Brecon Beacons Original Mountain Marathon - Oct 2013

2013 Original Mountain Marathon – Brecon Beacons 26/27th October

The last weekend of October sees the Mountain Marathon Event, this year in the Brecon Beacons over a very wet and wild and windy weekend.

Daniel and I did this last year (Father and Son with combined ages to compete as Vets!) and had somewhat of a disaster – see 2012 OMMblog.

Over the year, we have done more planning and some walking together as training – certainly I have lost weight and intended to run more?

We met in Staines at Dan's and took the motorvan over to the Brecon Beacons Mountain Centre on Friday afternoon, before getting a minibus to the Event Centre to Register and get last minute energy bars and gels.

It had already started to rain!

Day 1 – 6 hours

We started out in the rain, using the competition map provided to find check points with points allocated – the idea being to get the maximum number of points in the 6 hours allowed before finishing at the overnight campsite.

Daniel recording on the electronic device to prove we found the check point

Daniel looking to where next

 

Yes, down and up there – thankfully, only to about 2/3 to the top!

Day 1 almost over - a tired looking Daniel!

 

Anton, smiling as almost to the overnight campsite!

 

Tent up!

 

Getting the brew on!

Overnight: the stormy wind flapped the tent and the rain poured down – and the zip on our new Vango tent failed under the severity of the conditions!! We had little sleep!

Day 2 – Bad weather course – 4 hours back to the Event Centre

Waiting at the start of Day 2

Other runners enjoying the occasion?!

Spectacular waterfall high up on the fell

Daniel viewing the remains of a crash – possibly a military one as the area is used by the MOD

There is a lot of wreckage here and it has been laid out to resemble the original shape of the aircraft, which adds a definite poignancy to an already atmospheric site. 
The crash occurred on 9^th October, 1953, during a training exercise in low cloud cover, and resulted in the death of the pilot. It was a De Havilland Jet Vampire V2 106

 



Which way now as the mist descends?

The grandeur of Fan Brycheiniog, the Black Mountain

Slogging up the last climb!

 Photo taken at Sunday's finish – Vets with a combined age this year of 100!

Proud – and relieved to have finished!

Back to the 'comfort' of the motorvan!

 

The 2013 OMM Certificate – Bronze Standard

 

We finished the course and gained a number of points, all within the time limits (so no penalties). We did, however, punch the final compulsory check on Day 1 slightly out of sequence as we realised we had more time to get another one – and hence more 10 more points.

Our results are a definite improvement over last year - in what is a very competitive class.
Day 1 - 155 points, 137 out of 201 in 5 hours 37 min
Day 2 -  70 points,  171 out of 197 in 3 hours 40 min

Final Result - 225 points, 151 out of 197 finishers
                                                73rd Vet Team out of 89





 

Pickering and the Pullman!

Weekend 19/20th October 2013

We spent the weekend based in Pickering, parked on the Antiques Store car park! It was a bit noisy at times being a town-centre pitch (building work nearby!) and with no electric hook-up, I needed to run the engine to boost the leisure battery.

However, the town-centre position was brilliant to get into town and to the railway station.

This was the purpose of our visit – to travel on the 'Moorlander' Pullman Dining Train on Sunday. Needless to say, I got over to the station before then to see the trains etc!

BR Standard 4MT 4-6-0 75029 pulls out of Pickering – built mid 1950's

Class 24 D5061- Sulzer Type 2 – One of just four in preservation out of 151 built around 1960's

Our Pullman Loco for the day

Stanier Black Five 4-6-0 'Eric Treacy' – built by Armstrong Whitworth in 1937

We travelled in the new (built 1961!) Robin Pullman Dining/Kitchen Coach and had a lovely meal whilst travelling from Grosmont up to Pickering and back.

At Pickering Station between courses!

We had the extra pleasant run through to Whitby on the way back – before the evening southward turn back to Pickering – an excellent day.

The End

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Autumn jobs!

Overwater Marina Oct 2013
Now we are back at the Marina, we are in 'winter mode', hooked up to the electric supply.

There is the very enjoyable pattern of walking with the East Cheshire Ramblers, playing with my two bands – Wychcraft Big Band and Rode Hall Silver Band, visiting Chris' parents and sister and husband, meeting up with our Mens Group for the annual resi-weekend and chilling!

AND – getting some jobs done!

We came back from our West Country Summer Tour in our motorvan and need some maintenance doing! We have decided to keep the motorhome (after dithering somewhat about the money tied up in it). It gives us a living space if we need it if anything happens to the boat and a mobile base to get back to – if need be!

This year we are using it a fair bit more with extended weekends away.

The motorvan needs a replacement high level marker light which got knocked off.

Wires showing from a brush with trees

The other working side!

I also need to replace the lower hinge on the Gas Locker door – this had seized and in opening the door, basically snapped off. It will have to come over from Italy (our Roller Team Motorhome is Italian).

Showing lower hinge failure

Another 'job in the waiting' is to put down a finished floor surface in the saloon in the boat. We have had a carpet down over the last 2 years and found that it is difficult to keep clean. Hence, the new flooring of oak planking – laid as free floating on the plywood base.

It has been a challenge to lay this whilst still being on the boat – the results are most pleasing.

New saloon floor

Laying the floor in the galley

Using the front hold as my workshop!

Just enough wood left to run through the bed 'ole corridor

 

Sawing the bottom of the galley door off to give the new clearance

And lastly – a photo of the Marina taken from a hot air balloon