Great Lakeland 3 Day ™ Day 3

Posted on May 5, 2014 by talkultra

The final day of the Great Lakeland 3 Day ™ was very much a victory lap as runners finished of the final leg of a 3-day triangular route, navigating via a selection of trigs to arrive back at Pooley Bridge where they had all started 3-days earlier.

The damp, misty and wet conditions of the previous day faded away with the arrival of dawn. Although the day would remain overcast for the majority, the occasional glimpse of sun would appear when the clouds decided to break.

Although a shorter day, a great deal of challenges would confront the Elite, A, B and C categories. The great success of the GL3D is the appeal and flexibility for each participant to race at a different level on different days if required. Shane Ohly said, ‘We are a small but adventurous three-day mountain marathon with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere that attracts both runners and long-distance walkers.’

The race has been an incredible success and the addition of the C course has made the 2014 edition even more appealing providing a tough and challenging adventure for walkers. Rather than complex navigation, the emphasis is on long mountain journeys, spectacular scenery and enjoying an amazing mountain experience.

Brilliantly organized, great fun, tough, a real challenge… are all words and comments that could be heard as participants departed from the race base at Pooley Bridge.

I am sure many will be back in 2015.

Overall Results:

Elite:

Jim Mann 16:30:28

Chris Warner 18:29:57

Robert Hicks 19:08:56

1^st lady: Kerstin Rosenqvist 21:39:15

Simon Harper 17:38:38

Jim Trueman 18:24:30

Matt Puxon 18:54:21

1^st lady: Sally Ann Spencer 19:59:13

Alexander Beaven 12:37:40

David Nevill 13:10:03

Nick Gallivan 13:45:42

1^st lady: Christine Waller 16:34:26

Stephen Burt 11:49:56

Jacqueline Cooper 12:59:25

Martin & Nicola Kirkman 13:00:20

Ourea Events HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day™ HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day ™ Day 2

Posted on May 5, 2014 by talkultra

Heavy rain during the night cleared to low-lying mist and persistent light rain. It was the forecast for the whole of day-2 of the Great Lakeland 3 Day ™

Departing day-1 camp, runners had a starting window of 0700 – 0900. This staggered start providing an opportunity for slower participants to get on the trail and covering ground while faster competitors gained a little extra sleep or a second breakfast.

It was a classic day on the Lakeland fells and mountains. The four courses, Elite, A, B and C allowed each and every participant to gain a flavor of a true Lakeland experience. Kentmere, Troutbeck, Ambleside, Rydal Water and peaks at Loughrigg Fell, Great Rigg, Red Screes, High Peak, Lingmoor Fell Seargent Man and a climb up to Stickle Tarn to finish off the day.

Of course, not all participants covered all the peaks… each course had its highlights and challenges. Elite runners tackled 3,264m of vertical gain and 50.9k, A Couse, 2,704m and 45.7k, B course 2,129m and 34.9km and finally the C course 748m and 22.4k. At the finish, the verdict was unanimous, a very tough but an extremely challenging day in sometimes difficult conditions; particularly when navigating due to very low mist and poor visibility.

In camp, after a long day, the free ale and cider flowed as each and every runner told stories of a day on the fells and mountains of the English Lakes. One thing is for sure; with 1-day still to go, the GL3D has been an incredible success.

Results Overall after day-2:

Elite

Jim Mann 12:13:59

Tim Laney 12:34:03

David Spence 13:43:06

1st lady – Kerstin Rosenqvist 16:08:04

Simon Harper 13:51:33

Jim Trueman 13:56:47

Matt Poxon 14:35:27

1^st lady – Sally Ann Spencer 15:04:15

Eddy Charlton-Weedy 8:09:48

Alexander Beaven 9:34:13

David Neill 9:27:15

1^st lady – Christine Waller 12:27:05

Stephen Burt 7:47:44

Jaqueline Cooper 9:07:40

Martin & Nicola Kirkman 9:09:54

Ourea Events HERE

Great Lakeland 3 Day™ HERE

RAB MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN™ – NEW ORGANISING TEAM FOR 2014!

