Skyrunning UK is pleased to announce the confirmed calendar for 2017.
Following on from a very successful 2016, changes have taken place over the winter months and Skyrunning UK is now pleased to confirm races that will take place in the UK calendar for 2017.
The season will start with the V3K taking place on June 24th. Now in its 4th year on the Skyrunning UK calendar, the race personifies what makes a great Skyrunning course – technical terrain, elevation, a challenge and amazing landscape. It’s a rugged race that requires an awareness of the mountains and the challenging Crib Goch provides exposure and lofty heights to place each and every runner in the sky! 55km and 4000m of vertical ascent provides a stunning start to the 2017 season.
Closing date for entries is June 1st. Website here
The Lakes Sky Ultra team once again bring us the Lakes Sky Ultra and a new race, Scafell Sky Race for 2017. This duo of races take place on the 15th and 16th July and provide two incredible opportunities. The Lakes Sky Ultra is a tough, challenging and adventurous race that requires experience and vetting. Elevated ridge lines, exposure, tough, challenging and technical terrain all pale into insignificance with grade 3 scrambles. Extreme, gnarly and hardcore, it’s everything a Skyrunning race should be! 55km in length and 4500m of vertical gain.
The Scafell Sky Race offers a 40km race and 2700m of vertical gain. It’s a challenging race that like its bigger brother offers an incredible Skyrunning experience. However, the challenge is less extreme and vetting is not required. Therefore, this race is open to all.
In 2017 Skyline Scotland provided us with three events, the Mamores VK, the Ring of Steall Sky Race and the Extreme Glen Coe Skyline – the latter event was a Skyrunner World Series event. In 2018, race organisers Ourea Events add an Ultra, the Ben Nevis Ultra. For the UK series, to have a Skyrunner World Series event in the UK was incredible – in 2017 we don’t go one step farther, but three steps. The Ring of Steall, Ben Nevis Ultra and Glen Coe Skyline will all be in the SWS calendar. The Mamores VK will be added to the new VK Series. Taking place over an action packed weekend of the 15th, 16th and 17th September, Skyline Scotland will not only provide one of the key weekends on the UK calendar but also the world calendar.
Salomon Mamores VK™
Friday 15th September 2017– 5km / 1,000m – enter now
An incredible leg burning and lung-busting ascent from sea level to Munro summit.
Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra™ – *new for 2017*
Saturday 16th September 2017 – ~110km / ~4,000m – enter now
Weaving through remote glens, crossing high mountain passes and embracing the superb wilderness on offer in the Scottish Highlands. Truly, this course is for the boldest all-round ultra-runners.
Salomon Ring of Steall Skyrace™
Saturday 16th September 2017 – 29km / 2,500m – enter now
A variation of the classic ‘Ring of Steall’ ridge-walking route, the Skyrace® has spectacular views of Ben Nevis from the Mamores and includes short sections of easy scrambling.
Does this race need any introduction? Pure Skyrunning that includes the most challenging Scottish mountain terrain. Scrambling/climbing experience required.
To conclude the 2017 season will be the Mourne Skyline MTR in Ireland which takes place on October 21st. This race over the last 3-years has grown to become a favourite of all the runners who have participated in the UK series. At 35km’s it is one of the shorter races in the UK circuit, however, the Mourne Mountains pack a whopping 3370m of vertical gain. Salomon International athlete and Skyrunning World champion, Stevie Kremer, said it is one of the hardest events she has ever participated in. Don’t let that put you off though. The landscape, terrain, views and Irish hospitality make this a stunning way to close the 2017 series. Entries are available HERE (note, entries open March 17th)
In 2016, the Skyrunning UK Series was won by Bjorn Verduijn and Sarah Ridgway, they both will gain free entry into all 2017 events as part of their prize.
For 2017, the Series will take place once again but with some changes.
