and I'm holding up okay. I got a little stimulated from extra Vitamin C, which was a possibility because it does contain a little bit of tyrosine. It also contains copper so I must keep the dosage low if this is going to work. Weight is 159-160, which is at the very top of my range and another sign that my oxidation rate has slowed.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
5/7- Johnny's workout was basically the same as my solo interval workout last week.
400-800-1200-800-400-400 with a low-balled goal of 6:00 pace and this time, I was able to do it. Splits were 87-2:57-4:29-3:00-90-76 (5:52 pace). Average performance. Sluggish and sore all day.
3rd full day on the ADHS and there is not a significant difference in how I feel. Again, I am willing to be patient and hope for gradual improvement but I am curious to see how I would respond to Endodren (intended to speed oxidation rate) for at least a few days. I'd like to try a Mile time trial on Thursday but I will be hard pressed to beat the 5:47.8, which is my best of the year.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=3.5
5/8- Another decent but not stellar workout. It appears that this will be the pattern for the foreseeable future. I remain stable on the ADHS but there is not a significant difference in how I've felt since starting it. Even if my pace per mile improves by only 2 seconds per week, I'll be back to PR form by the end of the summer and that's the goal. I will not race again until at least June and may even wait until Peachtree. Today's run was the Trak Shak 5.5 loop in a time of 40:52 (7:26 pace). Fell asleep a bit in Mile 4 but outside of that, it was a pretty even pace. Slacked off in the last .5 but was well ahead of the planned 7:30 schedule. Added a half mile cool. I've pulled even so far this week and have a chance to win with a good weekend.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/9- Vestavia Mile. I was hoping for a sub-5:45 but could only muster a 5:57.1. Even less than fresh and in my weakened condition, I should be better than this. I'm afraid that I will have to declare ADHS a failure at least for now. I've had to pee a lot today and that often means that my body is getting rid of minerals that it cannot use for some reason. I am tempted to try again tomorrow because I know I'm better but it will likely be a rest or junk run. Only good thing about this run was that my pace was pretty even (86-91-92-88). I need a very good weekend to win now. Endodren could arrive as soon as tomorrow and it is looking like it could work at least medium-term.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=2.0
5/10- Miserable 2 mile junk run on Wisteria. I didn't time it but the pace was over 9. I tried some other pills last night and apparently they won't work. Endodren has not arrived yet but it will be here no later than Monday. It is my last good hope to improve.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=2.0
5/11- AWFUL! 3 attempts to run and my best was a 3 miler in 24:24 (8:08 pace). In each run, I was unable to sustain an 8 minute pace. Days like this were pretty much the norm in Stage 3 adrenal fatigue and I am starting to get really worried. No Endodren today. Must wait until Monday.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=7.0
5/12- WORSE! AM- Wisteria 1 Mile in 8:55 and had to rally for a sub-9.
PM- Back on the Thyroid caps and showed improvement. Wisteria 2 in 15:08 (7:34 pace) with splits of 7:26 (down)- 7:42 (up). I have reason to believe that the Endodren might work.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
I'm past the anger stage. I'm just numb now. I did lose 9 of 10 once back in '09 but this slump has been worse. No real good days since mid-March and some have been flat out awful. If the Endodren does not work, it could be over for me as a serious runner.
Distance=30.0/ GPA: 15/8= 1.88
YTD: 705 miles/ Record: 8-10.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.5
5/7- Johnny's workout was basically the same as my solo interval workout last week.
400-800-1200-800-400-400 with a low-balled goal of 6:00 pace and this time, I was able to do it. Splits were 87-2:57-4:29-3:00-90-76 (5:52 pace). Average performance. Sluggish and sore all day.
3rd full day on the ADHS and there is not a significant difference in how I feel. Again, I am willing to be patient and hope for gradual improvement but I am curious to see how I would respond to Endodren (intended to speed oxidation rate) for at least a few days. I'd like to try a Mile time trial on Thursday but I will be hard pressed to beat the 5:47.8, which is my best of the year.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=3.5
5/8- Another decent but not stellar workout. It appears that this will be the pattern for the foreseeable future. I remain stable on the ADHS but there is not a significant difference in how I've felt since starting it. Even if my pace per mile improves by only 2 seconds per week, I'll be back to PR form by the end of the summer and that's the goal. I will not race again until at least June and may even wait until Peachtree. Today's run was the Trak Shak 5.5 loop in a time of 40:52 (7:26 pace). Fell asleep a bit in Mile 4 but outside of that, it was a pretty even pace. Slacked off in the last .5 but was well ahead of the planned 7:30 schedule. Added a half mile cool. I've pulled even so far this week and have a chance to win with a good weekend.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
5/9- Vestavia Mile. I was hoping for a sub-5:45 but could only muster a 5:57.1. Even less than fresh and in my weakened condition, I should be better than this. I'm afraid that I will have to declare ADHS a failure at least for now. I've had to pee a lot today and that often means that my body is getting rid of minerals that it cannot use for some reason. I am tempted to try again tomorrow because I know I'm better but it will likely be a rest or junk run. Only good thing about this run was that my pace was pretty even (86-91-92-88). I need a very good weekend to win now. Endodren could arrive as soon as tomorrow and it is looking like it could work at least medium-term.
Grade:C/1 credit/distance=2.0
5/10- Miserable 2 mile junk run on Wisteria. I didn't time it but the pace was over 9. I tried some other pills last night and apparently they won't work. Endodren has not arrived yet but it will be here no later than Monday. It is my last good hope to improve.
