Search on for missing Lake District marathon runners

Joined
2 Oct 2006
Messages
6,654
Reaction score
290
Country
United Kingdom
Rescuers were still searching on Sunday for some endurance runners after hundreds became stranded in bad weather in the Lake District.

Competitors taking in the gruelling mountain marathon near Keswick had become trapped on the hills by torrential downpours which flooded roads on Saturday, according to media reports.

Organisers said about 25 out of 2,500 taking part were still unaccounted for and an RAF helicopter was helping to look for those who were missing, according to media reports.

Many had spent the night camped in tents or sheltering in farms and barns and organisers said the fell runners would have been well-prepared.

"What we've got here are some very, very experienced fell-runners who are very, very well-equipped, which is gratifying," Original Mountain Marathon emergency planner Chris Briggs told the BBC.

"If they've gone up as they should have been equipped then they should be OK."

A report on the OMM's website said the situation was not as "sensational" as the media reports suggested.

"The idea of self-reliance isn't a popular one in this day and age, so the fact that 900 people are said to be unaccounted for is being presented with the implication they are lost and in trouble -- which is not the case," the report said.

"They are all well equipped and the vast majority will have made their way down off the hills and found shelter -- though they may not be able to get back to race HQ or let anyone know where they are."

Honister Slate Mine near Keswick said it had sheltered hundreds of marooned runners and spectators, and helped ferry those who were soaked and hypothermic to nearby emergency rescue centres.

"I have never known weather conditions as severe as this," said Mark Weir who runs the tourist attraction.

"Honister Pass is one of the most dramatic areas of the Lake District -- heaven on a good day but hell in unprecedented weather like this."

"Whether the fell race should have gone ahead is a matter for those involved. We are just glad to know, that no-one, as far as we aware, has been seriously injured or worse."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20081026/tuk-uk-britain-runners-fa6b408.html[/QUOTE]
I don't wish anyone to have suffered in this and hopefully all will turn up safe and well but WHY the hell was this allowed to go ahead? Its not like they didn't know the weather was going to be terrible! It gets to me when people go off on these things then Mountain Rescue and the Emergency Services have to bail them out! :mad: Don't get me wrong I have NOTHING against this type of sport but you have got to do these things with EVERYONES safety in mind INCLUDING Mountain Rescue and the Emergency Services and consider the effect of the weather. The original report sites information from OMM website (Original Mountain Marathon) that supports the event (they would, they organised it). What it doesn't include is another piece of information from the OMM website...
Two of the best sources for weather forecasts are given below, but the summary is for torrential rain on Saturday, especially later in the day (when setting up camp!), wind gusts to 90mph and conditions described as “Very difficult even at a relatively low level, with any mobility widely difficult on higher areas.”

Sunday’s forecast is a little better, with sunshine and showers predicted, but still with strong winds.

How does this affect the event? Well, it won’t be cancelled that’s for sure. The OMM and the KIMM have had some desperate weather in the past and there has never been a cancellation, and is not likely to be...

The Western Lakes is already saturated, with high river levels, and there has been frequent flooding which may close roads. There is heavy rain predicted for today (Thursday)

I don't know about anyone else but considering the forcast and previous weather, that attitude seems cavalier to say the least.
 
Sponsored Links
I was driving around most of the Lake District with my job this last week and come unstuck in a flood on Thursday, van taking in water/stopping!!

YES, its been blo*dy awful here for a few days and stupid to start such an event. My neighbour took part in it, but unfortunately returned :eek:
 
YES, its been blo*dy awful here for a few days and stupid to start such an event. My neighbour took part in it, but unfortunately returned :eek:
:LOL:

