Many SOs will be donning fell shoes and rucsacs this summer and autumn and taking to the mountains for the LAMM, Saunders, OMM or one of the many Mountain O events throughout the UK.

I know we have a few MM virgins amongst us this year! As a bit of a MM veteran (I think it’s now 15 KIMMs/OMMs), I’d be up for hosting a MM evening during June - a sort of A-Z of Mountain Marathons. What to do/avoid (I think I’ve probably made most mistakes that can be made), eating, drinking, kit, navigation, hints & tips, etc.. Basically anything anyone wants to cover and an opportunity to ask all those questions that it’s not easy to get an answer to....like, how bad are the toilets?!

First things first....who’s interested?!

Kenny

Hi kenny,

Yes, it would be quite an interesting evening.

Please let me know more about time and date.

David Funnell

Hi Kenny.
I’d be interested in this, too.
In particular, advice on the most suitable classes to enter and on kit.
I’ve never got my backpacking load much under 20 kg!
Simon

Kenny

I am just back from my first ever MM.  It was not quite the success I was hoping for as our team retired after day one of the LAMM at Glenfinnan (having spent 11 hours on the D course).  I had some advice beforehand but nothing that really prepared me for what was in store.  I could provide some “virgin” advice if required.

Simon

I’ve now had enough people come back to me who are interested in the A-Z of Mountain Marathons session. So it’s on....and needs to happen before the Saunders on 5/6th of July!

Here’s the plan......

Topic..........Everything you need to know about Mountain Marathons (MMs)
Audience...Anyone curious about MMs or who wants to share their experiences
Time..........7.30 for 7.45pm
Date..........Thursday 26th June 2008
Venue........Precise details to follow… but will be in Findon Village, West Sussex, just north of Worthing and adjacent to A24. Most likely in a room in one of the local pubs, so we can enjoy a beer or 2 and some pub grub! I’ll supply final details in next few days.

What do you need to do and bring?! Well nothing really, other than your questions, issues, maps and whatever else you want to talk about.

Please send an email or a response to this forum entry if you’re likely to be there, so I can plan accordingly.

Thanks!!

Kenny

Final details for Thursday evening’s MM session…

Topic - Everything you need to know about Mountain Marathons (MMs)
Audience - Anyone curious about MMs or who wants to share their experiences
Time - 7.30 for 7.45pm. Suggest we order food by 7.45, for about 8.30. We can then keep talking through food and do some more bits and bobs after.
Date - Thursday 26th June 2008
Venue - Gun Inn, Findon Village, just N of Worthing and just off of A24. I’ve booked a room at the back of the pub from 7.30pm onwards (no cost, as long as we do a little eating and drinking!

Confirmed attendees so far are Pete & Anna, John & Ingrid, Les & Sylv, Barry, Jan, Simon and myself. Sharon & Paul also joing us at some point...so 12 so far! 

Anyone else very welcome!! Please let me know beforehand if you can either by email or on 07887 628067.

Thanks!

Kenny

I would just like to thank Kenny on behalf of a group of us who gathered at the Gun Inn, Findon last night for a very enlightening evening on the subject of Mountain Marathons, in particular emphasising how to prepare for two day events, as a number of us will be doing our first MM in just over a week’s time.

There were interesting tips and hints on how to prepare for the event and to think of the event in three parts - day 1, overnight and day 2 preparing yourself with the right amount of food, clothing, kit and safety equipment for each part of the event. Kenny highlighted how you need to try and achieve a fine balance between the three parts of the event - what you carry on day 1 will have an impact on how you get through day 1, and that the food, clothing and kit you have carried on day 1 is enough to afford you a reasonable amount of overnight refuelling and comfort (albeit limited!) so that you can have a good day 2.

Especially interesting were the many different ways to cut down on the final weight you are carrying, with tips and hints as to how and what to carry in your rucksack, as well as by removing various unrequired dangly bits from the rucksack itself! It was amazing to see just how much could be packed into a 16L rucksack.

Part way through the evening we all had a chance to chat to those who had also had MM experience over a meal and a glass or two.

I think everyone went away feeling like they knew a little more, perhaps we won’t all be subscribing to some of Kenny’s extreme measures to become a top Mountain Marathoner but I’m sure his experiences will help us all to think a little harder about MM preparation.

Thanks Kenny, it was very interesting. I’m not sure whether I feel pleased to be going to the Saunders now or not, I am now feeling a bit daunted looking at the contours (or paths as Barry calls them) on the Helvellyn map! However, I’m sure Les C. will be a great partner having done a few MMs before. Perhaps if you do another talk sometime I’ll add the perspective from a female point of view....things like tissues / loo roll particularly come to mind!

Jan