Distance vs. Speed, Again

So, how is it possible that the walking distance can improve drastically, but not the speed? I previously described how the speed can make a big difference using metabolite build-up to make the case. Not only the metabolites build up much faster at slightly higher speed, the body has to work harder against the headwind provided by the metabolites. Faster speed hence can result in post-exertional sickness more readily than longer distance.

It turns out, however, metabolites don't build up at below the anaerobic threshold. So, unless you can make the case that AT is much lower for CFS patients, the metabolite argument does not hold. And there is no reason to believe that is the case. Hence I proposed it is myokines, not metabolites that builds up and creates the headwind against exercise even at lower speed.

The metabolite buildup at higher speed could be creating the headwinds by taking the same pathway: it may be resulting in inflammation mediated by the inflammasome activation. (This paper makes me wonder if my switch to brown rice reduced SCFA metabolite, and therefore lowered the ambient inflammation level, resulting in the improvement that I've seen. The switch to the brown rice was to reduce triglyceride after all, and SCFA seems to be the precursor of triglyceride).

The distance increase of 100% is equivalent to 5% increase of the speed in my experience. Since I used to be able to walk 1 km at the speed of 98 steps/min on a flat terrain without triggering the post-exertional sickness, I should be able to do about 102 now. This is a concrete prediction that I can test.

(One problem with counting steps is that, the stride tend to increase with the speed as well. So, your speed could be increasing twice as fast as the number of steps at low speeds. You should take that into account if you are resorting to steps/min method to pace).

In any case, the post-exercise fatigue from the 3 mi walk on Friday has come and gone as expected. Now the post-exertional funk set in and I'm wondering if I should walk today or not. I really should give another day for the recovery from the 3 mile walk 2 days ago. 3 mi walk may be too much since I can't recover from it with 48 hour rest. I'll have to stick to less than 2.5 miles.