While some of their colleagues climbed and crawled the course, duty called reporter Nick Mann and photographer Adrian Miller, who sat it out to give readers a taste of the Mud ‘n’ Fun Run IT WAS - as the name implied - all about mud and fun. Nearly 500 participated in the Hash House Harriers charity Mud ‘n’ Fun Run and came away smiling despite having spent much of the four miles jumping in and out of douits and skips full of water and negotiating obstacles such as tyres and tunnels.
There were some unusual preparations before the start, gaffer tape being wrapped around trainers, ties being straightened and suit buttons done up.
The impression was of an event that was not to be taken too seriously.
‘It’s four miles and it’s going to be a giggle,’ said Hash House Harrier Stumpy shortly before the start.
Part of a team including Brainless, Backaker and Strider, they had dressed in DJs to be a ‘better class of gentlemen’.
Dirty Harry’s Mud Divers captain Ian Harrison was taking part in the event for the third time, but the others in his team were newcomers.
His advice before they set off?
‘Save your strength for carrying me. It’s a great day out in the country, sunny, fresh air, you can’t go wrong.’There was a lot of talk before the off of the need to start quickly to avoid waiting in the water as people filed through the bottlenecks.
Culture and Leisure minister Peter Sirett was given the honour of sounding the starting horn.
‘It’s a great bit of fun. I think it’s attracted the attention of the corporates,’ he said.
‘There are lots of teams here from different institutions in the island.’
First over the line was Jamie Chambers, 25, of Clubhouse Casuals, showing no ill effects from playing hockey before the run.
‘It would have gone a bit better if we hadn’t gone the wrong way. We took a wrong turn through some greenhouses,’ he said.
‘I didn’t go out to win, just to have a bit of fun, but I just got to the front and the competitive instinct took over a bit and I had to give it a go. It was very wet and cold.’
Another runner, Chris Higgs, finished complaining of numb ankles. ‘It was really good fun, nice and varied and not too many hills,’ he said.
Lindsay Henderson, 28, was running for Specsavers.
It was very, very smelly. They put a trough full of cow manure and there was no escaping it,’ she said.
‘But it was great, good to have a nice sunny day, running around, get a bit mucky - great fun. And it’s a good incentive to run faster just to get the first shower.’
Investec compliance officer Doric Steer, 33, wore a white tuxedo.
‘Very cold, very mucky, but there’s a communal squalor to it all - it’s great fun.’
Hash House Harrier and organising committee member Brian Staples completed the course for the fourth time in recent weeks, having been around preparing the trail before.
‘It’s been fantastic. The Hash House Harriers really appreciate what people will do for charity,’ he said after the run.
‘Look around here - mini rugby, hockey. This is the sporting island we are.’
He said the Harriers had been doing this kind of thing every Monday night since 1979, just not as muddy.
‘It’s a good turn-out. The weather had been kind to us, but we could have done with some rain a few days before just to make it muddier,’ added Mr Staples.
‘You try and get some of these people to run through a wet field any other time of the year and they wouldn’t, but because it’s today, their mates are doing it, they’re in teams, you just have to see the expressions on their faces. It’s fantastic.’
The run was sponsored by Saffery Champness.
‘We’re thrilled to bits that so many people have supported it and thanks to all the helpers, the Hash House Harriers for the organisation,’ said facilities manager and one of the organisers, Sarah Dorey.
‘We hope to raise a lot of money for Guernsey Neuro Concern and some pre-school groups in the island.’
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