An Aussie running across France

Here i am in a net cafe in Chateaubriand (picture above), my sort of town went for an ice cream and asked did i want a beer with it ?.
Been an interesting couple of days, rained sporadically the second night (big storm at 2 woke me) and i was worried about the day ahead, body was good but at no point had my stomach been quite right (possibly something to do with running in bike shorts as well as sleeping in Skins and having a camelbak across my stomach), certainly an interesting start to the day as they put us into the back of the vans - just like people smuggling with ten in the back - to take us to the start from the Sports Hall (it was only 2Ks out of town but every time i'd left to go to the Supermarket the heavens had opened up and i'd spent time in bus shelters).
A clear morning was awaiting us finally a decent looking day, still wearing bike shorts (with speedos underneath) and my Coolrunning Tri Top with my ASICS DS Racer 7 flats so same as the day before, as well as the larger camelbak still worried about rain so carried a jacket, nice run out of town and then bit of a shock as i was chasing only the race leader Sebastian, beautiful country side with some crop - corn i think, and lovely villages every 10K's or so, first time i'd really put on a 'race face' here, instead of my normal 5 minute feast i was arriving just after the leader and standing and drinking and ignoring him (and letting him leave earlier so that i could chase again), was really enjoying the sunny (25 degree day) and this happened for the first 51 K's.
In the meandering streets of the village after this stop he had gone out of sight (too many corners) and i was happy to race organiser JB and to be told we had only 18 K's of trail (disused railway without tracks) to go. Here i spotted my first ever wild Squirrel and i'll admit to be excited although i still could not see Sebastian, now with 3 or 4 K's to go my first ever navigational error here, we had been told the trail was straight the whole way, however you could not ignore an arrow facing left, so i took it, hitting the highway into town i knew this was wrong but with only a K to go couldn't do anything about it. Apparently the race leader (and stage winner) also took this turn and informed JB who then went and fixed it (these arrows had been put in a month before), so apparently we had both run an extra 500 metres so we had 4 minutes taken off our time so his time was 7:01:30 less 4 and mine 7:11:24 less 4 certainly never expected a podium finish.
Then driven to the sports hall absolutely stoked, especially when i saw a supermarket within easy walking distance. The local Aldi (Lidi here) was like a treasure trove with cold drinks and chocolate and i also bought some cereal as i wondered whether the lack of milk was doing my stomach harm, also bought another pair of bike shorts as i only had one and thought more may be needed (looked in the same sports shop for another pair of racing flats but none my size - small feet in France ?).
At night we were treated like royalty by the mayor of Guer, lovely wine, very nice casserole type thing with little spuds and carrots.
Off to bed and again the rain raised it's head (now i know how Brittany is so green), again we were put in the back of trucks to the start.
We were 2 runners short, one having dropped out yesterday and another off for a wedding (and rejoin us tomorrow).
Well a day very unlike yesterday, miserable wet drizzly weather the first 3 hours (20 odd K's), meant i never got going seemed to be spent from yesterday and couldn't get into it at all.
On the wildlife front saw my first ever wild badger (unfortunately as roadkill) but that was the only highlight straight roads meant i could see other runners getting away from me.
This continued till 50K's when to add insult to injury i realised that the chocolate and singlet i'd put out must have been at the one before (not at all happy but as the people at the drink stations were so friendly and welcoming i resisted a dummyspit which i sorely wanted).
At least now the sun was out and at 51K was finally fired up when first woman Selina from England, casually cruised past and said 'bonjour' powered past her after that (and as her husband said later ran like a man possessed the last 17 K's), certainly the way to get me going !!!.
Was flagging a little at the next drink stop (9K's to go) as frankly i'm not one to be passed by a woman (specially a Pom speaking French to me !), and was happy to sit down (didn't think i looked as bad that a funeral possesion of a couple of dozen cars was needed though - that came through as i was sitting).
After that the heavens opened up again but for a change it was good as i had sweated heavily and needed freshing up, was even better when i saw my nemesis of days 1 & 2 Pierre-Michell in front of me, picked him off and then Jacques another 500 metres ahead with the impressive 'Chateubriand' in sight, long way to it though and i was worried i had nothing left, but finally there in 7:21 in 10th place with the winner in 6:22 really just happy to finish (at this time have no idea of overall placing having probably slipped from last nights 7th).