I did not write this, it is by Ronan Hickey on the IMRA forum but it is worthy of a bigger audience
Instructions for getting into Fell Running.
1) Get badgered into turning up to a race by mates calling you a wimp.
2) Rock up to what you reckon is the easiest race in the calendar.
3) Freak out at the fact that the competitors are leaner, fitter and meaner-looking than at road races. Hell, they look tough even while wearing lycra!
4) Panic when you can't follow the route description which is blurted out at the start of the race.
5) Die for the first 10 minutes.
6) Think about faking an injury to be able to stop.
7) Suddenly realise that while it's horrific it hasn't actually got any WORSE in the last 5 minutes.
8) Reach the top.
9) Become a kid again running down as fast as you can (note: you will redefine the word fast after seeing how the leaders do these descents)
10) Try NOT to get an injury (cos you know we'll think you're only faking it)
11) Finish and liberally apply batter burgers,chips and pints of Guinness
12) Swagger a little when you casually mention the race to people in work
13) Become obsessed with percentages, Enduro points, race profiles and marking that FECKING git who always seems to finish just in front of you but MAN is he gonna get his at the next race!
14) Laugh like a drain when road runners complain about hilly race courses
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