Over the past few weeks I’ve come to look forward to the twice weekly, shortish 5-mile runs, almost as much as my rest days.  They are an easy enough distance for me to focus on speed, but also long enough that they can stand alone as a substantial workout, not a mere warm-up.  This portion of the  training plan helps to break up the monotony of the longer distances, and serves as a reminder of why I used to think running was is fun.

I sprung out the door, completely recovered from Saturday’s 18-miler.  As I trotted along my usual 5 mile loop, I silently checked myself over.  Feet-good.  Calves-good.  Hamstrings-good.  Quads-good. Lower back-good.  Stomach-good WAIT not so good!  Something so not good was beginning to happen.  In fact, some terrible churning, gurgling, cramping, foreign thing was happening with building urgency.  I’ve heard plenty of runners recount personal stories of gastronomical technical difficulties so serious that they returned from a run with one or more less socks than they started with.  This has never happened to me and not because I believe my Thorlos to be irreplaceable.  I’m a get up early to allow ample time before a run to take care of business girl.  Aside from the occasional vomiting or fluid elimination,  my digestive system usually shuts off once I hit the road.

I could tell this would be a situation too grave for both my socks and any stray leaves I could get my hands on.  I ran-walked, making a detour in the direction of a park as soon as possible.  By the time I arrived, I was already 3 miles in to the most uncomfortable run I’ve ever experienced in my 42 years on this planet.  I did what needed to be done, silently thanking those same public works dudes I cursed out last week.  Cleaning that place, not just my stall, must be the dirtiest job in the world.

I don’t bring water or Skratch on such short runs, but found myself wishing I had.  I finished off the last 2 miles parched and shaking, not high and flying as usual.  I spent the remainder of the day mainlining electrolytes, hoping to never have that endurance experience again.