The Manx Mountain Marathon first showed on my radar several years ago when I was looking at long-O events. While it's neither a marathon (it's rather longer) nor a 'mountain marathon' in the long-O sense, it looked interesting. The opportunity to run the full length of the island sounded like fun.
Claire had entered 3 years ago and deferred through 2 periods of lockdown, I put my entry in just a few months ago. A load of other Tod Harriers were entered too.
Saturday morning we all travelled up by bus. By complete coincidence I'd booked accommodation close to the bus pickup in Douglas, so we had a relatively easy start compared to some. The weather forecast had suggested cloud in the morning, then clearing in the afternoon. I took that to mean overcast, rather than low thick cloud on the very tops we were running on. I was extremely wrong.
I say easy start, but we were still up at 5. Cups of tea, flasks of tea to take with us, some snacks and a 15 minute walk up to the pickup. Daz was there already, and just as we arrived a load of other Toddies turned up. We all stood around chatting and shortly the bus arrived.
Registration was at a hall in Ramsay. The race crew hadn't finished setting up when the bus unloaded, but registration started soon after and we were able to get our race numbers. Some slight confusion in that we were given race numbers but it wasn't quite clear whether kit check was random or everyone. We went through kit check anyway.
A long period standing around chatting (and in our case drinking tea - good thinking on Claire's part), then as the start approached we stuck our flasks in the finish bag, put the finish bag on the pile and followed everyone else outside.
The race briefing done, we headed out along the road towards the reservoir and the first climb up North Barrule. Claire was worried about her achilles so we took it very steady to give her a gentle warm up, and we were right at the very back of the pack. The climb up past the res is quite short, then a queue for the kissing gate and onto the lane. Shortly we were back on tarmac and walking steadily again.
Leaving the tarmac lane and heading out onto the fell, we started to climb steeply. We passed Mandy a short way up, and the weather started to worsen. The wind was cold and strong as we neared the top of North Barrule. Claire was regretting her lack of Buffalo mittens, and my new OMM softshell gloves were barely up to the job.
Once past North Barrule we continued along the ridge to Clag Ouyr, then dropped to the road crossing before the climb up Snaefell. We crossed over the railway, ducked under a handrail and clipped at the top. I had a rough idea where the other runners had gone, but we checked the bearing to be sure, and headed off down towards Bungalow. As we dropped to Bungalow I was very confused by Claire Maxted filming near the gate and nearly ran straight into her.
No need of water, we cracked on along the side of the road. Cars were beeping encouragement to the runners as we contoured along the slope beneath the road, then came up to the road crossing.
On Beinn Y Phott I screwed up, and Claire deferred to my screw up. The climb was a good fast one, and we'd passed Phil, Alan, & Wendy Dodds about halfway up. Concentrating on eating, I didn't check the route off and blithely followed a group of other runners in Manx vests heading off path to the right. In fact we were 90 degrees off the right line (which they realised when the road came into view) so we had a costly climb back to the col. Let that be a lesson to me, don't follow anyone, even if they're local. I know better really. We lost about ten minutes from that little excursion.
As we approached Injebreck I had a feeling something was awry - I got a subtle vibe of "nothing to see here, move along" from the marshal and, being quite doctrinaire about not gawping when there's an incident I did exactly that. It later turned out that Mel had fallen in the river bed and was in a CD vehicle nearby waiting to go to hospital. The marshals warned us thoroughly about the crossing and we picked our way very carefully across the river and started the climb up Colden, seeing Wendy again just as we climbed along the side of the trees, although Phil eluded us for quite a while as he forged through the thick heather.
This is a tough climb. There's a path up to the shoulder, then you cut right and slowly work round to the left to pick up a trod. I'd like to know where the trod comes out downhill - there might be a longer-but-faster line to avoid the heather bashing [I checked on Google Earth, there are some better lines for next year]. As we reached the top we finally caught Phil along with Jackie Scarf, and ran with them for a while towards Slieu Ruy. Most of this is more obvious than the route description suggests, although there's a stile with two obvious paths (take the right hand one). At the top of Slieu Ruy we found a much wind-blasted Russ, who told us about Mel's accident.
On again to Greeba Mountain, then down on the flagged route to the valley bottom. The flags were widely spaced and difficult to find in the clag. The flag line was through thick heather for the most part, until we reached the literal 'ladder stile'.
