This is a picture of Bill Wheeler and myself before the start of the Seaton Trail 29km Mud Puppy Race.You will pleased to know that hardware was taken home and our trail group well represented. One of us finished in third place overall and one of us did not.
I did not have to wait to long after my long hot shower and change to dry clothes and I was thrilled to see Bill as he finished, because it truly was a tuff slug, running in ankle deep shoe sucking mud for the entire course. Bill was really bonked, unlike myself was well hydrated and had taken ample gummy bears at the water stations.
The day started bad, rain, high winds and temperatures that did not come above +3 all morning.
The out and back course just got deeper in mud as the morning progressed and water levels during the river crossing rose very quickly.
As in any race but even more so on a crappy day like this, you have to give credit to the volunteers who were water logged and cold but endured to make sure the runners in all three events (29k, 58k, 50m) were looked after.
So my recommendation to beating Bill to the finish line at a hideously difficult race, is to pull out around 20k and get a fast ride to the finish from some poor soul who lets a soaking wet runner covered in mud to sit in their car for a ride to the finish area.
Bill did a fantastic job of staying upright for a majority of the race and resembled a walking soil sample at the end. He said he may have damaged a tree that jumped out at him when he was sliding down one of the zillion hills.
Next OUS race is the Pick Your Poison Trail Races in Orillia on April 30th, one that has now moved down a notch of being a nasty & tuff race when it rains.
