It’s fair to say that we’ve had plenty of rain in the weeks leading up to and over Christmas but some people around Dursley want more.

More specifically, those runners taking part in the Dursley Dozen – one of the big races on Dursley Running Club’s sporting calendar – will be hoping it’s wet, wet, wet at the end of next month.

The Dursley Dozen, run in the mud over 12 miles around the hills of Dursley, takes place on Sunday 9th February (10.30am start), and the annual event regularly attracts well over 400 competitors.

“The runners will want it nice and sunny on race day, but in the couple of weeks leading up to it they’ll want some rain,” said chairman of Dursley Running Club, David Durden, who has taken part in an event now in its 31st year in the past.

“It’s an iconic race – people come from all over the country to take part – but it can be quite brutal because the course can be so muddy.

“That’s what makes it so tricky, it’s tiring on the legs because you can be slipping and sliding all over the place.”

And there’s no gentle introduction to the race either.

“The start is quite intimidating,” continued Durden. “You run straight up into a wood. That’s quite harsh because you’ve really got to go for it if you want to be up among the leaders.”

And although it’s one of the tougher races on the circuit, there is some help for the runners along the way.

“We provide ropes so that runners can pull themselves up the Precipice,” explained Durden. “That’s about eight-and-a-half miles into the course before they get up to Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club and before they home.”

It’s tough enough just reading about it, let alone taking part in it, but Durden added: “It is a hard race but people enjoy running in the mud.”

The race HQ is Rednock School sports hall and the most recent winner finished in a time of one hour, 20 minutes, 39 seconds.