Next came the awful bike path section into St Johns. We both hate flat running on tarmac so this section was a bit grim. A brief chat with Joolz who was waiting to start the half, then on up Slieu Whallian plantation.
Claire was in her element here and pushed the climb, overtaking lots of people on the steep track. We came out of the woods and lost a few positions as I faffed with food. On to the top of Slieu Whallian then into the flagged route through the gorse.
After this there was a farm track for a kilometer or so then a manned CP as we joined the road down and up to the disused mines near South Barrule. Two runners with definite 'race walk' technique passed us here for a second time, and as we climbed through the rough heather the first few half runners passed us, sparing enough breath to congratulate and encourage us. Lovely folk these Manx Fell Runners.
It was cold again at the top of South Barrule, but we were on the easier part of the course now and making pretty good time. We took the main path as we descended, instead of a light trod off to the right that would have got us straight to the road crossing. One for next year.
Across a busy road crossing manned by police in white helmets & marshals, and on to another rough field section along the side of the road. Another road crossing, and over Cronk Ny Array Laa. The descent to the water point here was a bloody pain - a narrow eroded gully with little opportunity for half runners to pass us. We tried to let them by as much as we could. I dropped off some retrieved litter, filled up a bottle and on we went along the coastal path.
Lhiattee ny Beinnee is the last control, and we started the run in. As we came down into Fleshwick we picked up our pace a little. We were passed by Lisa on her way to winning her category in the half, then caught her up at the bottom. A short and hilariously sweary chat with her, then she receded into the distance. The next big climb really took it out of me. I hadn't eaten enough all day, underestimating my food needs for a 50k as usual, and struggled to keep up with Claire's amazing endurance for climb. I think doing the Tea Round together is going to highlight my weaknesses.... Once we made the top the remaining run in was fine, and we ran in in at 7:46.
We hung around the finish for an hour or so, watching other runners come in and cheering people on. Eventually we needed to get going to be able to eat out in the evening, and headed off for a bus journey that was made much shorter by a lovely chat with a couple from Vegan Runners.
A few lessons for me to learn from this race. Not least that I need to eat a lot more on a 50k than I sometimes think. The MMM is a true fell race, no food on CPs as there would be with a trail or LDWA. I ate a couple of cheese and onion rolls, a small squeezy bottle of peanut butter shared with Claire, and 3 or 4 pieces of cheese. That really wasn't enough, and I could have done with more towards the end.
The UD Fastpack 15 I've taken to using as an everything pack was comfortable for the run, but the small front zip pockets are too small for food. I should just throw my food in the stretch mesh at the back and fish it out when I need it.
Once again, I ignored the nav until I followed someone the wrong way, then started paying close attention. I need to pay attention to the nav from the very start, and in particular to know the relative angle I'm taking out of a control.
Food aside, pacing was fine. On my own I might have been possibly 15 minutes quicker over the whole course, but I doubt I'd have made up more if I even made up that. Claire is quick, particularly on the climbs. I led on the climbs for most of the day but towards the end she was able to leave me behind.
Altra Lone Peak 6s were a mistake for me, although Claire was wearing Lone Peaks and had no trouble. The problem is that my size 13 feet take up too much space so I turn my feet on tussocks and narrow tracks, where Claire's feet will fit. Next time I'll wear x-talons or Feldens.
My map was an A4 print out, fitting the course onto 3 pages. That was easily readable, but I printed it double sided and put it in a plastic sleeve. It got badly crumpled and shredded around the edges. I should have laminated it with book backing plastic.
Kit
Worn
- Raidlight t-shirt
- OMM 3/4 leggings
- Tod club vest
- Montane windproof
- Montane cap
- OMM softshell gloves
- Altra Lone Peak 6
- Drymax trail socks
Carried
- UD Fastpack 15
- OMM Kamleika smock
- evadict waterproof trousers
- SOL survival bag
- 3 bars of Romneys mint cake
- Silva ranger compass
- printed map (3 pages of A4).
- backup map (6 pages of A4)
- marine whistle
- silicon bottle of peanut butter
- 3 mini cheese bars
- 3 cheese and onion rolls
- 3 mini malt loaves
- UD 500ml body bottle of water
- phone
- Montane Ember insulating layer
- Montane Prism hat
*not including the 2010 Fellsman, which I walked, this was my 20th ultra
