Muddy good fun as runners get filthy at Shropshire Mud Run - with video and pictures
It was certainly no leisurely Saturday morning stroll.
Hundreds of competitors were caked in mud, ducked in pools and then hosed down with ice cold water for good measure.
Lovers of all things muddy indulged in their passion at the weekend as they completed a 10k run, near Shrewsbury. The Shropshire Mud Run was held at Eaton Mascott on Saturday and was the finale to a five-round series where competitors have been taking on the finest and filthiest countryside courses in Shropshire.
Offering a natural obstacle course, the mud run was suitable for all levels of fitness and experience.
About 300 participants took on 10k of off-road terrain including trail running, mud crawls, river and stream crossings, mud banks and slides.
Some of the more seasoned mud runners competed at the sharp end of the race for championship points as the series overall winners were announced at its conclusion.
Others competing for the first time, as part of a team, raising money for charity and even in fancy dress made up the rest of the field. Tom Meehan, director of Ultimate Fitness Experience which organises the mud runs, hailed the event a success. "It was fantastic.
The weather helped. It rained over night and it dried out just as the runners started. By the end they were caked in mud."
The final event of the season is the White Run at Eaton Mascott Hall on December 31.
See www.shropshiremudrun.com for more.
