Yes, a memorable event indeed. Rain was falling as we started and continued intermittently throughout the day and night until about 10 when the stars came out. It stopped because there was no more water in the clouds: it was all on the ground and most of it on our route. Muddy lanes became quagmires after churning by 150 pairs of feet, ploughed fields were particularly good fun with clingy Norfolk clay, and even negotiating woodland paths was a case of two steps forward, one step back ? or more often, sideways. A challenge event worthy of the name ? even without stress fractures.

Thanks to the excellent support of the checkpointers (waiting in the cold and damp beyond the call of duty for the tail-enders after official checkpoint closing time) and to the organisers for arranging the event: nobody who did it will forget the Winter Poppyline 2011.

Brilliant event!! Well organised and well worth the trip East.

Not without its hiccups - We enjoyed it so much we did an extra loop between the start and checkpoint 1, and ended up in Northrepps rather than Southrepps....my partner had a sore ankle after 10 miles and carried on for the rest to finish - in agony the following day - A&E confirmed he has a stress fracture in his ankle.

But never mind! Thanks a lot to Norfolk and Suffolk and all their helpers.