OMM 2011 and the GL3D Challenge.
Nicola and I competed in the OMM a couple of weekends ago. We had entered the Medium Score. The weather forecast was for rain all day Saturday and slightly clearing on Sunday. 70-80mph gusts were forecast for Saturday afternoon.
We headed to Scotland to Breadalbane in Perthshire to an old prisoner of war camp for the start of the event. We arrive the Friday night and slept next to Loch Earn, then headed for our start in the morning.
The weather was foul when we awoke and it progressed to get worse all day, we didn't have any major winds, but it picked up in the afternoon for sure. Saturday was a tough day and we went for greatness, unfortunately we over cooked it and lost points in being 39 mins late over the finish line... real shame.
Tent in the over night camp was my Terra Laser Ultra 1, the new silver version of the Ultra range. Excellent. It is actually waterproof in the ground sheet, unlike all others I have had. This is a major bonus. Its small, I'll give it that and ultra light weight, I barely noticed in my pack whilst running.
Check out some video's of the OMM here - OMM 2011
Over the following week I got my head set for planning the GL3D Challenge. Whilst at the Saunders Lakeland MM in the summer, I has had to check Shane Ohly's pack, he had come second in the Klets Class, and whilst doing this I offered to help Shane plan the route around the Lakes, as he is in Cornwall, I live in the Lakes, I thought it could be a good plan.
2 weeks later Shane got in touch and asked if I wanted the job of planing the 2012 re-launch of the GL3D. Of course I accepted, I had really enjoyed planning the Saunders and wanted another go. The GL3D is a different race altogether though. The Saunders and most other MM events opperate with more than one course and are designed for the technical navigation plus pitting yourself against a tough course across mountainous regions whilst carrying all your gear you need for 36 hours on the fells. .
The GL3D however, is more of a fell runners race, being only one course, very low key with maximum of 100 entrants. This is also a 3 day event, unlike all other MM's which are 2 day events. The course is done to suit good running, obviously there are fells/mountains that you can't run up, but it is organised to follow footpaths, valleys and ridgelines, rather than cutting across the fells on open ground, although it does contain some stuff like this. The navigation is not technical, using summits etc as checkpoints. You only need to carry your day gear on the GL3D, your camping gear and food is transported by road.
Since the OMM I have been out and run Day 3 and most of Day 1, I am out this weekend for Day2, the monster day.
Had a meeting with Shane last Friday (11th Nov) and he seemed happy with the course and the length of each day, just got to get them into Memory Map now to see how much height there is to climb over the 3 days.
Can't tell you more really, it would give the game away, but for any aspiring GL3D-ers, get out and train as much as possible, it will be a long 3 day's and for those already versed in the tradition, when the mighty Joe Falkner hosted the race, it may not be as tough as some you have done, but don't rest on your 'laurels'.....
Just for your information, whilst talking to Shane, we discussed the severity, length and hieght gain of the GL3D in the past nad Shane told me that he would dread the week before the event, as it nearly broke him several times. This year Shane, with running partner Duncan Archer, won the OMM Elite Class, one of the most prestigious mountain race's in Europe for toughness and navigation.
Talking to a friend, David White, who came 7th in the Montane 100 this year (the UK premiere and toughest Ultra trail race), he told me that the GL3D was one of the toughest events he had taken part in, and that again, several of the courses over the years had nearly broken him too.... You have been warned!!
