Jodie Halford
BBC reporter

We hope you've enjoyed following all the action from today's Maldon Mud Race.

From inflatable hippos and men covered in balloons (pictured below), to gaffer-taped shoes and competitors from far and wide, this year's event has had it all.

If you've missed our coverage, just scroll back down the page to find out exactly what this quirky, fun-filled fixture of Maldon life is all about.

And just before we go - we've had confirmation 16-year-old Albert ran the race in just 2 mins and 47 secs. Well done to Albert!

I'm now off home to wash the mud off! Thanks for following.

For some participants, the mud race was over in a flash.

For others, a fair amount more time was spent crawling and dragging themselves through the mud, but the elation at the end was no less intense.

Once they made it past the big, inflatable finish line, they reunited with friends who'd also run the race, queued up for a shower and posed for photos on dry land.

Rosie Webster, 25, took part in the elites race with members of Maldon Rugby Club.

"The rugby club for women only started quite recently and I've been playing a month - we didn't know 'til we got here that we'd be called elites," she laughs.

The race was "absolutely knackering", she says, but "I wouldn't have got through it without all the support.

"I'm off home now to unwind with a beer!"

Promenade Park is starting to empty out now - but all around, little piles of filthy clothes can be seen where runners have taken them off to try to clean themselves up.

The bins will probably be overflowing by the end of today!

And the cleaners are working hard in the park toilets, where participants have been trying to wash some of the worst off.

Brian Farrington, chairman of the Maldon Mud Race, says this year's event has been "absolutely fantastic".

"The weather's been brilliant, and everybody survived, which is always our main concern," he says.

The elites race after the main event was a success, he adds.

"I think they thought it was easy 'til they did it, then they realised. It was a bit of an experiment.

"We'll definitely do it again and add some more difficulties next time."

More difficulties?? Just what they need!

Thought young Albert's face looked familiar?

He's got a rather famous dad...

Paralympian Danny Crates, a British world record holder in the 800m, says he "couldn't believe how well" his son ran "and how strong he was for the whole race".

We're still waiting for confirmation of his time, but we've been told it might be the quickest anyone's ever run it. He's also the youngest person to win.

"Being the youngest and potentially setting a record time makes it special as well," Danny says.

"He's put me to shame, I'd still be out there now if I'd run it."

We doubt that Danny!

Thought not! Here's some more snaps from the day.

Can you spot yourself?

Nearly there lads!

In a blink of an eye, they've gone across the riverbed and back - and John Matthews has won the mud race's first "elite runners" event, which took place after the main race in the churned-up mud.

"It was much harder than I thought it would be, near enough impossible," he says. "You have to pull your legs out with your hands, it was near enough a full body workout."

John only decided to run last week, but says he was confident he'd win - joking, "I couldn’t lose to an Olympian" - in reference to boxer Lewis Richardson, who also took part.

Where's Mario and Luigi today?

Bet you never expected to see them here...

Give us a smile!

Stay steady on those feet!

Dozens of traders are in Promenade Park today to keep people fed, watered, and to sell a souvenir or two.

We've spoken to quite a few, who've all said the atmosphere has been brilliant and takings have been good because of the sunny weather.

Up on dry land, competitors are treating themselves to getting the worst of the mud off.

Told you those showers would come in handy!

Groups of friends and individuals have made it to the finish line, though there's still a handful left in the mud.

The sheer exhaustion of some is clear to see - but everyone I've spoken to is in good spirits and is delighted to have completed the challenge!

Albert has been telling us how the race was "very good, but very hard… my legs are burning" - and that he'd done "no preparation at all for this".

How it helps to be young, ay?

We've managed to grab winner Albert Crates for a quick snap!

He was astonishingly quick.

Albert has won it! At just 16, he's two weeks from his GCSEs and ran it supremely quickly (we’ll have an official time later)

The runners are off, with some having made it across the river already.

It looks like hard going though - even the most seasoned runner won't find this a walk in the park.

The starting gun has been officially fired, and the competitors are making their way across the mud and into the River Blackwater.

Good luck everyone!