Oh dear it's a grey Sunday Morning and you can see what I have been doing - catching up with my reading!
This months edition of Navigation News describes and promotes an event called the Original Mountain Marathon - Hardest Navigation Challenge in the World.
The world is full of ultra-marathons, endurance events and other highly entertaining ways to nearly die, and then not quite manage it. The Authors words not mine.
It seems one is required to spend 36 hours in October, unsupported in the Brecon Beacons, aiming for check points in a timed manner. Full list of check points is given to you ten minutes before the off. Unlike running you need to be more than physically fit. You need to be able to navigate on foot to a very standard. A 55 year old mountain man is more than likely able to beat a 26 year old athlete purely because of his mountain and navigation experience.
As a pre-race qualification showing that you have completed 10 London Marathons is insufficient. You need to be able to show that you can get your self from A to B without assistance, and also be able to deal with all the potential mishaps that the remote mountain terrain can throw at you.
There is an extensive mandatory personal equipment list. For the experts it must not weigh more than 6kg and must fit into a 20 litre pack. Novices can go up to 10kg fitting into a 30 litre pack.
Further details, who has already signed up and an entry form can be found at
www.theomm.com/downloads/event-downloads/cat_view/104-events/117-omm-2013I feel quite exhausted now. Back to my tea, toast and Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs.
