One reason I was very happy to sign up for this race was that I had several friends that lived out this way that I hadn't seen since I raced Around the Bay in 2015. I found my friend Penny on the trail and we had a very nice chance to chat as we ran. I was still feeling good so headed off a at a little faster pace. I should have stuck with Penny!
At around half way my digestive tract started to feel wonky. This is the first time I have ever had an 'issue' during a race. Since the course went through campsites and areas of the park and I'd seen several park buildings along the way, I figured it was just a matter of time before I passed a washroom. Alas, no washrooms on this section of the course. I was too far along to go back, I had to just keep moving forward. It became a balance of walking to reduce the cramping and running so I could just get to the darn finish line. The last kilometres were painful, and completely distracting. Finally, finally, I crossed the finish line, and flopped down on a bench. Alas, within a few minutes I felt normal. Argh, of course! I went to get my medal and a girl in the finish area who'd been injured asked if I wanted my photo taken.
I'm still not sure what the issue was, I did try new fuel but have tried it again since with no issues. Perhaps just the time of day and pushing hard on the trail? Who knows. I can only hope to never experience that during a race again!