Fell Runners/Racers?

[Dynamo Dan]

I think of myself as both a fell runner and a racer. For me they both feed into each other quite nicely.

The more I train to run faster in races the fitter I become, which makes my solo training runs more enjoyable.

I probably over raced this year and burnt out a bit. After a good rest I’m much better and enjoying my solo runs after work on the fells more than the races.

My favourite fell running moment is being caught in a summer cloud burst on a hot day over Bleaklow. I was completely on my own and it was magical.

[L.F.F.]

I live too far from fells to be able to do any normal fell running. But all the running I do is done with a view to being fit for a race. It's what keeps me going on the pretty repetitive trails I run on round here.

I don't do many, due to distance, but the ones I have done have been amazing and have already given me some of the best memories I have!

I don't really think of them as 'races' though. More just brilliant days where you push yourself as hard as you can and see what happens!

(Oh, and I can compete with Richard's epic round trip... 340 miles in a day for the Loughrigg race last April. Well worth it.)

[Mark G]

I have a rule of thumb that says I rarely do races that take me longer to travel to than to run. I do have a few exceptions but justify them by making them part of longer trips - ie Jura is a cycle/camping tour with a fell race somewhere in the middle, Ben Nevis is usually on the way home from a longer holiday etc.
I'm in the fortunate position of living close to the Lakes which makes this reasonably easy to apply but even so I very rarely do short races and usually only short ones in cycling distance of home - it seems a shame to drive past Blencathra to go and do a short race further on for example, and if I'm going to drive somewhere I want a good couple of hours running or more in return for the effort. We moved house earlier this year and although now slightly further from the north lakes I can run from home on to the fells and moors around Shap - I have noticed it has affected my attitude to racing quite a bit, the temptation to do something local instead of driving somewhere is usually strong and I suspect in future I'll be doing more running and less racing.

[dave13]

Went from fell walking this year into racing in fell races.slowly getting better as i go.Racing at langdale on saturday.have to admit its a buzz testing yerself

[Clash City Rocker]

I hate racing!

[sore legs]

Having only taken up Fell Running whilst I was working away unaccompanied, I could get away with perhaps 1 race a month if the race was a decent distance away from home, or 2 races a month if they were in the local South Wales area. If I lived at home I would have been able to do many more.

Situation now changed as we are moving to Northwood in London, so I am looking at 1 race a month so I will have to carefully pick the races to get the most out of having to travel a significant distance etc.