Jon Ascroft reports - 1st A class - team - John
Ascroft and Steven Fallon
|
After dire weather forecasts, LAMM controller Andy Spencely
managed to ensure that the event was blessed with fantastic
running conditions: cool air, a mostly pleasant breeze, plenty
of sunshine, and a brief dusting of fresh snow on the tops.
Kintail proved a great venue with varied ground, big climbs,
rough scrambles, dramatic views and a sense of isolation. The
overnight campsite was perfect - dry flat ground, no midges
- and the great friendly atmosphere that mountain marathons
generate. |
 |
A record 500+ teams took part this year,
including plenty of Carnethies: Mick James (3rd in the Score -
a new class for the LAMM), Sam
Hesling (A class), Joan Wilson & Joanne Anderson (B, 3rd Female
team), Andy Fallas (C Class), Fiona Lowrie and Liz Brookes (D
Class, 2nd
Female team), Steph Moss + new hubby (D Class); no doubt others
were out there somewhere too.
Steven Fallon and I both managed to stay out of hospital this time,
and had fantastic runs both days in the A Class. Saturday went smoothly
enough, with our route choices appearing to pay off, but it wasn't
until after we'd finished that we learnt were in the lead. With
only a 4 minute gap on the next team, we felt under pressure overnight.
On the Sunday we flogged ourselves from the start, anxious to get
further ahead and out of sight. We briefly saw the next team on
the skyline about half an hour, but were alone for the rest of the
day. Anglea's route planning seemed a bit cruel as we slogged up
a 2000ft climb onto Beinn Fhada, but the subsequent views and dramatic
terrain running westwards made it all worthwhile. It was only once
we were down to the final track that the pressure really eased as
we trotted the last couple of miles to the finish.
Big thanks to all the LAMM organisers & helpers, and particularly
Andy & Hillary Spencely and Angela Mudge for the time and
effort they put into this great event.
Sam Hesling Reports - 17th A Class - team - Sam Hesling and Falk
Schlaghecke
|
I was grinning from ear to ear like
a Cheshire Cat and beaming with pride.
" Those are my friends Jon and Steve - Jon is the captain of
the Carnethy team in Edinburgh and Steve has done all the
Munro's 13 times, at the rate they
are going they are going to win!"
Falk and I had been running just behind another A team when Jon
and Steve went steaming past. When we caught the team in front one
of them asked "Did you
see those guys in white and green go past?"
|
The next view we got of the dream team
tested my eyesight to it's limits - they were literally miles
ahead and hundreds of meters above us ascending the
hill to the next control. I kept my fingers crossed for them the rest of
day 1 but
it really wasn't necessary...
Another sun soaked and awesome LAMM (luckily midge free) passed
with memories of Munro's and airy scrambles. Day 2 of the A was
the best MM route I've ever run including a awesome slog up Ben
Attow and a scramble on the ridge to the north west. I was ascending
one of the exposed sections when the guy in front of me said to
his mate "my legs are starting to give out" I was watching
a pair of spasming calves two feet from my eyes which luckily launched
him upward and on to flatter ground and not both of us into the
abyss.
A million thanks to Andy and Angela for the excellent course, event
and the controlling and see everyone else next year for more of
the same. The only downside to the weekend came when Andy and Jethro
won Elite and won an all expenses trip to the BAMM
in August which leaves us NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER of retaining our
title. Never mind...
Joanne Anderson Reports - 3rd Females B Class - Team - Joanne
Anderson and Joan Wilson
|
|
This year's LAMM was to be
Kintail and a number of Carnethies (along with an enthusiastic
group from Leeds) spent a comfortable night at Mick James Bothy
across from the Cluanie Inn the night before. The Saturday morning
saw a light dusting of snow on the high tops - quite a contrast
from Slioch the weekend before.
This was my first attempt at the LAMM and Joan's fourth or fifth. Not sure
why I have never completed this event before since it was a great weekend
on the hills - whether you are first, last or somewhere in the middle. |
Day 1 of the B Class saw us start
not far from the Cluanie Inn. The route taking us up over the ridge
on A'Chralaig, down into
Glen Affric,
a few more ups and downs, some steeper than others, towards Carnach
which was to be the mid-way camp. Thanks to Joan keeping a more
detailed eye on the map than me, we took the controllers' route
choice all
the way to mid-camp - excluding the top of A'Chralaig....and likely
due to my enthusiasm to keep climbing. Mid-camp was a welcome
sight and a very sociable get together, catching up on the news
of who was
leading what class. A slight breeze and chill in the air kept
the midges away. The Piper woke everyone at 5am of Day 2 with
bright blue
sky. The elite runners were off at 6am and after not too much
faffing we left just a wee bit later. Day 2 started us off on
a nice track
and the checks initially tooks us further North, although no munro
options on the second day. Again, Joan's sharp eye on the map
helped us on our way back to Morvich and the event centre - dibbing
at the
checks along the way.
Great runs by lots of Carnethy people - Jon Ascroft, Steven Fallon,
Mick James, Fiona Lourie, Sam Hesling, and Joan Wilson. Lots of
good support from those involved in the event. |