Grade:None/0 credit/distance=2.0
5/11- AWFUL! 3 attempts to run and my best was a 3 miler in 24:24 (8:08 pace). In each run, I was unable to sustain an 8 minute pace. Days like this were pretty much the norm in Stage 3 adrenal fatigue and I am starting to get really worried. No Endodren today. Must wait until Monday.
Grade:F/2 credit/distance=7.0
5/12- WORSE! AM- Wisteria 1 Mile in 8:55 and had to rally for a sub-9.
PM- Back on the Thyroid caps and showed improvement. Wisteria 2 in 15:08 (7:34 pace) with splits of 7:26 (down)- 7:42 (up). I have reason to believe that the Endodren might work.
Grade:D/1 credit/distance=3.0
Weekly summary:
I'm past the anger stage. I'm just numb now. I did lose 9 of 10 once back in '09 but this slump has been worse. No real good days since mid-March and some have been flat out awful. If the Endodren does not work, it could be over for me as a serious runner.
Distance=30.0/ GPA: 15/8= 1.88
YTD: 705 miles/ Record: 8-10.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Fiesta 10K report
Training:
Pretty much crap since the middle the March. I made the decision to go at the last minute and did not even pre-register. There has been a massive shift in my body chemistry and I am facing symptoms of slow oxidation. I won't know the cause for another 3 weeks. I was somewhat less than fresh after a hard tempo only 36 hours prior to the gun. Based on my training, I expected to be 25-30 seconds per mile off my PR pace, which would put me in mid 42s, which is still semi-respectable. I really didn't care if I was over 43 because of the prior tempo but if I was much slower than that, I would not have been able to enjoy the experience.
Trip:
Florida is state #6 out of 10 in the 10K department and it was a smooth 4 hour drive to Pensacola. I completely winged it and did not even book a hotel. I knew the roads well because I have spent many happy hours on the Florida and Alabama Gulf Coast. The route was I-65 south down to the Florida border then US-29 into Pensacola. I got into town just after 3 PM and registered but they ran out of shirts. No big deal. I've got too many of them already. Next, I looked for hotels on my Garmin and scored one just about a half mile from the line. Cool. I can use that to warm up and will not have to get in my car the next morning. I got a decent steak dinner just down the road and headed back to my room early. Strangely, I was tired early and got a good night's sleep before waking just before the alarm.
Weather and course:
In the first week of May in Florida, the concern is usually the heat. Not so this year. I awoke to 48 degrees with cloudy skies and a 20 mph wind. Conditions would improve once the race started. The skies cleared and wind died down, making for pretty favorable conditions. The long run was rained out in Birmingham so this was a good call weather wise.
The course began at Pensacola State College and finished in the entertainment district. It was point to point with a shuttle that took us from the finish to the start. It was net downhill but not so much that it is much of an advantage. It's Florida so as you can guess, the elevation change was not significant. Mile 2 was the hardest. It began with a pretty significant downhill that was followed by a long climb, which merely leveled off. Even with the same elevation change, an uphill followed by a downhill is much easier. There was another mild hill near the end of Mile 5 but this one was followed by a nice downhill that began with about a mile to go. The remainder of the course, including to homestretch, was level or a very gentle incline/decline. It could be a PR course but I was not in shape to run anywhere near my best.
Race:
Congested start. I got behind a couple of slower runners in the first 100 meters, which cost me about 5 seconds. There was no chip time, which probably cost me another 3-4 seconds but it really would not matter at the end. I got to .25 in 1:40 and kept up the increased tempo going slightly downhill through the end of Mile 1, which passed comfortably in 6:28. A little faster than I planned but not so much that it will kill me at the end. Going down the hill early in Mile 2, I hit what I believed to be the end of the 1st quarter just under 10:00. Any thoughts of an official road PR (40:55) were put to rest quickly once I hit the big uphill. Early in Mile 3, it was merely a gentle incline on a road with thick Spanish moss. Most of Mile 3-4 were on a main road and largely residential but we turned to a business section in Mile 5. I made the decision to conserve energy on the hill at the end of Mile 5, which would be my only Mile over 7:00. I ran the next downhill very well but once the course leveled off, I was unable to keep up with my pack. There was only 1 turn in the last half mile and with the finish line in view, it looked like I could break 42:30 and made it comfortably.
Splits:
6:28 (6:28) little fast
6:37 (13:05) uphill hurt
6:49 (19:54) can't recover from hill.
Passed 5K in 20:54 but the official marker may have been a bit long (3.15)
6:59 (26:53) strug-a-ling
7:05 (33:58) will avoid a PW and break 43.
6:52 (40:50) Gonna break 42:30
1:30 (42:20) - last .23. Decent kick on a long straightaway.
Final Thought:
Almost exactly what I expected. I'm in 42 shape right now, maybe a hair under if fully fresh. Steady gradual improvement is the goal and I've felt pretty stable this week. I've needed Thyroid caps before but a single dose made a big difference. That's not happening now. This week, 1 extra pill did not make much of a difference. Another medical post is on the way. As for the race experience, it was a good quality event and can be a PR course with the right ingredients. I may be back next year if I am in top shape and don't have the official sub-40 on the road. Tennessee and Kentucky would be #7 and 8 and both are easy trips. I'll probably do one of these this Fall. There is a downhill race in Pittsburgh that I'd really like to do but I want to be in tip top shape for that even though it is an asterisk course. I'll bet I can find a decent race in ARK or NC that is drivable but I'd still lean toward a mega race in Richmond, VA for #10.