Points will be awarded for the top 20 men and top 10 ladies in the following races:
V3K
Lakes Sky Ultra or Scafell Sky Race
Ring of Steall or Ben Nevis Ultra or Glen Coe Skyline
Mourne Skyline MTR
The Mamores VK will not be included in the points for the UK Series.
To participate in the series, you will need to run at least three races. If you run more, your best three results count.
Points will be awarded as follows (please note, new scoring points
In addition, points will also go to the Skyrunning World Ranking. The Skyrunning World Ranking is a rolling 52-week ranking based on all the points awarded to the athletes from his/her participation in:
(i) All the Skyrunner® World Series races.
(ii) The SNS races, wherever run (best four results).
(iii) The Skyrunning World Championships.
(iiii) The Skyrunning Continental Championships.
(maximum one counting).
Points in the world ranking will be awarded to the top 30 men and top 20 women.
Skyrunning UK, the V3K, Lakes Sky Ultra team, Skyline Scotland team and Mourne Skyline MTR look forward to welcoming you all for LESS CLOUD, MORE SKY in 2017!
Episode 120 – Alex Nichols tells us all about his first 100-miler and how how he won it! Emelie Forsberg tells us about her return to Kima and finding solace and new skills in India. Jasmin Paris is on fire and we sum up an incredible 2016 and ‘another’ round record and finally Speedgoat Karl answers your questions about the Appalachian Trail FKT.
KARL ON THE AT
Some questions from listeners:
Daniel “DJ” Denton Funny: will he burn the van because it has his permanent stench after not showering for over 40 days, and, Serious: did the experience result in a deeper bond/relationship with is father and wife?
Seth Holling What was his thoughts on the smokies? Was the smokies tougher or easier than expected? Would he recommend tacklinnog the smokies first (NB) or last (SB)? Also, did he find a sixer that was left for him at Davenport gap where the AT crosses I-40 🍺
Chris Morgan Ask Karl if he had to push through any injuries?
And if he did how did he do it and did they go away? Or did they become something that needed constant management.
Florian Schuetz What made the difference compared to his previous attempts? Why did he manage to break the time this year? Better fitness, no injuries, mental game, etc.
Brett Slater I’d be interested in his foot care regimen and how he avoids calf issues.
David Nowaczewski Ask him what the heck happened on the day he was found face down on the trail?
Ray Jackson Jr. Ask him how it feels to finally be home and in a place where he can rest without deadlines.
Stephen Cousins What are Karl’s thoughts about Kaiha Bertolini?
Paul Weir I’d ask Karl, what was it like having scott help you beat his record?
Brett Hillier Advice for anyone trying to attempt a long distance FKT?
Gary Broughton When Scott Jurek broke the record, people called it his ‘masterpiece’. Does Karl consider this his masterpiece?
Meghan Kennihan Ask his thoughts on the supposed girl that broke his record unsupported two days after him Kailia
Francis Pardo Details on fueling strategy. Did it change over the course of time?
Matt Dooley Was there any luxury he missed /craved on the trail
Finn Melanson In almost every aspect for a speed record attempt, going SOBO is a completely different hike than going NOBO. Should there be separate records for direction?
Garrett English Does he still feel 2190 miles isn’t that far?
RUNNING BEYOND BOOK is now available in Spain, Germany and Italy and the UK edition will be delivered to UK audiences, USA audiences and Southern Hemisphere audiences from November 3rd: more info – HERE
In the SkyRace (39km) Joe Gray did the double ahead of Tayte Pollman and Patrick Parsel – 4:00, 4:00.3 and 4:11 respectively.
Alicia Shay (now Vargo) won the ladies 4:51 ahead of Kristi Knecht and Sandi Nypaver 4:53 and 4:54
GRAND TO GRAND
Florian Vieux and Emilie Leconte won the self-supported race with Sebastien Nain and Elisabet Barnes taking 2nd.