Posted on February 17, 2014 by talkultra

©johnbrooke

The popular Rab Mountain Marathon™ has new owners after a transfer of ownership by Peak District based Dark and White, to Ourea Events. The event is a two-day fell running and navigation challenge for solos and pairs with an overnight camp, which moves to a new location each year.

With events like the Dragon’s Back Race™, the Great Lakeland 3Day™ and Marmot Dark Mountains™, Shane Ohly and his team from Ourea Events have been steadily building a reputation for delivering high quality mountain running events in recent years and this move puts the iconic Rab Mountain Marathon™ in safe hands. A self confessed mountain marathon addict, Ohly, was clearly delighted with the move, “Since its launch in 2007, the Rab Mountain Marathon™ has proved a firm favourite with the mountain marathon community and we have no intention of changing the event format in any way, which I know is excellent having taken part myself”.

The Rab Mountain Marathon™ has a score only format, which minimises the chance of ‘snakes’ of runners all heading to the same control, maximises route choice and offers a more personal mountain marathon experience. Over the years the event has built up a deserved reputation for being relaxed and welcoming with a fun and friendly atmosphere. The lack of prescribed start times, the wide spread of prize categories (including Veteran and Super Veteran) and the opportunity for younger competitors (aged 14+) to participate have all helped to cultivate this unique mountain marathon experience.

©johnbrooke

Ohly continued, “The Long Score and Short Score options put the competitors in control of how long they spend out each day, and also provide an almost unlimited challenge for the leading elite runners. It is a great format that Dark and White have devised and I would like to thank Adrian Boyes and his team for all their hard work over the years”.

Adrian Boyes, the owner of Dark and White explained his decision for the change, “Due to personal/family circumstances I am unfortunately no longer able to devote the necessary time to organising and controlling the Rab MM. The event has been very successful over the past 7 years and it was not an easy decision to relinquish control. After lengthy discussions with Shane Ohly I am 100% confident that the event is in very safe hands and that the spirit and ethos of the event will continue for many years to come.”

Rab Marketing Manager, Dan Thompson said, “Rab would like to thank to Adrian Boyes and the whole team at Dark and White for building the Rab Mountain Marathon™ into a popular and important event in the mountain running calendar. All of us at Rab are excited about working with Shane and his team at Ourea Events in the future – they have lots of experience of participating in and delivering these type of events, and they have no plans to make changes to what is a popular event format. We’re looking forward to an exciting future for the Rab Mountain Marathon™.”

The 8th Rab Mountain Marathon™ will be held on the 27th and 28th September 2014 and entries have opened today.

For further Information about:

Rab Mountain Marathon, please visit www.RabMountainMarathon.com or contact Shane Ohly on 07771516962 or info@RabMountainMarathon.com

Key Event Information

Website: www.RabMountainMarathon.com

Date: 27th & 28th September 2014

Venue: Northern England

Entry: from £47.50

Courses: Long Score and Short Score

Marmot Dark Mountains 2014 Results & Images

Posted on January 27, 2014 by talkultra

The 2014 Marmot Dark Mountains was a resounding success and in contrast to the 2013 event, weather conditions were extremely kind on all entrants… well, at least all those who finished before 7am.

As predicted, the weather took a very serious turn for the worse as dawn arrived with increasing winds and torrential rain. It really did turn into a tough test for the final 20 or so teams who were still out on the course. However, a warm leisure centre awaited and a breakfast fit for a king.

Shane Ohly and the Ourea Events Team really did put on a great event with excellent support. Nothing was left to chance. As we all know, an event of this nature is not for the inexperienced.

A night in the Peak District with only a map, head torch and all essential equipment (as required for safety) plus your running partner for company is a test you either embrace or shy away from.

Departing from Glossop at timed intervals starting at 1900hrs on Saturday, competitors ventured out into the dark. Maps were checked, bearings taken and then a plan was formulated. Experience really showed in the first 5-minutes of the race. Some runners required several minutes of map checking before departing whereas experienced runners like eventual elite category winners, Steve Birkinshaw and Tom Gibbs received a map and immediately ran whilst taking bearings and making navigation decisions whilst covering ground.

