01\10\16 - Richard Ellis Memorial 200km Audax

211 kms from Dunmow to Grantchester to Hawstead to Mistley to Dunmow.  My target was to get beyond the Hawstead control before the rain came.  If I had still been at the cafe when the real weather hit us I would probably have stayed there.  I managed to clear the control but within 10 mins I was in torrential, freezing rain\hail with added thunder and lightning for company.  Roads soon became rivers.  And of course at that point there was no shelter.  It can be quite surprising how much hail can hurt when you are follicly challenged in the upstairs department!  This all lasted for about twenty minutes, thereafter it felt like I was walking on water (as it slopped around in my shoes).  Otherwise the journey was fairly fast and uneventful.  At Mistley the sun reappeared so soaked coats could come off and give the rest of the clothes a chance to dry out.  With a 08:30 start, and a return by 18:20 it turned out to be one of my quicker 200's to date.  PW.