UTMF
Became a ‘really’ short race due to bad weather and Dylan Bowman and Fernanda Maciel ran great races to win the 27-mile race
ULTRA PIRINEU
Miguel Heras was back to winning ways with a dominant performance and just missed Kilian’s record. he finished in 12:05.Jessed Hernandez and Cristofer Clemente was 3rd. Cristofer became Skyrunner World Series champion for the Ultra distance.
Gemma Arenas tool the race win and Skyrunner World Series. Hillary Allen and Anna Comet placed 2nd and 3rd in the race.
Jasmin Paris sets another FKT on a UK round in wales
00:29:00 INTERVIEW with Jasmin Paris
BEAR 100
Kaci Lickteig and Mick Jurynec/ Ryan Weibel (joint) won in 20:27 and 19:33
Rob Krar was back with a victory at Berkeley Trail Adventure 50 mile
Eoin Keith is on fire, he is blasting through checkpoints and burning up the trail. I tried to catch him this morning and missed by about 10-minutes at Nine Stands. I even expected a faster pace and navigated ahead on the trail so that I could run towards him…. a lack of 3G failed me and when I finally goy an update on my tracker it told me the bad news. Eoin had passed but by the narrowest of margins.
I remained on the higher ground and was blasted by the strong icy winds to John Knapp and Matt Neale come through. The front three are relatively equally spaced at the time of writing (1400 Tuesday), Eoin is probably getting close to Richmond? If only I could get 3G.
The 190 mile journey is taking its toll and runners are now spread over a large area, the last runner is David Taylor (I believe) and he is climbing out of Patterdale – puts Eoin Keith’s pace into perspective.
Day 2 conditions are good with great visibility, just a strong, cold wind to contend with.
Ship will be a key aid station in the coming hours and evening for the back markers, equally, Richmond important for the from markers.
How long will Eoin Keith stay in Richmond? My guess, not long… Robin Hood Bay is starting to appear quite close
This is Episode 112 of Talk Ultra and we speak with Nicky Spinks about that incredible DOUBLE Bob Graham Round. Emelie Forsberg joins us to tell us all about her injury, how she feels and when (we hope) she will be back and we speak to ‘The Jeff’s’ an inspiring husband and wife who took respective 1st places at the Salt Flats 100
NEWS
Ultra Trail Australia
Men
Pau Capell 9:20
Ben Duffus 9:39
Yun Yanqiao 9:42
notable 4th – Ryan Sandes 9:48
Beth Cardelli 11:16
Fiona Hayvice 11:33
Kellie Emmerson 11:53
00:16:16 INTERVIEW Steven Jeff and Meagan Jeff – Salt Flats 100
Quicksilver 100k
Paul Terranova 9:17
Chris Calzetta 9:32
Mario Martinez 9:56
Krissy Moehl 11:02
Roxana Pana 11:44
Monica Imana 12:13
ROB YOUNG – marathonmanUK has started his Transcontinental run record (2766 miles) on May 14th. He started with an 81 mile day 1…. you can track him HERE
At the time of recording having run 5-days he was just south of the Grand Canyon heading to Flagstaff
We mentioned in the last show about Nicky Spinks completing the DOUBLE BOB GRAHAM ROUND and I am really pleased to say I caught up with her just days after of this inspiring interview. Only the 2nd person and 1st lady to complete a double BGR in 45:30
inov-8 ambassador Nicky Spinks, the inspirational cancer-survivor and fell runner, marked her 10 years post-diagnosis by becoming only the second person – and first woman – to complete a DOUBLE Bob Graham Roundin a record time of 45 hours and 30 minutes
Starting at 00.01am on Saturday May 14, the 49-year-old farmer from Yorkshire started her 132-mile route across the Lake District’s highest fells in the hope to complete in under 48 hours.
A standard Bob Graham Round involves a 66-mile circuit of 42 summits including 27,000ft of elevation gain, to be completed in less than 24 hours. Nicky was the previous record holder for the Bob Graham Round – 18hrs 06mins completed in 2015. This record was recently recently broken by Jasmin Paris (read HERE) in 15:24.
