Dark Mountains

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 ablackett 26 Jan 2013
Dark Mountains, the night Mountain Marathon is underway.

Video Updates through the night here.

I might stay up all night and watch from infront of my fireplace!

http://www.marmot-dark-mountains.com/news/2013/01/26/Latest_News_and_Update...

 Simon Caldwell 27 Jan 2013
In reply to ablackett:
It was quite a night!
Can't remember an event with a dropout rate as high, and this despite bad weather courses being used.
OP ablackett 27 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador: I think that "The Spine" last year had a similar drop out rate, 20 odd starters and 2 finishers if I remember correctly.

Berkley Marathons prides itself on its high drop out rate, only 12 runners have ever finished out of 700 starters.

Good to see everyone is off safely.

Well done to Shane on organising a great event, i'm not sorry I missed it though!

http://www.marmot-dark-mountains.com/news/2013/01/27/All_Competitors_Safe__...
 galpinos 28 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador:

We bailed at the fifth check point. We had got very cold on that last leg (slow moving micro-nav to the checkpoint in deep snow is not the way to stay warm), we were wet through and would have been heading further away from the base onto higher ground. Tough decision to make (never been a dnf) before but definitely the right one. Still took a far while to get to the finish but the tea and biscuits were very welcome!

Really well organised event. Goes to show that you can allow people to go out in tough conditions, allow them to make their own decisions and everyone can still make it home safely.

As an aside, I couldn't believe quite how quickly I got cold when trying to find a checkpoint moving slowly. What do people wear for socks? I have sealskins over my normal running socks and they we great..... for 45 minutes after which my feet were soaked. Any ideas?
 JR 28 Jan 2013
In reply to ablackett:

Good effort to anyone that finished (or took part). We decided not to bother on the basis of the forecast and that if you were out in that, mountain sense would probably just tell you to get out of it!
 Simon Caldwell 28 Jan 2013
In reply to galpinos:
I wore merino sealskinz, but for all the good they did might as well have been barefoot. I don't think there's anything that can keep your feet warm in fell shoes in conditions like those. However warm the socks are normally, being surrounded by wet snow for hours on end doesn't give them much chance.
My big toes are still slightly numb, presumably nerve damage from a combination of cold and bruising.

My best decision was to take a spare waterproof top. My original one was hopeless and after 2 hours I was soaked to the skin. So I took off the wet clothes, put on my spare layers, and swapped to a Montane Minimus jacket, that kept me dry and warm for the next 5 hours.

Glad we opted for Score. I think the linear courses were a bit too long.
 galpinos 28 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador:

I had the sealskinz merino but the thinner ones. I was really impressed at first but I guess they couldn't keep it up! How long to they last? The liner sounded pretty knackered after just Saturday night and they seem pretty expensive for a one hit wonder!

If they do last, they'll make my normal winetr runs a lot more comfortable....
 Simon Caldwell 28 Jan 2013
In reply to galpinos:
> How long do they last?

I've had mine for 4 years so far and they're still OK (only get used 2 or 3 times per year though). On Sunday morning, my feet were slightly damp, but not soaked like they would be with non-waterproof socks.
 Banned User 77 28 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador: Good going, looked a great event, was tempted but knew I'd probably be away.

High drop out rate but think that will be an outlier compared to future years. The HPM shows that ultra distance night runs are possible. It's just an unusual year. Hopefully it carries on.

 Simon Caldwell 28 Jan 2013
In reply to IainRUK:
> Hopefully it carries on.

On Sunday Shane said it would definitely take place again next year
 galpinos 28 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador:
> (In reply to galpinos)
> [...]
>
> I've had mine for 4 years so far and they're still OK (only get used 2 or 3 times per year though). On Sunday morning, my feet were slightly damp, but not soaked like they would be with non-waterproof socks.

Hmmm, my feet were wet after about 1 hour, soaked after 2. I shall do some testing tonight with a bucket of water.....

Whuch "kind" do you have, the thin/thick Ankle/Mid length version? Yours seemd to cope better than mine.....
 Simon Caldwell 28 Jan 2013
In reply to galpinos:

Not certain, but I think they're mid length thick (they're black with a blue line round the top if that helps).

Foot shape can make a difference - my partner's toe nails rubbed against the insides of her last pair and they lasted a single race.
 galpinos 28 Jan 2013
In reply to Toreador:
> (In reply to galpinos)
>
> Not certain, but I think they're mid length thick (they're black with a blue line round the top if that helps).

Cheers, a quick google says thick mid length. Thanks for the prompt response!

> Foot shape can make a difference - my partner's toe nails rubbed against the insides of her last pair and they lasted a single race.

From the outside they look fine but the bottom sounds and feels "crinkly" compared to the top and they didn't before. I was quite impressed with them at first but will be a bit gutted if they're shot already!
 Banned User 77 28 Jan 2013
In reply to galpinos: I've always found that sealskinz don't really keep the feet dry, more warm.. with time they do become more crinkly..
 zephr 28 Jan 2013
In reply to ablackett: Yeah, always found that sealskinz socks dont actually keep feet dry in any way shape or form... I tend to use a thin inner sock that FEELS like a sock, and then sealskinz over the outside as an insulating layer.

I helped test the B route at the back end of last year, and it was TOUGH. Despite the route changes from what we did, in the snow it must have been ridiculously hard.
Well done for giving it a go.

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