Conditions during the night on the whole were extremely favourable. It was dry and temperatures, particularly if running, were mild. Of course the wind did blow on the tops and occasionally mist and fog would move in and out making navigation difficult. A couple of teams did struggle with this and were forced to retire.

The ground was very wet from months of rain and certain sections of the Peak District had been blocked off to ensure safety.

Headlights appeared all over the mountains as different teams navigated different routes to maximise time. One thing remained a constant; as I encountered runners on the course, a smile and welcome greeting was always returned.

A midpoint checkpoint proved to be a great central hub to see runners depart and arrive. A glowing Marmot tent providing protection for the marshall team and of course providing an additional safety shelter should runners need it.

As the event unfolded, pre race favourites in the elite race, Steve Birkinshaw/ Tom Gibb took a very early lead and never really looked back. Bruce Duncan/ Lucy Harris pushed them close in the early stages but as the race progressed the gap opened.

Over the other categories:

Catherine and Ross Litherland took a convincing victory in the A category in 11:30:01

Matt Harris and James Stokes won the B category by around 18-mins in 12:43:34

Louis and Bertie Goffe won the C category by over 30-mins in 6:37:02

Ben Stansfield and Pat Bartlett won the Long Score with 345 points in 9:44:47

Joe Gillyon and Catherine Evans won the Short Score with 185 points in 7:37:24

Full results available HERE

The 2014 Marmot Dark Mountains was without doubt a great success. Marmot and SilvaUK added to the whole experience and without doubt a huge thanks was passed on to all the marshals who ensured safety for all throughout the night.

You can receive additional information from the race website HERE

Photography of the race is available HERE

Marmot Dark Mountains™ – 2014 Race Preview

Posted on January 23, 2014 by talkultra

This weekend will see the second Marmot Dark Mountains™ take place in the Peak District. “The Peak District has the perfect blend of high moorland areas, challenging terrain and a wonderful sense of wilderness… especially at night.”

Taking the classic two-day mountain marathon format, Shane Ohly (RD) and Ourea Team have given the race format a new… darker twist. The Marmot Dark Mountains™ will pack everything into one night. Derbyshire in January can only mean one thing… cold and potentially wet. Current weather forecasts are showing at best an 80% chance of rain, wind speeds of 17-22mph and lows of 2degs. Navigation is only going to be one element of this race!

©benwinston

Based on the classic mountain marathon format, competitors will compete in 2-man teams in categories Short/ Long Score, A, B, C and Elite. The nature of the terrain would normally dictate the distance of each course and the Ourea Team are sticking with this format and planning with a certain winning time in mind.

The addition of darkness, potentially bad weather and navigation will all make Marmot Dark Mountains™ a tough challenge.

©benwinston

“The knowledge gained from the first event shows that with experienced and vetted competitors, you can run an event in atrocious weather and allow the competitors to make decisions about their own safety.”

Although the winning time for the chosen race class will be similar to a normal mountain marathon, the distance covered will be reduced.

Departing from Glossop (Peak District) on Saturday evening, the longest classes will set off first and conversely; the shorter classes will set off later. This dusk-to-dawn style of racing will look to have all competitors finishing in a 1 to 2-hour window come Sunday morning. The break of dawn as runners converge on the finish line will without doubt make this an exciting finale to a long nights racing.

Marmot Dark Mountains™ is a challenging event, however courses will remaining open until 1200 on Sunday; this will allow sufficient time for everyone to complete their respective courses.

Shane Ohly when asked about the event and who would be the main protagonists had this to say, “My suspicion is that the elite race will be a battle royal between the duo of Steve Birkinshaw / Tom Gibbs and Chris Near / Tim Higginbottom. Both Steve and Tim are excellent navigators but with a 14-minute difference in their start times, I am hoping that they will remain in the ‘dark’ about each others positions until they have finished. I wouldn’t dismiss Simon Patton / Dave Troman either as both have intimate local knowledge and the darkness can be a great leveler of speed. Dark horses will be Jim Mann (recent winter BG record) / Stuart Walker – they are not renowned as a strong navigation team but they are fast.”

