FAQs | Mourne Mountain Marathon

If my partner drops out during the event, can I still finish on my own?

No. In no circumstances will a team member be allowed to continue along the course alone. You may be allowed to pair up with another individual, however both teams will then be deemed non-competitive and no place awarded. This is…

Aaron Studio55

Can I bring my dog on the course?

No. Sorry, but we don’t allow dogs as it would complicate our relationships with the various landowners whose cooperation we rely upon. There is also the potential for disturbance to other competitors at the, often, busy campsite. … Read the…

Aaron Studio55

Do we have to have to have reserve fuel for cooking on the second day?

No. Teams are only required to be able to make a hot meal on the first day – either at the end of the day or in an emergency out on the course. All other cooking is optional although most…

Aaron Studio55

What can we dump in the skip at the campsite?

Only waste food, packaging and gas canisters may be dumped at the overnight camp. EVERYTHING else must be carried for the 2 days. This is important for both safety and fairness. We will be monitoring this closely and there will…

Aaron Studio55

Are there water posts around the course?

No. Teams are required to be totally self-sufficient on the hills. Mourne stream water is commonly drunk directly but the quality is very dependant on location and weather. We recommend that you carry water or appropriate purification equipment. Drinking water…

Aaron Studio55

During the event, can we take turns running up to the controls?

No. For safety and competitive reasons both team members must stay in contact throughout the event. In practice this means you cannot have one team member take a short cut whilst the other climbs up to a control. Some controls…

Aaron Studio55

Is there somewhere secure for me to leave my spare clothes and wallet?

There will be an area to leave travel bags which will be locked overnight. However, security is not guaranteed and competitors leave valuables there at their own risk. Neither the Mourne Mountain Marathon nor the event centre’s owners will accept…

Aaron Studio55

What equipment MUST we carry?

See the Equipment section for a list of obligatory equipment. See Rules of the event. … Read the rest

Aaron Studio55

Can I use an altimeter

Yes. but GPS navigation devices are forbidden. … Read the rest

Aaron Studio55

What’s wrong with using a GPS smart-phone with a proper navigation app?

Aside from the competition rule above, anyone with any real experience of smart phones in mountain conditions will know that they are not to be relied upon – especially in cold or wet conditions. Phone batteries are particularly prone to suddenly…

Aaron Studio55

Are mobile phones allowed?

Yes, A mobile phone is great for use in emergencies and should be kept safely wrapped in a plastic bag in your rucksack or an inside pocket. We are aware that many smartphones have mapping and GPS capability. USE OF…

Aaron Studio55

Can I use a GPS tracker watch?

NOT FOR NAVIGATION but – GPS tracker and pace watches are allowed. These are great for tracking courses and post-event analysis. To support this fun activity, we provide a number of USB charge points at the overnight camp so bring…

Aaron Studio55

Can we use a GPS?

NOT FOR NAVIGATION – GPS watches are common for tracking courses and post-event analysis. We think they’re great. Many mobile phones also have GPS with, at very least, basic map functionality. We don’t consider this to be of much use…

Aaron Studio55

Why can we not use two separate one-man tents?

The Mourne Mountain Marathon is a TEAM event and we believe that part of that experience is sharing your tent – for better or for worse. Allowing two smaller tents would also give us problems with enforcing the rules around…

Aaron Studio55

Are bivy bags allowed for camping?

No. Not instead of a tent. Teams must carry a proper tent with sewn-in groundsheet: it must be manufactured as a tent and not as a bivy or something else. One survival bag is ALSO required per team. … Read…

Aaron Studio55

How do I know what type of equipment to buy?

Some modern hi-tech bits of gear are reasonable replacements for bulkier and heavier “traditional” equipment. The key thing is that the safety functionality and performance of this gear must be at least as good as that of the gear specified…

Aaron Studio55

What is a 1 season sleeping bag?

We chose a “1 season” sleeping bag as a MINIMUM safe standard. Combined with your clothing and hot food you should be able to survive a night in the Mournes in September without coming to harm. Beyond that, any need…

Aaron Studio55

There are several maps available for the Mournes, is there one recommended for this event?

The course has been planned on the Mourne Mountains 1:25,000 map (1st edition) from Harvey Maps. There is a 2nd edition 2014 version of this map but the controls will be placed on features that are correctly shown on both versions.…

Aaron Studio55

What’s a “rolling mass start”?

A proper mass start is when everyone starts at the same time. However, for the Mourne Mountain Marathon we hold a rolling mass start on the Sunday morning for all teams between 08:00 and 08:45. You can start any time…

Aaron Studio55

If neither of us can compete can we give our entry to another team?

Yes. Entries are transferable however the ownership remains with the original card payer and it will be up to you to sort out exchange of monies. Please also ensure that any new participants read and accept all the terms of…