Further:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/7691893.stm

Police 'warned' of race concerns

Organisers of a Lake District run had been warned about concerns over treacherous weather conditions before the event, a senior officer has said. Cumbria Police Supt Gary Slater told the BBC the organisers were experienced but he was "disappointed" the Original Mountain Marathon went ahead. A major rescue effort was mounted and all 2,500 participants were found safe. However, those connected with the event claimed the severity of the situation had been blown out of proportion. Thirteen competitors, suffering a range of problems from hypothermia to head injuries, were treated by Cumbrian Hospitals. A spokeswoman for Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle said most had been discharged.
One of the first rescuers on the scene had claimed the area could have been turned into a "morgue". Mark Weir, who owns Honister Slate Mine, which provided overnight shelter to about 300 stranded runners, said: "On a good day, this place is heaven on earth. In extreme freak weather like this, it is hell." He said the authorities needed to seriously think about setting up a dedicated mountain centre for England in the area. He said: "We have come within inches of turning the Lake District mountains into a morgue. We need to learn from it."
Supt Slater said Mr Weir's comments were a "little exaggeration", but the adverse conditions had "certainly" been brought to the attention of the OMM before the two-day event started. He said both police and the mountain rescue teams had warned that the event should not be held because of the atrocious weather conditions. He said: "They're experienced race organisers. This is a hardened race of people who come throughout the country and that have very specialist skills. "However, commonsense has got to dictate what we do in these circumstances and as I've said it's disappointing that the race did go ahead, despite the concerns that we and others had raised."
 
The Borrowdale valley (Keswick) and surrounding hills upto Styhead Tarn/Honister mine has the WETTEST weather in England year on year.

I know, I live in Cumbria! :cry:
 
Sponsored Links
Whats all the fuss about? If they wanted to run in the sunshine, then it would be the Sahara Sun Sprint.

I bet they all laughed when Norman turned up with a canoe poking out of his rucksack :rolleyes:
 
Whats all the fuss about? If they wanted to run in the sunshine, then it would be the Sahara Sun Sprint.

I bet they all laughed when Norman turned up with a canoe poking out of his rucksack :rolleyes:
My 'fuss' woody is that it IS fine for people to do this but the problem is they did it even though both the police and the mountain rescue teams had warned that the event should not be held because of the atrocious weather conditions. Yet they went ahead anyway and when things went wrong the police and mountain rescue teams had to risk their own lives going out to rescue these bloody idiots!
 
So none of these competitors thought to check the forecast and make their own decision whether to take part or not?

Did the organisers force them all to take part as they had actually registered, or was there some free will involved and an option to not to take part?

By the looks of things, the competitors were all up for a bit of outdoor living, and so got what they wanted.

The media have just hyped it all up, the Police have jumped on the bandwagon and that knob from the mine is just bigging himself up.

By all accounts it was all "could have" and "might have" been, and in reality there was no need for all the fuss. No one had to risk their own lives, the competitors had sorted themselves out
 
Its not as if it was a group of scouts going up armed only with woggles & penknives.

These "adults" had all the necessary survival equipment they needed for what the UK weather can chuck at them.
 
Its not as if it was a group of scouts going up armed only with woggles & penknives.

These "adults" had all the necessary survival equipment they needed for what the UK weather can chuck at them.
And that's why they had to be rescued is it? That's why the Mountain Rescue team, who might have a little bit of experience in these things, advised the organisers to cancel is it? :rolleyes:
 
Considering some of the teams in that competition were from the SAS, the conditions they faced were no worse than would often be the case on Brecon Beacons during selection - and they're on their own doing that, as well.
 
It's an ENDURANCE RACE that's the whole point. The competitors surely know what it's all about as they were all well equiped for it. I think the police and emergency services flapped for nothing and are now trying to shift the blame onto the organisers.
 
It's an ENDURANCE RACE that's the whole point. The competitors surely know what it's all about as they were all well equiped for it. I think the police and emergency services flapped for nothing and are now trying to shift the blame onto the organisers.
So what 'blame' would that be for then?
 
That would be the blame for unnecessarily calling out the emergency services who obviously weren't needed because everyone got home safely. What was all the fuss about? they were all fell runners, they knew what they were getting into. It's only wind and rain, you won't melt.
 
That would be the blame for unnecessarily calling out the emergency services who obviously weren't needed because everyone got home safely. What was all the fuss about? they were all fell runners, they knew what they were getting into. It's only wind and rain, you won't melt.
Oh I see....... And Mountain Rescue just came along for nothing as well did they? I mean what would those guys know about Mountain Conditions? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
Its not as if it was a group of scouts going up armed only with woggles & penknives.
when I was a sprout on those hills, I used to carry a rucksac with a tent (or at least a bivvy bag in a day sack) so in unexpectedly bad weather I could tuck up and wait for it to clear. Foolish to go out on the hills if you can't look after yourself. In the UK there is very little life-threatening weather if you are reasonably equipped, and very little weather that stays bad for 24 hours or more.
 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top