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OMM Returns to the Lakes

Rob Howard / 07.08.2008

The location for this year’s Original Mountain Marathon was recently announced and on the weekend when the clocks go back (Oct. 25/26th) fell runners, adventure racers and orienteers will be heading for Borrowdale to take on the challenge of the world’s best known mountain marathon.

The venue this year will be Seathwaite Farm at Seatoller, which is a new venue for the OMM (KIMM) and a location used by some 3 Peaks events for access to Scafell Pike. There are no hints on where the courses will go as yet, but with a location in the centre of the Northern Lakes there are plenty of options.

The good news for all those who applied for a place is that everyone was accepted and there are no reserve lists this year, not yet anyway. The online entry system closed on July 30th but it still possible to apply by printing off any entry form from the event website if you want to get in. The race attracts the best UK endurance runners and orienteers and always has a strong international entry. (There have been overseas winners of the prestigious Elite class in the past, though not for many years now.)

It’s unwise to read too much into the current Elite start list, as it will undoubtedly change (often on the Friday before the event), but last year’s winners Brendan and Sean Bolland are listed, as are multiple race winners Morgan Donnelly and Steve Birkinshaw. There is only one female pair presently listed among the Elite and that is Janet McIver and Heather Dawe.

The event has a long history in the Lakes, with 8 previous visits in its 40 year history, and it’s been a location with its fair share of drama, and bad weather has inevitably contributed to this. (Seatoller is often quoted as the wettest place in the UK with 60 inches of rain a year!)

It was wet and windy on the last visit in 2005 (based at Ullswater), and in 2000 when the elite class had the only draw in the history of the race. On this occasion Mark Seddon and Andy Trigg, and Mark Rigby and Rob Jebb crossed the line together (with the pairs split). They collapsed in a heap and it was only a bit later they realised they’d not ‘finished’ as none had used the new electronic punch system which was introduced that year. In 1992 the weather was even more dramatic with deep snow on the fells and the 2005 race was ‘the last KIMM’, before the name change to the OMM.

Seathwaite is certainly a venue to look forward to and the organisers commented; “We are excited and indeed feel privileged for the event to use this fantastic mountain location.” They also added; “Please respect rule number 1 - Competitors must not seek to obtain any unfair advantage by searching for the courses or inspecting the area beforehand.”

Full details and current entry lists are on the event website at www.theomm.com.