The OMM - after a week+ of planning, lists, packing (6.5kg sacks), repacking and repacking again - - (mike took 3 hats after all that!) we were off to the OMM or the Original Mountain Marathon - this year the Elan Valley (where?) - Wales, somewhere north of Builth Wells with reservoirs. After last years disaster the organisers were taking no chances and had hired the Welsh Show Ground as race H&Q plus satellite phones - and with 3000 people to marshall .........

We went soft on the Friday night and had b&b in Builth - set us up for the day with porridge and full English .. the fish and chips the night before were pretty darn good too. We were in for the short score - 5 hrs / 4 hrs to collect as many points as you can from a selection of check points - challenging with lots of variables to consider - route, time vs. progress (penalty for lateness is 2 points a min). We finished with 15 mins spare both days.

The area is not particularly mountainous (more like our beloved West Pennine Moors) but it is almost entirely covered in rough tussocks (larger than your english tussock) many of which appear to be floating in water. Where there are no tussocks it’s either bracken, bog or crag and just to add to the excitement, there are few tracks or footpaths. If we fell over once it must have been a dozen times and more. I lost count of the times I made facial contact with a tussock, bending a finger or two back in the process. Mike's time at a rugby school was useful when he let go at of the map in high winds. I was downwind contemplating decapitation (this is a large laminated map with sharp edges) and he spectacularly launched himself thru the air to pin the map down. I followed that by a knee deep plunge in to a bog with the splash effect of a facial rinse in peaty water ....... lovely.

There were no real features to navigate by - we kind of just set the compass and ran/marched/fell over. It worked all but one time and in the end with nothing to relocate ourselves with, we passed on that check point. Don't we love re-entrants! .. the fact that the clag was not down is probably the reason we are not still out there. More nav practice i needed ..... On the Sat afternoon the autumn sun came out and the times I raised my head from the map and the tussocks, saw a beautiful wild landscape with autumn trees turning colour - only for it to turn cold and wet as we headed in to camp.

We ended day 1 with 14 hours ahead in a small tent in some high winds - tucking in to succession of treats .. could organic (yes, organic) tom & basil soup ever taste better? then on to habas frittas (salted broad beans), bean & veg curry, veg tikka, custard & apple, a chocolate treat, cups of tea .. no wonder our sacs were heavy! The evening was punctuated with some loud bangs .. there goes another balloon bed exploding ..we were not bitter ... just jealous given the paultry size of our sleeping mats - about 24sq inch. Sunday was dry and after a long night in the tent we emerged from yummy ready break to almost miss our day 2 start ... dozy or what!. We forgot is was a 10 min walk to the start .. doh! We had the wind behind us and the tussocks not too deep & had a good day if you don't count the re-entrant episode ("a narrow valley closed at one end, separating two spurs" seemingly).

Finished in one piece .. I tired a downhill belly slide to draw to a halt a couple of cm short of a rock - fine but winded .. and over the finish line. We came 68 out of about 187 starting teams (we think we covered about 35km over the 2 days) .. with a score of 245 (which gives us a silver certificate amazingly). The winning team had 570 points. We looked out their route on the OMM website - routegadget - clever tool that lets you map your route- how did they do that? . Wings on their fell shoes? ... balloons? .....

This is truly a wild area with large parts of desolate moorland with very few features. I don't think it makes for a fantastic walking area (take a look at this site - he does a backpack in the area) but would definitely recommend it if you require solitude - we have the maps for loan.... That said, it would be a nice area to re-visit on a cycle tour (National Cycle Route 8 passes through).

National FRA Relays: Oct 18th Ennerdale

A long drive round to Ennerdale on Saturday but in the glorious sunshine warming the autumn leaves. Time for a route recce which was well worth it, especially as my leg changed late last night. I'd even worked out the bearings for leg 2 but was now on leg 4 - it was shorter and I was running alone, last. 

Interesting evening at a lovely inn but without cook, cleaner or receptionist.  So it was DIY! the plus was I paid myself for cleaning the bathroom.

The next day (after the cold shower) the clag was down and got further down throughout the day and the drizzle turned to rain.  I stood around cheering people in and out and trying to keep warm and fed.  

Fell running is very friendly and inclusive.  I watched Alistair Brownlee leg it down the last fell and come panting beside me.  What other sport could I  be competing alongside the elite. He just won the world Tri championships. I was doing the same leg as him but needless to say he was back before I set off (most people were).  

Thank goodness for the recce. The clag was right down. I trotted up the first fell and managed to overtake 4 women.  One man overtook me.  Got to the first checkpoint then darted off across the rough and down under a summit along a trod, others were going over.  I could hear a bloke behind me all the way along and up to the next summit checkpoint.  Turned round then down the first gill.  I slipped on the wet grass and banged right down til my teeth rattled.  I let the guy overtake and decided not to follow him towards the waterfall. I went through the trees which was full of dead wood.  At one point I climbed over a large fallen trunk but fell right through it. I decided to get back in the clearing and luckily found the trod and took a steep descent to the track.  (another man behind me tried this and was later airlifted to hospital). 

I then enjoyed a stretch out along a forest track to the base of the last summit - crazily steep and by now a mud slide.  Hands on knees I kept going to the top, ran along to final check and did a good descent down that last hill to the showground.  A sprint in to finish and all my clubmates were still there to cheer - which was great.  I then watched several people who had been infront of me arrive in, even the first guy to pass me!  I then heard that Alistair Brownlee and the first 2 winners didnt even get checkpoint 1 - not only did i do the same course as them, I beat them! (technically).

My day ended with a chat to Joss Naylor.  Lovely.  I'd just finished reading his biography.  Like many fell runners, he is my inspiration. He's 73 and a few months ago marked his 50 years of fell running with a quick dash over 20 fells.  He set a record in 1975 with 72 peaks in 23 hours 11 mins.  But at aged 70 did 70 peaks in under 21 hours. Of course he is the greatest runner that ever lived. And there he was in his wellies turning up for the relays. And not many folk know him outside of Cumbria and fell running.  Last week at the BG dinner, Richard Askwith was there, having his book, Feet in the Clouds, made into a film so that might sell the magic, if it makes it out of Kendal Mountain Film Festival.

Fabulous, 

fit, 

fun, 

fifty 

and 

fell-runnin

sunshine & birthday wishes..

what a puff..or are those cheeks full of cake
a party complete with toy trainset
bubbles on the move

Happy 50th Birthday Martine...xxxx