OMM in Borrowdale!

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Originally Posted by rossb

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..

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I think Mr wier has his own agenda, this was probably a godsend for his publicity machine.

...finally from me on the OMM....best sight all day....pair with blow up doll looking for CM cp on back of Dale head....doll and pair well in tact at cow shed at half way camp!! :)

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Originally Posted by TheReverand

OMG :rolleyes: the arrogance

Glad to here everyone is now accounted for.

Seems to me, although no doubt a big decision, that the event should have been pulled before the start.

Its one thing to say everyone in the event was experienced and well equipped but I think this misses the point slightly. With such extreme weather, the mountains become a dangerous place and it seems to me slightly irresponsible for competitors to be able to start the event, when in all probability emergency services are going to be needed to be called upon, the massive strain put on these services and the danger some of these people were put in surely illustrates the wrong decision was made by the organisers.

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TR,
The emergency services are there for emergencies. They are usually busy with people assaulting each other after excessive drinking and dealing with accidents of all sorts. Their involvement in the OMM event was minimal. The media made too much of it as they usually do whenever a "foolish" person gets into a difficult situation on a mountain.
Yiannis

Wet kit is now firmly quarantined in the washing machine and it's time to have some alcohol and more food.

This was my first OMM (well half an OMM) and for fans of the Fast Show my experince of it reminded me of a sketch where Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse play a couple of inept survivalists camped out in the woods searching for wild food and who end up compromising by eating (poisonous) mushrooms on a pizza Whitehouse buys from a local garage.

- Higson - 'LET'S SURVIVE'
- Whitehouse - 'let's half survive'. :D

I'll put my car sticker on ebay in the morning.;)

Stu

It's bad news really 'cos we can't undo stuff like the headlines on BCC News channel at 7pm this evening - 'Rescue services rescued hundreds of competitors' apparently.

If only someone had died they could have really gone to town!

fb

That weather was so poor I couldn't even send my human out for his daily run......

Seriously, the fact that all who went up came down says something complimentary about each and every individual's tenacity and mountain-sense. No brain-off, brakes-off this weekend.

Like many Fellrunners, LMH is going to be quizzed tomorrow about 'nutters' when he gets to his work. It'll be a test of his short fuse! Just remember that the journo's were having a feeding frenzy, not letting facts spoil a good story. With the right preparation running in the hills 'in just your underwear' is as safe as you want it....unlike driving to these events.

Well done all who were out there, good to know you're as tough as you thought you were.

Go to go, seen some wet sheep....

Baaa, grrrr

Dog needs a haircut!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by twilk

Dog needs a haircut!!!!!!

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sorry. Dog needs a haircut!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Stolly

If nothing else all this caffuffle has made me desperate to have a go next year :D. Just need a partner now.....

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Likewise. Fancy it?

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Originally Posted by mapper

(my mate got blown over 3 times and lost his map twice ~ the second time it was irretrieveable as it went up like a kite and probably somewhere in Scotland by now!)

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Don't let the press on to that, or they'll be on to fell runners for littering as well:rolleyes:

Glad you enjoyed yourself and are okay.

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Originally Posted by poppy

That weather was so poor I couldn't even send my human out for his daily run......

Seriously, the fact that all who went up came down says something complimentary about each and every individual's tenacity and mountain-sense. No brain-off, brakes-off this weekend.

Like many Fellrunners, LMH is going to be quizzed tomorrow about 'nutters' when he gets to his work. It'll be a test of his short fuse! Just remember that the journo's were having a feeding frenzy, not letting facts spoil a good story. With the right preparation running in the hills 'in just your underwear' is as safe as you want it....unlike driving to these events.

Well done all who were out there, good to know you're as tough as you thought you were.

Go to go, seen some wet sheep....

Baaa, grrrr

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Barking mad :D

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Originally Posted by invalidpassword

I awoke this morning in my lovely warm bed, not in the least bit worried about all of those lost/rescued charity runners. Turned on my radio waiting for a list of the death toll and heard the radio presenter say that,

"it must have been particularly difficult for those who were out on the mountain because they had had to stop out for an extra hour BECAUSE THE CLOCKS HAD GONE BACK!"

I jest you not. They then had a member of the public, in the studio, as their witness to the foolhardiness of all of those charity runners. He had been up to Honister to get "a piece of slate" for his garden. Spent "two hours up there" and "me and me son got really wet looking at the stones".

It was pure theatre.

"Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" somebody said that once. Good effort OMM.

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OH SHI#E, TRY AGAIN, dog needs a haircut!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by invalidpassword

""I wasn't aware that Mr Weir had joined the rescue services I thought he was a mine owner, a man of many faces.....""

...I'm sure it's spelled faeces...

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here here, but he could be possibly a very nice man?

If you mean me, bitch needs a haircut.

Anyone coming near me with clippers will be bitten............hard in the sensitives!

