Cross-country runs in the rain. Everyone on the line gets the same mud. Nobody’s excuse is special.

Every runner at the start gets the same weather, which is what makes a race a race. The mud is a fact rather than a misfortune, and the people who finish well are usually those who stopped arguing with it a mile earlier. Poor conditions mostly sort out who was waiting for things to be fair.

Next time the weather is bad, notice how much energy you are spending on resenting it. Make a decision about shoes, pacing or clothing, then stop having an opinion. Watch whoever handles it best in your group, because that is a learnable thing rather than a personality.