Omm 2009

[Stevie]

I was surprised at how few actually bothered to try a different line, and get out of the bog

But why try a different line and run the risk of getting caught in hectares of knee deep tussocks. At least on the trod you will not lose places and may gain places on those adventurous enough to try a dfferent line. Even when the trod goes through deep bog it is still preferrable.

On my course (A) if we saw a trod going roughly the right way we'd follow it for a while because it was faster than cutting a new route through virgin terrain. Whether it is enjoyable following the trods is another question entirely!

[southernsoftie]

Sounds like a laugh. Maybe next year...(though I remember saying that last year!)

[Inov-8 Insider]

A fantastic come back by Birkinshaw & Lennox to win the Elite by just 4 minutes

HERE

[Jane]

I was glad we were on a smaller class - occasionally we'd find ourselves on the same line as the B or C, and there were veritable highways trodden across the moor. We could run those bits at least, but for me that is the downside of the OMM (as opposed to SLMM, LAMM etc) - sheer numbers of competitors taking all the navigational challenge out of it. Much better to run Score/E/A courses.

I did find myself wishing I was either fit enough to do A, or clever enough to do score, I felt envious of the lone teams we saw emerging from random points. Although it was my partner doing the nav, (and me just trying to keep up with her) it seemed there was little navigation or route choice. Still had a brilliant time though

anyway, LAMM opens for entries next month!

[Marvin]

But why try a different line and run the risk of getting caught in hectares of knee deep tussocks. At least on the trod you will not lose places and may gain places on those adventurous enough to try a dfferent line. Even when the trod goes through deep bog it is still preferrable.

On my course (A) if we saw a trod going roughly the right way we'd follow it for a while because it was faster than cutting a new route through virgin terrain. Whether it is enjoyable following the trods is another question entirely!

We (also A) did exactly the same thing. Trouble was we got a bit distracted sometimes following the masses and found ourselves at one of their controls rather than our own. No-one to blame for that but ourselves

P.S. The dilemma was when to peel off the motorways.

[Splatcher]

We (also A) did exactly the same thing. Trouble was we got a bit distracted sometimes following the masses and found ourselves at one of their controls rather than our own. No-one to blame for that but ourselves

We were doing A as well, & it made no sense to us to take a virgin route through the tussocks when others had already trodden a path. 10% further on a trodden path must have been worth it. You could tell the difference every time we had to go into the tussocks to overtake - that took a lot of effort. It wasn't much fun following the crowds though. I much preferred being off on our own, except when the tussocks were particularly bad.

43rd out of 59 finishers, & I'm happy enough with that. Hard work, and I was very glad we got easier ground on day 2. Wasn't the run-in to the end of day 2 good? Flat out downhill through mud, stones & water. And I very much enjoyed the mad descent to CP9 on day 2, & not climbing back up the slope again with everyone else - we went down & found good sheep tracks & a path most of the way to CP10.

I'm knackered. I'm never doing a MM again. Until next year - see you there. Highlander 2010 I think for a starter...

[Stef F]

We weren't far away Spadge, we were on CV both days (short score Sat & long score Sun). Loads came past on their way to you from other classes, about 100m away was a continual line of lemmings, trudging nose to arse over the hill.
I was surprised at how few actually bothered to try a different line, and get out of the bog - hell there's a few scars there now - looks like a 4x4 rally been through .

Most boring was Sunday, 6 hours there for 5 teams visiting but at least they seemed happier than the Saturday lot .

The long score on Sunday? Which control did you man? I saw loads of happy grinning faces; such a shame you couldn't run....

Thank you thank you thank you both and all the other helpers/organisers for your hard work; the combined effort made the weekend special for everyone who could.

Stef

[Wheeze]

I did find myself wishing I was either fit enough to do A, or clever enough to do score, I felt envious of the lone teams we saw emerging from random points. Although it was my partner doing the nav, (and me just trying to keep up with her) it seemed there was little navigation or route choice. Still had a brilliant time though

anyway, LAMM opens for entries next month!

Day 2 in B Class had little in the way of route choice except check 2-3. We stayed high and contoured but saw loads pouring up the spring gulley. After that it really was just straight line nav point to point and, yes, it became tedious following a long queue, especially when led by folks with walking poles held out 90 degrees from the body COMPLETELY blocking the path!
But, in retrospect, Day 1 was fun with lots of opportunity for plotting different routes. We probably ran 5-6km more by doing that but kept out of the worst terrain on the bad weather day.

[Guick Dotto]

I got a last minute chance to join in and "the lady from del Monte" said yes. I hadn't even known where the OMM was beng held. Turns out it was a a bit of a nostalgia trip as alsmost 40 years ago I'd spent 3 weeks in the area cycling round interviewing farmers in a dialect survey. (Did you know,Moley, that the local word for a mole is UNT and a molehill is an UNTI TUMP?)
What a beautiful area! The tops used to be known as the Welsh Desert and I did feel a bit like Beau Geste at times trailing across the endless tussocks; the least friendly I've ever tried to balance on! Except I was seeing mirages which looked tantalisingly like dry land!
I was on C and thought i'd feel understretched, wrong!
Figure we did at least 50K altogether and I planted my face more times than my last skiing effort between 6 and 9. My partner took me up to a new level and we finished 28th on the second day after we screamed down from the last control to the finish.
I think this might have been my hardest day fell running.
Thanks to all the organisers. hope I can have another go next year.

[Silly Big Fella]

A fantastic come back by Birkinshaw & Lennox to win the Elite by just 4 minutes

HERE

I was marshalling on CT on Sunday. Birkinshaw and Lennox were moving at a fierce rate, very impressive.