OMM in Borrowdale!

[daz h]

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.

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

[Chris 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?

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!

[PlumBum]

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.

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

[Al Fowler]

The news are still having a field day over it!

[shughoppy]

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!!

[Grouse]

Still don't know who called MR out?

[Bladerunner]

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

[Grouse]

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

[Zlod]

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!

[bogtastic]

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

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