5 minutes of Running

My last country run was down a lonely road into the small town of Jacksonville.
I wasn't sure where I was running to or towards. I knew I had a few options. Grandmom's first house, or the house she recently died in, or her new gravesite. I ended up on the back porch of the house she had most recently lived in. Around me were the various gardening tools and whimsical decoration ideas she'd left behind her. Shells in a glass jar. A red necklace on a stone grasshopper. A metal toy bike in a flower box. A wind compass on the roof.

I couldn't really cry at the funeral, or when I found out she had died, but after running 2 miles to this porch I could cry here for 5 minutes and then suck it up again to run back. I left the 5 minutes on my watch as they were a part of my run.

The ability fo fuel

The next six weeks I'll be running longer and longer on Saturdays. I feel slow right now on these marathon training runs because I often approach them improperly fueled due to my upset stomach issues.

However, last Saturday however was heavenly. I ate a large dinner late at night of bland rice pasta. My stomach was relaxed and happy.

I awoke after a good night of sleep, relatively, and with a settled tummy and legs full of energy. My run felt easier then it has for weeks. I ran around 14 miles all at a pace I could be proud of.

So I keep hoping that my tummy troubles are lessening even though today something has made my tummy unhappy. Was it the coffee? Or the ketsup?

Here is hoping that the next few runs will be easier and easier as long as I stay VERY strict on my diet. Oh, and I am loosing a bit of weight each week so I do need to really refuel carefully as I'm craving protein a lot after these runs, but meat can also aggravate my tummy. Especially spicy sausage.

Next up 16 miles, then 18, then 20 then 22 (I will attempt these on Saturdays in November) so hopefully that week is full of great refueling and a steady tummy.