France's feces-filled Mud Day race sparks norovirus outbreak

Update (July 3): This article originally identified the French race as Tough Mudder but it was in fact the Mud Day Race, which is not associated with Tough Mudder. The article has been corrected.

Well here's some shitty news.

As if mud-based race competitions wasn't hard enough, over 1,000 competitors in France's Mud Day obstacle course were reported to having fallen ill with the runs after the run.

Initially, 30 participants experienced vomiting and diarrhea during the event held on the French Riviera near Nice on June 20.

However, things turned out to be not so nice as over 1,000 runners eventually succumbed to the same symptoms, as well as fever, in the days after the event.

French health authorities confirmed that the norovirus caused the symptoms.

Competitors had reported smelling feces amongst the dirt and animal manure is suspected to have become mixed with the dirt.

Meanwhile, Whistler held its fourth Tough Mudder competition on June 20 and 21. However, no local outbreaks of post-run runs have been reported.