The Original Mountain Marathon (OMM), formerly known as the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon (or KIMM), and initially simply The Karrimor, is an annual two-day Mountain event, held in October in a different region across the UK each year. It was first held in 1968 and continues today. Gerry Charnley, a skilled mountaineer and orienteer, designed the KIMM to test orienteering skills in extreme circumstances; the full-length KIMM course is a double-marathon length race. Each team must carry all their gear, including equipment for an overnight camp. Moreover, the course is not disclosed until the race begins, so each team must have good navigation skills. Some have called the KIMM the forerunner of modern adventure racing.
History
For its first 8 years, the event was known as 'The Karrimor'. In addition to the 'Elite category' double marathon, other course lengths have been added over the years to suit a greater variety of competitors (see 'Classes of competition' below). The core elements remain, however: there is always an overnight camp and the teams of two must be self-sufficient.
The KIMM name was adopted in 1976.History of 'the Karrimor'/ KIMM/ OMM 28 August 2009 compasssport.co.uk, accessed 29 November 2021
After Galloway in 1976 which experienced exceptionally bad weather with only 30% completing, Gerry Charnley spoke in a TV interview with the BBC: "Don't you think this event is too tough?" asked the interviewer, and Charnley responded: "Everybody knows this is the KIMM, the toughest event on the calendar and it's not a Sunday afternoon picnic". This attitude has remained throughout the event's history and places it as one of the most challenging mountain marathons in the world.
In 1977, a special map from Harvey Maps was commissioned.
In 2004 the event became known as the OMM after Karrimor's sponsorship was withdrawn.
The 2008 OMM was abandoned, for the first time in the race's history.
In January 2010 the ownership of OMM, the event and the products was bought by Ark Consultants UK Ltd.
In 2013, the organisers of the Original Mountain Marathon revealed plans for a summer version of the event, along with a mountain biking marathon.'omm lite mountain marathon aims to tempt newcomers' 9 May 2013 grough.co.uk/magazine, accessed 29 November 2021
List of event locations
Year Location Region Elite Winners Results/ OMM Results theomm.com2025Shap Abbey (Lake District)CumbriaFelix Wilson & Dan Ashwood2024Glen ArtneyScotlandPhilip Rutter & Finlay Wild2023Snowdonia / EryriNorth WalesPhilip Rutter & Sam Dixon2022Great LangdaleCumbriaPhilip Rutter & Sam Dixon2021Great LangdaleCumbriaRace cancelled due to extreme weatherOMM 2021 Report theomm.com2020Arrochar AlpsWest ScotlandRace cancelled due to COVID-192019Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park52nd OMM Location Reveal theomm.com, accessed 29 November 2021ScotlandGraham Gristwood & Hector Haines2018Black MountainsSouth WalesJonathan Albon & Gudmund Viljo Arponen Snilstveit51st OMM Resultstheomm.com 2017Great LangdaleCumbriaDuncan Archer & Shane Ohly 2016 Glentrool South West Scotland Duncan Archer & Shane Ohly 2015 Tweedsmuir Scottish Borders Kim Collison & Adam Perry 2014 Northumberland North East England Sander Vaher & Timo Sild 2013 Brecon Beacons South Wales Nick Barrable & Gustav Bergman 2012 Howgill Fells North West England Björn Rydvall & Aaron Prince 2011 Comrie Scotland Duncan Archer & Shane Ohly 2010 Dartmoor South West England Andy Symonds & Joe Symonds 2009 Elan Valley Wales Steve Birkinshaw & Jethro Lennox 2008 Borrowdale Cumbria Race Abandoned 2007 Lowther Hills Scotland Brendon Bolland & Sean Bolland 2006 Galloway Forest Park Scotland Ifor Powell & Alun Powell 2005 Ullswater Cumbria Steve Birkinshaw & Morgan Donnelly 2004 Brecon Beacons South Wales Mark Seddon & John Hunt 2003 Langholme Scottish Borders Steve Birkinshaw & Morgan Donnelly 2002 Cheviot Northumberland Steve Birkinshaw & Morgan Donnelly 2001 Clyde Muirsheil Regional ParkAccount of KIMM at Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park (2001) 1 April 2002, runnersworld.com, accessed 29 November 2021 Scotland Mark Seddon & Andrew Trigg 2000 Lake District Cumbria Mark Rigby & Rob Jebb tied with Mark Seddon & Andrew Trigg 1999 Cowal Peninsula Argyll Scotland Mark Seddon & Steve Birkinshaw 1998 Howgill Fells North Pennines Mark Seddon & Steve Birkinshaw 1997 Kielder Forest North East England Mark Seddon & Steve Birkinshaw 1996 Galloway Forest Park and Hills Scotland Mark Seddon & Pete James 1995 Brecon Beacons South Wales