 By Rob HowardOne of the most experienced pairs in the race will be Mike Parsons and Brian Layton, racing in the medium Score class.
Parsons is the former Karrimor MD and one of the owners of the event, and has competed over many years, and at other KIMM races which have taken place around the world. In recent year’s he’s been developing the KIMMLite brand and the new OMM product range and has not competed in the UK, but he was determined to race this year.
“I want to race the last KIMM, and the first of the Original Mountain Marathons next year,” he said, “but I thought a bad ankle injury a few weeks ago was the end of that. Then Brian rang and said he needed a partner and I told him I’d go out and see how the ankle was and call him back. It was OK and we decided to go for it.”
The pair have raced together before, at the French KIMM. Layton is perhaps the most prolific mountain marathon racer of all. “This will be my 74th 2-day mountain marathon,” he said, “and my aim is to complete 100 by the time I’m 60. I do 6 a year and am only 54, so it’s possible.”
Then he nodded across the room to his friend Dave Sedgley and said, “He’s done 7 this year and I regret missing the French KIMM as he’s gone one better than me!” | 
