Race report by Scoffer on the Borrowdale website here :D
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Race report by Scoffer on the Borrowdale website here :D
Plant those Studs!
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3885/...a3c0f2b6_c.jpg
Plant those Studs! by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Please - no comments about the salute!
Got it Taped
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/...e5c257d8_c.jpg
Got it Taped by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Moses Parts the Scree
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5591/...e71f604d_o.jpg
Moses parts the Scree by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Wharfedale Harrier - Hard Man - Colin Moses
I have responded to Mike's letter. Below is what I have said:
Dear Mike,
This man who fell on Scafell entered a mountain race of his own volition. As you state, he fell off a rock where he "had no good reason to be on in the first place". You therefore reason that he should be made to pay for the costs of mountain rescue, A&E and air ambulance.
You have a point. Perhaps a "sensible" person wouldn't be trying to run on a mountain. Then again, a "sensible" person shouldn't be smoking, be overweight, drink alcohol excessively, eat too much salt or sugar, lead a sedentary lifestyle. I am hard-pressed to find anyone I know who is entirely "sensible" and does ALL the things his doctor tells him/her to do.
I am a doctor and see patients who have to a certain extent, "self-inflicted" illness everyday. The man with lung cancer who smoked his whole life, the obese man with diabetes, gout, hypertension and double knee replacements. Or the woman who became depressed and took an overdose, after she got hooked on alcohol and drugs.
You see Mike, much of modern illness in the NHS is to a certain extent self-inflicted. If I were to use your argument, we would have to charge all these people for using the ambulance and NHS service. In effect, the NHS, free at the point of delivery would cease to exist as we would be charging the majority of people coming through the door.
Good reply!
I agree with the last 3 posts,all the fellrunners I know are hard working people, maybe the benefit thieves should pay more.
I beg to disagree. I found the post pretty distasteful. A doctor blithely describing his own patients' illnesses as "self-inflicted" displays an unpleasant sense of smug superiority and crass insensitivity.
I got the distinct feeling that the poster wasn't that far off actually wanting to penalise these feeble untermenschen - after all, they're probably 'the benefit thieves' you seem to despise so much.
Quite a few fell-runners I know (and good ones) have had problems to greater or lesser extents in the past with alcohol or drugs, and the last thing they would have wanted is 'help' from someone as grossly insensitive and superior as that. Don't worry, they're 'hard-working' now though, so you can rest easy.
I agree with you jimmy I don't care much for benefit thieves, if you work , play hard your entitled to the best care.ie (falling in the borrowdale fell race).
My gripe isn't really with you.The reason I put 'benefit thieves' in inverted commas is because there ain't that many of 'em, whatever the Daily Mail might tell you :)
I'm just a bit surprised to see a doctor, well into the 21st century, nonchalently displaying casual contempt for the people he's supposed to be caring for. The woman who's abusing drugs & alcohol is ALREADY depressed, that's why she's doing it. The obese chain-smoking man isn't killing himself slowly as a bloody lifestyle choice.. he's very very unhappy and doesn't need some smug superior **** lording it over him when he wants help.
Anyway, rant over.. it just pissed me off to see it, I've had enough of insensitive superior doctors to last me a lifetime.
Rant over , back to fellracing
Jimmy, I'm sorry if anybody feels that I've been judgemental or insensitive. It sounds like you've had your share of insensitive doctors and I'd be very unhappy if my patients thought that of me. That was not my intention. As I stated in my post, most of us don't always live the healthiest of lifestyles, myself included. I have been obese most of my adult life and don't come from a healthy family.
I do however, stand by my original point that we have our own hand in causing much of modern illness. It is not my opinion, it is not my judgement, it is a fact. And I'm not sure how my original post is showing "casual contempt"?
Cancer and heart disease are the two biggest killers in the developed world. Smoking, obesity, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle significantly increases the risk of these. Of course, genetics and bad luck have a big role to play and I am not suggesting that if you have cancer, it is entirely your fault.
