Unfortunately a coldy virusy thing felled me earlier in the week, and I hadn't recovered in time for the race today. I decided to give it a go nonetheless, but alas had to pull out at 18 miles (my first ever DNF 
), because I was feeling extremely ropey - achey, shivery and weak, not what you need when you've got another 8 miles to go, and I decided (unusually for me) to do the sensible thing rather than give myself some lasting damage (like crippled immune system or death, neither of which appealed). A real shame because I thought the course was glorious - beautiful views and what fantastic conditions!
I will say this, though - I think the organisation was dreadful. The '10 minute walk to the start' which was about 25-30 minutes (with the result that many missed the start); the completely unbriefed marshalls who hadn't a clue what was going on (and I don't blame the marshalls themselves); the bizarrely inaccurate mile markers (mile 1 at 1.26 miles and then at apparently random locations thereafter; the inept control of traffic (which resulted in runners nearly getting mown down at the junction point on the Hambleton peninsula)... I could go on. I got the impression that Fat Feet were experience race organisers, but some of this stuff was so basic it's hard to believe they've ever organised anything before.
Curiously, I'd still come back next year if I thought they were going to get their act together, because the location was a dream.