Trip home:
Made a side trip to the Flora-Bama lounge for a mediocre burger overlooking the Gulf. I wanted to take a dip but it was too cold outside (temp in the 60s). The drive back to B'ham also went without a hitch.
Pretty much crap since the middle the March. I made the decision to go at the last minute and did not even pre-register. There has been a massive shift in my body chemistry and I am facing symptoms of slow oxidation. I won't know the cause for another 3 weeks. I was somewhat less than fresh after a hard tempo only 36 hours prior to the gun. Based on my training, I expected to be 25-30 seconds per mile off my PR pace, which would put me in mid 42s, which is still semi-respectable. I really didn't care if I was over 43 because of the prior tempo but if I was much slower than that, I would not have been able to enjoy the experience.
Trip:
Florida is state #6 out of 10 in the 10K department and it was a smooth 4 hour drive to Pensacola. I completely winged it and did not even book a hotel. I knew the roads well because I have spent many happy hours on the Florida and Alabama Gulf Coast. The route was I-65 south down to the Florida border then US-29 into Pensacola. I got into town just after 3 PM and registered but they ran out of shirts. No big deal. I've got too many of them already. Next, I looked for hotels on my Garmin and scored one just about a half mile from the line. Cool. I can use that to warm up and will not have to get in my car the next morning. I got a decent steak dinner just down the road and headed back to my room early. Strangely, I was tired early and got a good night's sleep before waking just before the alarm.
Weather and course:
In the first week of May in Florida, the concern is usually the heat. Not so this year. I awoke to 48 degrees with cloudy skies and a 20 mph wind. Conditions would improve once the race started. The skies cleared and wind died down, making for pretty favorable conditions. The long run was rained out in Birmingham so this was a good call weather wise.
The course began at Pensacola State College and finished in the entertainment district. It was point to point with a shuttle that took us from the finish to the start. It was net downhill but not so much that it is much of an advantage. It's Florida so as you can guess, the elevation change was not significant. Mile 2 was the hardest. It began with a pretty significant downhill that was followed by a long climb, which merely leveled off. Even with the same elevation change, an uphill followed by a downhill is much easier. There was another mild hill near the end of Mile 5 but this one was followed by a nice downhill that began with about a mile to go. The remainder of the course, including to homestretch, was level or a very gentle incline/decline. It could be a PR course but I was not in shape to run anywhere near my best.
Race:
Congested start. I got behind a couple of slower runners in the first 100 meters, which cost me about 5 seconds. There was no chip time, which probably cost me another 3-4 seconds but it really would not matter at the end. I got to .25 in 1:40 and kept up the increased tempo going slightly downhill through the end of Mile 1, which passed comfortably in 6:28. A little faster than I planned but not so much that it will kill me at the end. Going down the hill early in Mile 2, I hit what I believed to be the end of the 1st quarter just under 10:00. Any thoughts of an official road PR (40:55) were put to rest quickly once I hit the big uphill. Early in Mile 3, it was merely a gentle incline on a road with thick Spanish moss. Most of Mile 3-4 were on a main road and largely residential but we turned to a business section in Mile 5. I made the decision to conserve energy on the hill at the end of Mile 5, which would be my only Mile over 7:00. I ran the next downhill very well but once the course leveled off, I was unable to keep up with my pack. There was only 1 turn in the last half mile and with the finish line in view, it looked like I could break 42:30 and made it comfortably.
Splits:
6:28 (6:28) little fast
6:37 (13:05) uphill hurt
6:49 (19:54) can't recover from hill.
Passed 5K in 20:54 but the official marker may have been a bit long (3.15)
6:59 (26:53) strug-a-ling
7:05 (33:58) will avoid a PW and break 43.
6:52 (40:50) Gonna break 42:30
1:30 (42:20) - last .23. Decent kick on a long straightaway.
Final Thought:
Almost exactly what I expected. I'm in 42 shape right now, maybe a hair under if fully fresh. Steady gradual improvement is the goal and I've felt pretty stable this week. I've needed Thyroid caps before but a single dose made a big difference. That's not happening now. This week, 1 extra pill did not make much of a difference. Another medical post is on the way. As for the race experience, it was a good quality event and can be a PR course with the right ingredients. I may be back next year if I am in top shape and don't have the official sub-40 on the road. Tennessee and Kentucky would be #7 and 8 and both are easy trips. I'll probably do one of these this Fall. There is a downhill race in Pittsburgh that I'd really like to do but I want to be in tip top shape for that even though it is an asterisk course. I'll bet I can find a decent race in ARK or NC that is drivable but I'd still lean toward a mega race in Richmond, VA for #10.
Trip home:
Made a side trip to the Flora-Bama lounge for a mediocre burger overlooking the Gulf. I wanted to take a dip but it was too cold outside (temp in the 60s). The drive back to B'ham also went without a hitch.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Training 4/29-5/5 (race week)
4/29- Felt no better this morning if not worse. I have ordered a hair test kit and the modulator supplement (ADHS). In the meantime, I have determined that the fatigue and depression is intolerable so I picked up some raw adrenal glandular and began feeling more energized. This is NOT the long-term answer and I hope to only take it for a week. I have experienced slow oxidation symptoms before but it was related to fructose intolerance and was pre-Fructosin. Today's workout was pretty decent. Fast finish 6 miler on Lakeshore in a time of 43-flat (7:10 pace). Hit 5 in 36:18 then turned it up for a 6:42 finish. This project to about 44:40 for 10K and in a race setting with an even pace, I'm likely mid-high 43 right now. That's pretty bad by my standard but not so awful that I can't enjoy the experience. I'm listed as probable.
