Up for more fell and navigation fun? Then get your diaries out because the Kong Mountain Marathon 2022 is open for entries!
This one you can’t miss off the calendar. The 2-day mountain marathon was postponed this year, but get ready again to set sail for the Isle of Arran and the island’s awesome terrain in 2022! Entries now open over at SiEntries, and further info can be found on the event website: www.kongmountainmarathon.org.uk
What is the Kong Mountain Marathon?
The fantastic organisers of the Mountain Marathon and Mini Mountain Marathon events take us through what it is all about…
The Kong Mountain Marathon is designed to test both orienteering and fell running skills in extreme wild country terrain in Scotland over a two day period. Each team of two navigates their way over the Scottish hills aiming to find a series of checkpoints as quickly as they can.
Each team has to be self-sufficient and carry all their gear including equipment and food for an overnight camp. None of the courses or the overnight remote campsite location are disclosed until the teams actually start on Day 1.
The competition has a range of courses to suit different levels of fitness and navigational expertise. After your weekend adventure you will be able to share your experiences with fellow competitors at a hearty meal and prize giving.
History of Mountain Marathons in Scotland
Since the 1990’s there has always been a two day Mountain Marathon in Scotland and many people will have fond memories of the LAMM and the Highlander which are sadly no longer being organised.
We are two families – the Wainwrights and the Van Vroenhovens – who have organised Kong Mini-Mountain Marathons for the last 5 years. We are looking forward to the additional challenge of organising a weekend event and having a reason to explore pastures new in Scotland.
We are a Community Interest Company and organise these events as a hobby so that any proceeds from the event can support local charities and rural businesses as well as enabling people of a range of ages and abilities to enjoy challenging events in wild and beautiful places.
Which course is for me?
All of the courses are designed to provide a test of fitness and navigational skills and also to take runners into remote and interesting parts of the event’s area. As a general rule, the longer the course, the more difficult it is to navigate to controls (checkpoints), the rougher the terrain becomes and the more difficult it becomes to select the best route between controls.
As most teams will be travelling home on the Sunday, the courses have been designed with the aim that teams will have a shorter second day.
When choosing which course to go for, look carefully at the descriptions below. The distances stated are the Course Planner’s best calculation of the routes. It is encouraged that you be cautious if this is your first event. It is much better for you to finish successfully, having enjoyed the weekend and thinking you could have coped with more, than fail to complete the course!
To those used to running on the road, or even in trail races, the distances covered each day may look short but there are some important factors to consider that may slow you down:
- Ascending and descending on rough terrain, particularly on day 2 when your legs have stiffened up and you may have some niggles as well as tiredness
- Going the wrong way or poor route choice can add extra miles to the optimal course that was planned
- Poor visibility/stormy weather conditions and not being able to locate a checkpoint (especially on a linear course)
- Time taken to eat, adjust your clothing, read the map, etc.
- Remember you are a team so the course needs to be chosen so the slowest team member can complete it
Bearing in mind the above points here’s a quick overview of the different courses on offer…
A linear course requires you to visit a set number of controls in a given order and the winner is the team that completes the course in the shortest time.
With a score course you are given a specific set of controls each with a points value allocated to it. The objective is to gain maximum points by choosing which controls to visit in any order in a set number of hours; penalties will be incurred should the time limit be exceeded.
Competitors who wish to enter any course will be required to provide details of prior experience at the time of entry.
We have spent many weeks now on Arran planning for the event and the natural beauty of the island keeps surprising us. The combination of high mountains, ridges and moors and the view of the sea wherever you go is simply stunning! And don’t forget the wildlife on Arran; Red deer, Seals, Hen Harriers, Golden Eagles and much more. We cannot wait to show you the island.
We hope to see you on the startline in August!
