Blog: johnloguk

THE AMAZING WORLD OF MOUNTAIN MARATHONS

The weekend just gone saw the 40th anniversary of the Original Mountain Marathon (OMM), in the Lowther hills of Southern Scotland. I've taken part in 15 of these, the first back in 1987 in Snowdonia, but I missed out this year after months of illness and injury stopped me getting fit enough.

People take part in pairs over two days. There are different courses to suit levels of fitness and ability, but they are all a serious challenge. You must carry all your gear for the two days, and there is a check list of compulsory items to prevent people putting themselves in danger by trying to travel too light.

The OMM started life as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon (KIMM) back in 1968. It was the brainchild of Gerry Charnley, who wanted to test fitness and navigating skills alongside the new generation of lightweight gear. Fitness levels have continued to rise, and the technology has improved out of sight, but the fundamentals remain. The ethos of the event is to be totally self reliant, in the wilds, carrying all equipment, no outside support and without GPS or cell phone; your first source of help is your partner and if you retire you are responsible for getting yourselves back to base. Any teams not arriving at the overnight camp are assumed to have camped safely. In these days of 24/7 contact and total support this is an event to test and indeed help develop toughness and self reliance.

Apart from the different distances, there are two types of course on offer. Some are conventional point to point, the same as traditional orienteering, where you have a number of compulsory controls to visit in a set order. The only thing down to the competitors is the route choice between the controls. Then there are "score" courses which have a time limit each day. On each day there is a selection of controls that are considered "live". They have different points values, depending on their relative remoteness or isolation. The competitors have to decide how many they can visit in the time allowed, while trying to maximise their points total. However, there are very punitive points penalties if you are over your time.

Go to www.theomm.com for full details and links to photos, results etc from the event. Check out Route Gadget, this really is the best bit of kit ever invented for showing route choices on the actual event map. This year was filmed by the same crew that made the excellent Gryff Rhys Jones series "Mountain", so expect to see it on TV at some point.

The KIMM/OMM is probably my all time favourite event, and I look forward to being sufficiently fit to take part again next year. It can be unbelievably tough, especially in poor weather. It always takes place the last weekend in October, so good weather is very rare. We have had huge storms, and "white out" snow conditions one year that led the local vicar to join his parishioners in prayer for us on the Sunday morning!

Despite this toughness, or maybe because of it, the cameraderie is second to none. The crack at the mid-camp is unique, something to be experienced at least once in your life, and you make friends who you only ever see at the event. There are other mountain marathons, and all have their unique challenges. There are also high profile, media friendly adventure races all over the world, but the KIMM/OMM is the original and still the best in my opinion

by johnloguk on 10:30 on 30th October 2007