A very swampy Charity 5K Muddy Fun Run

Some band members ran in the Wimborne & Ferndown Charity 5K Muddy Fun Run in May.

Nick, our bandmaster, tells us a story of their adventures…

Well done to our very muddy runners!

Hey, I’ve an idea!” said BDCB’s chairperson, Sue, “We should get a band team to do a 5km muddy run. It’ll be fun!”, she said.

And so out went the email resulting in four band folk and various family members making up the team of nine who were ready for the challenge. Seven of them would take part and two would run the course to take photos.

The 5km course on farmland had 26 obstacles. “It’ll be fine”, said David “and we’re doing this as a team, it’s not a race”.

So, on a slightly overcast Saturday morning in May, the intrepid nine met near Three Legged Cross. “Bring it on”, yelled Tracey and off they went.

Under a tarpaulin, under a mattress resting on hay bales, over a hurdle, along a track. “It’s a doddle”, said Andy, “what was I worried about?” And then they came to the concrete tunnel with dubious water running through it…and folk got a little wet and a little grubby.

Over a mound, over a hay bale, across some planks straddling a ditch, through some tractor tyres and over some fallen trees. “But where’s the mud?”, wailed Rosie, “I’m not even dirty yet!”

And then, there it was…..the swamp. “No problem” quipped Ryan, who suddenly found himself waist deep yet failed to tell Nick that there were hidden dangers below the water. In jumped Nick whose shins promptly met obscured tyres leaving him no option but to fall forward. The swamp monster rose up snivelling “I’m not very happy!” If laughing classifies as exercise, then the other eight had a very good workout. “He’s like a clumsy, flailing mole rat”, observed Benjamin.

And so onto the mud pit….”Me first!” hollered Sarah, “this is what I’ve been waiting for” and in she went up to her waist. “Oh no” said Sue, “Sarah’s a foot taller than me”.

“It’ll be fun” chorused the others. And on they went, through more ditches and tyres and under tarpaulins and over fallen trees and hurdling ditches and ending the course getting dunked in a skip full of cold water.

Muddy, yes, wet, yes, great fun, yes, lots of laundry, yes. It’s been suggested to make this event next year’s band social for all to join in…..

Written by
Enid Blyton – or Nick our clarinet-playing bandmaster