Got to go, seen some wet long haired hippy sheep


Baaa, grrrrr

I've just got back to Kendal after a weekend in the sunny south. I hear there's been a spot or two of rain. Did I miss anything exciting?

it was not so bad, we all expect a bad day on the hills this time of year. Fortunately there were more senible heads than media cosseting slate mine owners out there (Tosser - sorry coughed there - bit of cold). As a good Mountian rescue friend of mine said - ther MR is streched cos most of them are out doing this. So well done that no one dd get washed away (although there were some foolhardys that tried swimming - you know who you are) best to keep to feet on the (saturated ground) I was glad to actually be aout for 7 ours non the first day just a shame the 6 on the second was spent driving home and at tebay for a cooked breakfast. Well thats a different OMM again this year at least I didn't get disqualifeid this time. Well done Organsiers, you know who you are, wel don everyone for being experience, carring the gear and not playing to the media as they tried to make a mockery of a great event. I'm just really relieved the event was called off cos of simple resource streching (limited camping, no sleep, no support) and not cos some one genuinely was in danger. The world may see us as nutters, but thats the surface of refind fell savvy minds!

Yes Harry, some drizzle on Saturday. About enough to justify a thermal top under the club vest......

I'm going to get that bl##dy sheep, its carrying clippers..........

Baaa, grrrr

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Originally Posted by poppy

LMH is going to be quizzed tomorrow about 'nutters' when he gets to his work. It'll be a test of his short fuse!

Go to go, seen some wet sheep....

Baaa, grrrr

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I've already been quizzed by my work colleagues via facebook - even though I'm barely even a fellrunner and wouldn't go near an OMM!!!! :rolleyes:

Well done to all those who ventured out, including the organisers, volunteers, MRT, SAR, police, ambulance etc.

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Originally Posted by molehill

this Has Been A Dreadfull Weekend For The Future Of The Omm. With All This Publicity, Every Numpty In Every City Of The Uk, That Has Completed The London Marathon Dressed As A Donkey, Is Going To Want A Piece Of The Action Next Year. Even Now They Will Be Polishing Their Credit Cards And Ordering 'equipment' :eek:. Oh God, What Will 2009 Bring, They Will Probably All End Up Stuck To Bloody Great Chelsea Taxis In London .

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:d:d:d

That should have been :D:D:D

Just had a quick look on the Lake District MR team websites. Now allowing for the fact that the pages might not get updated immediately after an incident, Keswick, Cockermouth and Wasdale MRTs report precisely zero incidents/callouts in the last 48 hours.

May be worth checking in a week or so when things are quieter.

Glad to see that, as those on the water at the time said, the competitors had the experience to get themselves sorted out.

I wasnt even theeere and at least 10 relatives have rang me about it.
I went for a run with my torch on with the dog earlier and a neighbour said your lot where bloody lucky yesterday wasnt they.

I started to try and explain and tell him that thousands wasnt stranded and then i just thought oh i cant be arsed and headed off:confused:.

I fear the media have caused us lots of damage with there wild reporting. Just hope it doesnt affect the event in future.

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Originally Posted by Emily K

I was reading that, News and Star? So currently about 100 people are stranded due to a landslide, while 1700 are unaccounted for? I think my dad (Chris Knox) was supposed to be running but I have no idea if he did, and I'm quite worried to be honest.

Why aren't the runners allowed mobile phones? Is it incase they use a GPS, would that be considered cheating?

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I've no idea if I did either - there was a heck of a lot of walking done though! I think 'phones were allowed but had to sealed into a bag, mind you in that volume of rain, even if I'd got a signal the 'phone would probably have given up! I am back safe and sound by the way after completing Day 1, and whats this posting at 4.00am?;) You'll never make lectures on Monday!

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Originally Posted by IainR

Just spoke with the Laura. Hardest question was about the costs involved in mounting the rescue, resources diverted because of this incident. I must admit it's a good point. But races do provide a lot of income to MRT's so it's not like it's a take take take situation.

I do think the RO's at the OMM were in for stick either way this weekend, had they cancelled before, cancelled during, or even let the whole event run, someone would have criticised the call.

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I can not see why this was an incident that incured major cost. Competitors are out on the hills for 36 hours with equipment enough to cope with that amount of time. Until that period is over why should the MR be called out other than for known injuries.
If, and I don't know if it is media hipe, MR were called out to search for competitors on Saturday night then I do not think any team leader should have allowed team members out to search, at night, in bad weather, for people who were not in life threatening situations.
A lot of this is purely and simply PR, but not sure who is driving it

The news are still having a field day over it!

I had a fantastic day out yesterday (Saturday), I was gutted to hear about the cancellation when I got to Buttermere. Conditions were a bit hairy on occasion but I really enjoyed the challenge (and so did many others that I know) but at no point did I ever think that it would be cancelled, especially in light of a reasonable forecast for Sunday. Bearing in mind that there were a couple of thousand people on the hill, everyone was accounted for and there were so few injuries should indicate to the media and outside world that organisers and competitors alike are perfectly competent and know what they're doing. Long live the OMM!!

