Over Christmas Tony Varley told me that I could use his place in the next Dark & White Mini Mountain Marathon at Hathersage. I’d wanted to try one of these but most of the events was clashing with something else this year. I mailed the organiser to check it was ok and I was in.
They are much like a Long orienteering event. Typically a 3 hour score event you collect your map and plan your route on the fly, with points scattered far and uphill and down dale. You have to get as many points as possible within the 3 hours and get back, failure to get back in time will cost you points. Each control being worth a different number of points.
Most of my chosen route was probably travelled by quite a few of the competitors as there was a natural route to follow. I made a mistake on one route which cost me about 10 points, but my biggest mistake of the day had to be, falling over a tree!
Yep, trotting uphill along a woodland path I somehow manage to unsuccessfully step over a large fallen tree trunk that was laying across the path. One minute I was vertical and the next I was horizontal. I jumped up and carried on knowing that others were following me but unsure if I’d been seen. The result was a nice scrape on my left shin.
I really enjoyed this event. The time on my feet and the length comprised with route choice is just right for me. I’m looking forward to trying some of the planned 4hr events at the end of 2012.
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