It goes without saying that there will a hearty breakfast and hot drinks available to everyone as they finish. Competitors may also sleep at the Event Centre, which is recommend, before travelling home.

Race sponsorship comes from Marmot, Silva and Trail Running Magazine.

Entrant Numbers (teams of 2):

Short score – 20
Long score – 15
C category – 15
B category – 7
A category – 7
Elite – 13

Links:

Start list https://www.sientries.co.uk/list.php?event_id=1090
Weather – http://uk.weather.com/weather/weekend-UKXX0714:1:UK
Race Website – http://www.marmot-dark-mountains.com
Marmot – http://marmot.com
Silva – http://silva.se
Trail Running Magazine – http://www.trailrunningmag.co.uk

Marmot Dark Mountains™ – Peak District National Park in January 2014

Posted on December 19, 2013 by talkultra

The second Marmot Dark Mountains™ mountain marathon will take place in the Peak District National Park in January 2014. Race organiser, Shane Ohly from Ourea Events, elaborated on the special allure of this area.

“The Peak District has the perfect blend of high moorland areas, challenging terrain and a wonderful sense of wilderness… especially at night. Precisely because of the superb nature of the area, we have had to negotiate over a two year period with the National Trust, National Park and other agencies to secure permission for this event. We have six different courses on offer and they all take advantage of some of the best parts of Bleaklow and Kinder Scout. It promises to a superb test of competitors’ mountain running skills.

Marmot Dark Mountains™ takes place on the last weekend of January each year, and the inaugural event took place in what can only be described as diabolical weather (just have a look at the videos on the event website) but Shane Ohly knows this is all part of the attraction.

“Obviously, we would all like to have a still, cloud free and moonlit night but competitors don’t enter this event unless they are up for an epic mountain running experience and it is our job to deliver this safely without compromising on the nature of the challenge. The knowledge gained from the first event shows that with experienced and vetted competitors, you can run an event in atrocious weather and allow the competitors to make decisions about their own safety. Kenny Leitch, a competitor at the 2013 event summed it up nicely.

“What an extraordinary event! I did my first mountain marathon 24 years ago and Marmot Dark Mountains™ definitely had the worst conditions ever.”

Image ©benwinston Marmot Dark Mountains - iancorless.com

As a night mountain marathon, the event presents some unique challenges to both the competitors and the organisers. This year Ourea Events has been working in collaboration with Harvey Maps to produce a bespoke ‘high contrast’ map of the event area, which shows the contours and other map detail with greater clarity than a standard map.

With the announcement of the event area, the organisers have also released details of the planner’s optimum routes. The 2014 planner, Dave Taylor, is a very experienced fell runner and Peak District local so the competitors can expect that his optimum routes really are the quickest way to complete each of the courses.

C Course = Distance 36.3km / Height Gain 1,547m

B Course = Distance 41.1km / Height Gain 1,785m

A Course = Distance 44.4km / Height Gain 1,940m

Elite Course = Distance 55.5km / Height Gain 2,635m

Short Score = 8 hours

Long Score = 10 hours

With the support of sponsorship from Marmot® and Silva® there is a £500 cash prize for the winning elite team at the event. This year the competition is really hotting up, with top elite runners Tim Higginbottom and Chris Near from Team Hagloffs already entered.

Tim said, “Elite mountain marathons are hard to finish let alone win; the courses are long, navigation tricky and route choices crucial. So if you take this concept, remove the half-way rest, run it overnight to make the navigation nearly impossible – and then stage it in deepest winter for good measure you have something that will stretch the best to their limit! There’s a certain type of person that enjoys a challenge this hard. See you out there!”

LINKS:

Website: www.Marmot-Dark-Mountains.com

Date: 25th & 26th January 2014

Venue: Peak District National Park

Entry: £45 per person

Courses: Elite, A, B, C, Short Score and Long Score