LAMM 2005 Update
Saturday 28th May 2005

This year is quite "extraordinary, without precedent and remarkable". Why have entries for the LAMM 2005 suddenly grown by 30% in one year, when the event has received reasonably steady support from loyal competitors over a period of 12 years? We can only assume that it has something to do with last year's appalling weather and also that the 2005 LAMM is a little bit further south. But maybe there is more to it than meets the eye ……… We think we have created a very nice event for you this year with some new ideas discussed below that we hope you'll like.

The last opportunity has now passed for a refund. The event has never been so full and over the next few weeks please tell us if you will not be able to make it the LAMM as it helps us with the complex logistical planning. If you have lost your partner or would like to advertise lifts, take a look at the relevant pages at www.lamm.co.uk and email us if you would like your details to be added.

It is not too late to Enter Online at www.lamm.co.uk. If the online entry page says that the event is full, please come back each day to see if a space has freed up and then you will be able to enter.

Please keep an eye on the website www.lamm.co.uk on 7th June to see the Final Details and every few days from then on to see any last minute updates that will help you to prepare for the event.

EVENT PARKING, EVENT CENTRE & CAMPING
As stated in the Event Details, it is a 3KM walk to the Event Centre & camping from the LAMM Parking. The landowner has requested that only marshall's vehicles are brought to the Event Centre. So if you are not camping at the Event Centre, you will not visit the Event Centre or register until Saturday morning. When you have parked your vehicle, don't expect to be able to return to it during the weekend as it is a 6KM round trip. You can park a camper van at the LAMM parking area but if you choose to stay in it on Friday night there will be no facilities available. We would recommend that this year you camp at the Event Centre field.

Please arrive early this year - in fact we would like as many as possible to arrive at the car park by 19:30 as we have an evening of special festivities arranged at the Event Centre. You really wouldn't want to miss it. There will be a bonfire and if our planner manages to get his head round the logistics, there will be free gluvein for all (bring your own mug!)

Please try to arrive at the LAMM parking by 22:00 on the Friday evening. If you are likely to arrive later than 22:00, please either find accommodation en route or camp at the site near to the LAMM parking that will be described when the LAMM 2005 venue is released on Thursday 16th June at 12:00. If you are arriving at the car park on Saturday morning, you must arrive ready to set off for the Event Centre by 07:00 at the latest.

Make sure you are able to carry all your kit in a rucksack 3KM to the Event Centre. We think it is best to leave a tent up on the camping area throughout the weekend and you can change in it on your return. If you don't have a second tent, a rucksack can be left in the event marquee and we will provide labels.

A FEW CLARIFICATIONS
Torches - A Petzl Tikka is fine - nothing more is needed if you have a torch with multiple LEDs.
Our coach for Glasgow will depart at 16:00

MORE MARSHALS
If you are thinking of coming to the event but are not competing and would be able to commit yourself from Friday afternoon onwards to help with parking, registration, the starts, finishes, midcamp or on the hill, please contact MARTIN STONE as shown below no later than 5th June.

NEW IDEAS FOR 2005 - A DOUBLE SIDED MAP
This is the first year that Ordnance Survey have been able to provide 1:25,000 digital data with some of the irrelevant tourist symbols and boundaries removed. We have decided to provide you with two double-sided maps. One side will be at a scale of 1:40,000 which will help you plan your routes to within a few hundred metres of each control. The other side will be at 1:25,000 which should make it easy to navigate to the exact control location. ALL control locations will be located on the 1:25,000 map but not necessarily on the 1:50,000 map. The Elite, A and B will face an additional minor cartographic challenge!

Using a double-sided map is completely experimental and we have no idea how you will cope with the two scales. But it should be great fun. So - we'll await your feedback. We suggest that you mark up the 1:25,000 maps and keep one map folded to show each scale. The stronger navigator can then use whichever map is relevant at the time.

DO YOU WANT MORE LAMINATED MAPS?
In view of the new double-sided with map, you may now wish to have one or both of your maps laminated. Please amend your team details online within the next week and we will collect the extra payment from you at registration.

NEW IDEAS FOR 2005 - DAY 2 START
We have extended the Chasing Start to 90 minutes this year and it will take place from 06:00 - 07:30. Each team in the Chasing Start (up to a maximum of 60 per course) will collect race numbers from us on Saturday evening from 20:00, which show their course and position. For these teams, Sunday will be all about head to head racing and far more of you than ever before will be able to experience the exhilaration (and pressure) of racing on Day 2 of a Mountain Marathon.

