A North Vancouver man has achieved an extraordinary feat by completing two ultramarathons over a single weekend while wearing an ostomy bag. Alex MacInnis ran the Squamish 50/50, a grueling race that spans 80 kilometres on the first day and 50 kilometres on the second, climbing more than six kilometres in elevation.
MacInnis finished the race in just under 27 hours alongside 103 other participants. He said he wasn’t sure he could finish, but the accomplishment left him extremely proud.
Since 2018, MacInnis has lived with an ostomy bag after losing his large intestine due to Crohn’s disease. The condition, which causes long-term inflammation of the digestive tract, had severely affected his large intestine and rectum.
He said his goal was to show others with an ostomy that the procedure does not limit their potential. “You can go do hard things, your life is not over,” MacInnis said.
Diagnosed with Crohn’s at age 12, MacInnis spent years in and out of hospitals, facing significant weight changes and discomfort. He admitted he resisted getting an ostomy at first, feeling it was a sign of failure. “I thought having an ostomy meant I had failed. I was so wrong,” he said.
After his surgery, MacInnis quickly returned to active life. Within months, he was snowboarding again, and in 2022, he completed his first ultramarathon. He now hopes his story will inspire others living with an ostomy to regain confidence and pursue their passions.
“It’s such a major surgery, and you just don’t know what’s on the other side of it. And it’s embarrassing because it’s your intestines, it’s your bowels,” he said.
MacInnis ran the Squamish 50/50 to raise funds for the Ostomy Canada Society. Bryan Ezako, president of the society, said stories like MacInnis’s remind the 165,000 Canadians living with an ostomy that they are not alone. “First and foremost, you might have an ostomy, but an ostomy is not who you are,” Ezako said.
MacInnis attempted the race last year but had to withdraw after 77 kilometres. He recalled hallucinating in the woods and calling a friend to take him home. This year, he was determined to finish what he had started.
Completing the ultramarathon was a moment of triumph and redemption. “I was just overcome with relief, joy, all the feelings possible. It was pretty incredible,” MacInnis said.
By sharing his experience, MacInnis hopes to encourage others with Crohn’s disease or an ostomy to push beyond limits. His achievement proves that with determination, challenges can become milestones, and life after surgery can be just as fulfilling and active as before.