Mark Seddon & John Kewley 1994 St Mary's Loch and Manor Scotland Mark Seddon & Paul Hague 1993 Upper Nithsdale & Queensberry Hills Scotland Mark Seddon & Paul Hague 1992 Northern Lake District Cumbria Olivier Buholzer & Matthias Ramsauer 1991 Arrochar Alps Scotland Mark McDermott & Adrian Belton 1990 Glen Lyon Scotland Phil Clark and Graham Huddleston 1989 Howgill Fells North Pennines Derek Ratcliffe & Pete Irwin 1988 Cheviots Northumberland Aonghus O'Cleirigh & Robin Bryson 1987 Ffestiniog Snowdonia North Wales Derek Ratcliffe & Pete Irwin 1986 Galloway Hills Scotland Derek Ratcliffe & Pete Irwin 1985 Langdale (Lake District) Cumbria Ken Taylor & Robin Bryson 1984 Peak District Pennines Derek Ratcliffe & Pete Irwin 1983 Strathyre Scotland Derek Ratcliffe & Pete Irwin 1982 Dartmoor South West England Jack Maitland & John Baston 1981 Langdale Cumbria Joss Naylor & Mike Walford 1980 Isle of Arran Scotland Dieter Wolf & Leonhard Suter 1979 Rhinogs North Wales Dieter Wolf & Leonhard Suter 1978 Peebles Scotland Roger Baumeister & Martin Hudson 1977 Howgill Fells North Pennines Andy Philipson & Howard Forrest 1976 Galloway Highlands Scotland Stig Berge & Sigurd Dæhli 1975 Ennerdale Cumbria Joss Naylor & Pete Walkington 1974 College Valley, Cheviot Northumberland Stig Berge & Harry Walker 1973 Plas Gwynant North Wales Stig Berge & Carl Martin Larsen 1972 Tibbie Shiels (Selkirk) Scottish Borders Stig Berge & Carl Martin Larsen 1971 Plas-y-Brenin North Wales Joss Naylor & Allan Walker 1970 Eskdale West Cumbria Joss Naylor & Allan Walker 1969 Troutbeck (Windermere) Cumbria Ted Dance & Bob Astles 1968 Muker North Pennines Ted Dance & Bob Astles
Classes of competition
OMM currently comprises six competition classes (three line events and three score courses) which vary in length and severity, approximately as follows:
Elite 80 km 12 hrs A class 65 km 11 hrs B class 40 km 8 hrs Long Score 7+6 hrs (day 1/2) Medium Score 6+5hrs Short Score 5+4hrs
Compulsory kit list
Warm Trousers or Leggings Shirt or Thermal Top Sweater or Fleece Top Waterproof Over Trousers (taped seams) Waterproof Jacket (taped seams) Socks, gloves & hat Head Torch Whistle Food For 36 Hours Additional Emergency Rations Compass (GPS Not Allowed) Sleeping Bag Footwear With Adequate Grip For Fell Conditions Space Blanket or large heavy gauge polythene bag Rucksack First-Aid, a minimum of a crepe bandage and small wound dressings. Pen Or Pencil Tent With Sewn-In Groundsheet Cooking Stove with enough fuel at the end of day 2 to make a hot drink
OMM Brand
OMM have started producing their own branded outdoor clothing and equipment. Items required on the event, such as waterproof jackets and trousers, backpacks and sleeping bags, have been produced, specially adapted for the event. The Kamleika (from the Aleutian word for a long waterproof robe) range of jackets, smocks and trousers have become famous amongst mountain marathon runners and hikers.Tested: OMM Kamleika Race Jacket and Trousers calibremag.com, accessed 7 February 2022 They are unique in that they are specially developed to be stretchy and produce minimal noise when running.
Swiss KIMM
1976 Swiss Orienteer Dieter Wolf brought the Karrimor International Mountain Marathon idea from England to Switzerland: 47 teams were at the start of the first Swiss Karrimor 2-day Mountain Marathon in Muotathal in 1976. Over the years several thousand lovers of the mountains, nature, orienteering and adventure sports from more than twenty countries have been able to participate in many different regions of the Swiss Alps.
After some structural and personnel changes at Karrimor ltd. in England and Salewa Sport ltd. in Switzerland, a new partner had to be found for the event in 1997 so as to achieve a balanced account. Arova-Mammut, a Swiss firm manufacturing mountain sport equipment, stepped in spontaneously, so that the event had to be changed only little; under a new name its organisation would be secure for the next few years. The long cooperation with Arova-Mammut ltd. came to an end in 2002.
R’adys Outdoor & Snowwear in Lachen became a new sponsor in 2004. 2013 R'adys sponsorship ended and the Event is now called SIMM (Swiss International Mountain Marathon).
This Mountain Marathon is unique in Switzerland.
References
External links Fellrunner magazine, back issues KIMM/OMM Results 1999-2005 OMM OMM Through the Years Past OMM events 2012-2015 SIMM Swiss International Mountain Marathon Stud marks on the Summit by Bill Smith, electronic version team-ark.com distributors for the OMM brand Upcoming OMMs