All other competitors may start at any time from 06:00 - 07:30 and those who don't want to rush should make the most of an early start.

NEW IDEAS FOR 2005 - LEADERS ON EACH COURSE WILL HELP TO WRITE THE LAMM WEBCAST
This year we will again pull out all the stops to keep those at home informed about the LAMM during the weekend. At the end of each day the top team on each course will be asked to step into a "room" or maybe a shed or a tent where we will have a few laptops setup. We would like them to write a paragraph or two about their experiences of the day. Please write whatever springs to mind and we think that this will help to make the reportage from the event come alive. Jon Brooke will be taking digital photographs out on the course and writing about the event as it unfolds. He will compile a section of the LAMM webcast that contains the competitor's stories of the day and pictures of each team. If any other team has the urge to tell the world about their day on the Scottish hills there will be space. Its all experimental so we'll just see what happens…..

We may be living on a technologically advanced island but the Scottish Highlands still present significant communications problems and we can't afford a satellite link. We will however try not to disappoint. Those with access to the Internet on Friday night will be able to see something of significant interest by 20:30! As the competitors are setting off on Saturday and on Sunday we will display detailed OS maps on www.lamm.co.uk showing the terrain and the planner's/controller's choice for each of the routes. We aim to upload photographs and reports on Friday evening, Saturday morning by 10:30, Saturday evening by around 21:00, Sunday morning by 10:00 and Sunday evening by 19:00. Last year we uploaded photographs of each of the prize winners and this was a great success. We will do the same this year. Results will also be displayed at the end of each day showing overall positions on each course and also split times between each checkpoint. Andrew Leaney from SPORTident UK will be "very busy" taking digital photographs, processing results and acting as our webmaster for the weekend. Most of the web commentary will also appear on www.sleepmonsters.co.uk.

NEW IDEAS FOR 2005 - PHOTOS OF ALL TEAMS
This year Jon Brooke will be out in the hills and will attempt to take a digital photograph of every competing team. Some of these may appear in our on-line reports, but they will all be available to purchase a day or two after the event at www.sleepmonsters.co.uk.

The images will be available as JPEG files in three different sizes, suitable for display on a monitor, or to create small or large prints. Payment can be made using any credit card and no registration or other faffing is required. The three sizes are 750x500, 1280x854, 3008x2000. All photos will be taken at normal compression. The medium file is suitable for prints of at least 6" x 4". The large file will produce at least a 9" x 6" print, though would probably be acceptable up to A3 size at least.

A NOTE FROM OUR PLANNER ANDY CREBER TO WHET YOUR APPETITE
The general area rises to over 3000ft and is typically impressive Scottish mountain country, with some crags about 1000ft high. Yes, 1000ft! Deer are in abundance but there are also other, more unusual wildlife. (No, not the locals)

Where streams descend apparently easy-angled hillsides they often run in shallow but vertical ravines, or flow over slabby rock. Both features have given Planner and Controller considerable entertainment when trying to get off the hill for 'last orders'. These major inhibitors to movement have heavily influenced the courses on day 1.

The competition will make use of several contrasting areas of terrain. There will be ancient track running, tussocks, high fast ridges, deer trods, exposed rock, and some route choice for the runners amongst you.

For the navigators, you can look forward to the 'Donut' a technical delight on day 1, followed by a twist in the tail of day 2. Finally, for the best navigators amongst you, a real challenge . . . . . . . . . . but we'll tell you more about this when you arrive at the event.

Its everything you should expect at the Connoisseurs Mountain Marathon!

UNIVERSITY MM CHAMPS
Adam Stirk of Durham University has arranged the inaugural University Mountain Marathon Championships. If both members of your team are currently studying at the same University then you are welcome to enter this competition. Once you've confirmed your entry you can visit http://www.lamm.co.uk/2005/UniversityMMChamps.htm and fill in your details on the page. The results will be based on a calculation that allows you to compete at your standard, so you don't need to enter one specific class and it's just for fun. Details of the way your result is calculated will be described on the page soon.

A THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
We are very grateful to Lowe Alpine www.lowealpine.co.uk, our Title Sponsor, for supporting the LAMM in each of its 12 years. They have offered their generous support in 2006 and 2007 which secures the future of the Connoisseur's Mountain Marathon. Many thanks also to SPORTident UK www.sportident.co.uk and Sidas UK www.sidas.com for their continued support.

We look forward to meeting you again somewhere in the Scottish Highlands not too far north on Friday 17th June.

Best Wishes

MARTIN STONE
LAMM Organiser
martin@lamm.co.uk