Can you find the apple? |
It’s called chunder, but when the natives say it it sounds
more like chundah. In certain
quarters it’s simply barfing, ralphing, yaking or even spewing.
Whatever the term, this bodily function is no stranger to
ultra runners. The challenge for us, of course, is trying to identify all
things that contribute to tossing our cookies, and avoid these things at all
cost.
Of all the fruit in Eden, who among us would’ve guessed that
the apple would be the forbidden one? The one fruit that describes the larynx
in our throat (was it stuck in Adam’s throat?). Forgetting the religious
connection, the apple has a metaphorical reputation that is, well, a little
concerning. A reputation that became all the more concerning last weekend.
We were standing on the top of Mt. Baden Powell at the
highest point of the Angeles Crest 100 mile endurance run, and we could see
forever. When I looked around, everything seemed so surreal. A gentle wind blew, and gliders soared
in and out of the mountain’s contours. It was, at least from my perspective,
our own momentary Garden of Eden.
That was the time Howard, one of the runners, pulled out an apple.
Apparently not a good idea, as said by Rob M who remembered suffering by way of
the apple on a run 40 years prior. But that bit of knowledge didn’t save the
apple. It didn’t save Howard either. Eating the forbidden fruit in our
momentary Garden of Eden had its consequences (please refer to the first
sentence in this post now...).
Ok, lets forget the Garden of Eden for a minute. That apple
was there just to lure poor old Adam to prove we humans are weak and will forever
need redemption. Right? But why was Howard treated so poorly after eating an
apple? Could it be the high fructose content in apples? Or could it be their
high sorbitol content? Or could it be the fact that sorbital restricts the
absorption of fructose, which can cause stomach issues even in people sitting
on a couch at sea level?
One thing I’ve learned in the sport of ultra running is that
there exists a tree of knowledge. Each branch on this tree is actually the knowledge
of every individual runner. There are times we need to tap this tree of
knowledge, and take notes. And there are times when we don’t. Which reminds me
of a something Mark Twain once said: “man who carries a cat by the tail learns
something he can learn in no other way.”
Don’t eat what doesn’t fall far from the tree!
2 comments:
live and learn... fabulous view to be sure
Wow. That Twain quote describes ultramarathons PERFECTLY! So, so true.
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