Grade:B+/1 credits/distance=6.0
4/30- Terrible interval workout. 400-800-1200-800-400. No speed and no strength. A 6:00 overall pace would be a moderate goal and I was able to do it on Synthroid when I was only in 21:xx shape for 5K. Today's splits were 90-3:08 then I really lost it (4:59-3:19) and had to rally just to do that. I came back to finish with a "Rocket" 88 final quarter. I'm usually under 70. The culprit was the adrenal caps. My worst fear is that I will try all the possible pills and find nothing that works, which is what happened when I hit Stage 3 adrenal fatigue in 2005. I tried some thyroid caps (also stimulatory) expecting to feel worse yet got better. It is possible that the adrenal glandular is okay for me but the synergistic herb is not.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=3.0
5/1- AM- 2 mile quickie indoors in 13:50 with a negative split (7:03-6:47). Felt better than yesterday but had diarrhea for the 2nd straight session. The Florida decision will likely be made tomorrow evening.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 33:57 (6:47 pace). Hard tempo effort. Held a strong pace for 2 miles and came through the marker in 13:02 but after that point, I was barely under 7 the rest of the way. Perhaps the bad stuff from yesterday hasn't fully cleared. At any rate, I still believe that I should go to Pensacola this weekend. The absolute best that I can hope for is a 6:45 pace (low 42 for 10K) but would not be surprised if I am over 43. MUST go out conservative this time! There is a chance of rain but I do have rain gear and I figure the chance of it being really bad at race time is slim. Not sure what I will run tomorrow. These workouts are NOT tiring me out. I'd be just as fatigued if I was not running.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=7.0
5/2- Indoor 5 and I could not restrain myself. Time is down to 33:26 (6:41 pace). This may hurt me on Saturday but it's just another glorified training session so I really don't care. So, I might run a 43 instead of a 42. So what? I'm gonna suck either way. I upped the Thyroid caps from 1 pill to 2 and did not feel a significant difference. I suppose that is a good sign. More on that later. I'm hoping that I will be able to send out my hair sample tomorrow morning. If it's not in the mail, it will be cut off on Sunday. A bit of foot pain, which is a concern. Saturday will be the last day on the Thyroid caps.
Grade:B+/ 2 credits/distance=5.5
5/3- Planned rest day. I'm coming down to Pensacola for the Fiesta 10K.
5/4- Fiesta 10K in 42:20. Pretty much what I expected. More details to come. Long warm and cool.
Grade:B-/3 credits/distance=7.5
5/5- Easy 7 on the Brookwood-Lakeshore route. I got dropped by the 2nd tier Gnomes but that's okay. Finished in 52:33 (7:30 pace), which was pretty steady from Mile 3 onward. It was not a stroll in the park but I was never uncomfortable. 1st day on the ADHS pills and it appears to be working okay ... for now that is. Clear skies with 50 degree temps this morning. There won't be many days like this over the next few months.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Well, I almost won this week but almost doesn't count. With the exception of the injury-plagued 2010, I have never been under .500 this late in a year. There may be reason for optimism heading forward but I know better than to get my hopes up.
Distance=41.0/ GPA= 29.0/10=2.90
YTD: 675 miles. Record: 8-9 with a 2.71 average.
Grade:B+/1 credits/distance=6.0
4/30- Terrible interval workout. 400-800-1200-800-400. No speed and no strength. A 6:00 overall pace would be a moderate goal and I was able to do it on Synthroid when I was only in 21:xx shape for 5K. Today's splits were 90-3:08 then I really lost it (4:59-3:19) and had to rally just to do that. I came back to finish with a "Rocket" 88 final quarter. I'm usually under 70. The culprit was the adrenal caps. My worst fear is that I will try all the possible pills and find nothing that works, which is what happened when I hit Stage 3 adrenal fatigue in 2005. I tried some thyroid caps (also stimulatory) expecting to feel worse yet got better. It is possible that the adrenal glandular is okay for me but the synergistic herb is not.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=3.0
5/1- AM- 2 mile quickie indoors in 13:50 with a negative split (7:03-6:47). Felt better than yesterday but had diarrhea for the 2nd straight session. The Florida decision will likely be made tomorrow evening.
PM- Trak Shak 5 in 33:57 (6:47 pace). Hard tempo effort. Held a strong pace for 2 miles and came through the marker in 13:02 but after that point, I was barely under 7 the rest of the way. Perhaps the bad stuff from yesterday hasn't fully cleared. At any rate, I still believe that I should go to Pensacola this weekend. The absolute best that I can hope for is a 6:45 pace (low 42 for 10K) but would not be surprised if I am over 43. MUST go out conservative this time! There is a chance of rain but I do have rain gear and I figure the chance of it being really bad at race time is slim. Not sure what I will run tomorrow. These workouts are NOT tiring me out. I'd be just as fatigued if I was not running.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=7.0
5/2- Indoor 5 and I could not restrain myself. Time is down to 33:26 (6:41 pace). This may hurt me on Saturday but it's just another glorified training session so I really don't care. So, I might run a 43 instead of a 42. So what? I'm gonna suck either way. I upped the Thyroid caps from 1 pill to 2 and did not feel a significant difference. I suppose that is a good sign. More on that later. I'm hoping that I will be able to send out my hair sample tomorrow morning. If it's not in the mail, it will be cut off on Sunday. A bit of foot pain, which is a concern. Saturday will be the last day on the Thyroid caps.
Grade:B+/ 2 credits/distance=5.5
5/3- Planned rest day. I'm coming down to Pensacola for the Fiesta 10K.
