No White Bears. deer

A good workout for me yesterday completing the White Bear Way Challenge Event from Adlington Scout HQ. Arriving with loads of time to spare, I found FSS, Albert, Josie, Three Kays and Mark Sammon also hanging around enjoying the tea and toast before around thirty or forty of us set off on what I presumed was the 21 mile route.
A couple of weeks ago on the Henderson's End race, I found myself in absolute last position two hundred metres into the race before I managed to gain some places on the climb to the Pigeon Tower. Yesterday for the first mile, I somehow managed to be leading alongside Albert and Josie. Sense then prevailed as I eased up a ran with FSS. Eventually, this built into a group of about eight as we headed to Scottish end of Blackrod and to the first checkpoint at the car park opposite Rivi HS - a few feet short of six miles distance and covered in the ridiculous time of 54 minutes, not much slower than the pace I would do for a 10k.
A quick drink and some malt loaf and then headed off in pursuit of FSS, Derek Kay and a lady who I had discovered was only running the ten mile route. CP2 arrived very quickly - at The Castle - then said lady and FSS headed off left towards the reservoir. Derek continued on and then left.  I took the middle of three paths at the junction thinking it was correct from the map. I was wrong, (FSS was even more wrong!) and Derek had planned to do the ten mile route. Reaching the road I realised I had taken the wrong route so had to run back along the road, expecting the others to have overtaken me. Back on the correct route up towards CP3 near Wilderswood, passing a few walkers who advised me that a group of runners had passed them so long ago that they must have started just after 8.30.
A drag along Georges Lane (thank you United Utilities and Natural England for enforcing the route change) to CP4 at Horden Stoops where I was caught by a couple from Wigan Harriers who I'd expected to be in front - they had also taken the wrong path from The Castle. Chatting with them en route to the Bomber Memorial, some 12 miles into the route,  revealed that they both currently run 10k at sub 40 pace.  We were also joined by a lady running with her dog. Albert later revealed to me that she completed the GRP last year!
At the head of High Bullough Reservoir we encountered the group of lads who'd started with the walkers, and had a grand tour of the area. They were very happy for us to lead them through the next phase where my route knowledge to Healey Nab was welcomed. A tricky descent through the MTB tracks and then on to cross the M61 and back to the canal towpath before heading to CP6 which looked somehow familiar - The Black Horse at Limbrick. Back to the canal towpath near Frederick's Ice Cream  and then caught up with Mark S, who had devised his own route, somewhere in between the 10 and 21 mile routes. Finishing in 4hrs 15 where Albert, Josie and FSS were waiting to find that A & J had run about 3hrs 10 and FSS had completed the 10 mile route - twice!
Good food at the end - as much as you could eat
No white bears were spotted but I did see this deer thing on the hill side above Georges Lane as I approached Pike Cottage - shame I didn't have a better camera than my phone on me.