Year 2, Week 14 Wrapup

We were driving back from Utah on Monday, so I did Monday's speedwork on Tuesday. I'm at a level now with the speedwork where I'm going fast enough that I really feel it in my bowels. When I first started running, I never really identified with the people who were so adamant about not running right after eating. At the speeds I was going, it didn't matter what I had in my stomach. Now, though, I'm getting fast enough with the speedwork that I really notice it if my bowels are not empty.

Ideally, I would do a speed workout like that after not eating for at least 6 hours before, and eating especially light for the 18 hours before that to let other things clear out. I'm not yet at the point where I'd be advocating enemas before a big race, but I can now understand how people at that level of competition would need to worry about things like that.

So, on Tuesday's workout, I did two 800s at a 7:15 pace, then one at a 6:45 pace. That 6:45 killed me, and right afterwards I had to either poop or puke. I opted for poop, but when I went over to the bathroom, I saw the custodian walking away after having just locked it. The track didn't close for another half hour, but I get the feeling that he wanted to get home earlier to finish his beer or something. I yelled after him, explaining my urgent need, and how it shouldn't even be closed yet. He just said "close-ed". He was clearly not a native English speaker, or was at least pretending not to be. I explained in a most fervent manner that my need was great, and if I didn't find a suitable environment in which to meet that need, I would be forced to evacuate my bowels onto the sidewalk below. I'm pretty sure he got the gist of what I was saying, but still replied, "close-ed". I kept following him pleading my case until he finally took pity on me and let me into a nearby building that he hadn't finished cleaning yet so I could use the bathroom there. I repaid this kindness by completely devastating that bathroom over the course of the next 20 minutes.

Unrelated to my running this week, I came across the following video, which provides a pretty clear visual explanation of why I'm not planning on graduating to ultra-marathons any time soon.