You need to go places!...;-) That was awesome vegetation - open forest, perhaps a bit soft in the marshes per definition, pretty much from start to finish.
Brutal more in reference to moss ...I can't complain too much about the visibility seeing as it would be tough to get any more open
running in moss is easier than running in snow. be ready for anything the organizers throw at ya. if you are thinking brutal while racing you aren’t focused.
The word brutal was simply meant to say the forest was tough running and the road gave some easier faster running in the middle to recharge the intensity through the forest on the long leg