5/4- Fiesta 10K in 42:20. Pretty much what I expected. More details to come. Long warm and cool.
Grade:B-/3 credits/distance=7.5
5/5- Easy 7 on the Brookwood-Lakeshore route. I got dropped by the 2nd tier Gnomes but that's okay. Finished in 52:33 (7:30 pace), which was pretty steady from Mile 3 onward. It was not a stroll in the park but I was never uncomfortable. 1st day on the ADHS pills and it appears to be working okay ... for now that is. Clear skies with 50 degree temps this morning. There won't be many days like this over the next few months.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
Weekly summary:
Well, I almost won this week but almost doesn't count. With the exception of the injury-plagued 2010, I have never been under .500 this late in a year. There may be reason for optimism heading forward but I know better than to get my hopes up.
Distance=41.0/ GPA= 29.0/10=2.90
YTD: 675 miles. Record: 8-9 with a 2.71 average.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Medical update: Off the Thym-Adren again
Note:
This is another one mostly for my reference and do not expect most readers to understand. There will be more interesting posts to come.
I can imagine some of my critics saying the following: Okay, this guy got a bad medical report in December then proceeded to run well in January. He got a good medical report in March yet endured another losing streak shortly thereafter. Therefore, a hair test is unreliable. Nonsense!
First of all, my last medical report was better but to say that it was "good" is way off base. My adrenal ratio (Na/Mg), though much improved, was still bordering on "severely" overactive. My blood sugar ratio (Ca/Mg) was well into the "severe" category and was becoming more problematic than the adrenal ratio. My body tightened up something awful after taking too much calcium relative to magnesium so it was obvious that I needed to do something different.
Several questions needed to be answered mostly through trial and error. How much additional magnesium was necessary? I determined that answer to be nearly a 1:1 ratio with calcium. What was more of a thorn in my side was the fact that magnesium alone could not be properly absorbed. I needed B-vitamins, specifically B-6 as a catalyst. Do I take B-6 alone? Do I take a B-complex? Do I take it with an amino acid? Does it matter? In my case, it mattered tremendously and the answer was clearly B-6 alone. Moreover, I surmised that once my blood sugar normalized, my fructose intolerance should improve and leave me less dependent on the Fructosin. Like I said before, if I miss a dose here and there, it's no big deal but if go off it or take a reduced dose for more than a week or 2, I am in trouble. It appears that my Ca/Mg ratio does not effect the fructose malabsorption, which I learned the hard way in St. Louis. My pace slipped by more than a minute per mile AFTER I drank the Gatorade in Mile 9. My only objection to taking the Fructosin is the cost (over $50 per month). Combined with mega doses of Thym-Adren, no pay raises since 2010 and increased cost of living, my bank account is slowly losing money. There is no need to panic but I will have to cut my spending elsewhere.
Now, why am I off the Thym-Adren now? Although my adrenal ratio was 3x faster than ideal, my Na level was normal and rapidly trending down. Continued use of Thym-Adren could lower my Na below normal and when you combine that with an increased Mg level, you get SLOW oxidation or under-activity. If that's true, it would make perfect sense that I have been forced off the Thym-Adren. However, being off anything for my adrenals make me feel very uneasy given my history. It is probable that the Na will come up again when I am off the Thym-Adren for a week or 2 and I may settle on a low dose. Another option is a modulator supplement that worked well in the first half of 2011 but eventually stopped working. Would it work now if I take Fructosin and C? Another concern is that I have a history of allergic reactions to B-6. One episode was so bad in terms of heart palpitations that I could actually SEE my heart try to jump out of my chest. Very scary! Once I took the Thym-Adren, I could tolerate B-6 just fine. What do I do about the magnesium if the B-6 allergy re-appears when I am off Thym-Adren? The answer is transdermal magnesium.
I've got another 3 weeks before I am due to send in another hair sample. I may be close to balance. I take great pride in proving people wrong and my full vindication could be just around the corner.
This is another one mostly for my reference and do not expect most readers to understand. There will be more interesting posts to come.
I can imagine some of my critics saying the following: Okay, this guy got a bad medical report in December then proceeded to run well in January. He got a good medical report in March yet endured another losing streak shortly thereafter. Therefore, a hair test is unreliable. Nonsense!
First of all, my last medical report was better but to say that it was "good" is way off base. My adrenal ratio (Na/Mg), though much improved, was still bordering on "severely" overactive. My blood sugar ratio (Ca/Mg) was well into the "severe" category and was becoming more problematic than the adrenal ratio. My body tightened up something awful after taking too much calcium relative to magnesium so it was obvious that I needed to do something different.
Several questions needed to be answered mostly through trial and error. How much additional magnesium was necessary? I determined that answer to be nearly a 1:1 ratio with calcium. What was more of a thorn in my side was the fact that magnesium alone could not be properly absorbed. I needed B-vitamins, specifically B-6 as a catalyst. Do I take B-6 alone? Do I take a B-complex? Do I take it with an amino acid? Does it matter? In my case, it mattered tremendously and the answer was clearly B-6 alone. Moreover, I surmised that once my blood sugar normalized, my fructose intolerance should improve and leave me less dependent on the Fructosin. Like I said before, if I miss a dose here and there, it's no big deal but if go off it or take a reduced dose for more than a week or 2, I am in trouble. It appears that my Ca/Mg ratio does not effect the fructose malabsorption, which I learned the hard way in St. Louis. My pace slipped by more than a minute per mile AFTER I drank the Gatorade in Mile 9. My only objection to taking the Fructosin is the cost (over $50 per month). Combined with mega doses of Thym-Adren, no pay raises since 2010 and increased cost of living, my bank account is slowly losing money. There is no need to panic but I will have to cut my spending elsewhere.
