We hope everyone is safe.
Mr & Mrs Stagger
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We hope everyone is safe.
Mr & Mrs Stagger
looks tough. Hope every one is ok, i guess they'll be lots of tales to be told
Believe me. This is a bad days weather in a bad month in Borrowdale.
We've had nearly 4 inches already today, and that is after over 5 on Thursday.
This is why the rivers have risen so quickly today, and the whole valley is flooding. That combined with the strong wind made it a very difficult day. The weather is still bad as I type, and the darkness is starting. I just hope everybody is off the fells!!
I hope Marvin is okay and everyone else.
Sound promising Daz for Marvin at least.Quote:
Originally Posted by NotVeryMiniMarvin
Still calling it a 'charity' run on the TV! :mad:
It's on the BBC News Channel now.
Phew! Me and Shane Ohly have just got back to mine - pretty horrible out the there! Lots of rain and VERY strong wind (Elite thankfully missed some really tough terain). Crossing rivers to get to the overnight camp in Gatesgarth (Buttermere) was the worst with really dangerous rivers crossings. Told it was cancelled as we arrived at the finish. Housed in a massive barn, we all exchanged stories of heroism while out on the course. The worst of the weather hit as we headed over Honister to get back to the cars; people being blown over! It was reported that the Seathwaite road was under water (along with some cars). Borrowdale road was under 7 ft of water (according to woman at Seatoller). Saw billy's house with sandbags around it. We were lucky to get out with having parked at NT carpark at Seatoller. I suspect many will be stranded at Seathwaite, Honister and Gatesgarth for a long time....
sounds really bad PHilQuote:
Originally Posted by Phil Winskill
Was it forecast this bad on the local weather.
Marvin e mailed me thurs night and said its given bad weather out.
BBC News 24 hourly news just coming on.
Hope all are well.Just highlights the importance of suitable equipment, ALL YEAR ROUND.Regards,Max.
the owner of the honister slate mine said "the organisers should be shot for sending these runners onto the mountain." its the runners choice on what to do.
And Radio 4 news, again calling it a charity event :D:D
Sad that our sport only makes the headlines when something like this happens - but the whole point is surely to be able to cope with whatever's thrown at you?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7691020.stm
Hope all get safely off the hills.
Yup, just heard radio 2 news "A charity running event in the Lake district ...... blah, blah, blah".
So long as they all came in safe and sound, I'm sure they will have learnt much about lifes rich tapestry etc. ;).
And be wiser for next time around :).
Well done all who survived, and well tried all who didn't.
I think he ought to be slated. what an scare mongerer. he'll now have lots of buses charging in to the valley blocking all emergency services. if this was needed then it was up to the local Police/MR/etc to request it.Quote:
Originally Posted by NotVeryMiniMarvin
Heard Ohly on TV with much more considered and responsible opinions. Was that Phils clock chiming in the background.
I didn't like the way he kept plugging his buisness :mad:Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Fair play to him for helping out but he did seem to be scare mongering. And I agree it should be up to the authorities to organise what's required.
Seen scrolling across the bottom of the screen on BBC news just now...
"Cumbrian police say senior officers are assessing the flooding incident involving 2000 marathon runners near Keswick - several hundred people are thought to be stranded."
Good one Ian :D .Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Hope everyone is OK.
I see the BBC have raised the summit of the Honister Pass from 1200 to 2000 feet above sea level. Impressive. The climb up to Dalehead in the Borrowdale FR will be somewhat easier next year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7691020.stm
Makes one question their reporting of 'World Affairs' :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Deejay
You Radio 2 - me Radio 4 - says it all, really:DQuote:
Originally Posted by molehill
just looking at sleepmonsters site pictures and videos,
as usual all the runners looked well organised and as usual controlled.
there is mention that marshalls were either already out or being sent out to most checkpoints to pass info on to the runners to advise them to retire.
i think what is happening is that the 'normal sedate person'has no concept as to just how fit these people are,and we all now they are very fit,very good navigators and there main strength is stamina.
no doubt though its going to get blown out of all proportion.
the mine owner said its the worst he had seen for 42 years,but i bet he came to that descision probably when he was being interviewed.
heck i have done the karrimor in blizzard conditions,as well as thunder and rain,but i was well prepared with kit and fitness as i am sure are our friends out there.
