UKA Relays

Hi Daz

I think the Club and respective team captains or whatever you want to call them that put the entries in and hand out the numbers to their team(s) need to make sure that they know each runner personally - as Geoff does with our teams. You don't give a place in the team to people without relevant experience. That experience can be gained in the comfort of Thursday nights, local races, etc. not at a big event like the relays.

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Originally Posted by daz h

It amazes me that some people come along to the relays and just assume that if they have the neccesary equipment they will be okay.

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Don't get me started on this. Totally agree, I reckon more than 25% of runners could not sort out a bearing if the needed to. Kit checks, it's all just box ticking excersise really.

Some people go on and on about having gear, having the right clothing, having a compass; when a bit of hill sense is far far more important. There's this mentality that if you have a waterproof jacket and a map and compass you'll be safe...it's just non-sensical. Look at the comment on this thread about people running in vests..

Fell running has been lucky on at least 2 occassions in the last few years where there could have easily been deaths at races. Maybe it will only be after a spate of deaths that attitudes will change.

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Originally Posted by RichT

Hi Daz

I think the Club and respective team captains or whatever you want to call them that put the entries in and hand out the numbers to their team(s) need to make sure that they know each runner personally - as Geoff does with our teams. You don't give a place in the team to people without relevant experience. That experience can be gained in the comfort of Thursday nights, local races, etc. not at a big event like the relays.

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Thats why I picked you in my team;)
And yes your spot on in saying that you wouldnt send people out onto the fell without the relevant experience( certainly i know it wouldnt happen at Pennine)
But there was people at the relays who asked me how to use a compass. One way to gain exp is to do the leg with a good navigator to gain exp but I think the bad weather highlighted problems for people that to be honest could not read a compass.
Im always intrigued to debate with people as to what they class as experience.
Finding checkpoints on bearings with things to look at , ie references on the fell etc is a totally different experience to getting lost out there in rough weather and not knowing what to do.
It was the rough weather that caused the problems.

Couple that with someone who cannot read a compass and you have a problem. It doesnt have to be the nav leg.

:eek: compass :eek::D

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Originally Posted by Nee Bother

:eek: compass :eek::D

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You know that thing I was holding when I bumped into you en route to checkpoint 2
:)

I heard tell of a lad in Tod's 1st team who ran with no waterproof bottoms and quickly brorrowed a pair in order to comply.

Poor form.:mad:

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Originally Posted by Stagger

I heard tell of a lad in Tod's 1st team who ran with no waterproof bottoms and quickly brorrowed a pair in order to comply.

Poor form.:mad:

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but people do it all the time :confused: You see it at every race, how some people can have the smallest of bum bags is beyond me? They clearly don't have full kit. I've done so many races now where people positively brag about getting by the kit check without being collared....madness.

we can all make mistakes and genuinely rush out the door and forget things but it's the laisez faire attitude that gets me

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Originally Posted by daz h

Couple that with someone who cannot read a compass and you have a problem. It doesnt have to be the nav leg.

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Indeed... so many people on the non-nav legs were complaining about finding it hard to find their cp's... but isn't being able to navigate safely under bad conditions and visibility part of fell racing???? Even when you are not on the nav leg you should be able to take a bearing and find your way in the clag I'd say?

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Originally Posted by Hanneke

Indeed... so many people on the non-nav legs were complaining about finding it hard to find their cp's... but isn't being able to navigate safely under bad conditions and visibility part of fell racing???? Even when you are not on the nav leg you should be able to take a bearing and find your way in the clag I'd say?

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Were they moaning about the nav or the need to nav?

I can understand the need to nav moan. If you're running into the clag having to nav, even on simple legs like 1,2 and 4, you're at a massive disadvantage from those local runners who don't have to nav at all. Personally I think local knowledge for the nav leg is advantage enough.

I thought 2 was an easy leg to navigate around and did it almost all from memory and a word or two of advice from others tbf, but still you were running not 100% committed keeping an eye out for landmarks you'll recognise, whereas locals can just hoon it.

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Originally Posted by IainR

... you're at a massive disadvantage from those local runners who don't have to nav at all ...

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That's as maybe ... but, with the exception of Borrowdale, where's your evidence for this?? Looking at the results, I'd say that the locals either didn't have the LK or they chose not to use it!!

Comparing CFR and Ellenborough's result with Eryri's, I would say they were at a disadvantage, wouldn't you?