Another novice..

[FruityPebble]

Hi,

I have been trauling the forums for a couple of days so thought it only polite i introduce myself!

I'm 25 and have been running round and about Oxfordshire for a while now. I generally run on footpaths as running in the lanes around here is a death wish!

Since running regular longer stints i have been enjoying the countryside more and more so thought i might come and investigate your sport, see what it takes to compete!


Hannah

[TurboTom]

welcome.
I wont say any more i may get in trouble

[Stick]

Welcome to Fell running Hannah

As you've been running for a little while, I'd suggest have a search for clubs around where you live, most have web sites nowadays, and go along to have run with them.

See which do any fell running. If none say anything about fell running, have a look at the results or entry lists for one of the bigger fell races, e.g. 3-peaks, Borrowdale, Ben Nevis, for runners clubs. These races attract runners from all over the country so may also give a hint as to which club to try.

e.g. http://www.bennevisrace.co.uk/2009_Prov_List.pdf

Also...find a short (category B) fell race reasonably close to home (have scan through the online calander on this site) and give it a go

I'm sure you'll find fell running and fell runners very gregarious and friendly.

Have fun!

[Cartman]

I am always sceptical about the standard advice to beginners to "join a club".

I would guess that about 95 percent of running clubs in the country have little knowledge of fell running. I have no idea whether or not there would be a club in Oxfordshire that caters one tiny bit for fell running. Most running clubs do some off road running in the form of cross country or trail races. I suspect that unless you are prepared to join a club such as Tring or whatever you will find few fell runners.

I come from the South of England myself and I feel that fell running could be pretty accessible for anyone interested. I don't think lack of hill training ought ever to be an issue because you can run up and down little hills many times and the effect is the same as running up and down big hills only a few times.

It helps if you can learn to read a map and use a compass, but having said that most races don't need it and I for one can't do it.

[FruityPebble]

Hi Gents,

Thanks for the welcome!

TurboTom - dare i ask??

Stick - i'm slightly worried about joining a running club, i run 5 miles most days and 10 on a weekend so i really am a novice, i wasn't joking! I'm currently training for the Para's 10 with my boots and rucksack so i don't think i'm going to up my distances for a while as i'm getting used to the boots and the weight on my back at the moment, i don't fancy turning up and getting left behind on a run so i think i might leave it until i'm doing some propper distances first.

Cartman - i fear you're right, there appear to be none that i can find that mention Fell Running. I have a couple of good little hills here that i run up and down regulaly so i'll build those up and then take my car for a wee trip up north.


Hannah

[Antisocial]

I would think with the mileage you are doing you would be able to keep up in your average club run, even if you cannot keep up the the woman of your age group, most clubs have a slower vets group and you should be able to keep up with them till you get stronger.

The other option I am endlessly advocating is Hashing, which is a variation on the paper chase ,it is not competitive and is designed so slower and faster runners (and often walkers) can finish together. Events are quite social but it is a way of both testing yourself and getting fit enough to join a proper running club. The other advantage is most hashes take place in the countryside and off road, though Oxfordshire is not known for its fells, you can get as extremely muddy, with the benefit being that Oxfordshire clay seems to wash of easier than northern peat bog.

I have run with this one in the past and found a good mixture of runners, joggers and walkers.

http://www.bicesterh3.org/

there are links on their site to other local ones or try the main hash website. Also good when you go on holiday as many areas and major cities have one across the world.

http://www.hhh.org.uk/

Good luck

[Multiterrainer]

I would think with the mileage you are doing you would be able to keep up in your average club run, even if you cannot keep up the the woman of your age group, most clubs have a slower vets group and you should be able to keep up with them till you get stronger.

The other option I am endlessly advocating is Hashing, which is a variation on the paper chase ,it is not competitive and is designed so slower and faster runners (and often walkers) can finish together. Events are quite social but it is a way of both testing yourself and getting fit enough to join a proper running club. The other advantage is most hashes take place in the countryside and off road, though Oxfordshire is not known for its fells, you can get as extremely muddy, with the benefit being that Oxfordshire clay seems to wash of easier than northern peat bog.

I have run with this one in the past and found a good mixture of runners, joggers and walkers.

http://www.bicesterh3.org/

there are links on their site to other local ones or try the main hash website. Also good when you go on holiday as many areas and major cities have one across the world.

http://www.hhh.org.uk/

Good luck

They still going strong then? - I was brought up in and around Bicester and my dad went out a couple of times with the Bicester hash. My limited running in those days (teens) was on road training, school x-country or orienteering. Not sure where you are in the county Fruity but make the most of what hills you have (even the flatlands of Bicester are close to some - Brill Hill for example if you dare cross into Bucks!!)

[stevefoster]

I'm currently training for the Para's 10 with my boots and rucksack

Welcome to the forum and good luck with the Para's 10

[FruityPebble]

I'm about 6 miles from Bicester, funnily enough having looked at the meeting point for tonights hash is my local! how timely! sadly work means i didn't get there but maybe next time as its so local.

Thanks Merryleggs, i need all the luck i can get, 35lbs in a ruck sack is like 1/3 of my body weight and after about 8 miles i start to flag! eak!


Hannah

[ZootHornRollo]

Hannah, I'm speaking as a relative newcomer as well who's only done three races - but I can remember what it's like to be totally new to it all.

As it happens I did go in at the deep end and all three were ALs, but who says you need to take on the big distances now? - there are plenty of fell races well under 10 miles and with lesser degrees of climbing - in fact the majority are. You don't have to do Lakecland Classics from the off.

In terms of distances to aim at, I'd say a mile on the fells is worth one and three-quarters on the road - so if you can comfortably run 10 miles flat or on gentle trails, then figure for 6 on the fells.

The two big difficulties compared to trail running are 1) terrain / footing and 2) navigation (especially for longer races).

A background of fell-walking will help with the latter: have you navigated hills in bad weather before?

The first is just practice - you can be as fit as you like, but running up and down very steep gradients with rock and scree and wet grass is something that takes getting used to.

As well as technique, it takes leg strength. So what I found, was that a high level of cardio-vascular fitness becomes almost irrelevant if your legs are gone. And more or less the only way to get your legs in nick is to run up and down hills.

Hope that helps - would be genuinely glad to answer any more Qs cos as a recent convert I can vouch for what an amazing thing fell-running is to get into.