Guy who did an interview on News 24 was Shane Ohly, my partner. Sounds like it is still a nightmare out there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boy Wonder
:p :p
I can't think of a suitable reply!! :o
Just watched the BBC coverage. What annoyed me was the way their reporters were
a. trying so hard to get people to criticise the organisers for not calling it off and
b. trying to get other people to say that the participants were ill equipped.
I switched off when an idiot in the studio said that it was like a "white out because of the heavy rain":confused:
Just watched the BBC coverage... seemed they were trying to make it out to be a major catastrophe but were getting stumped by everyone involved making light of it!:D
I agree with DJ's comments as well.
One runner was certainly well equipped... inflatable doll attached to his pack!:pQuote:
Originally Posted by Deejay
mr weir should be shot not the organisers. like cancelling his via ferrata (good plug!) is the same as cancelling an event for several thousand people. hindsight is a great thing indeed and his statement stinks..
Phil was it you heard in the background?Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Winskill
what is a via ferrata,thoought it was an italian cheese.
that was no inflatable doll but the new ann summers version of the kari mat
Against the tide: Neil Young speaks to OMM on eve of BBC ...
12 Oct 2008 ... As the afternoon light floods into the hotel suite and Young ..... Against the tide: Neil Young speaks to OMM on eve of BBC documentary ...
www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/12/neil-young-documentary - 110k - Cached - Similar pages
Blimey - what;s the miserable old git got to do with this?!
Ideal for white water rafting lolQuote:
Originally Posted by Pilgrim
Didn't look too bad to me, I'd say we've all been out in worse conditions just the media trying to sensationalise it.Quote:
Originally Posted by dylan
Didn't look too bad to me either ... but it felt a lt worse :eek:Quote:
Originally Posted by Baggins
Anyroad - why have I been holding this OMM40 sticker over my head keeping dry all weekend? What happened to Swiss Toni? Waited hours for him in Wilf's last night. :cool:
A lot of the reaction here is very defensive; not surprising since all of us have some track record running in the hills or we wouldn't be posting here. But in truth, there is an argument that the organisers have exercised poor judgement this weekend though I expect I'll be shot for saying it.
First, OMM isn't a fell race. While the latter tend to attract pretty "specialist" participants, the big MMs attract a number of entrants who are far LESS qualified to be in the hills in adverse conditions (or in the hills at all.) Look at Three Peaks entries this year vs. a usual year...bet a lot of people ran it who hadn't run a mountain race before and won't do one again this year. Unlike fell races, events like OMM do attract people who just shouldn't be there. At LAMM in midsummer (outside of an exceptional year) you can get away with it. At OMM that is rarely true. I had a lengthy e-mail exchange this week with a lady running her first OMM (and asking for advice) in the course of which I made a comment about the required level of fitness. Her response: "don't you worry. I run round Richmond Park three times a week." I'm being serious, too.
Second, after the floods on Thursday/Friday there was clearly absolutely no margin for error with regard to the impact of any more rain. To add insult to injury, the forecast for Saturday made it abundantly clear that if it proved right, there were going to be serious problems. Fine, weather forecasts are mainly wrong but the organisers really were sailing very, very close to the edge in my opinion. If they had confidence in the skills of the entrants and had vetted the entries for competence then the race shouldn't have been called off no matter what. The fact that they did call if off compounds the lack of judgement they showed in letting it go ahead as, in calling it off, they acknowledged that conditions weren't safe for at least some minority of participants and probably more than that.
Lastly, though it's anecdotal evidence, the majority of the half dozen or so runners who have thus far posted their views on BBCs own site seem to have elected to withdraw within an hour of the start and even before the formal cancellation. As these were mainly hardy, seasoned runners that tells me something. Given the number of people put at risk and the number I understand Mountain Rescue are still out looking for even now, when one considers the weather over the past 48 hours plus the forecast for today, you don't need a lot of hindsight to seriously question the judgement of letting this go ahead.
While the BBCs standard of reporting has lived down to its reputation and some of the coverage has been laughable I'm sorry but I think this is mainly a mess of OMMs own making. I also think the lack of any OMM official spokesperson to address the press hasn't exactly helped.
Thought the entry requirement was an AL race in the last year?Quote:
Originally Posted by Splinter
Here here.Quote:
Originally Posted by Splinter
It's not a case of hindsight...looking at the BBC weather forecast it was flippin obvious it was going to be really bad weather in the mid Lake District today.
Someone's been burying their head in the wet sand:(
So it said on the entry form. What are the odds the provenance of every last entry was matched against claimed race completions?Quote:
Originally Posted by Pilgrim