Race day

It started out quite bright but by mid-morning the cloud was thickening and it was beginning to rain. I'd been to collect my race number and was wondering why I'd entered, with a forecast for fairly heavy rain and so  more mud as well as what was promised originally. The hills could still be seen - this is the view across to Grisedale Pike - but Skiddaw was topped with cloud.
The rain got worse and so I kitted up in waterproof jacket and headed back to the park and the start. There were a couple of early bottlenecks, then some road to where Mr Rat was marshalling and then the fun began. Thick liquid mud and steep slopes before reaching a nice path (where I got a bit held up) and then more road. By this time the rain had eased off, unlike the slope, but soon we were on to the original route with its uphill bog and then lovely descent.
The rain held to a drizzle until after I'd finished and I was a bit quicker than I'd thought I might be. If I'd entered the race and not the challenge (which doesn't have age category prizes) I would have been first 60+ by about 10mins, but I didn't so I wasn't!
Thai takeaway for tea - by which time the rain was heavy and the hills vanished.
The extra is my muddy feet and even muddier legs - it was the muddiest race I've done.