Considering entering the OMM (http://www.theomm.com/) with some people from work (who’ve done it before). Just wondered how hard it is.

Which catagory is best for someone who can run 30k without too much bother (never done a marathon mind, that’s on my list for this year too…)? Currently do pretty much all my running off road, although largely on bike singeltrack or fireroads rather than fell. Happy using a map and compass.

So anyone done it? If last year is anything to go buy, sounds like i’ll need an umbrella.

I’d say it’s as hard as you want to make it. I did cat C and only ran about 1km, though I think if you enter other classes you might have to run a bit more 🙂
I’d say do B/C or medium/short score. Then you can decide for the future if prefer speed or endurance, or at my level of fitness neither 🙂

I have done medium score twice and can confirm that is it pretty damn solid. There appear to be two schools of though with the score classes – run a lot, but stop a lot to fix navigation errors or walk a lot and have no navigation errors. It is pretty infuriating when you are running around like a blue arsed fly and this wirey old mountain goat and his mate just keep on passing you….

Second Cat C as a starter.
I got dragged into doing Cat C for the first time a few years back when my neighbour’s partner had to drop out.
I am reasonably fit but I cannot run far at the best of times (and I’d smashed my knee pretty badly that year) but found it OK to get through a Cat C provided you are accurate or at least conservative with map reading and keep moving at a fast walk throughout.
Riders
– Remember you are carrying all your overnight gear which will slow you down, ideally should be lightweight gear of the best quality you can reasonably afford
– If your partner is experienced you run the risk of being seeded with a later start time, but the overnight cut off time for disqualification is the same no matter how early or late you start.

Summary – from what you say you will be fine – give it a go.

Cheers chaps…