Wow! What a brilliant weekend. That was probably the toughest but most enjoyable and satisfying race Ray and I have done together. A week on I am still buzzing.
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| Planning, prevents, pish, poor, performance. It didn't prevent us both forgetting to start our stopwatches. Doh!... Doh!... |
It all started two years ago when I had heard or read the phrase Mountain Marathon. Like most people I presumed it meant a twenty six mile race in the hills, I am glad to say I was wrong. A mountain marathon is; a two day fell race/Navigation challenge with competitors carrying all equipment necessary for an overnight camp.
After much research it was obvious that navigation was the key skill and if you will excuse the mixed metaphor. I could not find my way out of a wet paper bag.
While searching the interweb this report by Simon Willis came up. Simon recommended the excellent Nav4 course. The Two day course run by Joe Faulkner was a wake up call for me. The instruction was bang on, covering all aspects of MMs not just the nav but it also made clear to me, I was not up to a full mm. No matter how good the instruction was, what I needed was practice.
The practice came in the form of fell races and Dark and White mini mountain marathons. 2008 also saw the birth of Team Ibuprofen, Male Veterans, combined age 100/109 Ray Mansfield and Stephen Burt.
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| SLMM 2009 |
2009 I teamed up with ndm for the Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon a very unequal partnership with me being very much the junior. Norbert is a true gent and all round mountain genius, a tough old goat, he snapped his anterior cruciate ligament but still kept on going, ouch!
On to the Rab 2010. During the SLMM Norbert was organiser, navigator, cook and very much team leader (Tks ndm I am eternally grateful) but this time it was my turn.
The weekend went well Ray and I finished 138th of 271 starters but more importantly we enjoyed it and are still good friends, in spite of me nagging and bullying him. Well done Ray! Its easy to forget Ray Qualifies for the winter heating allowance, I hope I am as fit as him in 20 years time.
Next up, Mini MMs with Ray and hopefully the Highlander with Norbert
next year.
next year.
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| Looking down on Brotherswater |
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| A pleasant Sunday morning stroll. Control #129 Steel Knotts |
The first and last photos by Jon Brooke of Right place right time
Prior planning prevents p##s poor performance. A term used in aviation every day. But rarely actioned :-)
ReplyDeleteHow did you get on Steve?
ReplyDeleteHi Lightning
ReplyDeleteThe worst thing is its not the 1st time.
Simon
Welcome home. We finished 138th out of 270 starters. Not sure about our placing in the MV category.
happy looking chappies regardless
ReplyDeleteUC
ReplyDeleteVery