Sunday, October 3, 2010

The Upchuck Chronicles

Back when I was running on Colby High School's great cross-country team, Coach Johnson often had us run a speed/strength workout we called "Sheds." As in, we're going to run Sheds today.

This workout consisted of running all-out to an equipment shed built set back on the high school fields. All told, a Shed sprint was about 600 yards across grass. We usually did three Sheds, or so. One day Coach Johnson decided to see what we're made of. As I remember it, he had us run six Shed repeats, and told us that he'd buy a pop for anyone who puked.

On the last repeat, we were all on our knees in a circle around a pine tree. It looked as if we were praying to the tree god, but we really were retching our guts out. Nothing came up for me, but my ab muscles were sore from the dry heaves.

I'm 30 years older now, and still running. But running 'til you puke is a young athlete's game, and I rarely push myself to that point, even in a race. What? I'm going to kill myself so I come in 48th in a field of 130 runners instead of 55th?

But this morning I decided to run on some trails on the western edge of Rib Mountain, and the route begins with a long, steep incline. I powered along, trudging, basically, like an old four-wheel drive Ford F-150 grinding away in low range.

It felt pretty good, but as the heart rate rose, and the lungs pumped, I noticed a deep cough beginning. I had a nasty head cold a couple of weeks ago, and I think some of the stuff that was in my head drained into my throat, and maybe even settled into my lungs. The deep breathing was dredging some crap up, and found myself upchucking the junk. I wasn't throwing up, exactly, but the stuff was coming out.

And I continued to run.

As I negotiated the rocky trails, and found my way to Rib Mountain State Park's observation tower, I felt better and better. I went to the top of the tower, and looked over the patchwork quilt that is central Wisconsin in the fall. It was gorgeous.

I ran back on the trail that has a longer route down, but isn't as steep. I felt lighter and better than I have for weeks. I felt like a Colby cross country runner once again.

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