Now, why am I off the Thym-Adren now? Although my adrenal ratio was 3x faster than ideal, my Na level was normal and rapidly trending down. Continued use of Thym-Adren could lower my Na below normal and when you combine that with an increased Mg level, you get SLOW oxidation or under-activity. If that's true, it would make perfect sense that I have been forced off the Thym-Adren. However, being off anything for my adrenals make me feel very uneasy given my history. It is probable that the Na will come up again when I am off the Thym-Adren for a week or 2 and I may settle on a low dose. Another option is a modulator supplement that worked well in the first half of 2011 but eventually stopped working. Would it work now if I take Fructosin and C? Another concern is that I have a history of allergic reactions to B-6. One episode was so bad in terms of heart palpitations that I could actually SEE my heart try to jump out of my chest. Very scary! Once I took the Thym-Adren, I could tolerate B-6 just fine. What do I do about the magnesium if the B-6 allergy re-appears when I am off Thym-Adren? The answer is transdermal magnesium.
I've got another 3 weeks before I am due to send in another hair sample. I may be close to balance. I take great pride in proving people wrong and my full vindication could be just around the corner.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Training 4/22-4/28
4/22- Back in Birmingham and I have good news and bad news today. The good is that it is beginning to feel as if my chemistry is coming in line. The bad is that I am coming down with some type of infection, probably due to the wild temperature swings. Fortunately, it does not appear to be anything more serious than a head cold. My throat is really irritated and swallowing is painful but other than that, I feel pretty decent. Workout was 5 miles on Lakeshore in a solid time of 35:54 (7:11 pace) with pretty even splits. 1st half: 17:54, 2nd half: 18-flat. I may feel worse tomorrow so it's likely no intervals until later in the week. If it was worse than a cold, I would not have run so well today more than 12 hours after symptoms began to appear. 2nd day off the Thym-Adren.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/23- Hit 20K blog views so once again, thanks to all my readers. Ugly tempo today. 4 miles in 27:20 (6:50 pace) with a massive fade. 1st half: 12:50, 2nd half: 14:30. This was not a surprise because the second day with a cold is usually the worst. The throat irritation is beginning to subside and the runny nose is starting to kick in. Added a mile cool on Wisteria when I got home. Funny story: I'm walking up to my apartment in workout clothes and a man waiting for a bus asked me if I had any cigarettes. I just politely said: "No sir." I may rest tomorrow.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=5.0
4/24- NIGHTMARE! My worst fears have been realized. Once again, I cannot take B-6. I thought that without it, I might have to go back to the Thym-Adren. I learned the hard way that I do not. As of now, my only option is to take the magnesium without the B-6. In the future, my only options are transdermal magnesium and/or ADHS (modulator supplement). The workout was a junk run. 1 mile warm in 7:56, took half a Thym-Adren and an all out effort yielded a half mile in 4:21 (8:42 pace). Time to get the B-6 out of my system and at least for now, stay off the Thym-Adren. I'm only 10 days out from my next race and it does not look good.
Grade:F/0 credit/distance=1.5
Update: Enzymes such as lactase may help with B-6 intolerance. Worth a try.
4/25- Day 4 with the cold and I remain symptomatic. Primary concerns are chills and a stuffy nose. Not up for anything hard but I showed a lot of improvement over yesterday. Lakeshore 5 in 37:55 (7:35 pace), which is barely within the range. Faded pretty badly at the end too. 1st half: 18:32, 2nd half: 19:27. Tried some B-6 with enzymes when I got home and it has been confirmed that I cannot take it. I hope that it will be out of my system by tomorrow evening or I will have to take a penalty.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/26- DISASTER! B-6 may not have cleared and taking magnesium made things worse. I'm going back to Paramin. Failed the speed session. 1x200 in :58 then quit. Jogged a little to hit 1 mile on the day. Foot is hurting again.
Grade:F/1 credits/distance=1.0
4/27- Run with the slow Gnomes and I could not even hack it with them either. Finished 6 miles on a hilly route in a time of 53:35 (8:56 pace) with Mile 6 over 10:00. BAAAUHD! My new theory is that I have over-reached on the magnesium and it will take time to get to equilibrium.
PM- Indoor 3 in 22:27 (7:29 pace) with a negative split. Last mile in 7:19. Continuing to improve gradually. This takes me up to 9 @ 8:27 on the day, which is still very poor.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=9.0
4/28- Indoor 6 in 44:56 (7:29 pace). I have doubled the distance from yesterday afternoon and maintained the same pace. 1st half: 22:34, 2nd half: 22:22. I was feeling different (in a good way) starting last night so I was actually hoping for a little better. I will take any improvements that I can get. Steady, gradual improvement leads to more stability. I am only taking Paramin and C.
PM- 3 miles at tempo effort in a time of 20:57 (6:59 pace). Even pace with splits of 6:58-7:03-6:56.
A 30 second improvement in pace is something that I will take any day.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=9.0
Weekly summary:
Of course, I am not pleased in any way but I do have some optimism going forward. I am not due for a medical report for another 3 weeks but I really need to know what is going on now. If my theory of over-reaching on the Thym-Adren and magnesium is correct, it may take a few weeks to gradually get back to form but once that happens, there is a chance that it will merely be preventative maintenance from that point. As for the Pensacola 10K next weekend, my gut feeling is to go and treat it as a fun run. I've already missed 2 races due to illness so if I feel good enough to enjoy the experience, I'm going to Florida on Friday for state #6.