Nicky managed to do all that twice; running 132 miles and visiting each summit two times on an epic run that involved 54,000ft of elevation gain. The only person to previously complete a Double Bob Graham Round in less than 48 hours was Roger Baumeister, who in 1979 clocked 46hrs 34mins.
Nicky still has the fastest women’s times for the equivalent 24-hour fell running challenges in Scotland (the Ramsay Round) and Wales (the Paddy Buckley Round).
In her blog, Nicky, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006, said before the attempt:
“I hope to become the first woman to complete the Double Bob Graham Round in less than 48 hours, maybe even breaking Roger’s record time. The main aim, however, is to enjoy it and celebrate the fact that I am still here, living and running ten years after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.”
Well, Nicky did that and then some… it really is difficult to comprehend the mental and physical tenacity that is required for such a challenge.
‘Well almost,’ is becoming a theme on the GL3D. Last night during camp 2 bivouac the wind increased – then increased – then increased! As sun rose, the carnage was clear to see. Broken poles, ripped tents, lost dry bags due to being blown away in the wind and in addition, the rain just kept on coming and coming. Some may call the conditions ‘character building!’ However, bloody brutal was the general consensus amongst camp.
Race director Shane Ohly, although extremely sympathetic to the runners needs was a little distracted… the large marquee that provides a shelter and eating environment for the runners was about to take off and provide a vey unique kite in the stormy skies. It was all hands on deck; poles were being rammed in the ground, straps were being added and luckily, the improvised actions secured the imminent flight.
The gale force winds, torrential rain and a bunch of tired competitors gave Shane no option – bad weather courses were announced at 0600. This was then adjusted nearer 0700 removing a key control that would have taken all runners over Grizedale Peak. The winds were just too strong and dangerous.
Only 7 elite runners were left in the race and they ran a full bad weather course, several runners attempted an improvised A/B route but most people just made a direct route to the ‘C’ finish causing a logistical headache for the Ourea Team. Buses had been arranged for approximately 50 runners, however, on the day, the numbers escalated beyond 100.
As one would expect, just as the day approached midday, the rain stopped, the wind reduced, the sky turned blue and white fluffy clouds occupied the sky as the sun broke through… you couldn’t make it up! Really?
Shane Ohly confirmed at the finish line, ‘this has been the most testing event and conditions we have encountered in any race we have organised. I don’t like to reduce courses but safety is key and we make the right call. It’s been a tough weekend!’
The runners confirmed the severity of the 3 days but it’s funny how morning grimaces turned to afternoon smiles. The GL3D ethos rose above the surface and talk soon started about 2017.
Images available at iancorless.photoshelter.com HERE
Yesterday I said, ‘The Lakes really are a special place any day, anytime, in any weather… well, almost?’
‘Well almost,’ hit today with some seriously torrential rain, gusting to gale force winds (particularly on the tops and in exposed areas) and at times slippery conditions underfoot. That’s the Lakes for you… the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.
Despite the onslaught of the weather, the scenery and the landscape still remained beautiful and spectacular. Despite the odd patch of white at higher levels, the complete blanket of snow that had covered about 500m was gone! It really is amazing the difference a day can make.
Warmer temperatures overnight certainly made camping a more pleasant experience and for those runners who were up early and packed away by 0615, they will have dry gear and a dry tent to pitch tonight! Anyone who slept in will have a different story to tell. When the rain came, it really did come and although Shane Ohly (race director) had said it was on it’s way, we had all secretly hoped he was wrong.
The forecast was bad and Shane had contemplated running a bad weather course but many runners, even those in the Elite category decided to run the much shorter ‘C’ route. In all honesty, it was a wise decision. The C route although easy navigation had plenty of ups and downs in it and in the conditions, it was far enough.
This was confirmed at the Cafe at Honister Pass which contained a gathering of GL3D competitors throughout the day. They all found solace in some food and a warm drink before pushing on past Buttermere and to the day 2 camp at Loweswater.
