Thought I should update this lest some think I died. Still running and using the capsules every three days. There is a complicated relationship between inflammation and endurance gains/strength. It is a constant learning process to find the optimal balance. This was a good day. 1:25:56 half marathon. That used to be my 5K pace.
Day 872 Javelian Jundred 100K
13 hours and 26 minutes. 90+ degree day in the desert.
No stomach problems for the entire race. Eventually I did get some inflammation in my right knee in the final 20 miles. Everyone's gut leaks in these events and how that can manifest is different for everyone. Even the donor had trouble in this heat and had to drop.
All-in-all not bad for my first 100K.
Day 737 Fun in Seattle
Seattle Rock n' Roll 21K 1:33.02.
Had a little anemia in San Diego. Blood tests confirmed and found my preferred source of iron supplementation in Mexico. Floradix to the rescue. Still a little anemic but running faster now.
The hookworms I am hosting seem to be taking more blood with the restored microbial lawn. Makes sense as they are producing 3x as many ova. Inflammation still feels really low and I will be ramping up my miles for the next race which is an Ultramarathon in Copper Canyon, Mexico.
Seattle Rock n' Roll 5k. 19:58 2nd age group and 11th overall.
Day 722 Fun in San Diego
20:38. 5th age group and 38th OA (3300+). Felt a "bit" off and have blood tests pending to see if I was a little anemic. New move to Mexico has changed my diet and I might be a touch low on the iron intake.
1:35.35 in the half-marathon. Very happy with this effort even if I am 10 seconds slower a mile than I was in training. I ran a smart race (negative splits) and finished the final two mile sub 6:30. This result puts me in the top 5% of my age group. My 5K times put me in top 3%. My goal is to get in the top three percent over all the distances I compete.
A little slow on my finish times. Had some blood drawn and will be curious to see my iron and red blood cell status. I felt a little anemic particularly in the 5K (hard to know how much blood the hookworms are taking with my restored bacterial lawn). Still solid efforts and will try again in a couple weeks in Seattle.
Day 714 Rock 'n' Roll San Diego 5K and Half
164 lbs. Still working on improving diet. I am trying to source healthier meats in particular and living on the Sea of Cortez helps but still room for improvement. One capsule every three days and doing well.
Last year ran the Rock n Roll 5K and the Marathon. Missed third place in my age group by 2 seconds in the 5K last year. This year 5K and the half-marathon. Hoping for a good couple days of running this weekend.
Went past two years of fecal microbial restoration. Looking forward to see what year three brings.
Day 671 Life is Good and Getting Better
More time in the gym and at the oasis.
172 Lbs. and eating the same foods consistently. Mostly broccoli, brussel sprouts, and a variety of meats. Moving towards a mostly vegetable based diet but still trying to maintain a positive nitrogen balance. Next training cycle for running is about to start so I will come down from this weight.
Day 648 Todos Santos 10K
Pre-race game face.
Hot, hilly and sandy jeep trail. Tough course but it felt like home the entire time. Running is like that. I weighed 167 lbs. which is heavy for me racing-wise but I have been spending more time in the gym and less time on the trail. Next race is longer and going to be much tougher so we will see how the new food supply and my gut are doing.
Day 645 uBiome Data
All the standard provisions about this data (no error bars, unvalidated, etc...). These data points do show a trend towards enhanced biodiversity. Progress not perfection. Even more important than this measure is how I look and feel. I have a real nice, clear signal on where my inflammation is day-to-day and think I can get better and better at nourishing my biome with more practice.
Day 643 First Mexico Race
Let's see how this goes. Gut has felt bulletproof but all my training runs are gone so I have no idea how I am running. All I know is that I have been having fun exploring the new space. The sand is so deep on the beach I am reduced to a crawl but I love the runs north and south.
Day 638 A Different Body
A picture is worth a thousand words. Never thought I would get into this condition. There was just too many injuries and a dysfunctional food signaling system I was always battling. I can do carb-less days for days in-a-row whenever I want. Running is a joy. Life is good and getting better. Looking forward to seeing what year 3 brings.