Well there were a few runners there, probably about a dozen or so all told.

I managed to turn the 17 mile route into a 19.25 miles by forgetting to cross a bridge over the canal at a junction within the first mile and promptly followed the wrong towpath for best part of a mile (my excuse being I'm sure I saw the runner who 'sprinted' off at the start going that way!) - once I bothered looking back to see no-one following and checked my map with a walker I knew it was a game of catch-up!

That said a pleasant 3.5 hours run in rolling countryside with plenty of mud and before the worst of the day's rain.