But the reality is that obesity is costing the NHS billions. Alcohol-related incidents accounts for a very significant number of NHS attendances. Smoking increases your risk of dozens of cancers and heart disease and stroke.
1 in 4 adults are obese in the UK (and growing!). To deny this isn't a problem and not causing illness would be wrong and exacerbate the problem.
Back to my original point and its connection with fell running. These patients all need help. Whether it is cause by a poor diet or falling off the side of a mountain, all patients deserve the best treatment in a fair and non-judgemental way. And this was the response I was making to Mike, who suggested that the injured fell runner should be charged for his NHS care.
Happy fell-running!
There is evidence that alcohol causes depression more often than the other way round.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/589338
[QUOTE=dcglim;592596]Jimmy, I'm sorry if anybody feels that I've been judgemental or insensitive. It sounds like you've had your share of insensitive doctors and I'd be very unhappy if my patients thought that of me. That was not my intention. As I stated in my post, most of us don't always live the healthiest of lifestyles, myself included. I have been obese most of my adult life and don't come from a healthy family.
I do however, stand by my original point that we have our own hand in causing much of modern illness. It is not my opinion, it is not my judgement, it is a fact. And I'm not sure how my original post is showing "casual contempt"?
Thanks for the reply dcglim. I think I responded badly to the pejorative term "self-inflicted" which you used twice. It just has overtones of condescension to me, but I accept that that's not how you intended it, so I apologise.
Yes, I have had bad experiences with pretty poor doctors in the past (but by no means all - some superb as well). It's particularly upsetting when you see those you love receiving poor care.
Yes, happy fell running to you too! :)
Apology accepted. Nuff said, let's get back to the running!
:D
Glad that's sorted.
Ex-Winner of Borrowdale
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5561/...40f182f1_o.jpg
Gavin Bland by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Andy are you at sedbergh tomorrow,shall we smile for you. Great photos from borrowdale bye the way
I'm doing this for the first time in a couple of weeks - what's it like for water en route? in all the pictures and videos I've seen, no-one seems to be carrying any. I can see a few streams on the map - are these good sources of water?
There are always a lot of spectators around the course, and whilst I believe in self sufficiency, you will be offered water, jelly babies and flapjack if anything like the last few years are to judge by. There is an official water station at Honister.
Banged up my calf on Kentmere last week, so if anyone (with the relevant qualifying races) wants a place, let me know.
Larry
I've sent you a private message.
That entry has now been taken by No Map, no compass. Good luck!
Hi, if there if anyone else who is unable to run and wants to pass on their place then I'm keen!
Cheers
Hugh
Also water from the spring at Calf Cove after Esk Hause.
Hi Rollerblader, I've tried to pm you but not sure I did it right! My email is [email protected] if you can drop me a email pls and I'll email you back.
Cheers
Hugh
Belatedly, thanks to all those involved in running the show at this year's race, especially the marshalls up on the peaks -- I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Knowing I wouldn't be terribly competitive, I did another self-indulgent video of the whole experience, similar to the one I did of my solo BGR. (Taking selfies while running through some checkpoints causing some hilarity and consternation, not least by Billy Bland himself afterwards -- a privelege to meet him.) But anyway, if anyone wants to see what running Borrowdale is like -- here it is:
http://youtu.be/jgfhouF_tsA
(Edit: I should explain I'm more of a flat road-racer from East Anglia, so fell running is a holiday novelty for me -- involving training on multi-storey car park stairs, etc. At home, I'm racing full on. Here, I knew already from last year that I'd be way back from anyone who knew what they were about, hence I didn't mind mucking about taking some video clips to remember in my dotage.)
A thoroughly enjoyable day in that Borrowdale. One of my favourite places and races. A joy to be a part of it. How Ricky ran that fast is beyond me!
Unbelievable!