Despite the harsh conditions, temperatures were good. However, wet clothes and serious wind chill did make many a runners journey a tough one – hands in particular were constantly being banged together and rubbed in an effort to bring them back to life.
In the true nature of the GL3D, many of the participants had nothing but smiles and laughter for the conditions, particularly after the picture postcard scenes of day 1. The race did have its casualties though with many participants not completing any of the race categories (they just wanted to be back in camp asap) and others deciding to end the 3 day adventure early; the lure of warm clothes and a bed just too much of a temptation after such a tough day.
Post race the rain slowly reduced to a persistent drizzle, temperatures were relatively good but the main priority for all was to get out of wet clothes and into dry clothes. I can’t tell you how many times I heard, ‘thank goodness this is not a full self-sufficient mountain marathon!’
Dry bags were opened, tents were pitched and in the safety of one of the large marquees provided by Ourea Events, stories started to be told about the days challenges. Of course, as per the previous day, free cake was consumed and energy levels were topped up with a pint of beer.
Day 3 concludes the 2016 GL3D and the runners will navigate back to the start location via Elite, A, B and C courses. However, I heard someone say the weather forecast is worse for tomorrow; oh joy!
Images available at iancorless.photoshelter.com HERE
The names Billy Bland and Nicky Spinks are well and truly cemented in Bob Graham Round cement. Imagine it, covering 66-miles (approx) 27,000ft of climbing and crossing the 42 highest peaks in the English Lakes in under 24-hours.
First completed in 1932 by Bob Graham at the age of 42, the 42 peak round has become the holy grail of the fell running world. Just to complete it in under 24-hours is considered by many to be enough, but to set a FKT (Fastest Known Time) is something else.
How does one break the record?
In 1932 Bob Graham took pacers and company to help him in completing his round. It is an ethical and practical approach that the club encourages, and is committed to continue to require as a criterion for membership.
In light of the above, the criteria for Club membership were set down back in 1972. The criterion regarding having one’s arrival at each summit witnessed remains as valid today as ever.
From the Club’s perspective, solo attempts will, for safety reasons, not be recognised or considered for club membership (this includes partly solo rounds, i.e. a round that is only partly witnessed). One of the Club’s purposes is to encourage attempts. The potential risks to a contender are significantly increased should a contender chose to travel solo for around 24 hours in the Lake District mountains. Having company in the mountains enhances the safety factor.
The risk of losing a contender in the mountains may seem far-fetched but there have been deaths of fell runners during much shorter fell races. It is understandable that there is no desire to repeat that experience in a Bob Graham Club context. Were the Club to recognise solo completions for membership, it’s no great step in the minds of loved ones left behind to see that as an endorsement, nay an encouragement, of solo attempts; and families may feel that the Club (which is an unincorporated body) and therefore its Officers should bear some responsibility for a dreadful turn of events.
One claim made for modern GPS devices is that they can provide both veracity and a form of safety, however there have been fraudulent attempts to secure membership over the years; the advent of modern technology to validate a round neither mitigates the safety issue nor removes the ability to defraud.
Allied to solo attempts are attempts where a form of reciprocal witnessing takes place: contender A witnesses contender B and vice versa. This is acceptable, and there have been several such rounds over the years, but not recommended.
There are many accounts of multi-contender attempts having to split up. The most common reason is simply that most people go through a significant bad patch, often for several hours, and hoping that these coincide is hoping for too much. If contenders do have to separate, safety margins are hugely reduced. Pacts not to separate are all well and good at the Moot Hall before setting off but can unravel under the physical and mental pressures of the day. Again if the party has to separate, then the attempt will effectively be over in terms of obtaining membership of the Club.
In summary, the witnessing rule has always been in the Club’s Guidance Notes, and always will be. It is grounded in safety. Clearly in limiting the only help on the fells to a co-contender (who may be in a pretty poor physical state should problems arise), there is a significant reduction in the safety margins for the individuals. Usually a support team of two persons per leg should be adequate, but the decision on the number of supporters and pacers is of course up to the individual.