Distance= 36.0/ GPA= 17.1/8= 2.14
YTD: 634 miles, Record: 8-8 with a 2.70 GPA.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0
4/23- Hit 20K blog views so once again, thanks to all my readers. Ugly tempo today. 4 miles in 27:20 (6:50 pace) with a massive fade. 1st half: 12:50, 2nd half: 14:30. This was not a surprise because the second day with a cold is usually the worst. The throat irritation is beginning to subside and the runny nose is starting to kick in. Added a mile cool on Wisteria when I got home. Funny story: I'm walking up to my apartment in workout clothes and a man waiting for a bus asked me if I had any cigarettes. I just politely said: "No sir." I may rest tomorrow.
Grade:C/2 credits/distance=5.0
4/24- NIGHTMARE! My worst fears have been realized. Once again, I cannot take B-6. I thought that without it, I might have to go back to the Thym-Adren. I learned the hard way that I do not. As of now, my only option is to take the magnesium without the B-6. In the future, my only options are transdermal magnesium and/or ADHS (modulator supplement). The workout was a junk run. 1 mile warm in 7:56, took half a Thym-Adren and an all out effort yielded a half mile in 4:21 (8:42 pace). Time to get the B-6 out of my system and at least for now, stay off the Thym-Adren. I'm only 10 days out from my next race and it does not look good.
Grade:F/0 credit/distance=1.5
Update: Enzymes such as lactase may help with B-6 intolerance. Worth a try.
4/25- Day 4 with the cold and I remain symptomatic. Primary concerns are chills and a stuffy nose. Not up for anything hard but I showed a lot of improvement over yesterday. Lakeshore 5 in 37:55 (7:35 pace), which is barely within the range. Faded pretty badly at the end too. 1st half: 18:32, 2nd half: 19:27. Tried some B-6 with enzymes when I got home and it has been confirmed that I cannot take it. I hope that it will be out of my system by tomorrow evening or I will have to take a penalty.
Grade:B-/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/26- DISASTER! B-6 may not have cleared and taking magnesium made things worse. I'm going back to Paramin. Failed the speed session. 1x200 in :58 then quit. Jogged a little to hit 1 mile on the day. Foot is hurting again.
Grade:F/1 credits/distance=1.0
4/27- Run with the slow Gnomes and I could not even hack it with them either. Finished 6 miles on a hilly route in a time of 53:35 (8:56 pace) with Mile 6 over 10:00. BAAAUHD! My new theory is that I have over-reached on the magnesium and it will take time to get to equilibrium.
PM- Indoor 3 in 22:27 (7:29 pace) with a negative split. Last mile in 7:19. Continuing to improve gradually. This takes me up to 9 @ 8:27 on the day, which is still very poor.
Grade:D+/1 credit/distance=9.0
4/28- Indoor 6 in 44:56 (7:29 pace). I have doubled the distance from yesterday afternoon and maintained the same pace. 1st half: 22:34, 2nd half: 22:22. I was feeling different (in a good way) starting last night so I was actually hoping for a little better. I will take any improvements that I can get. Steady, gradual improvement leads to more stability. I am only taking Paramin and C.
PM- 3 miles at tempo effort in a time of 20:57 (6:59 pace). Even pace with splits of 6:58-7:03-6:56.
A 30 second improvement in pace is something that I will take any day.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=9.0
Weekly summary:
Of course, I am not pleased in any way but I do have some optimism going forward. I am not due for a medical report for another 3 weeks but I really need to know what is going on now. If my theory of over-reaching on the Thym-Adren and magnesium is correct, it may take a few weeks to gradually get back to form but once that happens, there is a chance that it will merely be preventative maintenance from that point. As for the Pensacola 10K next weekend, my gut feeling is to go and treat it as a fun run. I've already missed 2 races due to illness so if I feel good enough to enjoy the experience, I'm going to Florida on Friday for state #6.
Distance= 36.0/ GPA= 17.1/8= 2.14
YTD: 634 miles, Record: 8-8 with a 2.70 GPA.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Training 4/14-4/21
4/14- 10 miles in 75:49 (7:35 pace). That's within the range so I will not complain about this one. Route was the regular 9 mile Trak Shak loop plus 1 mile on South Lakeshore. Pace slowed in Mile 4 but from that point on I held it pretty well and stayed in the 7:45ish range the rest of the way. Ran it early in the morning, which proved to be a good call because the weather turned nasty by mid-morning.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.0
4/15- I sure hope they catch that SOB that bombed the Boston marathon and I want him executed. In honor of Boston, I ran my standard Lakeshore 6.5 at GMP and finished with a time of 46:50 (7:13 pace). I was out fast with a 10:35 at 1.5 then proceeded to run the last 5 @ exactly 7:15 pace and the splits were even. Thym-Adren dosage is back down to 6 and I am okay with that. Felt pretty good overall. It wasn't a walk in park but it wasn't hard either. I'm pleased with this one and it looks like I may break the losing streak. Half mile cool.
