This is a popular event and it was full about a month ago - 1200 participants with probably about 400 runners and 800 walkers. There are two routes, the 16m and the 26m. Its very similar to a LDWA event, but its a bit more expensive as all proceeds go to the local school which is the start and end point.
It was a tad muddy today. Last year the conditions were pretty dry. This year there was lots and lots of mud. Some of it was so bad that even when it was flat I couldn't run on it - it was just squelchy and I would be ankle deep in the stuff. Sometimes I would come out of a ploughed field and my shoes would feel twice as heavy as the normally do. There was also plenty of stiles to stretch your legs.
I liked it. Some beautiful villages and Belvoir Castle looked impressive again. It was a new route this year and we got a better view this time. Some of course was used last year, but in the opposite direction. Not too many hills and none of them were particularly big, but the mud made them hard to get up.
The checkpoints were well stocked and the meal at the end was as great as it was last year - soup, pudding, tea and flapjack. Its the twentieth year they have run this event and the organisation is like clockwork. A good run and I am pleased to got round. I was over 30min slower than last year with 5hr 8min, but it felt a totally different event this year.
