The volunteers in the tent were amazing and I was out on the run course in about a minute. I'd done a few training runs in my shoes and had decided to run without socks. Won't be trying that time saving measure again! I started the run listening to Steve King call my name. Steve is the voice of IM Canada and does a fantastic job helping the athletes through the day. He made a real difference to my race and I gave him a wave. The run is set so you pass through town five times. Normally, I don't like looped courses, but this format "works" in Taupo. The comments (that I remember) really sum up my run: Through the half marathon mark in 1:38 and I was still trying to get something moving. My goal was a 1:42 second half to get myself home in 9:20 and a new PR. That slowly slipped out of reach, but I kept pushing right up to the end.
The run is deceptively difficult with lots of small rollers that add up. I had it all on the run: cramps, diarrhea, blisters, chaffing - a smorgasbord of pain and suffering. All this going on, probably slowed me down a bit, but I didn't feel "bad". I felt tired, sore and scared of what might happen next. However, nothing really felt "bad". I just accepted everything and kept moving forward. Constantly assessing myself and trying to lift my run cadence.