Though running and vomiting isn’t a strong pairing like flowers and bees, it used to be a problem for me. Maybe some readers have similar experiences.

Have you pushed yourself so hard that it caused you to throw up? It used to happen to me, and it lead to a personal policy I still hold onto – I don’t eat inside of three hours before I run. If I know I’m going to run hard, four or five hours is better.

When I was in high school, I once won our track team’s weekly athlete of the meet award because I qualified in the mile for the district competition at the all-city meet, threw up my school lunch in the upper corner of the grandstand, then qualified in the two-mile an hour later.

One summer while on a fast, early morning eight-miler, a buddy and I were pushing hard over the last half mile when I stopped and doubled over. Though I hadn’t eaten since dinner the day before, I had a serious case of the dry heaves.

It has been a long time since I’ve thrown up. Perhaps my stomach has matured by not showing its displeasure with a little physical distress.

My most regretful vomiting moment happened when I was a high school senior. The morning of the state cross-country championship meet, coach urged everyone to eat breakfast even though the race started at 10 am. I balked, but he told me to have something, suggesting some dry toast and orange juice. I didn’t want anything, but I followed his direction.

After finishing the race, I could tell the food was coming up. I was in the finish chute, right in front of the packed grandstand and couldn’t leave, so I turned away. Standing right there was our school’s cheerleading squad. I blew my cookies right in front of them.