I may have mentioned that I love Grim Up North runs. The atmosphere is brilliant, it's friendly and inclusive. I've never come away from a run feeling let down. Today was no different. 

The course was a mixture of trail (around the disused colliery), canal tow path and two short road sections. The mud was muddy and the trail wasn't muddy. The hills were steep but the flat was flat. You got all sorts.

It got a bit like whacky races on the laps with a bit of confusion, but I ended up running the correct distance (if not 100% the correct course).

No one I spoke to seemed to care about a bit of confusion, we came to run, enjoy, have a bit of a chat on the way round and eat the cake (always loads of cake). 

If you want a relaxed, easy going, enjoyable race environment, this is the place for you. If you're going to get uptight about the course being 200yards too long or 10 mins late starting... May be not so much.