Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon

Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon

By Dan Thompson>

ALPKIT SUPPORTING 40TH SAUNDERS LAKELAND MOUNTAIN MARATHON

We are delighted to announce that Alpkit will be supporting the 2018 Saunders Lakeland Mountain Marathon (SLMM).

The SLMM is a classic two-day mountain navigation competition (or race) that is held annually in the Lake District for pairs and experienced solo entrants. The event comprises 8 courses of which 6 are solely for pairs of runners, one is exclusively for solo competitors and one course is open for both pairs and solo entrants. The first day finishes at a mid-way campsite and competitors must carry everything they need to be safe and self sufficent for 2 days of mountain running. Compeitiors must carry all the lightweight camping and safety equipment listed in the rules and a big part of these events is working on getting that pack weight down to the comfortable (or not) minimum.

Those taking part need to be competent in the use of map and compass in the mountains and route choice is an integral part of the event with many checkpoints requiring accurate and precise navigation, which is even more important in poor weather conditions.

Here at Alpkit we have followed the Saunders for years: it’s given many of our team their first taste of mountain marathons (and second, and third…), and those of us who have participated always seem to wax lyrical about the friendly, accepting atmosphere and positive vibes. It’s not just an event that tests legs and minds: those that do well need to be as handy with a map and compass as they are on their feet.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the event and will be held on the weekend of June 30th/July 1st 2018 in the Lake District. We’re excited to be part of the event this year and are looking forward to helping the event continue to be a success in the future

©Alpkit

We aim to make this, the 40th year, a very special event and a big part of our support has allowed the organisers to make some changes, there are still further details to sort and these will be announced shortly but the changes we have directly supported include;

Subsidised entry fees for those under 25 on the day of the event (£10 discount)

Extended and comprehensive prize list across all courses

Shelter at the overnight camp to allow competitors to socialise with a beer or a brew in the event of rain

©Alpkit

At the same time the organisers have made some changes to format of the event with the introduction of a new Score Class to run over both days. In response to requests from previous competitors, early entrants will also be able to choose starting time slots on the Saturday.

We can't wait for the 2018 event and the team here are already thinking about training and booking the weekend in the calendar.

©Alpkit

Keep an eye out for further announcements about this exciting partnership and we hope to see many Alpkit fans on the start line.

ENTRIES GO LIVE TODAY FRIDAY 1st DECEMBER - As usual, the exact location of the event will be announced a few weeks before race day.

www.slmm.org.uk

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