Grade :A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
4/16- Will's speed session. It was 2x1000 at slightly better than 5K pace followed by 4x300 HARD. I like the combination of short and long intervals and like the group as well but these workouts need to be a little more challenging. We only did 2 miles worth of intervals and I'd like to see 3ish. Either 3x1000 or 6-8 300s. I was pleased with my splits. 1000s were 3:44 and 3:43. 300s were 54-54-55-52. R was 1 min. between 300s and :90 between the 1000s but a 5:00 R after the 2nd 1000. Pace was 5:58 on the 1Ks and a strong 4:48 on the 300s. 1 Mile warm and 1 Mile cool.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.0
4/17- Special Pray for Boston run at the Trak Shak. This was rather forgettable on my part. Went out hard but did not have a tempo in me. Backed off after 1.25 but still finished 5 in 35:55 (7:11 pace) in humid conditions. Not a bad run but I felt out of whack and as a test, I took half of an additional Thym-Adren and got worse. I will try to go down to 5 and hope to stay there.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/18- Easy 6 indoors in 44:56 (7:29 pace). Pretty strong and relaxed most of the way in spite of some lingering groin and hamstring pain. Even pace with a slight slow down in the last quarter mile. Dosage continues to trend down. 5 Thym-Adren pills today and it still felt like it was too much. Still not sure why it went up after taking the Fructosin consistently. I really don't want to have to get prolo for the groin/hamstring but if I have to, so be it.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
4/19- Planned rest day. I might end up doing a few strides to see how I feel on a lower dosage. I will try to do a quick tempo tomorrow morning before I leave to visit the family.
4/20- 3 mile tempo was all I had time for. Indoor route in a time of 19:39 (6:33 pace). Splits were 6:25-6:37-6:37. Mediocre performance. I was on target for a 5K in just under 20:30, which would be a "solid C" in a race setting. Tempo runs are a little more lenient and I probably would have been mid-high 33s for 5 miles. In another MASSIVE SHIFT in chemistry, I took no Thym-Adren this morning and felt worse after taking a half pill after the run. More details to come. Trip to see the parents. I probably won't have time to run tomorrow and if that's so, I've done just enough to win this week.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=3.5
4/21- As expected, I did not have time to run. I needed to sleep in after yesterday's trip. I remain off the Thym-Adren and still feel a bit sluggish.
Weekly summary:
Not very impressive but good enough for a win. I did manage a double digit run, a speed session, a short tempo and 2 GMP runs. Nothing great this week but nothing horrible either.
Distance=36.0/ GPA= 27.5/9= 3.06
YTD: 598 miles. 8-7 with a 2.73 GPA.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=10.0
4/15- I sure hope they catch that SOB that bombed the Boston marathon and I want him executed. In honor of Boston, I ran my standard Lakeshore 6.5 at GMP and finished with a time of 46:50 (7:13 pace). I was out fast with a 10:35 at 1.5 then proceeded to run the last 5 @ exactly 7:15 pace and the splits were even. Thym-Adren dosage is back down to 6 and I am okay with that. Felt pretty good overall. It wasn't a walk in park but it wasn't hard either. I'm pleased with this one and it looks like I may break the losing streak. Half mile cool.
Grade :A-/1 credit/distance=7.0
4/16- Will's speed session. It was 2x1000 at slightly better than 5K pace followed by 4x300 HARD. I like the combination of short and long intervals and like the group as well but these workouts need to be a little more challenging. We only did 2 miles worth of intervals and I'd like to see 3ish. Either 3x1000 or 6-8 300s. I was pleased with my splits. 1000s were 3:44 and 3:43. 300s were 54-54-55-52. R was 1 min. between 300s and :90 between the 1000s but a 5:00 R after the 2nd 1000. Pace was 5:58 on the 1Ks and a strong 4:48 on the 300s. 1 Mile warm and 1 Mile cool.
Grade:B+/2 credits/distance=4.0
4/17- Special Pray for Boston run at the Trak Shak. This was rather forgettable on my part. Went out hard but did not have a tempo in me. Backed off after 1.25 but still finished 5 in 35:55 (7:11 pace) in humid conditions. Not a bad run but I felt out of whack and as a test, I took half of an additional Thym-Adren and got worse. I will try to go down to 5 and hope to stay there.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=5.5
4/18- Easy 6 indoors in 44:56 (7:29 pace). Pretty strong and relaxed most of the way in spite of some lingering groin and hamstring pain. Even pace with a slight slow down in the last quarter mile. Dosage continues to trend down. 5 Thym-Adren pills today and it still felt like it was too much. Still not sure why it went up after taking the Fructosin consistently. I really don't want to have to get prolo for the groin/hamstring but if I have to, so be it.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=6.0
4/19- Planned rest day. I might end up doing a few strides to see how I feel on a lower dosage. I will try to do a quick tempo tomorrow morning before I leave to visit the family.
4/20- 3 mile tempo was all I had time for. Indoor route in a time of 19:39 (6:33 pace). Splits were 6:25-6:37-6:37. Mediocre performance. I was on target for a 5K in just under 20:30, which would be a "solid C" in a race setting. Tempo runs are a little more lenient and I probably would have been mid-high 33s for 5 miles. In another MASSIVE SHIFT in chemistry, I took no Thym-Adren this morning and felt worse after taking a half pill after the run. More details to come. Trip to see the parents. I probably won't have time to run tomorrow and if that's so, I've done just enough to win this week.
Grade:C+/2 credits/distance=3.5
4/21- As expected, I did not have time to run. I needed to sleep in after yesterday's trip. I remain off the Thym-Adren and still feel a bit sluggish.
Weekly summary:
Not very impressive but good enough for a win. I did manage a double digit run, a speed session, a short tempo and 2 GMP runs. Nothing great this week but nothing horrible either.
Distance=36.0/ GPA= 27.5/9= 3.06
YTD: 598 miles. 8-7 with a 2.73 GPA.
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