Rab Mountain Marathon 2009 Report

The Howgills around Sedbergh, bordering Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales, has been host to this year's Rab Mountain Marathon (Sat 26th- Sun 27th September). Now in its third year, the marathon organised and run by Dark and White events has seen a steady increase in the number of competitors entering each year. From modest beginnings, the event now draws in excess of 500 competitors for two days of self-sufficient, mountain challenge and navigation.  Various classes of race allow entrants the option of going full-blown hell for leather or the walkers class, in the words of the organisers, is for those 'who wish to have a weekend out in the hills.'  Competitors carry all kit that is needed with them for the two days, including tent for the overnight camp, the emphasis being on lightweight and minimalist. Pre-requisites in the rules give a minimum kit requirement that has to be carried for safety reasons and random kit checks at the end of the race ensure these rules are adhered to, thus ensuring the safety of competitors and preventing any such 'media storms' experienced in recent years!

The cloud inversion that started the crisp morning off on Saturday 26th September (above and below) 

Saturday saw elite competitors allowed 7 hours to complete as much of the course as possible, whilst the other classes were given 6 hours. The use of SPORTident, meant competitors found checkpoints and logged their passing by dibbing their personal identity tag. With points deducted for late return, route choice and timings were essential. Late return between 1-5 mins meant 1 point deducted for every minute, 6-10 mins late; 2 points per minute, 11-15 minutes late; 5 points per minute, 16-30 minutes late; 10 points per min and over 30 minutes late, saw you lose your days effort with all points scrubbed.

Checking the map, without marked checkpoints to get an overall idea of the terrain, before 'dibbing' and picking up the full course map.

Planning a route which fits the individual's fitness and navigational ability is paramount, so time spent on this before setting off pays well.

In a perculiar twist of normality, clear skies and fantastic warm weather blessed all who entered the 2009 Rab Mountain Marathon, was it almost too warm? Competitors rely largely on water taken from streams and becks, choosing not to carry the extra weight of fluids, but risking the possibility of becoming dehydrated. 

A competitor well under way, Saturday morning, towards checkpoint 2, a low-level preliminary point for many.

Hobbling home after only a couple of hours in the competition, the athlete on the right managed a suspected broken big toe and three fingers, after a fairly minor slip.

Checkpoint 4- hidden in a steep sided gully out of view, emphasising the need for pinpoint navigation.

Halfway through the day most competitors had moved in to the Northern-most part of the Howgills towards the overnight camp, situated on the Eastern side of the hills. The miles of undulating terrain provided challenging checkpoint locations, with some hidden at the base of gullies, whilst others were based on peak summits.

Looking over to Great Drummacks and Calders, two competitors sort their route out before setting off on their next leg.

The end of day one, saw all athletes assemble at the overnight camp, with reports from the first day wholly positive, the course and choice of terrain was well received with complaints only relating to tired feet and hamstrings. The mountain marathon is set out in such a way that there is no obvious route to follow, competitors choose their own route and the level of positive feedback shows that great care is taken by the organisers in planning and setting out the course.

Fatigue takes over as the overnight camp is reached.

A few hundred tents adorned the camp site where competitors were required to stay the night, something that resembled a festival, only a lot more civilised, with most competitors in bed and asleep by 9pm. A 7.15am start  awaited those eager to get stuck in to day two. 

Poly bags- cheap and versatile.

Misty conditions meant a slightly cooler second day of the mountain marathon.

On Sunday the elite class were allowed 6 hours and the standard classes 5 hours to finish the course. The penalties for late return were the same as day one. With early morning reached, conditions were forgiving, as the early mist was short lived, making navigation a lot more straightforward. With generally good visibility, competitors were able to spend more time running and less time on the finer points of route selection.

Decision time on the shoulder of Grere Fell.

The shoulder of Grere Fell was a deciding point for many racers, the choice was to head directly North for some of the highest scoring checkpoints or begin to head directly West, back in to the main concentration of checkpoints which held slightly lower values. A mixture of knowledge in ones own ability and amount of time left, forced this decision for many.

One competitor wearing frankly, the best attire in the field -our very own favourite.

Discussing the alternatives before setting off on the next leg of the race.

The finish line looking over Sedbergh where competitors took a few moments to think about their fatigue and where was hurting the most.

Grit and determination helped many to cross the line.  

Whilst a patriotic flair was present in others. 

With the finish line sitting on steep hillside, completing for some, was more painful than others.

A desperate bid to gain seconds, which could decide final rankings. If competitors acquired the same points, positions would be decided by the earlier time logged at the finish.

SPORTident dibbers recorded all competitor's results.

Elite

1   Stephen Pyke                     Staffordshire Moorlands 700 points

2   Alex Pilkington                  Settle Harriers                    695 points

3   Stewart Bellamy                  Mercia Fell Runners      670 points   

Male (solo/team)

1   Dan Duxbury                      Ambleside AC       590 points

2  Neil Talbott / Jonathon Davies                          539 points

3   Rhys Findlay-Robinson         Dark Peak        485 points  

Female (solo/team) 

1   Becky Harper / Debbie Smith      Totley AC        405 points

2  Joanne Gillyon / Catherine Evans Keswick AC   385 points

3  Barbara Lee                                       FRA                380 points

Male Vet

1  Steve Watkins                       Baildon Runners          500 points

2  Alan Ward / Paul Stopford        Dark Peak               485 points

3  1550 Mark Buskwood                    Totley AC            475 points

Female Vet

1  Helena Deeney / Sue Booth        Ilkley Harriers         342 points

2  Caroline Dallimore               Les Croups MDC             340 points

3  Angela Sykes / Sarah Jones                                           295 points

Mixed Pair 

1  Diana De Bellaigue / Tom Challan                                     465 points

2  Jon Moulding / Barbara Lonsdale                                     450 points

3  Stuart Anderson / Helen Gilbert  Totley AC                  410 points

Mixed Vet Pair

1  Jo Zakrzewski / Douglas Brown   Dumfries Running Club   445 points

2  Mike Berners-Lee / Liz Berners-Lee                                          440 points

3  Simon Caldwell / Carmen Elphick  Eborienteers                   425 points

Generation Pair

1  Stephen Martin / Timothy Martin  DPFA                                  485 points

2  David Newton / William Newton    Matlock AC                      240 points

3  Ian Marshall / Kevin Duckworth   Saddleworth Runners    160 points

Walkers Class

1  Peter Matthews                   FRA                                                  259 points

2  Neil O'gorman                                                                                 223 points

3 Phil Williams / Peter Byers                                                           174 points

The final full results from this year's Rab Mountain Marathon can be found here>>>

Thanks go to Dark and White for organising this year's Rab Mountain Marathon

And to Rab for sponsoring the event.

All Images - Dave MacFarlane / planetFear