First Fell Run

[GazMorris]

I went for my first ever run up a fell last weekend and had a great time, despite giving myself the worst case of DOMS I've ever had. I ran from Grange in Borrowdale up to Hawes Gate, along Maiden Moor, Narrow Moor and High Spy before heading down the quarries underneath Dale Head, back behind Castle Crag and into Grange.

Unfortunately I live down in Essex, so the fell running's going to be an occasional thing, but hopefully with a bit of luck I might make it to a race later this year. Any advice on training or for a first race would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance,

Gaz Morris

[shaunaneto]

Good on you Gaz, and welcome to the forum.

I'd offer advice, but at best I'm misguided and at worst downright stupid. Probably best you don't listen to me.

Have a peruse through the training sub forum, the search function can be quite handy. Especially if you go into 'advanced search' and set it to 'titles only'

[sbrt]

Hey up Gaz!
I believe running may help with your training Good luck.

[Dave_Mole]

well done on your trip up the fells!
Sounds a lovely run. The obvious thing about training for a race is to run hills, and plenty of them. Not sure how you'll manage that in Essex, but good luck with it!

[Latege]

Welcome! Training specifically for the fells when you live on the flats is a bit of a challenge (I know, I currently live in the Vale of Aylesbury). If you're really intent, it probably means running up and down the same few hills a lot, which isn't the most exciting. If you can find some rough terrain as well, so much the better (not much of it here). Throw in some tempo and speed sessions, which is always good but I find even more important when not able to get out on the moors regularly.
As for a race, I'd say just choose an area you want to visit/will be visiting (Pennines, mid-Wales, wherever) and look at the calendar. Choose a BM or BS or anything C that takes your fancy. Look at a map, check the organiser's website/this forum for further info. and advice about its suitability and then give it a go. - If it's anything other than a Short category, do be sure you know how to use your map and compass, but I'm guessing from your description of your first run, that's not a problem.

[ba-ba]

Springfield Striders are, I believe, 'Essex's premier Fell Running club', seen them on weekend trips to races in the Peak District, Lakes and Long Mynd over the last few years, may be useful for finding likeminded people to share lifts with?

[mr brightside]

Any advice on training or for a first race would be much appreciated.

Research the route.

[L.F.F.]

I'd choose a race that captures your imagination and will get you out the door and take it from there. If that's a Cat A race then great (although some seem to be checking for experience these days so worth confirming).

I never train on 'felly' terrain so have the same issues as you, but I find that covering the same distance as the race you plan to do, on as undulating ground as you can find, generally does the trick. The pace will be faster at home over a shorter time, and gentler when you race over a longer time.

Hope that helps.

(Forgot to say, a recce is always useful to make sure you're not dependant on following and that you aren't slowed down on the day by having to think about navigating too much.)

[PeteS]

Springfield Striders are, I believe, 'Essex's premier Fell Running club', seen them on weekend trips to races in the Peak District, Lakes and Long Mynd over the last few years, may be useful for finding likeminded people to share lifts with?

Indeed, I had a chat to some essex chaps at the Cardington Cracker so you are not alone, Gaz.
I live and train in the midlands and so have to put up with what I've got nearby most of the time. Thankfully have a couple of small hills down the road so putting in loads of short hill reps with some longer runs over undulating terrain seems to do the trick.

[ba-ba]

You can build up fitness quite well on the flat. Shorter sharper reps will help a bit but to improve at the 40min lakeland climbs it's best to get out on longer ones. Either that or do a load of squats and walking up stairs...