We few,we brave few, we band of brothers - many are called but few met the challlenge of the torrential rain that was lashing Yeovil; pity Jon "Windy Bottom" and Mtt "Duke" Crane who were out early to lay the course (Still it is something of an honour - just the fourth or fifth wet H5 hash!). The excuses came flooding in, some more reasonable than others .. admittedly a lot of the usual suspects were off getting even wetter and muddier on the Wessex League finale at Kingston Lacy, but the texts ranged from tales of lurgi to the much more honest "who runs in weather like this?!". At the pub itself, one runner (who remains nameless but those who were there know who you are, Richard!) decided that it would be better to go home and watch the rain with his dog, and it finally got too cold to wait for the long-distance group to arrive - we reckoned that they would have finished their run, had a cup of tea and dry clothes and thought better of it - rather than that Phil had been wearing his "Not Lost, Just Exploring T-shirt" and taken it as an instruction rather than a bit of a joke!

The group headed off down Mudford Road, working hard against the head wind and driving rain - Barnacles Orme and Two-Skin Blencowe to the fore - and ended up at the play area at Yeovil Rec. In the absence of money for a Mocha at the Galley and flour markings (washed out by the rain), we had to trust the hares' explanation that the correct course including the zip-wire and climbing over the pirate ship and down the dragon slide - net result; wet arses all round!

Look at the RunReplay course - looks like we ran miles and the hares have obviously been well trained, as there were some particularly nasty twists - and how they laughed when the whole group ran right down Ilchester Road almost to Yeovil Marsh.. only to get carried away and not notice that the Crane clan were still standing back by the bus stop at the top of the hill! Down to a good beer stop (those hedgehogs will bury anything) and out into the mud (Mixy nearly missing out on a puddle until put right!), before a really nice bit - heading down Marsh Lane, only to round the field, and past the Windy Bottom which gave the man his name, before heading back up hill & come out just feet from where we'd been 10 minutes earlier!

Despite the rain stopping and the sun coming out, the enthusiasm had been used up and so it was a quick trot back along Combe Street Lane and an ad hoc jelly baby stop at the Hundred Stone before the call of On Inn - well done Windy Bottom and Duke for a very enjoyable hash; next time we'll let you have a dry one so more people turn up!

Next hash - Easter Sunday, 8th April - venue to be decided!

RunReplay - http://www.runreplay.com/replay.aspx?event=1322

Photos on: https://picasaweb.google.com/yeoviltownrrc01/FleurDeLysHash04032012#