First mile went well. It was raining pretty steadily but I didn't mind it. At some point during mile 2 my guts started not feeling so great. By halfway through the race I was running 'scared', scared of tossing my cookies during a race.

At the time we were in a residential section; I considered my options: someone's yard? No, that's just rude. The street? Not a great option, either. Try to get to and hit a storm drain? This is the option I thought I'd try for if it came down to it but I really didn't want to get sick publicly.

For sure my pace slowed for the last mile because I was concentrating on not getting sick and the faster I went, the worse I felt. It wasn't just my stomach, it was my intestines, too. Please, please, please hang in there until we're done, guts!

Thankfully they obeyed.

Not feel sick although I didn't do anything to bring it on! I felt a little 'off' (not outright, actively sick but not completely well, either - nausea coming and going) the next few days so IDK...

Ugh. Crossed the finish line and went straight back up the hill to the restrooms in the school just in case. Thankfully everything stayed where it was supposed to!

I went to my car and changed into a dry sweatshirt and hat, then watched for Cuda to come up the hill. I ran the last little bit with her toward the finish, then peeled off so I didn't get re-counted. Walked another .1 mile with her so her Apple watch would get the full 3.1 (something malfunctioned with it that it missed a little time), then we headed to the gym to get snacks, drinks, and wait for awards.

I was surprised (yet not surprised) that she and I both got AG awards! That's what happens when an already small race becomes even smaller because of people staying home to avoid running in the cold and rain.


Feeling like I was going to toss my cookies and associated gut pain/discomfort.


This is such a worthy cause - I will continue to support the organizer and the organization each year.