European Mountain Marathons

[runnerbean]

Does anyone know where I can find information on any of the European MMs? There are various links on the LAMM "MMs Abroad" page, but the one to the Mammut doesn't work. There are three links to French Raid events (Are Raids the same format?) but the only that still works (Raid Azur) didn't lead anywhere useful (but that could be cos my French isn't great). I couldn't even find anything online about the French KIMM/OMM publicised by the organiser Jacques Amiot at the UK OMM last month.

Also, does anyone else think that MMs are worthy of their own forum on nopesport?

[Scott]

I'm thinking about going to the Icebug, if I can manage to bully someone into running with me, so would also be interested in hearing opinions from people who've actually run at European MMs.

[Neil M35]

The Swiss KIMM/Mammut is now the R'Adys

http://www.radys-marathon.ch/index.php?sCatID=0&lang=en

It is in the SOLV calendar for 9/10 August 2008

[runnerbean]

Thanks for the R'Adys info. The 2006 event looks like it was pretty extreme! Particularly without altimeters: "You are free in choosing your way from one control to the other but the navigation can only be made by using maps and compass."

[The Cumbrian]

http://www.adorr.fr is the website for Jacques Amiots French KIMM...he only sent the e-mail out this week so it's definitely current

[Domhnull Mor]

Some mates of mine help organise the Björkliden Arctic Mountain Marathon in northern Sweden. No details are available as yet for the 2008 race but the website is here - http://www.bamm.nu/en/

[jkjuggler]

My partner and I ran in the French KIMM this year. We were first mixed and second overall, and for comparison were also first mixed on the Kirkfell at the SLMM. Last year the winners also won the A class at the LAMM. If you're competitive on British MMs, the chances are you'll be at the top of the standings there. It's very low-key, and much smaller than British events. On the other hand, the climbs this year were huge. On the afternoon of the first day we had a single climb of over 1100m!

The web site (http://www.adorr.fr) tends to be down unless they have a race coming up, so don't expect it to work over the winter.

If you have more questions, feel free to PM me.

[DB]

Does anyone know where I can find information on any of the European MMs?

Get a copy of the December edition of Running Fitness. It has featues of this year's LAMM and on the Jungfrau Mountain Marathon with some pretty spectacular scenery.

[Ravinous]

CompassSport FEB issue annually has a comprehensive calendar of UK, European and World MMs, Rogaines, and anything else we can find to put in it with a nav element - feel free to PM me with your event for inclusion. (Just checked and last year it was in APR issue, but anyway...)

DEC issue - almost complete, has Multiday O Calendar as usual.

Speaking as someone who has done (and indeed organised) various Rogaines and MMs both in the North and Southern hemisphere, I have to say that the KIMM/OMM still tops my list - although I guess I have many more I have not tried...

[runnerbean]

I bought the Dec issue of Running Fitness. It's good to see the LAMM getting publicity and the article even contains the "o" word and talks about route choice! But I was disappointed to discover that the Jungfrau MM is a marathon in the mountains, as opposed to a Mountain Marathon! I wish the KIMM-style MMs weren't called marathons. They have very little to do with running 26.2 miles (as I found out to my cost running round the outskirts of Luton at the weekend!) and it's misleading to those who don't know what they are. Little chance of a name change now, though.

On the subject of favourite MMs (I still think they deserve their own forum), the LAMM has to be mine - location, location, location (and sometimes re-location)!

[grubby]

Oi !! Moderators. . . . . . . . .

How about it ?

A Forum dedicated to MMs.

[ifor]

Swiss is my favorite. Planning is normaly very good. Terain more mountainous. Still remember the ocasion where the first severn teams went severn different routes from 1 to 2 which as it was a mass start and any none competent navigators could of just followed someone is staggering.

[EddieH]

It's just as well they do. Andy Lewesley and I did the Swiss KIMM elite many moons ago. Thunderstorms and swollen rivers made route choice vital and we eventually led after day 1 by 2 and a half hours. In the second day mass start in glorious weather all the other teams followed us. This was despite that we climbed onto the wrong ridge and descended into the wrong Alpine valley!

[seabird]

I notice in the rules it says you must

"provide a medical certificate dated less than one year, with no contra-indication to mountain marathon"

Anyone any experience or advice to offer in respect of this.

[Kitch]

The French are heavily into this - or French organisers.
I have to provide one for the Marrakech Marathon this month, the friend I'm going with, having previous experience of racing under French organisation pointed me here for an example

http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/advi ... dcert.html .

I don't believe there is any way they can validate such a form, its just a c.y.a. piece of paper they can use in case you drop dead - you might as well self certify. As we do here often you get a " I am fit and take part at my own risk" clause.