They weren't all wearing the most functional attire but with 5km of mud, slush, swamp and slope, the competitors at the 2013 McDonald's Mud Muster certainly looked the part on a sunny Saturday morning at the Rangitikei Farmstay in the Turakina Valley.
The Sport Wanganui-organised event took in 5km of river and lake water hazards, but got really gnarly when the runners reached the rope net crawl up out of the first valley, creating a bit of a bottle neck and some hard to distinguish muddy faces.
Reality was starting to sink in for many, more so than when the event MC was telling the spectators what would be the best vantage points on the roadside of the Tyrone Farm. "Once they go past the dams, say goodbye to your loved ones, and I hope their insurance is paid up."
Farm owner Andrew Stewart had to ease tensions as he told the nearly 350 runners they were on a working farm so would be passing a multitude of likely bemused livestock. "So for all you city slickers out there, don't be scared of them, they'll be scared of you."
Marshall Rachel O'Connor added her own advice. "Watch out for the frogs, I can tell you from experience they are out there. And the eels."