TMI – Buster’s Digestive Issues

Skip this if you don’t want to know about my GI tract and its functions/malfunctions.

I have a nervous tummy (thanks, Tessie, for coining the phrase). I didn’t before law school but something about law school made me one of those people that, when really worked up about something, barfs. I battled nausea before my wedding. The bar exam was a nightmare.

I know this goes against my whole laid-back nerves free approach to life, but really, I only feel horfy before big, huge events.

Which explains why this weekend I tried to run half of Grandma’s marathon and ended up yacking shortly before mile 6. I walked until mile 8, where the mister and my darling pal KVE were waiting to cheer me on, strolled up to them, said “I’m done,” and walked to the car.

Actually, I barfed twice. Once when I tried to do the jog-and-drink all the other runners were doing, snorted water, ended up coughing and gagging and the gagging just kept on until…well, you know. I can’t walk and carry a purse without incurring an injury, why on earth did I think that was a good idea?

The second time was a little later when my stomach, still roiling, decided it wasn’t going to settle down and was actually going to do a repeat performance of the earlier puke-in-the-weeds extravaganza.

I made the typical rookie mistake of trying to start out going way too fast at the beginning, super excited about the race and all geared up, thinking I could run faster than I actually can. I didn’t wear my Garmin so I had no way of pacing myself, short of running next to someone that had one so I could gauge my speed by glancing at their watch. So five miles in I was feeling about as tuckered out as a I usually feel at 8 or 10 miles and by mile 7 I was debating stopping for a little lie-down in the shade (this was after barf #1).

I’m sad I didn’t do better. I know I could have done better. But I’m really proud that I tried and I’m really proud that I trained and I’m very glad that my training led to a 10 pound weight loss and a good deal of muscle gained (I have freaky chunky runner’s thighs now, which is not quit what I was going for but still, better than flab). I still have a good deal more weight to lose, but I feel healthier and better and it’s summer now, which makes it so much easier to work out and enjoy it.

I'm going to do another half-marathon this summer and I'm going to finish it this time!

Also, I have the HUGEST blister on my right heel. It's enormous and gross and I really wanted to get a pedicure after the run because my feet are so nasty from all the training over the last few months, but I can't until the monster blister subsides. I still have all my toenails, though. My brother's girlfriend (finished the marathon in 5 hours, 51 minutes) is going to loose at least a couple of her toenails. That's just yucky.