Summary: Mile-025-Riders on the Storm - the story of the OMM - the worlds first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon The Original Mountain Marathon (OMM, formerly known as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon) is the world's first, biggest and most famous mountain marathon. An annual event since 1968, it is also widely regarded as the worlds first adventure race. From origins in the north of England, the team have since taken the event and philosophy all over the world. Its a tough event comprising of 2 marathon distances over the most punishing terrain. Competitors must be highly skilled in navigation and survival skills as well as being athletes, and the event owners take no chances and run adventure training courses. Participants must also comply with strict equipment and basc skill rules. In 2008, the event was called off midway through for the first time in its history following torrential rain. The county of Cumbria invoked its emergency response protocol after being called by parties that perhaps had their own interests, who stated that 1000s of people were unaccounted for. This was the main headline on the national news and on the front page of all the main national papers. On Edition 25 of the A Mile with Me podcast I'm joined by Mike Parsons, a member of the family who founded the Karrimor brand who has been involved in the OMM from the start and now owns the event, for a unique discussion. We talk about the history of the event, the innovations it has brought to equipment design and mapping globally, plus of course discuss the events last year. Its clear from Mike and the voices of particpants that they were all trained and equiped to take part, and that the response from those who were not close to the event was a big overreaction. Whilst nobody blames the emergency services and those members of the public who answered the call for assistance in good faith, there are still unanswered questions as to who called them in. Join me as we hear the exciting story of the OMM, and the true strory of the event that knocked Obama and the recession off the headlines for a day! www.theOMM.comDownload Standard Podcasts
