As usual I was rolling into town last minute for the Teva/Vail Mountain Games race unprepared, picking up my number and looking for dinner before figuring out where I was going to sleep the night.

I went to the pasta place and order a simple pasta dish to go.

Bada bing bada boom.  I was on my way, food in hand, walking through town to the parking garage in order to drive to a camping spot before dark.

As I was walking I smelled an electrical fire and felt for whatever hotel or business was dealing with the ordeal.

Then the smell followed me into the parking garage and then into my car.

Huh?

Is it….. is it the pasta?

For some reason I just decided to drive off and eat the meal I had just purchased that smelled like an electrical fire.  I mean, I had just spent money on it, it was getting late, I needed sleep, food is food.  I had scarfed a bunch of it down before thinking twice about it.  Then I threw the rest away at the rest stop.

I slept fine. I woke up fine. I got to the race fine, all was fine.

This year was my year of doubles, and so today was the Vail Pass Uphill run, tomorrow would be the 10k trail run.

We set out at a healthy pace and as the miles accumulated so did the biggest, most painful side stitch I had ever had.  I had to stop, there was no outrunning this stitch, no trick that anyone was telling me was working.

Silly, but serious, it had to be the pasta the night before.  It only made sense that it was.  I reasoned it to be some sort of liquid garlic they must have on hand and a rookie cook overdoing it in a major way.

Ultimately, I think it all worked out though.   The next day I came in 1st place in the Spring Runoff 10k Trail Race!