SPORTident Scottish Mountain Marathon
Isle of Harris Classic

A Two-Day Mountain Competition for Pairs with Overnight Campsite
2nd Race in the British Mountain Marathon Championship
Friday 1st/Saturday 2nd June 2018

Routegadget | Results | Control Descriptions | Lost Property

Jon Brooke's Reports - Thursday, Friday AM, Friday PM, Saturday

Reports By: Overnight Leaders, Winners, Planner, Controller

Prize Giving Photos | Competitor and Marshal Photos

Jon Brooke's Photos - Everyone

 


Elite Winners - Steve Birkinshaw and Neil Talbott with Martin Stone

Apparently there is flooding in other parts of the country (Scotland) but here the weather has been amazing once again. The overnight camp this morning was still the best anyone could remember - a gentle breeze, pristine beaches, flat dry grass and the sound of the pipes reverberating around the glen. Neither have there been many midges about. Martin was wearing his Jura 97 T-shirt. Something portentous was in the air. Read More...

Day 1 - Friday Evening


Mid-camp at Loch Crabhadail (credit: Dale Rodgers)

As Mark Twain once said (I think), "I apologise for having to write such a long letter, I didn't have time to write a short one" - which is my excuse for making this report a bit briefer than the last two - however, the real reason is that I've been too busy taking pictures in the fantastic conditions the runners have been experiencing, first on Clisham, the highest point in the Outer Hebrides, and a feature on the Elite, B and score courses today, and secondly at what is probably the most picturesque overnight camp of any mountain marathon ever. Period. Full stop. Don't even bother trying to think of a better one. Read More...

Day 1 - Friday 10:00

As always, the planning of the LAMM courses is done to meet a range of criteria, only one of which is the pleasure(!) and enjoyment(!) of the competitors. As well as having to think about safety, permissions of landowners, and the logistical issues of getting access to a suitably remote overnight camp with all of the necessary paraphernalia to run the event, in this case consideration also had to be given to large numbers of nesting eagles in the area, of both the sea and golden variety. Prior to the event planner Angela Mudge and controller Andy Spencely were given normally secret information about the locations of around 20 pairs of nesting birds so they could plan the courses accordingly. However, there are even more pairs than this in the area and there is a good chance that most LAMMers will see eagles at some point during their weekend. In fact Andy said that he had seen eagles almost everywhere in North Harris, except in the vicinity of the official eagle observatory. Read More...


The camping field almost filled up


LAMMers arriving at Tarbert

Registration Day - Thursday 23:00

The scale of the 2018 Isle of Harris LAMM is so epic that one is forced to mix multiple metaphors (yes, I know they are similies, but that doesn't scan) in order to describe it. With a build-up not seen since Operation Neptune, LAMMers are now arriving from all corners of Scotland and as far afield as New Zealand, like the Mongol hordes sweeping across the plains in Taras Bulba, once again proving the point that "if you build it, they will come" (like in that film with the baseball pitch). Read More...

 

2018 LAMM Tee I feel very privileged and super excited to be organising the 2018 event on a Scottish island again. It's been far too long - 14 years since Isle of Mull and 21 years since the 1997 Isle of Jura Classic. Watch this historic 1997 Jura video Part 1 & Part 2) and feel the vibe of an island LAMM. The LAMM will be the biggest sporting event ever held on the Outer Hebrides - the Connoisseurs Mountain Marathon. It is the first time since 1997 that I have released the location more than 36 hours before the event but this year is far too big a deal to keep the location secret! I want you to have plenty of time to plan and make the most of your adventure on the beguiling Outer Hebrides.

The 2018 tee shirt graphic is designed by our friend Stuart Brown, who has been producing graphics for LAMM tees for more than 20 years. It's a nod to Harris Tweed tartans and follows the LAMM's unique, quirky and stylised design. It depicts the isolated but iconic arcing island chain of the Outer Hebrides which is a must on the bucket list of anyone who enjoys the wild outdoors. It captures the essence of Harris with mountains tumbling seaward and it includes one of the island's stand-out views which many of you will experience when you visit the trig point at control 36!

We are providing a unisex and ladies cotton tee in Dark Heather with the LAMM logo on the sleeve. The main graphic appears on the front of the unisex tee and the back of the ladies' tee. It is based on a photograph by my friend Andrew Leaney who now lives on the Isle of Harris, only 6 miles from where the photo was taken. Order LAMM Tees here.

Route planning above Loch Duich

The clouds over mid camp

Racing together - the spirit of the event

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