– Bob Graham Club
Billy Bland’s time of 13 hours and 53 minutes is a milestone and many have questioned, can that time be bettered?. Despite years of trying nobody has really come close; time has stood still. The ladies record set by Nicky Spinks of 18 hours and 12 minutes was set in 2012. Nicky has long been a pioneer of the Bob Graham Round.
That however all changed just yesterday, Saturday April 23rd.
Jasmin Paris, a respected fell and mountain runner, set a new ladies benchmark of 15 hours and 23 minutes. This time is OFF THE SCALE!
Not only does it obliterate the 2012 time of Nicky Spinks but it comes remarkably close to Billy Bland’s time of 13 hours and 53 minutes.
This is just fell running, a low key sport that takes place in the heart of England. Believe me though, in terms of running, this record is one that should be shouted from the rooftops.
Jasmin is a low-key athlete, who hides away from the spotlight despite incredible performances. She races regularly, almost too much some may say. Her response has always been, I have a job and I run for fun and pleasure.
I’ve been saying it for some time, JASMIN PARIS is one to watch and this year, Jasmin will run on the world stage taking part in many Skyrunning events and UTMB.
The 2016 Rab Mountain Marathon™ will be the 10th edition of an event that has gained an enviable reputation as the ‘friendly mountain marathon’, with its famously relaxed atmosphere, flexible start times and incredible run of good weather weekends!
Today the organisers have announced that the 2016 event will see the introduction of 4 new Linear Courses, following the traditional Elite, A, B and C course structure. Most interestingly, a ‘GPS’ Linear Course is being launched, that unlike the other courses, will allow the use of GPS navigational devices, and is intended to be a pathway for novice participants to enter their first mountain marathon.
Continuing with the theme of innovation, the organisers are also introducing GPS Tracking for all the teams, on all the courses. The GPS Trackers will not assist with navigation but will enable the event to be followed live via the website.
For entries before the end of March, the organisers have frozen the 2015 entry fee, which means that with the addition of the new courses and GPS Tracking, the Rab Mountain Marathon™ is easily the best value event of its kind.
Praise for the 2015 event, the second organised by Ourea Events, was once again superb. Tim Nichol who was participating in his first Rab Mountain Marathon™ said,
“Many thanks for organising such a great weekend in Snowdonia. It was my first Rab MM, but it definitely won’t be my last. The organisation overall couldn’t be faulted, the marshals were really friendly, the course well designed, the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly and the weather was the icing on the cake”.
Race Director Shane Ohly said,
“It is fantastic to get such consistently great feedback from our participants, but I am far from complacent, and have been considering careful how the event will evolve. As such, I am delighted to announce the introduction of Elite, A, B and C Linear Courses and an innovative new GPS Linear Course for the 2016 event. At the same time we are introducing GPS Tracking of all teams”.
The introduction of the new GPS Linear Course is a first for mountain marathons and sure to raise a few eyebrows in the traditional map and compass camp, but Ohly explained his thinking,
“I am looking to the future, and attempting to attract new participants into Mountain Marathon events. I want the events’ courses to be both modern and relevant for all participants and audiences, and I consider the integration of technology as a part of everyday life.”
“That said, my position on the use of GPS navigational devices on our other courses is clear. They are not allowed at all. Although these ‘traditional courses’ do not allow a GPS navigational device to be used, we can enable a great solution that embraces latest technology: Many competitors might want a GPX track of their weekend to upload to their training diaries and to share on social media, and this can be acquired from the GPS Tracker data post-event. It’s another great reason for introducing GPS Trackers to the event, which all soloists and teams will carry.”