Still don't know who called MR out?

Reverend you t1t...it was him who said he new to fell running ...I was simply agreeing

That's no way to speak to a man of the cloth!

I thought that the organisers made two excellent decisions:

1. to start the race
2. to abandon it after the end of day 1

I don't think anyone foresaw exactly how bad conditions would get. Presumably everyone who started the race thought that things were feasible. We (me and Compo) had a good discussion beforehand about whether we should be doing it, but decided to take more kit and go for it.

To me, the thing that meant the race had to be abandoned was the state of the streams. I think people could put up with the wind and the rain, but the streams were something else. I think the organisers also needed to switch to a mode where they had to just ensure that everyone was safe rather than to worry about organising day 2 for those who decided to continue (which is what they did - switch mode).

I think the outcome was a testament to the quality of the organisation of the event, the ability of the competitors and the quality of the kit that the competitors are required to carry.

Long live the OMM!

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Originally Posted by Splinter

Yes, shockingly I've even managed to complete a couple of them.
..snip..

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one for http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/profi...?do=ignorelist

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Originally Posted by Zlod

We (me and Compo) had a good discussion beforehand about whether we should be doing it, but decided to take more kit and go for it.

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So how did you get on? See unofficial Results service threads on the OMM forum : http://www.theomm.com/forum/index.php?board=1.0

David Waide and I had an (almost entirely) enjoyable time on our first Elite (his first OMM). Main regret was a bad judgment call between CP 9 & 10 which meant an hour of messing about and reascending to get across the beck. Hence an unspectacular 6:30ish :o.

Possibly the most sensible media article on the OMM yet published is on today's Daily Telegraph's comment page.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/m.../27/dl2703.xml

Just watched a brilliant interview on BBC Breakfast TV. Interviewers were trying to get the competitor to drop the RO's in the shit, but this bloke is a lawyer who just calmly sat there smiling explaining how everyone was prepared to spend a night out & he'd do it again. Totally deflated them :D .

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Originally Posted by Al Fowler

The news are still having a field day over it!

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Even still now this morning!!!!!!! :eek:

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Originally Posted by Fellrunner

Just watched a brilliant interview on BBC Breakfast TV. Interviewers were trying to get the competitor to drop the RO's in the shit, but this bloke is a lawyer who just calmly sat there smiling explaining how everyone was prepared to spend a night out & he'd do it again. Totally deflated them :D .

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:D Yes I saw that, watching at work - good on him.

Mark Wier must not be allowed to get away with his comments. I urge all to never visit his Slate Mine and to tell their friends never to do so. His criticism of OMM is outrageous. Yes is was a bad day and OMM faced some tough decisions but he is bang out of order. He also claims on his web site that he saved hundreds of fell runners. He needs to stick to what he does and leave fell running alone.

OMG! The front page of the Honister Slate mine is fantastic. The guy is like superman! I can't believe the stuff that his site has written. It was nice of him to allow shelter to those that needed it, but his naivety on the situation is laughable. It goes to show what the average joe thinks of our past time. What on earth is he on about 'National Mountain Centre', he really does have his finger on the pulse doesn't he - what a bellend! And you can quote me on that!

I'm just glad everyone came off the fells safe and sound and all rescue services etc safe. Well done in what must have been atrocious conditions.

The mountains will all be there tomorrow.

does anyone know if any form of results or cp times will be published, id be interested to see, also be interesting to see where we where of on day 2.

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Originally Posted by Phil Winskill

what a bellend! And you can quote me on that!

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I just did!
I wonder where he thinks this 'national mountain centre for England' should be then?
I note that he invites comments (good or bad) - do you think he'll publish some of ours?

And what the feck is this bit all about....???

"In order to help educate people about the unique geography of the area, the mine already operates a “Via Ferrata” experience.

It involves groups of visitors in harnesses and safety helmets being attached to a perilous cliff-face thousands of feet up the side of a mountain next to the mine and then led by fully-trained mountaineers. The experience has been devised as an introduction to both high mountain walking, basic climbing and gives a secure insight into what it must have been like for fell runners stuck on an exposed mountain side."

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Originally Posted by Purpleplodder

I just did!
I wonder where he thinks this 'national mountain centre for England' should be then?
I note that he invites comments (good or bad) - do you think he'll publish some of ours?

And what the feck is this bit all about....???

"In order to help educate people about the unique geography of the area, the mine already operates a “Via Ferrata” experience.

It involves groups of visitors in harnesses and safety helmets being attached to a perilous cliff-face thousands of feet up the side of a mountain next to the mine and then led by fully-trained mountaineers. The experience has been devised as an introduction to both high mountain walking, basic climbing and gives a secure insight into what it must have been like for fell runners stuck on an exposed mountain side."

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Mr Wier says this Mr Weir says that...*&@&$£!!!!!!

What a self important ......

OK what are the FRA doing to answer all these idiotic TV and Press stories. They are our governing body and represent us so come on FRA time to put out the facts and the true reflection of our sport officially.