Out in the muddy fields, cow-patterned runners can’t stop smiling
Small cow bells hung from their necks jangling, cow print t-shirts were splatted with mud, smiles beamed.
This was the end of the Muddy Cow Fun Run and joy was in the air.
Given the participants had got out of bed to spend their Sunday morning being whipped by a biting cold northerly wind as they were directed through, under and over obstacles designed to get them as mucky as possible for 5km, the sense of exhilaration was deserved.
The fun run has grown in its three years from 250 taking part to around 525 this time, showing just what can be achieved when an event is aimed at a broad audience.
It begins on the path opposite the tower at Vazon, ducks along a bridleway through La Grande Mare, and then the fun really begins as people are taken through farmer Rob Waters’ land and a series of muddy challenges, hay bails, tunnels, cargo netting. It gives everyone involved a whole new perspective on an often hidden part of the island.
The event was the brainchild of Bryan O’Meara.
‘I come from a trail running background,’ he said at the finish line.
‘I was out for a morning run in the lanes behind here at Vazon. It was just a lovely Spring morning and it was a kind of iconic picture, timeless, of the cattle out in the field. No one else was out and it seemed a shame that so many people were missing out.’
He designed a course and Rob Waters was up for it.
‘I thought make it a charity event, put something back, and away we went.’
It has been a success in more ways than one, raising thousands for charity and getting hundreds of people out and active.
‘The idea was to try and make it a fun run so that it would be fully inclusive. Historically there’s been a mud and fun before, which has kind of been a little bit more hardcore. I just wanted to make this for kids and families to get people out. It’s well publicised these days about the mental and physical well being side. We didn’t want it to be so challenging that people were put off, but not too easy so that some of the more interested runners could have a bit of a challenge as well.’
The event has proven so popular that it is now probably at its capacity.
Those out on the course were supported by a team of 15 marshals from distance.gg and JP Runners, making sure there was help if needed alongside St Johns.
It was not the smoothest of set-ups this year.
Late in the day they had to redesign the course as one of the fields they usually use was unavailable, and then Storm Arwen pitched up and undid a lot of the work that had been done in the week to get things ready.
It meant some last minute preperation on Saturday and the morning of the event.
‘It did compromise some of the stuff we wanted to put out today,’ said Bryan.
‘I can’t take my hat off high enough for Rob, we rely on him for the course construction.’
Usually people spend their time deftly trying to avoid muddy puddles, this was an invitation to jump right in, to throw off those social norms and embrace the fun.
‘Everybody seems really happy. Maybe the mums and dads don’t want to be out as long as the kids do in this stuff, but everybody has a sprint finish at the end. Nobody’s coming in being grumpy, that’s what it’s all about. I think if we are putting a smile on people’s faces on a cold Sunday morning then job done really.’
At the end, Guernsey’s fire service provided the final hurrah, washing everyone down.
You can watch the start on our Facebook page here.
The event raised about £7,500 for Men’s Shed Guernsey, Male Uprising Guernsey and the Priaulx Premature Baby Foundation.
For a full picture gallery head over here.
And for more from distance.gg, here.