According to the organisers, the introduction of the GPS Trackers will have a significant but subtle effect on the event. First and foremost, it adds a layer of safety by allowing the event team to monitor the location of the participants, but it also allows the participants to summon help using an SOS button in the event of an emergency. The live feed from the Trackers will enable friends and family of the participants to engage with the event in new and exciting ways. During the event – for monitoring and public engagement – the GPS Trackers provide a public record of all routes taken, and can enable the organisers to detect if a participant has been into an Out of Bounds area or through an ‘uncrossable’ boundary – likely to result in disqualification. Lastly, with a GPX download and ‘Replay’ feature it is possible to review the weekend’s activity. This excellent functionality has been developed with the great assistance of Open Tracking.
Shane Ohly continued,
“The GPS Trackers provide an obvious safety benefit, but they also allow the event to reach out to wider audience of the outdoor community and the friends and family of the participants. I think this is very important for keeping the event relevant, modern, and for attracting new participants into this exhilarating outdoor sport.”
In more detail, the updates to the 2016 event include:
New Elite, A, B and C Linear Courses
Elite Course – Estimated winning time: 11 hours over two days
A Course – Estimated winning time: 10 hours over two days
B Course – Estimated winning time: 9 hours over two days
C Course – Estimated winning time: 9 hours over two days
The Elite, A, B and C Course are linear courses where participants must visit a certain number of checkpoints in the correct order – as defined by the organisers. The linear courses still have route choice between controls and are suited for those that wish to try something less complex than the Score Courses, when it comes to topographic decision making! Approximate length and height gains over two days would be:
Elite Course – 70km with 3,500m ascent
A Course – 60km with 2,800m ascent
B Course – 50km with 2,500m ascent
C Course – 40km with 2,000m ascent
New GPS Linear Course
This innovative new course is ideal for novice participants and offers a linear route that is a similar standard to a regular mountain marathon C Course. The aim of the GPS Linear Course is to offer a pathway for new participants to get into mountain marathons. This is the only course where GPS devices that aid navigation are allowed.
This GPS navigational device could be a traditional GPS pouch-and-handheld, a wristwatch GPS or a smartphone! Some participants will certainly choose to use a device that can be uploaded with topographic mapping, but please note that presently this would likely be Ordnance Survey or Open Mapping, and not a digital version of Harvey’s mapping. All participants receive a Harvey’s waterproof paper map – including the GPS Linear Course participants.
GPS Trackers
All teams (pairs and solo’s) will be issued with a GPS Tracker that must be attached to their rucksack for the duration of the event. The GPS Tracker allows the organisers, friends and family to follow the teams’ progress live and in real-time. A GPX download of every teams route and ‘Replay’ function of the race will be available shortly after the finish. Any team crossing an uncrossable boundary or passing through an Out of Bounds Area may be disqualified, even days after the event has finished, based on their GPS track.
Looking forward to September!
The organisers believe that these updates for 2016 will improve the event yet further, and broaden the appeal without compromising the core elements that make up the ‘Nature of the Challenge’. The combination of the new Linear Courses and GPS Tracking with the price freeze for early entries, makes the Rab Mountain Marathon™ easily the best value event of its kind and we very much hope that you will be able to join us this September.
I was told 2-years ago that Skyrunning in the UK was not possible.
You don’t have the mountains…
You don’t have the technical terrain…
Ridges – pah!
Climbing – pah!
You have nothing over a 1000m…
and so on and so on.
The V3K launched our series and in doing so we showed UK runners that Wales, the 3000’s and in particular Crib Goch can test even the hardiest competitor.
The Mourne Skyline MTR had Skyrunner World Series champion Stevie Kremer come over and what did she say?
‘That is the hardest race I have ever done!’
In 2015 we stepped it up a notch with the mind blowing Salomon Glen Coe Skyline and Emelie Forsberg, Skyrunning World and European Champion for the Ultra distance half way through the race said,
‘This is the best course I have ever run for this distance!’
And then just last weekend, the first edition of the True Mountain Lakes Sky Ultra took place under horrendous conditions. Torrential rain, gale force winds and and I am pleased to say we have it all on film.
IAN CORLESS 