Transition from road to fell

[magician]

Hi there, I started running back last Nov, beginning at 266lbs, I am now down to 185lbs, and feeling a whole lot better for it. I have dropped all this weight with just running and watching what I eat.

I run on the road, and trail, and have done a few races. What I want to do is make the transition to fell running, and lately I have been going out with my brother who is a good fell runner.

I live in Lancashire so I go up rivington, and white coppice, and great hill and Winter hill.

All are certainly good workouts. It is difficult I must admit, though I am looking to enter some races, does anyone have any suggestions for races around my area - in order to break me in so to speak. Many thanks.

[Alf Tupper]

Good luck mate and well done! I don't know the area but just wanted to say well done.

[emmilou]

are you in a club?

Lostock run from the leisure centre in Horwich on wednesdays - ooo that's tonight! we go up round rivi, 2 lads, winter hill etc etc.

quite a few races you can do but depends on what you fancy really!!

i didn't do any transition just ran on the fells as soon as joined Lostock from No road running at all then entered the Three Shires as a first race and the rest is history!!

come along you'd be more than welcome

[Vince]

Further round you have the Rossendale valley, with loads of fell races (some hard, some not so hard) to watch out for. In fact there was a 6 mile one last night! Also, you have Darwen who are on the other side of the West Pennine moors to us. There is quite a few who run on this side based at Radcliffe AC. The best thing is join a club and never be lonely up on the fells!

[Toreador]

From my limited experience, I'd say just pick a race (http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/2007races.htm) and go for it. I was surprised when I started at the huge range of abilities. I'd always assumed that everyone was going to be really fit and leave me embarrassingly far behind, but it turned out that there were loads of people even slower than me!

[Stolly]

I'd always assumed that everyone was going to be really fit and leave me embarrassingly far behind, but it turned out that there were loads of people even slower than me!

In the same way that road running attracts some joggers and one off-ers for sponsorship etc, fell running seems to attract a fair few that think they are fit but aren't (me in the beginning), think they know what they are doing but don't (me again), are willing to (and prefer to) give things a go and 'learn' from the school of hard knocks (me ) ...... and have a masochistic, obessiveness coupled with a love of the fells and countryside that just makes normal road running suddenly seem stunningly boring.

I definitely don't run to keep or get fit anymore (but the side product is that I do both) or run to win races (ha!) - I run to get up into the middle of nowhere, in the hills in a rare variety of weather and terrain conditions and to periodically feel like I f**cking own the place

[Vince]

In the same way that road running attracts some joggers and one off-ers for sponsorship etc, fell running seems to attract a fair few that think they are fit but aren't (me in the beginning), think they know what they are doing but don't (me again), are willing to (and prefer to) give things a go and 'learn' from the school of hard knocks (me ) ...... and have a masochistic, obessiveness coupled with a love of the fells and countryside that just makes normal road running suddenly seem stunningly boring.

I definitely don't run to keep or get fit anymore (but the side product is that I do both) or run to win races (ha!) - I run to get up into the middle of nowhere, in the hills in a rare variety of weather and terrain conditions and to periodically feel like I f**cking own the place

LOL - fantastic thoughts and so true for us near the back people!!!!

[Ady In Accy]

I live in Lancashire so I go up rivington, and white coppice, and great hill and Winter hill.

You are spoilt for choice in this area, it's a great place to live! Pick one from the calender and have a go, would not recommend an AL for your 1st one though, perhaps BS or BM. Good luck.